SetFit/ag_news · Datasets at Hugging Face

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U.S. Brokers Cease-fire in Western Afghanistan KABUL (Reuters) - The United States has brokered a cease-fire between a renegade Afghan militia leader and the embattled governor of the western province of Herat, Washington's envoy to Kabul said Tuesday. "Our expectation is that the agreement that has been made will be honored," said ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, adding that the cease-fire was due to take effect at 4 p.m.	0	World
Football: Liverpool sign Nunez Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez seals the signing of Antonio Nunez from Real Madrid.	0	World
July Consumer Prices Drop, Energy Tumbles (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. consumer prices dropped in July\for the first time in eight months as a sharp run up in energy\costs reversed, the government said on Tuesday in a report\showing underlying inflation pressures largely in check.	2	Business
Housing Starts Rebound Sharply in July (Reuters) Reuters - Housing starts rebounded sharply in\July, making up almost all the ground lost in a June slump by\posting their largest monthly percentage gain since September\2002, a report from the Commerce Department on Tuesday showed.	2	Business
Consumer Prices Dip in July Consumer prices, which have been buffeted this year by soaring energy costs, fell by 0.1 percent in July as gasoline costs posted their biggest decline in eight months, the government reported Tuesday.	2	Business
Groups: Ill. Butterfly Population Falling (AP) AP - The number of butterflies fluttering around the Chicago area has dropped dramatically this summer, experts and enthusiasts say.	3	Sci/Tech
Rescue workers comb storm-hit Cornish village after flash flood horror (AFP) AFP - Rescue workers combed a coastal village in north Cornwall for missing persons after a flash flood sent a wall of water tearing through the picturesque tourist spot the day before.	0	World
Vietnam Hosts Investment Conference (AP) AP - Hoping to boost business ties with Singapore, Vietnam's prime minister opened a forum here Tuesday with promises of economic reform and continued growth.	0	World
Auto Retailer CarMax Cuts Profit Outlook (Reuters) Reuters - Auto retailer CarMax Inc. (KMX.N) on\Tuesday said it was cutting its second-quarter earnings\forecast due to slower-than-expected used-car sales.	2	Business
Stocks Set to Open Up After Reports NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks were set to open higher on Tuesday after an economic report showed U.S. consumer prices dropped in July for the first time in eight months and another report said U.S. housing starts rebounded sharply in July.	2	Business
Treasuries Edge Ahead on Inflation Relief NEW YORK (Reuters) - Treasury debt prices firmed on Tuesday after a key reading of U.S. inflation proved softer-than-expected, a relief to investors in fixed-income debt.	2	Business
Chain Store Sales Growth Slows NEW YORK (Reuters) - Hurricanes Bonnie and Charley slowed U.S. chain store sales growth in the latest week, a report said on Tuesday.	2	Business
Cool Weather Killed Gypsy Moths in Wis. (AP) AP - Wisconsin's annual battle against a leaf-eating insect got some help from this spring's nasty weather, which resulted in a huge decline in tree defoliation, a state forestry expert said Monday.	3	Sci/Tech
Broadband offers magical journey A 'magic carpet' to take children around the world is one of the projects that has won a community net award.	3	Sci/Tech
BHP Billiton year to June profit seen up sharply on higher prices, demand (AFP) AFP - Australian resources firm BHP Billiton is expected to post sharply higher earnings in the year to June aided by rising commodities prices, high production levels and continued strong demand from China, analysts said.	0	World
Profits Up for Farm Equipment Maker Deere CHICAGO (Reuters) - Deere Co. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=DE.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">DE.N</A>, one of the world's largest farm equipment makers, on Tuesday said quarterly earnings jumped sharply, driven in part by strength in its agricultural and construction equipment businesses.	2	Business
Oil Eases on Venezuela, Russia Optimism LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices eased on Tuesday as fears of supply disruptions receded following a convincing referendum victory in Venezuela for President Hugo Chavez and after Russia's YUKOS said it had received a government assurance on September exports.	2	Business
Consumer Prices Fell Modestly in July Consumer prices fell by 0.1 percent in July as gasoline costs posted their biggest decline in eight months, the government reported today.	2	Business
Home Depot Reports 19 Percent Rise in Profits Home Depot reported a jump in second-quarter profit on record sales as it benefited from strong performance in stores open at least a year.	2	Business
Microsoft delays SP2 auto update Slowdown will give big companies more time to hunt down compatibility problems, the company says.	3	Sci/Tech
Google set to list as soon as Wednesday (AFP) AFP - Google Inc.'s hotly anticipated share listing appears set to launch as early as Wednesday.	3	Sci/Tech
IBM rolls out midrange eServer i5 IBM is filling in the center of its Power 5-based eServer i5 lineup on Tuesday, unwrapping a four-way system aimed at midsize companies looking to consolidate a variety of business applications.	3	Sci/Tech
NBA Olympians feel urgency after stunning loss (AFP) AFP - Telephone calls from flabergasted friends back home have helped install a sense of urgency in the United States Olympic basketball team in the wake of their stunning loss to Puerto Rico.	1	Sports
Court to Consider Yukos' Plea on Tax Bill (AP) AP - A Russian court on Tuesday was to consider the beleaguered Yukos oil company's appeal to suspend government efforts to collect #36;3.4 billion in back taxes #151; a massive bill that has put Russia's largest oil producer on the verge of ruin.	0	World
Iraq Peace Mission in Najaf; Baghdad Blast Kills 7 NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraqi political and religious leaders trying to end a radical Shi'ite uprising flew into Najaf Tuesday, where U.S. troops and militia fought pitched battles near the country's holiest Islamic sites.	0	World
Ugandan Army Says Nine LRA Rebels Killed KAMPALA, Uganda (Reuters) - Ugandan troops killed nine Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels after a devastating raid on the group's headquarters in southern Sudan scattered its main force, the army said Tuesday.	0	World
Consumer Prices Drop, Housing Starts Soar (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. consumer prices dropped in July\for the first time in eight months as a sharp run up in energy\costs reversed, the government said on Tuesday in a report\showing inflation pressures largely in check.	2	Business
Profits Up for Farm Equipment Maker Deere (Reuters) Reuters - Deere Co. (DE.N), one of the world's\largest farm equipment makers, on Tuesday said quarterly\earnings jumped sharply, driven in part by strength in its\agricultural and construction equipment businesses.	2	Business
BJ's Wholesale Reports #36;28M 2Q Profit (AP) AP - BJ's Wholesale Club Inc. said Tuesday that sales growth boosted second-quarter earnings 25 percent, and the bulk retailer disclosed it faces #36;16 million in claims over the theft of some of its customers' credit and debit card information.	2	Business
Last Call for Investors to Bid on Google NEW YORK (Reuters) - Time is running out for prospective investors to submit their offers to buy shares of Google Inc, the Web's No. 1 search company.	2	Business
HP's Unix base offered Opteron carrot <strong>HP World</strong> Come for a stroll in the Sun	3	Sci/Tech
Exploring Venus: The Hothouse Planet Before spaceprobes could photograph Venus up close, the second planet from the Sun was often compared to a sister world, much like the Earth. Planetary scientist, David Grinspoon, discusses with Astrobiology Magazine how that view evolved to consider the extremes encountered on the Venusian surface.	3	Sci/Tech
Yahoo Offering Cheaper Domain Names and Hosting Yahoo Offering Cheaper Domain Names and Hosting\\Yahoo has changed their small business targeting approach by offering domain names for \$9.95 as part of an aggressive move to expand its presence in domains and small business web hosting. Yahoo is also beefing up its shared hosting accounts, offering 2 gigabytes of ...	3	Sci/Tech
Moldovan summertime 'Love Under a Lime Tree' sets European hips swinging (AFP) AFP - Europe's youth has been singing in Romanian this summer thanks to a Moldovan boys band that has swept to the top of the charts across the continent.	0	World
Americans Falter in 100M Freestyle Prelims ATHENS, Greece - Top American sprinters Jason Lezak and Ian Crocker missed the cut in the Olympic 100-meter freestyle preliminaries Tuesday, a stunning blow for a country that had always done well in the event. Pieter van den Hoogenband of the Netherlands and Australian Ian Thorpe advanced to the evening semifinal a day after dueling teenager Michael Phelps in the 200 freestyle, won by Thorpe...	0	World
Consumer Prices Fall As Gas Costs Drop WASHINGTON - Consumer prices, which have been buffeted this year by soaring energy costs, fell by 0.1 percent in July as gasoline costs posted their biggest decline in eight months, the government reported Tuesday. The Labor Department said the decline in its closely watched Consumer Price Index was the first decrease since a 0.2 percent drop last November, a decline which also reflected a decline in energy costs...	0	World
U.S. July Output Up; Factories Run Faster WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. industrial output advanced in July, as American factories operated at their highest capacity in more than three years, a Federal Reserve report on Tuesday showed.	2	Business
Google IPO Auction to End Tonight Google IPO Auction to End Tonight\\Google has requested that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) declare the Google IPO registration statement effective at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Tuesday, according to the Google IPO page: www.ipo.google.com. After an IPO registration statement is declared effective, the stock can be ...	3	Sci/Tech
U.S. Brokers Cease-fire in Western Afghanistan (Reuters) Reuters - The United States has brokered a\cease-fire between a renegade Afghan militia leader and the\embattled governor of the western province of Herat,\Washington's envoy to Kabul said Tuesday.	0	World
Warming threatens California wine California will become hotter and drier by the end of the century, threatening its valuable wine and dairy industries, US experts say.	0	World
Phaithful Phlock to the Phinish as the 21-Year Jam Ends in Tears Phish made its farewell in Vermont this past weekend in true Phish style: playing its own musical marathon, swarmed by adoring fans and isolated from the rest of the world.	0	World
Stocks Open Higher on Housing, CPI Data NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks opened higher on Tuesday after two separate reports showed inflationary pressure was held in check in July and U.S. housing starts rebounded sharply in the same month.	2	Business
Iraqi Peace Mission in Najaf; Baghdad Blast Kills 7 NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraqi political and religious leaders trying to end a radical Shi'ite uprising flew into Najaf Tuesday, where U.S. troops and militia fought pitched battles near the country's holiest Islamic sites.	0	World
U.S. July Output Up; Factories Run Faster (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. industrial output advanced in\July, as American factories operated at their highest capacity\in more than three years, a Federal Reserve report on Tuesday\showed.	2	Business
Last Call for Investors to Bid on Google (Reuters) Reuters - Time is running out for prospective\investors to submit their offers to buy shares of Google Inc,\the Web's No. 1 search company.	2	Business
Intel Delays Digital TV Chips (PC World) PC World - Chip maker postpones yet another product launch.	3	Sci/Tech
Greek Athletes Shocked by Accusations ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece's top two athletes, facing a state prosecutor's investigation over missed drug tests and a motorbike crash, left hospital Tuesday declaring they were innocent and should be allowed to compete in the Olympic Games.	1	Sports
Fish Dumped at Landmark in Pollution Protest (Reuters) Reuters - Environment activists piled thousands of\dead fish at the foot of Berlin's biggest tourist attraction,\the Brandenburg Gate, Tuesday in a demonstration against\over-fishing and pollution in the North Sea.	0	World
Auto Retailer CarMax Trims Outlook DETROIT (Reuters) - Auto retailer CarMax Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=KMX.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">KMX.N</A> on Tuesday cut its second-quarter earnings forecast due to slower-than-expected used-car sales, sparking a 3.7 percent drop in its shares.	2	Business
Home Depot Sees 2Q Profit Jump The Home Depot Inc. reported a nearly 19 percent jump in second-quarter profit on record sales as it benefited from strong performance in stores open at least a year. It also raised its earnings outlook for the year.	2	Business
Final frontier: 'Star Wars Trilogy' on DVD (USATODAY.com) USATODAY.com - Fans and retailers alike are preparing for the assault of the most anticipated DVD of them all: the Star Wars Trilogy.	3	Sci/Tech
Stock lawsuit possible in telecom merger plan (USATODAY.com) USATODAY.com - Former MediaOne Group executives are exploring a class-action lawsuit over Cingular's insistence that AT amp;T Wireless stock options, issued by the millions to employees and former employees of MediaOne, AT amp;T and AT amp;T Wireless, be exercised as soon as the merger closes, people involved in the effort say.	3	Sci/Tech
Autodesk: Piracy in India Costs Us #36;367M (AP) AP - American design software developer Autodesk Inc. said Tuesday it is losing #36;367 million in potential revenues each year because of software piracy in India.	3	Sci/Tech
IBM Adds New Power5 iSeries Server (Ziff Davis) Ziff Davis - The company introduces a new midrange server and expands management and support across the i5 server line.	3	Sci/Tech
Blind Students to Help Launch NASA Rocket By ALEX DOMINGUEZ BALTIMORE (AP) -- A dozen blind students from across the United States are at a summer camp this week working on a project most don't associate with the visually impaired - launching a NASA rocket. The students are designing and preparing the rocket's payload at the National Federation of the Blind's Jernigan Institute in Baltimore...	3	Sci/Tech
Scientist Advocates for Embryonic Stem Cell Research By KATHARINE WEBSTER MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) -- A Nobel laureate in medicine says the Bush administration's limits on funding for embryonic stem cell research have stopped the clock on American scientists' efforts to develop treatments for a host of chronic, debilitating diseases...	3	Sci/Tech
The Playboy Google Interview The Google Playboy Interview In Its Entirety\\The infamous Playboy Interview of Sergey Brin and Larry Page, the Google Guys, is now not only available on newsstands all over the country, but also on the Security Exchange Commission's website because of a possible SEC violation. Now, it will be more difficult ...	3	Sci/Tech
Text Message Leads Police to Killers (AP) AP - A Belgian teenager fired off a mobile phone text message to her father that his live-in girlfriend was trying to kill her in a plea for help just before she died, authorities said.	0	World
Deere Earnings Jump, Raises 2004 Forecast CHICAGO (Reuters) - Deere Co. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=DE.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">DE.N</A>, one of the world's largest farm equipment makers, on Tuesday said quarterly earnings jumped sharply, driven in part by strength in its agricultural and construction equipment businesses.	2	Business
Real is playing for keeps in music price war (USATODAY.com) USATODAY.com - RealNetworks today is slashing the price of a digital download to 49 cents a song from 99 cents - a bold move in the war over digital music.	3	Sci/Tech
RealNetworks Tries to Core Apple RealNetworks launched round two in its heavyweight digital music match against Apple Computer, slashing the cost of its music downloads to take business away from Apple's iTunes download service. <FONT face="verdana,MS Sans Serif,arial,helvetica" size="-2"\ color="#666666"><B>-washingtonpost.com</B></FONT>	3	Sci/Tech
Rival Targets Apple's ITunes Music Customers By ALEX VEIGA LOS ANGELES (AP) -- For more than a year, Apple Computers Inc. enjoyed singular success selling songs exclusively to users of its iPod portable music player...	3	Sci/Tech
Intel Delays Launch of New Projection TV Chip By MATTHEW FORDAHL SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- In another product postponement, semiconductor giant Intel Corp. (INTC) said it won't be offering a chip for projection TVs by the end of 2004 as it had announced earlier this year...	3	Sci/Tech
Bikes Bring Internet to Indian Villagers By S. SRINIVASAN BITHOOR, India (AP) -- For 12-year-old Anju Sharma, hope for a better life arrives in her poor farming village three days a week on a bicycle rickshaw that carries a computer with a high-speed, wireless Internet connection...	3	Sci/Tech
MSN Closes Search Engine Technology Preview MSN Closes Search Engine Technology Preview\\Microsoft's MSN has closed down the preview/beta page of MSN Search Engine Technology ResearchBuzz reports. \\Trying to access it now gets you this page which includes the text "Once we are ready, we will release another preview of our new algorithmic search engine." I'm glad ...	3	Sci/Tech
NHL Labor Negotiations Set to Resume (AP) AP - With two fruitless negotiating sessions behind them and only one month left before an NHL lockout, the league and the players association will return to the bargaining table Tuesday.	1	Sports
Dollar Gains on Euro After Muted U.S. CPI NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar posted gains against the euro on Tuesday, digesting a slew of U.S. economic data that failed to substantially alter expectations for Federal Reserve interest rate hikes.	2	Business
High oil prices hit China growth Rising oil prices are expected to hit China's growth rate this year.	2	Business
US prices in surprise July slide US consumer prices fell by 0.1 in July, the first fall this year, reducing the chances of a September interest rate rise.	2	Business
RealNetworks Tries to Core Apple (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - RealNetworks really knows how to pick a fight. First, the Seattle-based company landed a sucker punch on Apple Computer last month with its new Harmony technology that allows songs sold from Real's online music store to play on Apple's iPod digital music player.	3	Sci/Tech
Google IPO Awaits Final Approval In a sign that Google Inc. (GOOG)'s initial public offering is imminent, the Internet search company has asked federal regulators to give final approval to the paperwork required for its stock sale.	3	Sci/Tech
Charges laid against eight British terror suspects (AFP) AFP - Eight men arrested in an anti-terror swoop in London and other parts of England two weeks ago were charged with conspiracy to murder and other terrorist-related activities.	0	World
Father of Pakistan Al Qaeda Suspect Files Petition ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - The father of a computer engineer detained in Pakistan last month for suspected links with al Qaeda filed a petition Tuesday calling for his son to be produced in court and urging authorities not to extradite him.	0	World
Eight men face terror charges Police in the UK charge eight men with terror offences, including conspiracy to murder.	0	World
Protester sparks security review Olympics organisers order tighter security after a man leaps into the pool during a synchronised diving final.	0	World
Man charged with killing ex-miner A 42-year-old man is charged with killing a former miner who was found on his Nottinghamshire doorstep.	0	World
Iraqis on Mission to End Najaf Insurgency BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraq's national conference sent a delegation bearing a peace proposal to Najaf on Tuesday, hoping to end the standoff with radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, which has marred the gathering meant to be a landmark step toward democracy. As the National Conference in Baghdad put together the mission, a mortar round exploded several miles from the gathering's venue, killing seven people and wounding wounding 35, according to the Health Ministry...	0	World
Sharon Resumes West Bank Construction JERUSALEM - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has approved bids for construction of 1,000 homes in Jewish West Bank settlements after freezing them earlier this month, amid growing friction with the United States over continued settlement expansion. The planned construction violates the internationally backed "road map" plan, accepted by Israel, which calls for a construction freeze...	0	World
Stocks Rise on Drop in Consumer Prices NEW YORK - Stocks rose for a second straight session Tuesday as a drop in consumer prices and a decline in crude oil futures Tuesday allowed investors to put aside worries about inflation, at least for the short term. The Dow Jones industrial average pushed past the 10,000 mark for the first time in nearly two weeks...	0	World
Sharon Resumes West Bank Construction Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has approved bids for construction of 1,000 homes in Jewish West Bank settlements after freezing them earlier this month, amid growing friction with the United States over continued settlement expansion.	0	World
Estee Lauder Profit Up, Shares Down (Reuters) Reuters - Cosmetics manufacturer Estee Lauder\Cos. Inc. (EL.N) on Tuesday said quarterly net income jumped 51\percent, bolstered by new product sales and an improving U.S.\retail market.	2	Business
Treasuries Up, Rate Hike Still in Offing (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. Treasury debt made moderate gains\on Tuesday after a key reading of U.S. inflation proved softer\than expected, a relief to investors in fixed-income debt.	2	Business
US industrial production rises 0.4 percent in July (AFP) AFP - American industry lifted output moderately in July, the Federal Reserve said, a sign the economy may be finding its feet after a mid-summer slip.	2	Business
Stocks Up, Data Shows Inflation in Check NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks gained on Tuesday after two separate economic reports showed inflationary pressure was held in check in July and U.S. housing starts rebounded sharply in the same month.	2	Business
Kenteris protests innocence Greek sprinter Kostas Kenteris insists he is not a drug cheat as he leaves hospital.	1	Sports
British eventers slip back Great Britain slip down to third after the cross-country round of the three-day eventing.	1	Sports
Drug Shows Promise for Alcoholism Topiramate reduced cravings in small study HealthDayNews -- A drug called topiramate shows promise as a potential new treatment for alcoholism, according to a study in the August issue of Alcoholism: Clinical Experimental Research. This early-stage study of 150 people with alcohol dependence found that topiramate can reduce self-reported drinking and may reduce self-reported craving for alcohol...	3	Sci/Tech
UAE wins first Olympic gold Ahmed al-Maktoum becomes the first Olympic medallist from the UAE with gold in the men's double shooting trap.	0	World
Last Call for Investors to Bid on Google NEW YORK (Reuters) - Time is running out for prospective investors to submit their offers to buy shares of Google Inc, the Web #39;s No. 1 search company.	2	Business
Oil Falls on Reduced Concern About Venezuelan, Russian Supply Aug. 17 (Bloomberg) -- Crude oil futures fell for a second day after a Russian state railway official said shipments of Yukos Oil Co. oil would continue and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez won a recall vote.	2	Business
Can Glaser, Jobs find harmony? RealNetworks CEO Rob Glaser has survived longer than most in the Internet business, largely by pulling rabbits out of his hat when the competition least expects it.	2	Business
PCI: Charley not as devastating as Andrew The Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI), the group from which member companies write about a third of Florida homeowners insurance, said initial reports from claims adjusters indicate damage from Hurricane Charley, while extensive, was ...	2	Business
Stocks Rise on Drop in Consumer Prices A drop in consumer prices and a decline in crude oil futures Tuesday allowed investors to put aside worries about inflation, at least for the short term, and they sent stocks modestly higher.	2	Business
Apax and Permira finalise \$5bn acquisition of moon-landing firm The company that broadcast the moon landings in 1969 and kept the quot;Hotline quot; open between the White House and the Kremlin during the Seventies has been sold for \$5bn (2.7bn), including \$2bn of debt, to a private equity ...	2	Business
US Air to Seek 5-Year Extension for Pension Fund Payments S Airways, facing a cash shortage as it tries to avoid another bankruptcy filing, said yesterday that it would seek government permission to stretch out \$67.5 million in contributions it owes to the pensions of its mechanics and ...	2	Business
Housing Starts Rebound Sharply in July WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Housing starts rebounded sharply in July, making up almost all the ground lost in a June slump by posting their largest monthly percentage gain since September 2002, a report from the Commerce Department on Tuesday showed.	2	Business
Mills to pay GM unit \$1 bln for stakes in 9 malls NEW YORK, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Mills Corp. (MLS.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , a real estate investment trust, on Tuesday said it agreed to buy a 50 percent managing stake in nine regional malls from General Motors Corp. #39;s (GM.N: Quote, Profile, Research) ...	2	Business
OFT invites comment on Telegraph deal The Office of Fair Trading has set the clock ticking on the process that could see the Barclay brothers #39; deal to buy the Daily Telegraph reviewed by competition watchdogs.	2	Business
Cantor Fitzgerald spinning off unit NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- Institutional broker Cantor Fitzgerald said Tuesday it #39;s spinning off its fixed-income voice brokerage operations into a new partnership, and will focus on expansion of its remaining institutional fixed-income and equity business.	2	Business
Around Asia #39;s Markets: Shopping your way to better returns Singapore real estate investment trusts such as CapitaMall Trust may outperform the market this year as acquisitions of shopping malls and industrial buildings bolster rental income.	2	Business

U.S. Brokers Cease-fire in Western Afghanistan KABUL (Reuters) - The United States has brokered a cease-fire between a renegade Afghan militia leader and the embattled governor of the western province of Herat, Washington's envoy to Kabul said Tuesday. "Our expectation is that the agreement that has been made will be honored," said ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, adding that the cease-fire was due to take effect at 4 p.m.

0

World

Football: Liverpool sign Nunez Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez seals the signing of Antonio Nunez from Real Madrid.

0

World

July Consumer Prices Drop, Energy Tumbles (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. consumer prices dropped in July\for the first time in eight months as a sharp run up in energy\costs reversed, the government said on Tuesday in a report\showing underlying inflation pressures largely in check.

2

Business

Housing Starts Rebound Sharply in July (Reuters) Reuters - Housing starts rebounded sharply in\July, making up almost all the ground lost in a June slump by\posting their largest monthly percentage gain since September\2002, a report from the Commerce Department on Tuesday showed.

2

Business

Consumer Prices Dip in July Consumer prices, which have been buffeted this year by soaring energy costs, fell by 0.1 percent in July as gasoline costs posted their biggest decline in eight months, the government reported Tuesday.

2

Business

Groups: Ill. Butterfly Population Falling (AP) AP - The number of butterflies fluttering around the Chicago area has dropped dramatically this summer, experts and enthusiasts say.

3

Sci/Tech

Rescue workers comb storm-hit Cornish village after flash flood horror (AFP) AFP - Rescue workers combed a coastal village in north Cornwall for missing persons after a flash flood sent a wall of water tearing through the picturesque tourist spot the day before.

0

World

Vietnam Hosts Investment Conference (AP) AP - Hoping to boost business ties with Singapore, Vietnam's prime minister opened a forum here Tuesday with promises of economic reform and continued growth.

0

World

Auto Retailer CarMax Cuts Profit Outlook (Reuters) Reuters - Auto retailer CarMax Inc. (KMX.N) on\Tuesday said it was cutting its second-quarter earnings\forecast due to slower-than-expected used-car sales.

2

Business

Stocks Set to Open Up After Reports NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks were set to open higher on Tuesday after an economic report showed U.S. consumer prices dropped in July for the first time in eight months and another report said U.S. housing starts rebounded sharply in July.

2

Business

Treasuries Edge Ahead on Inflation Relief NEW YORK (Reuters) - Treasury debt prices firmed on Tuesday after a key reading of U.S. inflation proved softer-than-expected, a relief to investors in fixed-income debt.

2

Business

Chain Store Sales Growth Slows NEW YORK (Reuters) - Hurricanes Bonnie and Charley slowed U.S. chain store sales growth in the latest week, a report said on Tuesday.

2

Business

Cool Weather Killed Gypsy Moths in Wis. (AP) AP - Wisconsin's annual battle against a leaf-eating insect got some help from this spring's nasty weather, which resulted in a huge decline in tree defoliation, a state forestry expert said Monday.

3

Sci/Tech

Broadband offers magical journey A 'magic carpet' to take children around the world is one of the projects that has won a community net award.

3

Sci/Tech

BHP Billiton year to June profit seen up sharply on higher prices, demand (AFP) AFP - Australian resources firm BHP Billiton is expected to post sharply higher earnings in the year to June aided by rising commodities prices, high production levels and continued strong demand from China, analysts said.

0

World

Profits Up for Farm Equipment Maker Deere CHICAGO (Reuters) - Deere Co. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=DE.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">DE.N</A>, one of the world's largest farm equipment makers, on Tuesday said quarterly earnings jumped sharply, driven in part by strength in its agricultural and construction equipment businesses.

2

Business

Oil Eases on Venezuela, Russia Optimism LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices eased on Tuesday as fears of supply disruptions receded following a convincing referendum victory in Venezuela for President Hugo Chavez and after Russia's YUKOS said it had received a government assurance on September exports.

2

Business

Consumer Prices Fell Modestly in July Consumer prices fell by 0.1 percent in July as gasoline costs posted their biggest decline in eight months, the government reported today.

2

Business

Home Depot Reports 19 Percent Rise in Profits Home Depot reported a jump in second-quarter profit on record sales as it benefited from strong performance in stores open at least a year.

2

Business

Microsoft delays SP2 auto update Slowdown will give big companies more time to hunt down compatibility problems, the company says.

3

Sci/Tech

Google set to list as soon as Wednesday (AFP) AFP - Google Inc.'s hotly anticipated share listing appears set to launch as early as Wednesday.

3

Sci/Tech

IBM rolls out midrange eServer i5 IBM is filling in the center of its Power 5-based eServer i5 lineup on Tuesday, unwrapping a four-way system aimed at midsize companies looking to consolidate a variety of business applications.

3

Sci/Tech

NBA Olympians feel urgency after stunning loss (AFP) AFP - Telephone calls from flabergasted friends back home have helped install a sense of urgency in the United States Olympic basketball team in the wake of their stunning loss to Puerto Rico.

1

Sports

Court to Consider Yukos' Plea on Tax Bill (AP) AP - A Russian court on Tuesday was to consider the beleaguered Yukos oil company's appeal to suspend government efforts to collect #36;3.4 billion in back taxes #151; a massive bill that has put Russia's largest oil producer on the verge of ruin.

0

World

Iraq Peace Mission in Najaf; Baghdad Blast Kills 7 NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraqi political and religious leaders trying to end a radical Shi'ite uprising flew into Najaf Tuesday, where U.S. troops and militia fought pitched battles near the country's holiest Islamic sites.

0

World

Ugandan Army Says Nine LRA Rebels Killed KAMPALA, Uganda (Reuters) - Ugandan troops killed nine Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels after a devastating raid on the group's headquarters in southern Sudan scattered its main force, the army said Tuesday.

0

World

Consumer Prices Drop, Housing Starts Soar (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. consumer prices dropped in July\for the first time in eight months as a sharp run up in energy\costs reversed, the government said on Tuesday in a report\showing inflation pressures largely in check.

2

Business

Profits Up for Farm Equipment Maker Deere (Reuters) Reuters - Deere Co. (DE.N), one of the world's\largest farm equipment makers, on Tuesday said quarterly\earnings jumped sharply, driven in part by strength in its\agricultural and construction equipment businesses.

2

Business

BJ's Wholesale Reports #36;28M 2Q Profit (AP) AP - BJ's Wholesale Club Inc. said Tuesday that sales growth boosted second-quarter earnings 25 percent, and the bulk retailer disclosed it faces #36;16 million in claims over the theft of some of its customers' credit and debit card information.

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Business

Last Call for Investors to Bid on Google NEW YORK (Reuters) - Time is running out for prospective investors to submit their offers to buy shares of Google Inc, the Web's No. 1 search company.

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Business

HP's Unix base offered Opteron carrot HP World Come for a stroll in the Sun

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Sci/Tech

Exploring Venus: The Hothouse Planet Before spaceprobes could photograph Venus up close, the second planet from the Sun was often compared to a sister world, much like the Earth. Planetary scientist, David Grinspoon, discusses with Astrobiology Magazine how that view evolved to consider the extremes encountered on the Venusian surface.

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Sci/Tech

Yahoo Offering Cheaper Domain Names and Hosting Yahoo Offering Cheaper Domain Names and Hosting\\Yahoo has changed their small business targeting approach by offering domain names for \$9.95 as part of an aggressive move to expand its presence in domains and small business web hosting. Yahoo is also beefing up its shared hosting accounts, offering 2 gigabytes of ...

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Sci/Tech

Moldovan summertime 'Love Under a Lime Tree' sets European hips swinging (AFP) AFP - Europe's youth has been singing in Romanian this summer thanks to a Moldovan boys band that has swept to the top of the charts across the continent.

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World

Americans Falter in 100M Freestyle Prelims ATHENS, Greece - Top American sprinters Jason Lezak and Ian Crocker missed the cut in the Olympic 100-meter freestyle preliminaries Tuesday, a stunning blow for a country that had always done well in the event. Pieter van den Hoogenband of the Netherlands and Australian Ian Thorpe advanced to the evening semifinal a day after dueling teenager Michael Phelps in the 200 freestyle, won by Thorpe...

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World

Consumer Prices Fall As Gas Costs Drop WASHINGTON - Consumer prices, which have been buffeted this year by soaring energy costs, fell by 0.1 percent in July as gasoline costs posted their biggest decline in eight months, the government reported Tuesday. The Labor Department said the decline in its closely watched Consumer Price Index was the first decrease since a 0.2 percent drop last November, a decline which also reflected a decline in energy costs...

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World

U.S. July Output Up; Factories Run Faster WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. industrial output advanced in July, as American factories operated at their highest capacity in more than three years, a Federal Reserve report on Tuesday showed.

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Business

Google IPO Auction to End Tonight Google IPO Auction to End Tonight\\Google has requested that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) declare the Google IPO registration statement effective at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Tuesday, according to the Google IPO page: www.ipo.google.com. After an IPO registration statement is declared effective, the stock can be ...

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Sci/Tech

U.S. Brokers Cease-fire in Western Afghanistan (Reuters) Reuters - The United States has brokered a\cease-fire between a renegade Afghan militia leader and the\embattled governor of the western province of Herat,\Washington's envoy to Kabul said Tuesday.

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World

Warming threatens California wine California will become hotter and drier by the end of the century, threatening its valuable wine and dairy industries, US experts say.

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World

Phaithful Phlock to the Phinish as the 21-Year Jam Ends in Tears Phish made its farewell in Vermont this past weekend in true Phish style: playing its own musical marathon, swarmed by adoring fans and isolated from the rest of the world.

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World

Stocks Open Higher on Housing, CPI Data NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks opened higher on Tuesday after two separate reports showed inflationary pressure was held in check in July and U.S. housing starts rebounded sharply in the same month.

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Business

Iraqi Peace Mission in Najaf; Baghdad Blast Kills 7 NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraqi political and religious leaders trying to end a radical Shi'ite uprising flew into Najaf Tuesday, where U.S. troops and militia fought pitched battles near the country's holiest Islamic sites.

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World

U.S. July Output Up; Factories Run Faster (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. industrial output advanced in\July, as American factories operated at their highest capacity\in more than three years, a Federal Reserve report on Tuesday\showed.

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Business

Last Call for Investors to Bid on Google (Reuters) Reuters - Time is running out for prospective\investors to submit their offers to buy shares of Google Inc,\the Web's No. 1 search company.

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Business

Intel Delays Digital TV Chips (PC World) PC World - Chip maker postpones yet another product launch.

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Sci/Tech

Greek Athletes Shocked by Accusations ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece's top two athletes, facing a state prosecutor's investigation over missed drug tests and a motorbike crash, left hospital Tuesday declaring they were innocent and should be allowed to compete in the Olympic Games.

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Sports

Fish Dumped at Landmark in Pollution Protest (Reuters) Reuters - Environment activists piled thousands of\dead fish at the foot of Berlin's biggest tourist attraction,\the Brandenburg Gate, Tuesday in a demonstration against\over-fishing and pollution in the North Sea.

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World

Auto Retailer CarMax Trims Outlook DETROIT (Reuters) - Auto retailer CarMax Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=KMX.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">KMX.N</A> on Tuesday cut its second-quarter earnings forecast due to slower-than-expected used-car sales, sparking a 3.7 percent drop in its shares.

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Business

Home Depot Sees 2Q Profit Jump The Home Depot Inc. reported a nearly 19 percent jump in second-quarter profit on record sales as it benefited from strong performance in stores open at least a year. It also raised its earnings outlook for the year.

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Business

Final frontier: 'Star Wars Trilogy' on DVD (USATODAY.com) USATODAY.com - Fans and retailers alike are preparing for the assault of the most anticipated DVD of them all: the Star Wars Trilogy.

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Sci/Tech

Stock lawsuit possible in telecom merger plan (USATODAY.com) USATODAY.com - Former MediaOne Group executives are exploring a class-action lawsuit over Cingular's insistence that AT amp;T Wireless stock options, issued by the millions to employees and former employees of MediaOne, AT amp;T and AT amp;T Wireless, be exercised as soon as the merger closes, people involved in the effort say.

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Sci/Tech

Autodesk: Piracy in India Costs Us #36;367M (AP) AP - American design software developer Autodesk Inc. said Tuesday it is losing #36;367 million in potential revenues each year because of software piracy in India.

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Sci/Tech

IBM Adds New Power5 iSeries Server (Ziff Davis) Ziff Davis - The company introduces a new midrange server and expands management and support across the i5 server line.

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Sci/Tech

Blind Students to Help Launch NASA Rocket By ALEX DOMINGUEZ BALTIMORE (AP) -- A dozen blind students from across the United States are at a summer camp this week working on a project most don't associate with the visually impaired - launching a NASA rocket. The students are designing and preparing the rocket's payload at the National Federation of the Blind's Jernigan Institute in Baltimore...

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Sci/Tech

Scientist Advocates for Embryonic Stem Cell Research By KATHARINE WEBSTER MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) -- A Nobel laureate in medicine says the Bush administration's limits on funding for embryonic stem cell research have stopped the clock on American scientists' efforts to develop treatments for a host of chronic, debilitating diseases...

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Sci/Tech

The Playboy Google Interview The Google Playboy Interview In Its Entirety\\The infamous Playboy Interview of Sergey Brin and Larry Page, the Google Guys, is now not only available on newsstands all over the country, but also on the Security Exchange Commission's website because of a possible SEC violation. Now, it will be more difficult ...

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Sci/Tech

Text Message Leads Police to Killers (AP) AP - A Belgian teenager fired off a mobile phone text message to her father that his live-in girlfriend was trying to kill her in a plea for help just before she died, authorities said.

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World

Deere Earnings Jump, Raises 2004 Forecast CHICAGO (Reuters) - Deere Co. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=DE.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">DE.N</A>, one of the world's largest farm equipment makers, on Tuesday said quarterly earnings jumped sharply, driven in part by strength in its agricultural and construction equipment businesses.

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Business

Real is playing for keeps in music price war (USATODAY.com) USATODAY.com - RealNetworks today is slashing the price of a digital download to 49 cents a song from 99 cents - a bold move in the war over digital music.

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Sci/Tech

RealNetworks Tries to Core Apple RealNetworks launched round two in its heavyweight digital music match against Apple Computer, slashing the cost of its music downloads to take business away from Apple's iTunes download service. -washingtonpost.com

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Sci/Tech

Rival Targets Apple's ITunes Music Customers By ALEX VEIGA LOS ANGELES (AP) -- For more than a year, Apple Computers Inc. enjoyed singular success selling songs exclusively to users of its iPod portable music player...

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Sci/Tech

Intel Delays Launch of New Projection TV Chip By MATTHEW FORDAHL SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- In another product postponement, semiconductor giant Intel Corp. (INTC) said it won't be offering a chip for projection TVs by the end of 2004 as it had announced earlier this year...

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Sci/Tech

Bikes Bring Internet to Indian Villagers By S. SRINIVASAN BITHOOR, India (AP) -- For 12-year-old Anju Sharma, hope for a better life arrives in her poor farming village three days a week on a bicycle rickshaw that carries a computer with a high-speed, wireless Internet connection...

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Sci/Tech

MSN Closes Search Engine Technology Preview MSN Closes Search Engine Technology Preview\\Microsoft's MSN has closed down the preview/beta page of MSN Search Engine Technology ResearchBuzz reports. \\Trying to access it now gets you this page which includes the text "Once we are ready, we will release another preview of our new algorithmic search engine." I'm glad ...

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Sci/Tech

NHL Labor Negotiations Set to Resume (AP) AP - With two fruitless negotiating sessions behind them and only one month left before an NHL lockout, the league and the players association will return to the bargaining table Tuesday.

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Sports

Dollar Gains on Euro After Muted U.S. CPI NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar posted gains against the euro on Tuesday, digesting a slew of U.S. economic data that failed to substantially alter expectations for Federal Reserve interest rate hikes.

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Business

High oil prices hit China growth Rising oil prices are expected to hit China's growth rate this year.

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Business

US prices in surprise July slide US consumer prices fell by 0.1 in July, the first fall this year, reducing the chances of a September interest rate rise.

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Business

RealNetworks Tries to Core Apple (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - RealNetworks really knows how to pick a fight. First, the Seattle-based company landed a sucker punch on Apple Computer last month with its new Harmony technology that allows songs sold from Real's online music store to play on Apple's iPod digital music player.

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Sci/Tech

Google IPO Awaits Final Approval In a sign that Google Inc. (GOOG)'s initial public offering is imminent, the Internet search company has asked federal regulators to give final approval to the paperwork required for its stock sale.

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Sci/Tech

Charges laid against eight British terror suspects (AFP) AFP - Eight men arrested in an anti-terror swoop in London and other parts of England two weeks ago were charged with conspiracy to murder and other terrorist-related activities.

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World

Father of Pakistan Al Qaeda Suspect Files Petition ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - The father of a computer engineer detained in Pakistan last month for suspected links with al Qaeda filed a petition Tuesday calling for his son to be produced in court and urging authorities not to extradite him.

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World

Eight men face terror charges Police in the UK charge eight men with terror offences, including conspiracy to murder.

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World

Protester sparks security review Olympics organisers order tighter security after a man leaps into the pool during a synchronised diving final.

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World

Man charged with killing ex-miner A 42-year-old man is charged with killing a former miner who was found on his Nottinghamshire doorstep.

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World

Iraqis on Mission to End Najaf Insurgency BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraq's national conference sent a delegation bearing a peace proposal to Najaf on Tuesday, hoping to end the standoff with radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, which has marred the gathering meant to be a landmark step toward democracy. As the National Conference in Baghdad put together the mission, a mortar round exploded several miles from the gathering's venue, killing seven people and wounding wounding 35, according to the Health Ministry...

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World

Sharon Resumes West Bank Construction JERUSALEM - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has approved bids for construction of 1,000 homes in Jewish West Bank settlements after freezing them earlier this month, amid growing friction with the United States over continued settlement expansion. The planned construction violates the internationally backed "road map" plan, accepted by Israel, which calls for a construction freeze...

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World

Stocks Rise on Drop in Consumer Prices NEW YORK - Stocks rose for a second straight session Tuesday as a drop in consumer prices and a decline in crude oil futures Tuesday allowed investors to put aside worries about inflation, at least for the short term. The Dow Jones industrial average pushed past the 10,000 mark for the first time in nearly two weeks...

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World

Sharon Resumes West Bank Construction Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has approved bids for construction of 1,000 homes in Jewish West Bank settlements after freezing them earlier this month, amid growing friction with the United States over continued settlement expansion.

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World

Estee Lauder Profit Up, Shares Down (Reuters) Reuters - Cosmetics manufacturer Estee Lauder\Cos. Inc. (EL.N) on Tuesday said quarterly net income jumped 51\percent, bolstered by new product sales and an improving U.S.\retail market.

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Business

Treasuries Up, Rate Hike Still in Offing (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. Treasury debt made moderate gains\on Tuesday after a key reading of U.S. inflation proved softer\than expected, a relief to investors in fixed-income debt.

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Business

US industrial production rises 0.4 percent in July (AFP) AFP - American industry lifted output moderately in July, the Federal Reserve said, a sign the economy may be finding its feet after a mid-summer slip.

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Business

Stocks Up, Data Shows Inflation in Check NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks gained on Tuesday after two separate economic reports showed inflationary pressure was held in check in July and U.S. housing starts rebounded sharply in the same month.

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Business

Kenteris protests innocence Greek sprinter Kostas Kenteris insists he is not a drug cheat as he leaves hospital.

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Sports

British eventers slip back Great Britain slip down to third after the cross-country round of the three-day eventing.

1

Sports

Drug Shows Promise for Alcoholism Topiramate reduced cravings in small study HealthDayNews -- A drug called topiramate shows promise as a potential new treatment for alcoholism, according to a study in the August issue of Alcoholism: Clinical Experimental Research. This early-stage study of 150 people with alcohol dependence found that topiramate can reduce self-reported drinking and may reduce self-reported craving for alcohol...

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Sci/Tech

UAE wins first Olympic gold Ahmed al-Maktoum becomes the first Olympic medallist from the UAE with gold in the men's double shooting trap.

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World

Last Call for Investors to Bid on Google NEW YORK (Reuters) - Time is running out for prospective investors to submit their offers to buy shares of Google Inc, the Web #39;s No. 1 search company.

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Business

Oil Falls on Reduced Concern About Venezuelan, Russian Supply Aug. 17 (Bloomberg) -- Crude oil futures fell for a second day after a Russian state railway official said shipments of Yukos Oil Co. oil would continue and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez won a recall vote.

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Business

Can Glaser, Jobs find harmony? RealNetworks CEO Rob Glaser has survived longer than most in the Internet business, largely by pulling rabbits out of his hat when the competition least expects it.

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Business

PCI: Charley not as devastating as Andrew The Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI), the group from which member companies write about a third of Florida homeowners insurance, said initial reports from claims adjusters indicate damage from Hurricane Charley, while extensive, was ...

2

Business

Stocks Rise on Drop in Consumer Prices A drop in consumer prices and a decline in crude oil futures Tuesday allowed investors to put aside worries about inflation, at least for the short term, and they sent stocks modestly higher.

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Business

Apax and Permira finalise \$5bn acquisition of moon-landing firm The company that broadcast the moon landings in 1969 and kept the quot;Hotline quot; open between the White House and the Kremlin during the Seventies has been sold for \$5bn (2.7bn), including \$2bn of debt, to a private equity ...

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Business

US Air to Seek 5-Year Extension for Pension Fund Payments S Airways, facing a cash shortage as it tries to avoid another bankruptcy filing, said yesterday that it would seek government permission to stretch out \$67.5 million in contributions it owes to the pensions of its mechanics and ...

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Business

Housing Starts Rebound Sharply in July WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Housing starts rebounded sharply in July, making up almost all the ground lost in a June slump by posting their largest monthly percentage gain since September 2002, a report from the Commerce Department on Tuesday showed.

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Business

Mills to pay GM unit \$1 bln for stakes in 9 malls NEW YORK, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Mills Corp. (MLS.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , a real estate investment trust, on Tuesday said it agreed to buy a 50 percent managing stake in nine regional malls from General Motors Corp. #39;s (GM.N: Quote, Profile, Research) ...

2

Business

OFT invites comment on Telegraph deal The Office of Fair Trading has set the clock ticking on the process that could see the Barclay brothers #39; deal to buy the Daily Telegraph reviewed by competition watchdogs.

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Business

Cantor Fitzgerald spinning off unit NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- Institutional broker Cantor Fitzgerald said Tuesday it #39;s spinning off its fixed-income voice brokerage operations into a new partnership, and will focus on expansion of its remaining institutional fixed-income and equity business.

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Business

Around Asia #39;s Markets: Shopping your way to better returns Singapore real estate investment trusts such as CapitaMall Trust may outperform the market this year as acquisitions of shopping malls and industrial buildings bolster rental income.

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Business