SetFit/ag_news · Datasets at Hugging Face

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Cyberonics #39; Shares Jumps on Stock Buy Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Inc. reported Friday that it purchased 3.5 million shares of Cyberonics Inc., taking a 14.9 percent stake in the Houston-based medical device maker, and expressed an interest in combining the two companies.	2	Business
United set to drop pension plans United Airlines has said it will very likely terminate its four employee pension plans and replace them with less generous benefits. United said the drastic move was needed to attract the financing that would allow it to emerge from bankruptcy.	2	Business
Magna Int #39;l Names Mark Hogan as President TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada #39;s Magna International (MGa.TO: Quote, Profile, Research) , the world #39;s seventh-largest auto-parts supplier, named Mark Hogan as its president on Friday and said he will be based in Detroit.	2	Business
Dim Reality at Sharper Image Shares of Sharper Image (SHRP:Nasdaq - news - research) were under pressure Friday after the company unexpectedly predicted it will lose money in its third quarter and was downgraded by JP Morgan.	2	Business
Lottery for Longshore Jobs Draws More Than 300,000 Description: Union and shipping company officials at the Port of Los Angeles held a lottery Thursday to fill 300,000 longshore jobs. More than 300,000 people applied for the dangerous but lucrative jobs. Results of the lottery will be posted on the Web ...	2	Business
Prehistoric Desert Town Found in Western Sahara (Reuters) Reuters - The remains of a prehistoric town\believed to date back 15,000 years and belong to an ancient\Berber civilization have been discovered in Western Sahara,\Moroccan state media said on Thursday.	3	Sci/Tech
Eta rebels explode peace hopes ETA triggered a series of explosions across Spain yesterday in a show of force by a faction within the Basque terrorist organisation opposed to a peace deal with the Socialist Government.	0	World
Ghana leader looks set to win second term Accra - Ghana #39;s leader, John Kufuor, is expected to win a second and final four-year term when voters in the world #39;s second-biggest cocoa grower choose their leader in a presidential election on Tuesday.	0	World
Software Doesn't Break Laws... ... People do. Or at least that's what two makers of file-sharing software argued successfully in federal court, shifting the balance in the Internet piracy wars away from the Hollywood and the RIAA. <FONT face="verdana,MS Sans Serif,arial,helvetica" size="-2" color="#666666"><B>-washingtonpost.com</B></FONT>	3	Sci/Tech
Web Sites Agree to Be Accessible to Blind In one of the first enforcement actions of the Americans with Disabilities Act on the Internet, two major travel services have agreed to make sites more accessible to the blind and visually impaired.	3	Sci/Tech
Blunt Talk on Union Web Site Spotlights Frustration Over Labor Relations Changes Ron Ault, the president of the Metal Trades Department, AFL-CIO, describes himself as "a very plain-spoken person." He isn't kidding.	3	Sci/Tech
Nokia taps Coke exec to refresh brands The hope is that Keith Pardy will put some fizz back in the company's market share stats.	3	Sci/Tech
Cherry Readies Linux Keyboard \$50 device will feature hot keys designed for the alternative operating system.	3	Sci/Tech
Japan Court Ex-Chess Champ Fischer Can Be Deported (Reuters) Reuters - A Tokyo court on Friday rejected a\request by former world chess champion Bobby Fischer to have\Japanese authorities halt procedures to deport him, Kyodo news\agency reported.	0	World
Software Doesn't Break Laws... (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - What do file-sharing companies and the National Rifle Association have in common? A common legal argument, that's what.	3	Sci/Tech
Stocks Near Flat as Oil Price Hits Record NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks were little changed on Friday as investors worried high crude prices will hurt the economy and corporate profits, but oil production companies like Exxon Mobil Corp. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=XOM.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">XOM.N</A> and ChevronTexaco Corp. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=CVX.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">CVX.N</A> got a boost as the price of crude inched toward \$50 per barrel.	2	Business
New Blast Rocks Texas Natural Gas Unit HOUSTON (Reuters) - A new explosion rocked an underground natural gas storage site early Friday, sending a fireball into the sky and prompting the evacuation of homes near the blaze, which has raged since early Thursday.	2	Business
Iraqi Police Enter Najaf Shrine, Arrest Militiamen NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraqi police took control of the Imam Ali Mosque in the holy city of Najaf on Friday after entering the shrine and arrested some hundreds of militiamen, Interior Ministry and an Iraqi government source said.	0	World
Japan Court Ex-Chess Champ Fischer Can Be Deported TOKYO (Reuters) - A Tokyo court on Friday rejected a request by former world chess champion Bobby Fischer to have Japanese authorities halt procedures to deport him, Kyodo news agency reported.	0	World
Second Explosion Rocks Texas Gas Facility MOSS BLUFF, Texas - A second explosion in less than 24 hours rocked a burning underground gas storage facility early Friday, prompting authorities to expand an evacuation zone around the site. The fire at Duke Energy's Moss Bluff natural gas facility intensified overnight, an official said...	0	World
U.S. Women Beat Spain in First Real Test ATHENS, Greece - Seriously challenged for the first time in these Olympics, the U.S. women's basketball team fought through foul problems and long stretches of frigid shooting to clinch first place in its preliminary group with a 71-58 victory over Spain on Friday...	0	World
Stocks Up Despite Oil Nearing \$50 a Barrel NEW YORK - Stocks edged higher in early trading Friday as investors tried to uncouple share prices from skyrocketing oil costs, even as crude reached new highs and neared \$50 per barrel. A barrel of light crude was quoted at \$49.33, up 63 cents, on the New York Mercantile Exchange, continuing a climb that has sent new intraday highs with every quote...	0	World
An Elusive Peace in Najaf The standoff is driven by Moqtada Sadr's political ambitions. But how good is his poker game?	0	World
File Sharing Companies Ruled Not Liable A federal appeals court yesterday ruled that two developers of file-sharing programs are not legally liable for the copyrighted content their users swap online.	2	Business
Update 1: Cyberonics #39; Shares Jump on Stock Buy Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Inc. reported Friday that it purchased 3.5 million shares of Cyberonics Inc., taking a 14.9 percent stake in the Houston-based medical device maker, and expressed an interest in combining the two companies.	2	Business
Kmart #39;s store sales might cost jobs Report: Retailer could terminate as many as 1,200 positions stemming from stores sold to Home Depot.	2	Business
WPP Profit Rises; Company Ponders Bid for Grey Global (Update5) Aug. 20 (Bloomberg) -- WPP Group Plc, the world #39;s second- largest advertising and marketing company, said first-half profit rose 11 percent as demand increased in the US and Asia, and reiterated it #39;s looking into buying Grey Global Inc.	2	Business
Flaws and a Delay for XP SP2 Just one day after Microsoft delayed the delivery of its Windows XP Service Pack 2 (XP SP2) update for the Professional Edition, a German research firm announced the discovery of two security flaws in the application.	3	Sci/Tech
RealNetworks Doesn #39;t Rock NEW YORK - It #39;s never a smart move to pick a public fight with Apple Computer, and it #39;s doubly unwise if that fight involves the iPod in some way.	3	Sci/Tech
BlackBerry in sync with Mac OS X Software developer Information Appliance Associates announced on Thursday the release of an application synchronising Research In Motion #39;s BlackBerry devices with Apple #39;s Mac OS X.	3	Sci/Tech
Nokia taps Coke exec to refresh brands Nokia is bringing in a Coca-Cola executive to take over brand management as part of its plan for regaining market share.	3	Sci/Tech
Probe expanded into Greek sprinters #39; crash, coach #39;s past The state drug agency asked for a warrant Friday to search a warehouse belonging to the coach of two disgraced Greek sprinters who withdrew from the Olympics after they missed a doping test.	1	Sports
Rathbone is #39;like Gregan #39; AUSTRALIAN coach Eddie Jones rates winger Clyde Rathbone a potential successor to Wallaby captain George Gregan as the pair reach Test career milestones tonight against South Africa in Durban.	1	Sports
Two more Americans fail to master Olympic boxing style No chance, Dad. The best amateur boxers know just how to move and exactly when to pounce -- and three Americans who failed to match that style are out of the Olympics.	1	Sports
USA women #39;s basketball team pulls away to beat Spain Athens, Greece (Sports Network) - The US women #39;s basketball team continued its impressive play at the Olympics, pulling away from previously-unbeaten Spain for a 71-58 victory on Friday.	1	Sports
Twenty-Five Hurt as Azores Plane Avoids Collision LISBON (Reuters) - Twenty-five TAP-Air Portugal passengers and crew were slightly injured when the plane made a hasty maneuver to avoid a mid-air collision just before landing on an island in The Azores on Friday, TAP said.	0	World
Holes found in Windows XP update Security firms are starting to find loopholes and bugs in the SP2 security update for Windows XP.	3	Sci/Tech
Search Engine Forums Spotlight Links to this week's topics from search engine forums across the web: How Do You Compete With the Fortune 500s - Google Prices Stock at \$85 Per Share - MSN Block-Level Link Analysis - Slickest Link Building Tricks - Your Message to New SEOs - How To Handle AdWords With Thousands Of Keywords	3	Sci/Tech
Amazon to Purchase Chinese Retailer Joyo.com Amazon to Purchase Chinese Retailer Joyo.com\\Amazon.com agreed to buy Joyo.com which is China's largest online retailer of books, music and videos. The agreed purchase will be at \$75 million for Amazon to enter the world's second largest populated Internet market.\\Amazon will pay \$72 million in cash and assume employee stock ...	3	Sci/Tech
Court Rules File Sharing Legal Court Rules File Sharing Legal\\A federal appeals court has upheld a controversial decision which ruled that file sharing software such as Kazaa, Morpheus or Grokster are indeed legal. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Los Angeles ruled on Thursday that peer-to-peer software developers were not liable for any ...	3	Sci/Tech
Basketball: U.S. Women Win After a Tough Test ATHENS (Reuters) - The unbeaten U.S. women's basketball team had their sternest test of the Olympic tournament so far Friday, needing an eight point run in the third quarter to pull away and beat Spain 71-58.	1	Sports
FDA Sees Changes to Antidepressant Labels WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration plans to update antidepressant labels to reflect studies that suggest a link between the drugs and suicide in youth, according to documents released on Friday.	2	Business
Holes found in Windows update Security firms are starting to find loopholes and bugs in the SP2 security update for Windows XP.	0	World
Is Netflix Doomed? A Netflix mailer may be black and white and red all over, but that's not the only punch line.	2	Business
Iraqi Police in Control of Najaf Shrine, According to Reports Hundreds of militiamen were arrested today when police entered the Imam Ali Mosque, but rebel Shiite cleric Moktada al-Sadr was not found, Iraqi officials said.	0	World
Avian flu 'discovered in pigs' Scientists in China say they have discovered the highly virulent H5N1 strain of bird flu in pigs.	3	Sci/Tech
Advanced Neuromodulation takes stake in Cyberonics CHICAGO, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Advanced Neuromodulation Systems (ANSI.O: Quote, Profile, Research) on Friday said it took a 14.9 percent equity stake in Cyberonics Inc. (CYBX.O: Quote, Profile, Research) , expressing interest in combining the two companies, ...	2	Business
Mylan Explains Trading Surge That #39;s what Mylan Laboratories (MYL :Nasdaq - news - research) sort of did Friday in addressing a surge in trading volume Thursday.	2	Business
Nordstrom shares are hammered after earnings miss CHICAGO, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Shares of Nordstrom Inc. (JWN.N: Quote, Profile, Research) dropped 9 percent early on Friday after the luxury retailer missed Wall Street #39;s earnings target and forecast disappointing profits for the current quarter.	2	Business
Dollar Rises; Traders Drop Bets Currency to Reach One-Month Low Aug. 20 (Bloomberg) -- The dollar climbed against the euro after some traders abandoned bets that a slowdown in growth reflected in economic reports this week would push the US currency to a one-month low.	2	Business
Ohio sues Best Buy for alleged unfair business practices YESTERDAY THE STATE OF OHIO sued Best Buy for alleged unfair and deceptive business practices. Ohio state is claiming the company repackaged used goods and sold them as if they were new, as well as not honouring rebates, refunds, exchange programs and ...	2	Business
Holes found in Windows XP update Barely hours after home users started securing their PCs with a key update for Windows XP, security experts have found ways around it.	3	Sci/Tech
Probe Set to Return with Sun Sample Aug. 20, 2004 A small science satellite dispatched to just beyond Earth #39;s magnetosphere returns to the home planet next month to deliver a most unique package: particles of the sun.	3	Sci/Tech
Greek Athlete Tests Positive for Drugs ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek pride was dealt another blow Friday when one of their athletes failed a drugs test at the Olympics just 48 hours after its two top sprinters pulled out of the Games in a doping scandal.	1	Sports
Fergie undecided over Ronaldo Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is still unsure whether to field Cristiano Ronaldo in Saturday #39;s Premiership clash against Norwich.	1	Sports
Israel Faces New Pressure Over Security Barrier The Israeli government is facing new pressure over its controversial West Bank security barrier, which the World Court has ruled is illegal and should be dismantled.	0	World
Japan Court Ex-Chess Champ Fischer Can Be Deported TOKYO (Reuters) - A Tokyo court on Friday rejected a request by former world chess champion Bobby Fischer to have Japanese authorities halt procedures to deport him, Kyodo news agency reported.	0	World
UN Official Warns of #39;Spiral of Violence #39; Following Burundi Massacre The United Nation #39;s top peacekeeping official says there is quot;real danger quot; of a new war in central Africa following the massacre of Congolese refugees in Burundi.	0	World
Latham to be released from hospital Mr Latham is due to leave St Vincent #39;s hospital in Sydney after being treated for pancreatitis. Mr Latham says he is feeling much better and expects to be back at work next week.	0	World
Google Shares Jump 18 In NASDAQ Debut Google Shares Jump 18 In NASDAQ Debut\\Google stock shares rose 18 percent in their NASDAQ stock market debut yesterday, after a scaled-down \$1.67 billion IPO marked by missteps and lackluster market conditions. Google co-founder Larry Page and chief executive Eric Schmidt showed up at the Nasdaq stock market as Google ...	3	Sci/Tech
Yahoo Now Powers OptusNet of Australia and New Zealand Yahoo Now Powers OptusNet of Australia and New Zealand\\Yahoo Search now powers the search engine results for OptusNet, Australia's second largest Internet service provider. The Age reports that Optus signed an agreement with Yahoo's Australia and New Zealand divisions where in Yahoo! Search Technology will power the OptusNet dialup ...	3	Sci/Tech
Lithuanians face US NBA stars in Olympic basketball showdown (AFP) AFP - A struggling United States basketball team coming off two narrow escapes and a epic loss faces its toughest Olympic test yet Saturday against unbeaten Lithuania, which is playing like the team to beat for gold.	1	Sports
Iran Urges Meeting on Iraq 'Catastrophe' (AP) AP - Iranian President Mohammad Khatami called on Muslim countries Friday to hold an urgent meeting to discuss the "catastrophe" in Iraq, particularly the 2-week standoff in the holy city of Najaf.	0	World
Feds Subpoena Fannie Mae -Source WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Regulators investigating Fannie Mae's accounting practices have sent subpoenas to the No. 1 U.S. mortgage finance company in connection with the probe, a source familiar with the matter said on Friday.	2	Business
Anadarko to Sell Gulf Assets for \$1.3 Bln NEW YORK (Reuters) - Anadarko Petroleum Corp. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=APC.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">APC.N</A> has agreed to sell oil properties in the Gulf of Mexico to Apache Corp. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=APA.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">APA.N</A> and a royalty interest to Morgan Stanley Capital Group Inc. for a total of \$1.31 billion as part of its plan to slash debt and buy back stock, the company said on Friday.	2	Business
Kerry touts job-creation plans (AFP) AFP - Democratic White House hopeful John Kerry promised to help boost US job growth and take a harder line on alleged abuses by China as he touted his economic plan.	0	World
Scalpers Sell Athens Tickets at Face Value ATHENS (Reuters) - The Athens 2004 Games which will have a place in history as the Olympics' homecoming may also be remembered as the Games that redefined a ticket scalper's job.	1	Sports
Japan Court: Bobby Fischer Can Be Deported TOKYO (Reuters) - A Tokyo court on Friday rejected a request by former world chess champion Bobby Fischer to have the Japanese authorities halt procedures to deport him, his lawyer said.	0	World
Champions League matches in Group A Liverpool: 22-Chris Kirkland; 17-Josemi, 23-Jamie Carragher, 4-Sami Hyypia, 6-John Arne Riise; 18-Antonio Nunez, 8-Steven Gerrard, 14-Xabi Alonso, 10-Luis Garcia; 7-Harry Kewell, 5-Milan Baros.	1	Sports
Sony's TV Plans Take Shape New 46-inch LCD is just one of eight flat-panel models launched this week.	3	Sci/Tech
Beyonce's Hair Is Worth Millions (AP) AP - Beyonce reportedly makes up to #36;4.7 million for just 10 days of work a year #151; and that's just her hair. But she has to inform L'Oreal of "any radical change to her hair any concert tour may necessitate" and keep it in excellent condition, according to The Smoking Gun Web site, which has posted the contract between the singer and the cosmetic giant.	3	Sci/Tech
Sony's TV Plans Take Shape (PC World) PC World - New 46-inch LCD is just one of eight flat-panel models launched this week.	3	Sci/Tech
Airline Stops Three-Day Weekend Bookings (AP) AP - British Airways said Friday it has stopped taking bookings for the three-day weekend at the end of August because of a threatened strike over pay by check-in staff and baggage handlers.	0	World
Midway Could Be Viacom Acquisition Target (Reuters) Reuters - Media conglomerate Viacom Inc.\(VIAb.N) is considering expanding into the video game business\and could acquire publisher Midway Games Inc. (MWY.N),\according to a regulatory filing on Friday by Viacom chief\Sumner Redstone, who owns a controlling stake in Midway.	2	Business
Qantas, Jetstar fares rise with oil Qantas domestic and international air fares will rise by \$4 and \$7 respectively from next week as the airline lifts its fuel surcharge to offset soaring oil prices. Despite posting a record annual net profit of \$648.40 million on ...	2	Business
Rouse Co. to be sold for \$7.2 billion Another of Greater Baltimore #39;s marquee companies will soon have out-of-state ownership, as Chicago-based General Growth Properties Inc. announced Friday morning it will buy the Rouse Co. for \$7.2 billion.	2	Business
Advanced Neuromodulation initiates merger talks with Cyberonics NEW YORK, August 20 (New Ratings) Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Inc (ANSI.NAS) has acquired a 14.9 equity stake in Cyberonics Inc (CYBX), while initiating talks for combining the two companies.	2	Business
Midway Could Be Viacom Acquisition Target LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Media conglomerate Viacom Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=VIAb.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">VIAb.N</A> is considering expanding into the video game business and could acquire publisher Midway Games Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=MWY.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">MWY.N</A>, according to a regulatory filing on Friday by Viacom chief Sumner Redstone, who owns a controlling stake in Midway.	2	Business
Apple recalls 28,000 PowerBook G4 batteries Apple has recalled 28,000 of the batteries used in its 15in aluminium PowerBook G4 laptop computers sold earlier this year in the US and via its online and retail stores, after receiving four reports of the batteries overheating.	3	Sci/Tech
Deakes takes a walk into history The 27-year-old took out bronze in the men #39;s 20km walk -- winning Australia #39;s first Olympic medal for walking in almost 45 years.	1	Sports
Harmison strikes twice for dominant England LONDON, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Steve Harmison took two cheap wickets to leave West Indies reeling on 54 for three on the second day of the fourth test at The Oval on Friday after England #39;s wagging tail had pushed the hosts to 470 all out.	1	Sports
Us Grand Prix Is Back The United States Grand Prix is to return to the MotoGP calendar next year after an 11-year absence.	1	Sports
UN remembers Iraq staff, a year after bombing GENEVA: Tears flowed as the United Nations marked the first anniversary yesterday of the bombing that shattered its Baghdad headquarters.	0	World
PM: Australia aims to keep good relations with both US, China Australian Prime Minister John Howard said on Friday that Australia #39;s policy is aimed at keeping good relations with both the United States and China.	0	World
Dell's Secret Earnings Engine The company gets its highest profit margins from a conspicuously old economy business.	2	Business
Confusion Surrounds Seizure of Iraqi Mosque NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - The fate of a radical Shi'ite rebellion in the holy city of Najaf was uncertain Friday amid disputed reports that Iraqi police had gained control of the Imam Ali Mosque.	0	World
US: Time Running Out in Airbus-Boeing Row (Reuters) Reuters - The United States said on Tuesday it may\soon take legal action in a trade row over government help for\Airbus and Boeing, particularly as the European aircraft maker\was seeking support for a new project. Washington and Brussels\have so far resisted launching legal action at the World Trade\Organization (WTO) in their battle over allegations of illegal\subsidies to the aviation rivals, but that option may now be\just weeks away.	2	Business
Militants Remove Arms From Najaf Shrine BAGHDAD, Iraq - Militiamen loyal to rebel Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr on Friday removed their weapons from the revered Imam Ali Shrine in Najaf as part of an arrangement aimed at ending a 2-week-old anti-U.S. uprising centered on the holy site...	0	World
U.S. Women's Basketball Team Beats Spain ATHENS, Greece - The U.S. women's basketball team got just what it wanted against Spain - a victory and a test...	0	World
Stocks Up Despite Oil Nearing \$50 a Barrel NEW YORK - Stocks edged higher in early trading Friday as investors tried to uncouple share prices from skyrocketing oil costs, even as crude reached new highs and flirted with \$50 per barrel. A barrel of light crude was quoted at \$48.97, up 27 cents, on the New York Mercantile Exchange after setting a new intraday record earlier in the session at \$49.40...	0	World
Tigers #39; Monroe facing theft charge in Charlotte County Detroit Tigers outfielder Craig Monroe was arrested for allegedly stealing a \$29.99 belt from a department store, a records clerk at Charlotte County jail said Tuesday.	1	Sports
Insiders Get Rich Through IPO (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - Google's Wednesday initial public offering, despite its failure to price as high or sell as many shares as the company had hoped, still made a host of existing stockholders instant millionaires and billionaires.	3	Sci/Tech
Google AdWords Dynamic Keyword Insertion Google AdWords Dynamic Keyword Insertion\\Just another tip on improving conversion rates with Google AdWords. When search words appear in a Google ad they are bolded. A good way to improve click through rate (and thus lower price per click) is to place keywords in the ad.\\Sometimes it may not be ...	3	Sci/Tech
Pakistan to rest speed duo Skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq said he #39;d likely rest Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Sami for Tuesday #39;s limited-overs match against an Australian Chairman #39;s XI as Pakistan continues to ease its pace bowlers into the tour.	1	Sports
Movie Studios Lose In Case Against File-Sharing Apps The decision is likely to force the industry to take the more costly and less-popular route of going directly after file-swappers.	2	Business
BHP had talks on India steel MINING giant BHP Billiton has confirmed it held preliminary talks with the Government of India #39;s Orissa state and Korean steel maker Posco about options for its iron ore business on the sub-continent.	2	Business
Ceradyne shares surge on Army contract award NEW YORK, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Shares of Ceradyne Inc. (CRDN.O: Quote, Profile, Research) , a maker of ceramic body armor, surged to an all-time high on Friday on news that the company has won a US Army contract worth up to \$461 million.	2	Business
Bush hasn #39;t decided on tax reform-Treasury #39;s Snow WASHINGTON, Aug 20 (Reuters) - President George W. Bush has not decided on whether wholesale changes to the US tax code would be a focus of administration policy if he won a second term, US Treasury Secretary John Snow said on Friday.	2	Business
Alcatel Spreading DSL Wealth in China Building on a longstanding relationship, Alcatel (Quote, Chart) will help China Telecom deploy 1.3 million DSL (define) lines, the latest in a slew of recent industry deals from emerging markets.	3	Sci/Tech
Microsoft HotFixes Flaw In XP Fix Microsoft has released yet another hotfix #39;to fix a newly discovered problem in its XP Service Pack2 (XP SP2) release.	3	Sci/Tech

Cyberonics #39; Shares Jumps on Stock Buy Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Inc. reported Friday that it purchased 3.5 million shares of Cyberonics Inc., taking a 14.9 percent stake in the Houston-based medical device maker, and expressed an interest in combining the two companies.

2

Business

United set to drop pension plans United Airlines has said it will very likely terminate its four employee pension plans and replace them with less generous benefits. United said the drastic move was needed to attract the financing that would allow it to emerge from bankruptcy.

2

Business

Magna Int #39;l Names Mark Hogan as President TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada #39;s Magna International (MGa.TO: Quote, Profile, Research) , the world #39;s seventh-largest auto-parts supplier, named Mark Hogan as its president on Friday and said he will be based in Detroit.

2

Business

Dim Reality at Sharper Image Shares of Sharper Image (SHRP:Nasdaq - news - research) were under pressure Friday after the company unexpectedly predicted it will lose money in its third quarter and was downgraded by JP Morgan.

2

Business

Lottery for Longshore Jobs Draws More Than 300,000 Description: Union and shipping company officials at the Port of Los Angeles held a lottery Thursday to fill 300,000 longshore jobs. More than 300,000 people applied for the dangerous but lucrative jobs. Results of the lottery will be posted on the Web ...

2

Business

Prehistoric Desert Town Found in Western Sahara (Reuters) Reuters - The remains of a prehistoric town\believed to date back 15,000 years and belong to an ancient\Berber civilization have been discovered in Western Sahara,\Moroccan state media said on Thursday.

3

Sci/Tech

Eta rebels explode peace hopes ETA triggered a series of explosions across Spain yesterday in a show of force by a faction within the Basque terrorist organisation opposed to a peace deal with the Socialist Government.

0

World

Ghana leader looks set to win second term Accra - Ghana #39;s leader, John Kufuor, is expected to win a second and final four-year term when voters in the world #39;s second-biggest cocoa grower choose their leader in a presidential election on Tuesday.

0

World

Software Doesn't Break Laws... ... People do. Or at least that's what two makers of file-sharing software argued successfully in federal court, shifting the balance in the Internet piracy wars away from the Hollywood and the RIAA. <FONT face="verdana,MS Sans Serif,arial,helvetica" size="-2" color="#666666"><B>-washingtonpost.com</B></FONT>

3

Sci/Tech

Web Sites Agree to Be Accessible to Blind In one of the first enforcement actions of the Americans with Disabilities Act on the Internet, two major travel services have agreed to make sites more accessible to the blind and visually impaired.

3

Sci/Tech

Blunt Talk on Union Web Site Spotlights Frustration Over Labor Relations Changes Ron Ault, the president of the Metal Trades Department, AFL-CIO, describes himself as "a very plain-spoken person." He isn't kidding.

3

Sci/Tech

Nokia taps Coke exec to refresh brands The hope is that Keith Pardy will put some fizz back in the company's market share stats.

3

Sci/Tech

Cherry Readies Linux Keyboard \$50 device will feature hot keys designed for the alternative operating system.

3

Sci/Tech

Japan Court Ex-Chess Champ Fischer Can Be Deported (Reuters) Reuters - A Tokyo court on Friday rejected a\request by former world chess champion Bobby Fischer to have\Japanese authorities halt procedures to deport him, Kyodo news\agency reported.

0

World

Software Doesn't Break Laws... (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - What do file-sharing companies and the National Rifle Association have in common? A common legal argument, that's what.

3

Sci/Tech

Stocks Near Flat as Oil Price Hits Record NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks were little changed on Friday as investors worried high crude prices will hurt the economy and corporate profits, but oil production companies like Exxon Mobil Corp. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=XOM.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">XOM.N</A> and ChevronTexaco Corp. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=CVX.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">CVX.N</A> got a boost as the price of crude inched toward \$50 per barrel.

2

Business

New Blast Rocks Texas Natural Gas Unit HOUSTON (Reuters) - A new explosion rocked an underground natural gas storage site early Friday, sending a fireball into the sky and prompting the evacuation of homes near the blaze, which has raged since early Thursday.

2

Business

Iraqi Police Enter Najaf Shrine, Arrest Militiamen NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraqi police took control of the Imam Ali Mosque in the holy city of Najaf on Friday after entering the shrine and arrested some hundreds of militiamen, Interior Ministry and an Iraqi government source said.

0

World

Japan Court Ex-Chess Champ Fischer Can Be Deported TOKYO (Reuters) - A Tokyo court on Friday rejected a request by former world chess champion Bobby Fischer to have Japanese authorities halt procedures to deport him, Kyodo news agency reported.

0

World

Second Explosion Rocks Texas Gas Facility MOSS BLUFF, Texas - A second explosion in less than 24 hours rocked a burning underground gas storage facility early Friday, prompting authorities to expand an evacuation zone around the site. The fire at Duke Energy's Moss Bluff natural gas facility intensified overnight, an official said...

0

World

U.S. Women Beat Spain in First Real Test ATHENS, Greece - Seriously challenged for the first time in these Olympics, the U.S. women's basketball team fought through foul problems and long stretches of frigid shooting to clinch first place in its preliminary group with a 71-58 victory over Spain on Friday...

0

World

Stocks Up Despite Oil Nearing \$50 a Barrel NEW YORK - Stocks edged higher in early trading Friday as investors tried to uncouple share prices from skyrocketing oil costs, even as crude reached new highs and neared \$50 per barrel. A barrel of light crude was quoted at \$49.33, up 63 cents, on the New York Mercantile Exchange, continuing a climb that has sent new intraday highs with every quote...

0

World

An Elusive Peace in Najaf The standoff is driven by Moqtada Sadr's political ambitions. But how good is his poker game?

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World

File Sharing Companies Ruled Not Liable A federal appeals court yesterday ruled that two developers of file-sharing programs are not legally liable for the copyrighted content their users swap online.

2

Business

Update 1: Cyberonics #39; Shares Jump on Stock Buy Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Inc. reported Friday that it purchased 3.5 million shares of Cyberonics Inc., taking a 14.9 percent stake in the Houston-based medical device maker, and expressed an interest in combining the two companies.

2

Business

Kmart #39;s store sales might cost jobs Report: Retailer could terminate as many as 1,200 positions stemming from stores sold to Home Depot.

2

Business

WPP Profit Rises; Company Ponders Bid for Grey Global (Update5) Aug. 20 (Bloomberg) -- WPP Group Plc, the world #39;s second- largest advertising and marketing company, said first-half profit rose 11 percent as demand increased in the US and Asia, and reiterated it #39;s looking into buying Grey Global Inc.

2

Business

Flaws and a Delay for XP SP2 Just one day after Microsoft delayed the delivery of its Windows XP Service Pack 2 (XP SP2) update for the Professional Edition, a German research firm announced the discovery of two security flaws in the application.

3

Sci/Tech

RealNetworks Doesn #39;t Rock NEW YORK - It #39;s never a smart move to pick a public fight with Apple Computer, and it #39;s doubly unwise if that fight involves the iPod in some way.

3

Sci/Tech

BlackBerry in sync with Mac OS X Software developer Information Appliance Associates announced on Thursday the release of an application synchronising Research In Motion #39;s BlackBerry devices with Apple #39;s Mac OS X.

3

Sci/Tech

Nokia taps Coke exec to refresh brands Nokia is bringing in a Coca-Cola executive to take over brand management as part of its plan for regaining market share.

3

Sci/Tech

Probe expanded into Greek sprinters #39; crash, coach #39;s past The state drug agency asked for a warrant Friday to search a warehouse belonging to the coach of two disgraced Greek sprinters who withdrew from the Olympics after they missed a doping test.

1

Sports

Rathbone is #39;like Gregan #39; AUSTRALIAN coach Eddie Jones rates winger Clyde Rathbone a potential successor to Wallaby captain George Gregan as the pair reach Test career milestones tonight against South Africa in Durban.

1

Sports

Two more Americans fail to master Olympic boxing style No chance, Dad. The best amateur boxers know just how to move and exactly when to pounce -- and three Americans who failed to match that style are out of the Olympics.

1

Sports

USA women #39;s basketball team pulls away to beat Spain Athens, Greece (Sports Network) - The US women #39;s basketball team continued its impressive play at the Olympics, pulling away from previously-unbeaten Spain for a 71-58 victory on Friday.

1

Sports

Twenty-Five Hurt as Azores Plane Avoids Collision LISBON (Reuters) - Twenty-five TAP-Air Portugal passengers and crew were slightly injured when the plane made a hasty maneuver to avoid a mid-air collision just before landing on an island in The Azores on Friday, TAP said.

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World

Holes found in Windows XP update Security firms are starting to find loopholes and bugs in the SP2 security update for Windows XP.

3

Sci/Tech

Search Engine Forums Spotlight Links to this week's topics from search engine forums across the web: How Do You Compete With the Fortune 500s - Google Prices Stock at \$85 Per Share - MSN Block-Level Link Analysis - Slickest Link Building Tricks - Your Message to New SEOs - How To Handle AdWords With Thousands Of Keywords

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Sci/Tech

Amazon to Purchase Chinese Retailer Joyo.com Amazon to Purchase Chinese Retailer Joyo.com\\Amazon.com agreed to buy Joyo.com which is China's largest online retailer of books, music and videos. The agreed purchase will be at \$75 million for Amazon to enter the world's second largest populated Internet market.\\Amazon will pay \$72 million in cash and assume employee stock ...

3

Sci/Tech

Court Rules File Sharing Legal Court Rules File Sharing Legal\\A federal appeals court has upheld a controversial decision which ruled that file sharing software such as Kazaa, Morpheus or Grokster are indeed legal. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Los Angeles ruled on Thursday that peer-to-peer software developers were not liable for any ...

3

Sci/Tech

Basketball: U.S. Women Win After a Tough Test ATHENS (Reuters) - The unbeaten U.S. women's basketball team had their sternest test of the Olympic tournament so far Friday, needing an eight point run in the third quarter to pull away and beat Spain 71-58.

1

Sports

FDA Sees Changes to Antidepressant Labels WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration plans to update antidepressant labels to reflect studies that suggest a link between the drugs and suicide in youth, according to documents released on Friday.

2

Business

Holes found in Windows update Security firms are starting to find loopholes and bugs in the SP2 security update for Windows XP.

0

World

Is Netflix Doomed? A Netflix mailer may be black and white and red all over, but that's not the only punch line.

2

Business

Iraqi Police in Control of Najaf Shrine, According to Reports Hundreds of militiamen were arrested today when police entered the Imam Ali Mosque, but rebel Shiite cleric Moktada al-Sadr was not found, Iraqi officials said.

0

World

Avian flu 'discovered in pigs' Scientists in China say they have discovered the highly virulent H5N1 strain of bird flu in pigs.

3

Sci/Tech

Advanced Neuromodulation takes stake in Cyberonics CHICAGO, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Advanced Neuromodulation Systems (ANSI.O: Quote, Profile, Research) on Friday said it took a 14.9 percent equity stake in Cyberonics Inc. (CYBX.O: Quote, Profile, Research) , expressing interest in combining the two companies, ...

2

Business

Mylan Explains Trading Surge That #39;s what Mylan Laboratories (MYL :Nasdaq - news - research) sort of did Friday in addressing a surge in trading volume Thursday.

2

Business

Nordstrom shares are hammered after earnings miss CHICAGO, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Shares of Nordstrom Inc. (JWN.N: Quote, Profile, Research) dropped 9 percent early on Friday after the luxury retailer missed Wall Street #39;s earnings target and forecast disappointing profits for the current quarter.

2

Business

Dollar Rises; Traders Drop Bets Currency to Reach One-Month Low Aug. 20 (Bloomberg) -- The dollar climbed against the euro after some traders abandoned bets that a slowdown in growth reflected in economic reports this week would push the US currency to a one-month low.

2

Business

Ohio sues Best Buy for alleged unfair business practices YESTERDAY THE STATE OF OHIO sued Best Buy for alleged unfair and deceptive business practices. Ohio state is claiming the company repackaged used goods and sold them as if they were new, as well as not honouring rebates, refunds, exchange programs and ...

2

Business

Holes found in Windows XP update Barely hours after home users started securing their PCs with a key update for Windows XP, security experts have found ways around it.

3

Sci/Tech

Probe Set to Return with Sun Sample Aug. 20, 2004 A small science satellite dispatched to just beyond Earth #39;s magnetosphere returns to the home planet next month to deliver a most unique package: particles of the sun.

3

Sci/Tech

Greek Athlete Tests Positive for Drugs ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek pride was dealt another blow Friday when one of their athletes failed a drugs test at the Olympics just 48 hours after its two top sprinters pulled out of the Games in a doping scandal.

1

Sports

Fergie undecided over Ronaldo Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is still unsure whether to field Cristiano Ronaldo in Saturday #39;s Premiership clash against Norwich.

1

Sports

Israel Faces New Pressure Over Security Barrier The Israeli government is facing new pressure over its controversial West Bank security barrier, which the World Court has ruled is illegal and should be dismantled.

0

World

Japan Court Ex-Chess Champ Fischer Can Be Deported TOKYO (Reuters) - A Tokyo court on Friday rejected a request by former world chess champion Bobby Fischer to have Japanese authorities halt procedures to deport him, Kyodo news agency reported.

0

World

UN Official Warns of #39;Spiral of Violence #39; Following Burundi Massacre The United Nation #39;s top peacekeeping official says there is quot;real danger quot; of a new war in central Africa following the massacre of Congolese refugees in Burundi.

0

World

Latham to be released from hospital Mr Latham is due to leave St Vincent #39;s hospital in Sydney after being treated for pancreatitis. Mr Latham says he is feeling much better and expects to be back at work next week.

0

World

Google Shares Jump 18 In NASDAQ Debut Google Shares Jump 18 In NASDAQ Debut\\Google stock shares rose 18 percent in their NASDAQ stock market debut yesterday, after a scaled-down \$1.67 billion IPO marked by missteps and lackluster market conditions. Google co-founder Larry Page and chief executive Eric Schmidt showed up at the Nasdaq stock market as Google ...

3

Sci/Tech

Yahoo Now Powers OptusNet of Australia and New Zealand Yahoo Now Powers OptusNet of Australia and New Zealand\\Yahoo Search now powers the search engine results for OptusNet, Australia's second largest Internet service provider. The Age reports that Optus signed an agreement with Yahoo's Australia and New Zealand divisions where in Yahoo! Search Technology will power the OptusNet dialup ...

3

Sci/Tech

Lithuanians face US NBA stars in Olympic basketball showdown (AFP) AFP - A struggling United States basketball team coming off two narrow escapes and a epic loss faces its toughest Olympic test yet Saturday against unbeaten Lithuania, which is playing like the team to beat for gold.

1

Sports

Iran Urges Meeting on Iraq 'Catastrophe' (AP) AP - Iranian President Mohammad Khatami called on Muslim countries Friday to hold an urgent meeting to discuss the "catastrophe" in Iraq, particularly the 2-week standoff in the holy city of Najaf.

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World

Feds Subpoena Fannie Mae -Source WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Regulators investigating Fannie Mae's accounting practices have sent subpoenas to the No. 1 U.S. mortgage finance company in connection with the probe, a source familiar with the matter said on Friday.

2

Business

Anadarko to Sell Gulf Assets for \$1.3 Bln NEW YORK (Reuters) - Anadarko Petroleum Corp. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=APC.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">APC.N</A> has agreed to sell oil properties in the Gulf of Mexico to Apache Corp. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=APA.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">APA.N</A> and a royalty interest to Morgan Stanley Capital Group Inc. for a total of \$1.31 billion as part of its plan to slash debt and buy back stock, the company said on Friday.

2

Business

Kerry touts job-creation plans (AFP) AFP - Democratic White House hopeful John Kerry promised to help boost US job growth and take a harder line on alleged abuses by China as he touted his economic plan.

0

World

Scalpers Sell Athens Tickets at Face Value ATHENS (Reuters) - The Athens 2004 Games which will have a place in history as the Olympics' homecoming may also be remembered as the Games that redefined a ticket scalper's job.

1

Sports

Japan Court: Bobby Fischer Can Be Deported TOKYO (Reuters) - A Tokyo court on Friday rejected a request by former world chess champion Bobby Fischer to have the Japanese authorities halt procedures to deport him, his lawyer said.

0

World

Champions League matches in Group A Liverpool: 22-Chris Kirkland; 17-Josemi, 23-Jamie Carragher, 4-Sami Hyypia, 6-John Arne Riise; 18-Antonio Nunez, 8-Steven Gerrard, 14-Xabi Alonso, 10-Luis Garcia; 7-Harry Kewell, 5-Milan Baros.

1

Sports

Sony's TV Plans Take Shape New 46-inch LCD is just one of eight flat-panel models launched this week.

3

Sci/Tech

Beyonce's Hair Is Worth Millions (AP) AP - Beyonce reportedly makes up to #36;4.7 million for just 10 days of work a year #151; and that's just her hair. But she has to inform L'Oreal of "any radical change to her hair any concert tour may necessitate" and keep it in excellent condition, according to The Smoking Gun Web site, which has posted the contract between the singer and the cosmetic giant.

3

Sci/Tech

Sony's TV Plans Take Shape (PC World) PC World - New 46-inch LCD is just one of eight flat-panel models launched this week.

3

Sci/Tech

Airline Stops Three-Day Weekend Bookings (AP) AP - British Airways said Friday it has stopped taking bookings for the three-day weekend at the end of August because of a threatened strike over pay by check-in staff and baggage handlers.

0

World

Midway Could Be Viacom Acquisition Target (Reuters) Reuters - Media conglomerate Viacom Inc.\(VIAb.N) is considering expanding into the video game business\and could acquire publisher Midway Games Inc. (MWY.N),\according to a regulatory filing on Friday by Viacom chief\Sumner Redstone, who owns a controlling stake in Midway.

2

Business

Qantas, Jetstar fares rise with oil Qantas domestic and international air fares will rise by \$4 and \$7 respectively from next week as the airline lifts its fuel surcharge to offset soaring oil prices. Despite posting a record annual net profit of \$648.40 million on ...

2

Business

Rouse Co. to be sold for \$7.2 billion Another of Greater Baltimore #39;s marquee companies will soon have out-of-state ownership, as Chicago-based General Growth Properties Inc. announced Friday morning it will buy the Rouse Co. for \$7.2 billion.

2

Business

Advanced Neuromodulation initiates merger talks with Cyberonics NEW YORK, August 20 (New Ratings) Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Inc (ANSI.NAS) has acquired a 14.9 equity stake in Cyberonics Inc (CYBX), while initiating talks for combining the two companies.

2

Business

Midway Could Be Viacom Acquisition Target LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Media conglomerate Viacom Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=VIAb.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">VIAb.N</A> is considering expanding into the video game business and could acquire publisher Midway Games Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=MWY.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">MWY.N</A>, according to a regulatory filing on Friday by Viacom chief Sumner Redstone, who owns a controlling stake in Midway.

2

Business

Apple recalls 28,000 PowerBook G4 batteries Apple has recalled 28,000 of the batteries used in its 15in aluminium PowerBook G4 laptop computers sold earlier this year in the US and via its online and retail stores, after receiving four reports of the batteries overheating.

3

Sci/Tech

Deakes takes a walk into history The 27-year-old took out bronze in the men #39;s 20km walk -- winning Australia #39;s first Olympic medal for walking in almost 45 years.

1

Sports

Harmison strikes twice for dominant England LONDON, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Steve Harmison took two cheap wickets to leave West Indies reeling on 54 for three on the second day of the fourth test at The Oval on Friday after England #39;s wagging tail had pushed the hosts to 470 all out.

1

Sports

Us Grand Prix Is Back The United States Grand Prix is to return to the MotoGP calendar next year after an 11-year absence.

1

Sports

UN remembers Iraq staff, a year after bombing GENEVA: Tears flowed as the United Nations marked the first anniversary yesterday of the bombing that shattered its Baghdad headquarters.

0

World

PM: Australia aims to keep good relations with both US, China Australian Prime Minister John Howard said on Friday that Australia #39;s policy is aimed at keeping good relations with both the United States and China.

0

World

Dell's Secret Earnings Engine The company gets its highest profit margins from a conspicuously old economy business.

2

Business

Confusion Surrounds Seizure of Iraqi Mosque NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - The fate of a radical Shi'ite rebellion in the holy city of Najaf was uncertain Friday amid disputed reports that Iraqi police had gained control of the Imam Ali Mosque.

0

World

US: Time Running Out in Airbus-Boeing Row (Reuters) Reuters - The United States said on Tuesday it may\soon take legal action in a trade row over government help for\Airbus and Boeing, particularly as the European aircraft maker\was seeking support for a new project. Washington and Brussels\have so far resisted launching legal action at the World Trade\Organization (WTO) in their battle over allegations of illegal\subsidies to the aviation rivals, but that option may now be\just weeks away.

2

Business

Militants Remove Arms From Najaf Shrine BAGHDAD, Iraq - Militiamen loyal to rebel Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr on Friday removed their weapons from the revered Imam Ali Shrine in Najaf as part of an arrangement aimed at ending a 2-week-old anti-U.S. uprising centered on the holy site...

0

World

U.S. Women's Basketball Team Beats Spain ATHENS, Greece - The U.S. women's basketball team got just what it wanted against Spain - a victory and a test...

0

World

Stocks Up Despite Oil Nearing \$50 a Barrel NEW YORK - Stocks edged higher in early trading Friday as investors tried to uncouple share prices from skyrocketing oil costs, even as crude reached new highs and flirted with \$50 per barrel. A barrel of light crude was quoted at \$48.97, up 27 cents, on the New York Mercantile Exchange after setting a new intraday record earlier in the session at \$49.40...

0

World

Tigers #39; Monroe facing theft charge in Charlotte County Detroit Tigers outfielder Craig Monroe was arrested for allegedly stealing a \$29.99 belt from a department store, a records clerk at Charlotte County jail said Tuesday.

1

Sports

Insiders Get Rich Through IPO (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - Google's Wednesday initial public offering, despite its failure to price as high or sell as many shares as the company had hoped, still made a host of existing stockholders instant millionaires and billionaires.

3

Sci/Tech

Google AdWords Dynamic Keyword Insertion Google AdWords Dynamic Keyword Insertion\\Just another tip on improving conversion rates with Google AdWords. When search words appear in a Google ad they are bolded. A good way to improve click through rate (and thus lower price per click) is to place keywords in the ad.\\Sometimes it may not be ...

3

Sci/Tech

Pakistan to rest speed duo Skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq said he #39;d likely rest Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Sami for Tuesday #39;s limited-overs match against an Australian Chairman #39;s XI as Pakistan continues to ease its pace bowlers into the tour.

1

Sports

Movie Studios Lose In Case Against File-Sharing Apps The decision is likely to force the industry to take the more costly and less-popular route of going directly after file-swappers.

2

Business

BHP had talks on India steel MINING giant BHP Billiton has confirmed it held preliminary talks with the Government of India #39;s Orissa state and Korean steel maker Posco about options for its iron ore business on the sub-continent.

2

Business

Ceradyne shares surge on Army contract award NEW YORK, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Shares of Ceradyne Inc. (CRDN.O: Quote, Profile, Research) , a maker of ceramic body armor, surged to an all-time high on Friday on news that the company has won a US Army contract worth up to \$461 million.

2

Business

Bush hasn #39;t decided on tax reform-Treasury #39;s Snow WASHINGTON, Aug 20 (Reuters) - President George W. Bush has not decided on whether wholesale changes to the US tax code would be a focus of administration policy if he won a second term, US Treasury Secretary John Snow said on Friday.

2

Business

Alcatel Spreading DSL Wealth in China Building on a longstanding relationship, Alcatel (Quote, Chart) will help China Telecom deploy 1.3 million DSL (define) lines, the latest in a slew of recent industry deals from emerging markets.

3

Sci/Tech

Microsoft HotFixes Flaw In XP Fix Microsoft has released yet another hotfix #39;to fix a newly discovered problem in its XP Service Pack2 (XP SP2) release.

3

Sci/Tech