Circulating fluid keeps donated kidneys healthier

BOSTON (Reuters) - Machines that send fluid circulating through a donated kidney while it is being preserved for transplant keep the organ healthier than the standard method of simply immersing it in fluid and transporting it on ice, doctors reported on Wednesday.

Top Dell execs leave as PC maker restructures

BOSTON (Reuters) - Two top Dell Inc executives recruited to help turn around the No. 2 PC maker are leaving as part of the second major staff shake-up in the two years since founder Michael Dell returned as CEO.

Sharks have wimpy bites, study finds

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Sharks have wimpy bites for their size and can crunch through their prey only because they have very sharp teeth -- and because they can grow to be so big, researchers reported on Tuesday.

Dell preparing senior management changes: report

(Reuters) - Dell Inc's president of global operations, Michael Cannon, and chief marketing officer, Mark Jarvis will leave their roles in moves expected to be announced soon, the Wall Street Journal said, citing people briefed on the matter.

NASA says Columbia crew had no chance to survive

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - Astronauts on the shuttle Columbia were trying to regain control of their craft before it broke apart in 2003, but there was no chance of surviving the accident, a NASA report said on Tuesday.

Columbia crew had no chance, new NASA report says

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - There was no way the crew of the space shuttle Columbia could have survived the loss of their ship, but a NASA report aimed at making future accidents more survivable revealed on Tuesday that their safety harnesses and helmets had failed.

Tech companies push stylish, personal design

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - With consumers showing an appetite for stylish personal devices, PC and gadget makers will need more than just vibrant colors, rounded edges or an elegant metallic finish to stand out in a crowded market.

Facebook ban of breast-feeding photos sparks protests

CANBERRA (Reuters) - Are photographs of a mother breast-feeding her child indecent? The social networking site Facebook has sparked a massive online debate -- and protests -- and after removing photos that expose too much of a mother's breast.

Key gene linked to high blood pressure identified

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A gene that affects how the kidneys process salt may help determine a person's risk of high blood pressure, a discovery that could lead to better ways to treat the condition, researchers said on Monday.

Wal-Mart to start selling iPhones

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc said on Friday it will start selling Apple Inc's iPhone on Sunday, but the popular cell phones that can surf the Web will not be priced as low as some anticipated.

China picks up 3G pace, Mobile completes gear deals

MACAU (Reuters) - China took another step toward its long-cherished goal of operating high-speed telecoms services, with China Mobile dishing out over $4 billion of deals and smaller rival Unicom hoping to win a 3G license soon.

Websites could get cinema-style ratings

LONDON (Reuters) - The kind of ratings used for films could be applied to websites in a bid to better police the Internet and protect children from harmful and offensive material, Britain's minister for culture has said.

Websites could get cinema-style ratings

LONDON (Reuters) - The kind of ratings used for films could be applied to websites in a bid to better police the Internet and protect children from harmful and offensive material, Britain's minister for culture has said.

Global chip makers eye sales drop in 2009

TOKYO (Reuters) - Global sales of semiconductors are likely to fall 2.2 percent in 2009 due to weak demand for electronics worldwide, industry group World Semiconductor Trade Statistics said on Tuesday, reversing its May forecast of 5.8 percent growth.

Discovery offers way of tracking cancer in blood

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Tiny sacs released from tumor cells and circulating in the blood carry genetic information about the tumor, offering a new way to track and treat the cancer, U.S. researchers said on Sunday.

Nokia sees cellphone market falling in 2009, shares drop

HELSINKI (Reuters) - Top cellphone maker Nokia Oyj said the world's mobile phone market would be weaker than it expected in the fourth quarter due to the economic slowdown and was set to fall further in 2009.

YouTube ventures into live event webcasting

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - YouTube will venture into webcasting later this month, in an effort to take the video sharing Web site's popularity to a new level by showcasing the talent behind its most viewed videos.

Microsoft nears search deal with Verizon: report

(Reuters) - Microsoft Corp is moving closer to an agreement with Verizon Wireless to become the default search provider on the wireless carrier's cell phones, the Wall Street Journal said, citing people familiar with the discussions.

Web sites could get cinema-style ratings: U.K. minister

LONDON (Reuters) - The kind of ratings used for films could be applied to Web sites in a bid to better police the Internet and protect children from harmful and offensive material, Britain's minister for culture has said.

Egypt says has found pyramid built for ancient queen

SAQQARA, Egypt (Reuters) - Egyptian archaeologists have discovered a pyramid buried in the desert and thought to belong to the mother of a pharaoh who ruled more than 4,000 years ago, Egypt's antiquities chief said on Tuesday.

Wal-Mart to start selling iPhones on Sunday

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc said on Friday it will start selling Apple Inc's iPhone on Sunday, but the popular cell phones that can surf the web will not be priced as low as some anticipated.

Chile says Chaiten volcano still poses danger

SANTIAGO (Reuters) - Chile's government said on Friday the area surrounding the Chaiten Volcano, which erupted in May for the first time in thousands of years, was still not safe and that a decision regarding the future of the town of Chaiten would be made in coming days.

Amazon claims record holiday orders in '08 season

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Online retailer Amazon.com Inc on Friday reported its best holiday sales season yet, even as sales and traffic at U.S. store chains were the weakest in decades, sending its shares up nearly 4 percent.

"Idols" TV producer Fremantle seals YouTube deal

LONDON (Reuters) - FremantleMedia, producer of the "Idols" reality-TV show format and soap opera "Neighbours," has agreed a deal to produce programs to be shown exclusively on YouTube and to split revenues with the video-sharing site.

Japanese firms to open Chinese virtual mall: Nikkei

TOKYO (Reuters) - About 100 Japanese firms will begin selling products via an Internet site in China next month, targeting combined sales of 4 billion yen ($44 million) in the first year of operation, the Nikkei business daily reported on Friday.

Judge orders Apple executive to stop work

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A U.S. District Court judge in New York ordered a newly hired Apple Inc executive to stop work immediately because he might be violating an agreement with his former employer, IBM .

Asia couchsurfers travel cheap

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - It's great for soaking up the sights on a shoestring budget, but as some Asians have found, "couchsurfing," or staying at a stranger's home, can be a culturally jarring experience, especially if you reciprocate.

Even a tiny bit of flab raises heart failure risk

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Even a little bit of extra weight can raise the risk of heart failure, according to a U.S. study published on Monday that calculated the heart hazards of being pudgy but not obese.

Scientists recreate nerve disease to study it

CHICAGO (Reuters) - U.S. scientists have created the first human model for studying a devastating nerve disease, which allows them to watch how the disease develops and could help researchers find a way to treat it.

Repairs start on Mediterranean telecoms cables

PARIS (Reuters) - Work began on Sunday to fix submarine cables under the Mediterranean suspected of being cut by a ship's anchor, disrupting Internet and international telephone service in parts of the Middle East and south Asia.

U.S. scientists recreate nerve disease to study it

CHICAGO (Reuters) - U.S. scientists have created the first human model for studying a devastating nerve disease, which allows them to watch how the disease develops and could help researchers find a way to treat it.

Hey there, hold the hullabaloo over Hulu

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - It wasn't supposed to be this way. When NBC Universal and News Corp. announced in 2007 that they were getting in business together to launch an online home for their TV and movie offerings, it became a laughingstock. Two media companies collaborating successfully? And online no less?

Undersea cable breaks cut Internet in Mideast, Asia

PARIS (Reuters) - Breaks in three submarine cables under the Mediterranean, possibly caused by a ship's anchor, have disrupted Internet and international telephone services in parts of the Middle East and South Asia, officials said on Saturday.

Last-minute gadgets for your hiker, biker or skier

NEW YORK (Reuters) - For anyone who has put off shopping until the last minute -- or is looking ahead to post-holiday sales -- here's a list of some top gadget gifts for the hiker, biker, skier or runner in your life.

UDPATE 3-Undersea cable breaks cut Internet in Mideast, Asia

PARIS (Reuters) - Breaks in three submarine cables under the Mediterranean, possibly caused by a ship's anchor, have disrupted Internet and international telephone services in parts of the Middle East and South Asia, officials said on Saturday.

India hopeful of strong bids at 3G auction: official

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India is hopeful an auction for third-generation (3G) radio waves next month will draw in bids at a "few times" the reserve price of 20.20 billion rupees ($415 million), a senior government official said on Tuesday.

Study clarifies steroid benefit in pre-term births

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A one-time set of steroid injections for pregnant women at high risk of giving birth prematurely can head off major problems for the baby, but more injections give no further benefit, Canadian researchers said.

Mobile teleconsulting can evaluate stroke patients

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Mobile teleconsulting is a feasible way to evaluate remotely located patients who have just had a stroke, according to a report in the current issue of the journal Stroke. Although researchers found that hospital-based, land-line systems still provide better quality communication.

Global LCD TV revenue seen sinking 16 percent in 2009

SEOUL (Reuters) - With the economic downturn set to continue into 2009, worldwide revenues for liquid crystal display (LCD) TVs are expected to fall for the first time since the category was launched, market research firm DisplaySearch said.

Father offers daughter to shoe-thrower

CAIRO (Reuters) - An Egyptian man said on Wednesday he was offering his 20-year-old daughter in marriage to Iraqi journalist Muntazer al-Zaidi, who threw his shoes at U.S. President George W. Bush in Baghdad on Sunday,

Researchers find short-armed raptor in Argentina

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An unusual raptor dinosaur found in Argentina is the largest of its kind found so far in the Southern Hemisphere, with awkwardly short arms that made it resemble a Tyrannosaurus, researchers reported on Tuesday.

State aid seen prolonging chip industry's woes

LONDON (Reuters) - Governments in Taiwan and the German state of Saxony stepped in to help struggling chipmakers on Tuesday but such moves are more likely to prolong the industry's misery than to provide meaningful job security.

Atari blasts back from the past with new game plan

LONDON (Reuters) - For many gamers Atari is a blast from the past or just a logo on retro T-shirts but the company that dates back 36 years is looking to reclaim a stake of the videogame landscape.

Miley Cyrus, Obama items hot online sellers in 2008

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Teen star Miley Cyrus, pop diva Madonna, "The Dark Knight," hi-tech gadgets and Barack Obama were among America's top pop culture obsessions that turned into possessions in 2008, according to online market place eBay.

Compound lights up spreading cancer cells

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A new type of imaging compound can literally light up spreading cancer cells and may offer a way to track the deadly spread of the disease, Japanese and U.S. researchers reported on Sunday.

Study sheds light on breast cancer drug failure

LONDON (Reuters) - The most commonly used breast cancer drug may cause tumors to spread in a small number of women with low levels of a protein which makes cells stick together, British researchers said on Thursday.

Ex-NY Gov Spitzer to write column for Slate.com

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer, who resigned earlier this year over his involvement in a prostitution ring, will write a column for online magazine Slate.com about the economy and financial regulation.

Man wins case vs "human flesh search engine"

BEIJING (Reuters) - A man who lost his job and was harassed by strangers after his infidelity to his late wife was detailed online has won China's first case against Internet vigilantism, the China Daily said on Friday.

E-commerce technology sales holding up: NPD

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Consumer technology e-commerce sales rose 19 percent in the first two weeks of the holiday shopping season, industry tracker NPD Group said Friday, providing a bit of good news in an otherwise gloomy period for retailers.

Indonesia's "tree man" faces new operations

TANJUNG JAYA, Indonesia (Reuters) - An Indonesian man dubbed the "tree man" because of the gnarled warts all over his body said on Friday his condition had worsened again although he still hoped to recover and find a job.

Daddy day care: dinosaur fathers guarded the eggs

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - You can call it dino daddy day care. Scientists who examined the fossilized remains of three types of medium-sized dinosaurs found with large clutches of eggs have concluded that the males rather than the females seem to have guarded the nests and brooded the eggs.

Man wins first case vs China's "human flesh search engine"

BEIJING (Reuters) - A man who lost his job and was harassed by strangers after his infidelity to his late wife was detailed online has won China's first case against Internet vigilantism, the China Daily said on Friday.

NY man pleads guilty to YouTube baby food threat

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A New York man pleaded guilty on Thursday to posting videos on YouTube in which he claimed he had arranged to poison millions of containers of Gerber baby food with the intent to kill babies.

FCC to consider free Internet, cable issues

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. communications regulators will consider a controversial spectrum auction plan for free Internet and new rules governing disputes between cable operators and programmers at their December meeting, the agency's chairman said on Wednesday.

Sketches behind da Vinci painting may be Leonardo's

PARIS (Reuters) - A curator at the Louvre Museum in Paris has stumbled upon some unknown drawings on the back of a painting by Leonardo da Vinci that look like they might be by the Italian master himself, the Louvre said on Thursday.

Cell phone market gloom spreads to LG, RIM

BARCELONA/SEOUL (Reuters) - Cell phone makers LG Electronics and Research in Motion warned on sales and profit growth on Wednesday, the latest sign a consumer spending spree on expensive gadgets has dried up amid economic gloom.

U.S. cable companies giving free equipment for digital move

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Comcast Corp and other U.S. cable companies said on Wednesday they would give free equipment to customers in the switch-over to digital signals, amid criticism that they were using the transition to promote more expensive packages.

Cable companies giving free equipment for digital move

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Comcast Corp and other U.S. cable companies said on Wednesday they would give free equipment to customers in the switch-over to digital signals, amid criticism that they were using the transition to promote more expensive packages.

Worries about Steve Jobs' health hits Apple shares

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Apple Inc's shares fell almost 4 percent on Wednesday on concerns about the health of its chief executive and whether the company had any new products planned after it said Steve Jobs would not deliver the keynote speech at its upcoming technology show.

Health, emergency staff get drugs first in pandemic

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Health care and emergency services workers who might help sick people during an influenza pandemic should take antiviral drugs throughout the epidemic, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said in new guidance released on Tuesday.

Jobs won't deliver Macworld keynote

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple Inc said on Tuesday that Chief Executive Steve Jobs will not deliver the keynote address at the Macworld trade show next month, reviving some investors' concerns about the state of his health and sending the company's shares down 3 percent.

Sony, Fox Sports offer 3-D college football event

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Sony Electronics and Fox Sports on Tuesday said they will beam the national college football championship game to 80 theaters in 3-D next month in the latest example of the sports world tapping into this new viewing technology.

LA Man pleads guilty in Guns N' Roses piracy

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A man accused of illegally posting songs on the Internet from an unreleased album by rock band Guns N' Roses pleaded guilty on Monday and faces up to one year in prison, a prosecutor said.

Apple U.S. Mac sales flat in November

(Reuters) - Apple Inc witnessed flat year-over-year overall sales in the United States for its Macs in November, while sales of rival Microsoft Corp's Windows PCs were up 7 percent, according to research firm NPD Group Inc, which tracks retail sales.

Yahoo unveils new toolbar for Web browsing

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Yahoo unveiled a new toolbar on Monday that will give Web users access to their e-mail as they surf the Web, the latest step in its strategy to make its products more open to users and third parties.

Ancient armored amphibian had world's oddest bite

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A peculiar amphibian that was clad in bony armor prowled warm lakes 210 million years ago, catching fish and other tasty snacks with one of the most unusual bites in the history of life on Earth.

Amish gene trait may inspire heart protection

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A rare genetic abnormality found in people in an insular Amish community protects them from heart disease, a discovery that could lead to new drugs to prevent heart ailments, U.S. researchers said on Thursday.

U.S. Amish gene trait may inspire heart protection

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A rare genetic abnormality found in people in an insular Amish community protects them from heart disease, a discovery that could lead to new drugs to prevent heart ailments, U.S. researchers said on Thursday.

Google wants "fast track" for its content: WSJ

PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - Google Inc has approached Internet carriers with a proposal to create a "fast lane" for its own content, countering its previously stance of equal network access for all content providers, The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday.

U.S. nanotechnology plans fall short: report

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The U.S. plan for the emerging field of nanotechnology lacks vision, fails to assess risk and leaves the industry vulnerable to public mistrust, the National Research Council said in a report released on Wednesday.

Yahoo shareholder urges sale of search to Microsoft

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Ivory Investment Management LP, which owns 1.5 percent of shares of Yahoo Inc, urged the Internet company to sell its search business to Microsoft Corp, saying such a deal could more than double Yahoo's value.

Court readmits evidence in NASA astronaut case

ORLANDO, Florida (Reuters) - The trial of former NASA astronaut Lisa Nowak for an attack on a romantic rival has been cleared to resume after an appeals court readmitted suppressed evidence from a police search of her car.

FCC cancels meeting at U.S. lawmakers' request

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Communications Commission said on Saturday it was canceling a December 18 meeting in response to a request by Democratic lawmakers that it pay more attention to a smooth transition to digital television early next year.

In-the-works videogames cater to music fans

DENVER (Billboard) - With more than $1 billion in sales and 50 million tracks downloaded between them -- on a base of only about 350 songs -- the "Guitar Hero" and "Rock Band" videogame franchises emerged this year as serious moneymakers for the music industry. But are they bringing in enough per track?

Music stars' digital strategies still in flux

DENVER (Billboard) - It's been more than five years since Apple's iTunes store changed music retail by introducing single-track digital downloads. But it wasn't until 2008 that most musicians and labels started to wonder out loud whether selling music by the track is good for their bottom lines.

In-the-works video games cater to music fans

DENVER (Billboard) - With more than $1 billion in sales and 50 million tracks downloaded between them -- on a base of only about 350 songs -- the "Guitar Hero" and "Rock Band" video-game franchises emerged this year as serious moneymakers for the music industry. But are they bringing in enough per track?

U.S. aerospace urges Obama to keep its flame bright

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The chief trade group for arms makers and others in the U.S. aerospace industry said it was a job-creating bright spot in a bleak economy and urged President-elect Barack Obama to keep it that way.

Presidential videogame to hit retail shelves

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - President-elect Barack Obama faces many difficult tasks when he enters the White House, and now people who want to face similar challenges can give the U.S. presidency a try, too, in a video game.

Tiny Indonesia islands to honor British naturalist

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesia's remote Moluccas islands plans to build a museum and an observatory in honor of British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace, who in the 19th century spent many years in the area doing pioneering field work. Wallace was a leading expert on the geographical distribution of animal species and proposed a theory of natural selection around the same time his better known compatriot Charles Darwin published his famous theory in "On The Origin of Species."

FCC free internet plan faces lawmaker opposition

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A top Democratic lawmaker is expected to ask the Federal Communications Commission on Friday to delay voting on a controversial auction of radio spectrum, which includes a requirement for free Internet services, said a source following the issue in Washington.

U.S. video game sales up 10 percent

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - U.S. sales of video game hardware and software rose 10 percent in November from a year earlier, market researcher NPD said on Thursday, as Nintendo Co Ltd reported its Wii console and DS hand-held system both set U.S. sales records in the month.

Fearing backlash, industry urges nanotech safety

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Fearing the emerging new field of nanotechnology will engender fears like those surrounding genetically modified foods in Europe, companies are pushing government agencies for a more coordinated effort to ensure the tiny nanomaterials are safe and environmentally friendly.

U.S. sues Sony Music over children's online privacy

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sony BMG, which is changing its name to Sony Music Entertainment, was sued on Wednesday by the U.S. government, which accused the music company of violating federal rules aimed at protecting the online privacy of children.

Economic package to include health tech

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A senior Senate Democrat said on Wednesday a planned economic stimulus package will likely include money and tax breaks for doctors and hospitals to buy advanced technology that will make it easier for them to share patient care information.

Perfume vials from Christ's era unearthed in Israel

ROME (Reuters) - A team of Franciscan archaeologists digging in the biblical town of Magdala in what is now Israel say they have unearthed vials of perfume similar to those that may have been used by the woman said to have washed Jesus' feet.

Turner, NBA team for 3-D "All-Star" game

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Turner Sports, the National Basketball Association and Cinedigm Digital Cinema will team up to broadcast TNT's coverage of "NBA All-Star Saturday Night" in live 3-D to 80 digitally equipped theaters across the United States. Scheduled for February 14, the broadcast will play on as many as 160 screens in 35 states.

More mobile phone makers back Google's Android

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Fourteen of the world's largest mobile phone and chip makers, including Sony Ericsson, Vodafone Group Plc and ARM Holdings Plc, joined the Open Handset Alliance on Tuesday to support the Android mobile device platform developed by Google Inc.

Turner, NBA team for 3-D 'All-Star' game

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Turner Sports, the National Basketball Association and Cinedigm Digital Cinema will team up to broadcast TNT's coverage of "NBA All-Star Saturday Night" in live 3-D to 80 digitally equipped theaters across the United States. Scheduled for February 14, the broadcast will play on as many as 160 screens in 35 states.

Cancer to pass heart disease as No. 1 killer

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Cancer is on pace to supplant heart disease as the No. 1 cause of death worldwide in 2010, with a growing burden in poor countries thanks to more cigarette smoking and other factors, global health experts said on Tuesday.

Sony Ericsson, Vodafone back Google's Android

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Fourteen of the world's largest mobile phone and chip makers, including Sony Ericsson, Vodafone Group Plc and ARM Holdings Plc, joined the Open Handset Alliance on Tuesday to support the Android mobile device platform developed by Google Inc.

Sprint eyes cost cuts, no new debt

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sprint Nextel Corp plans to cut costs and use cash to pay back its $3 billion of debt due in 2009 and 2010, rather than raise new financing in tight capital markets, its finance chief said on Monday.

Presidential video game to hit retail shelves

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - President-elect Barack Obama faces many difficult tasks when he enters the White House, and now people who want to face similar challenges can give the U.S. presidency a try, too, in a video game.

Falling stock markets spur searches for love online

NEW YORK (Reuters) - As stock markets across the globe have plummeted, more people have opted to try their luck looking for love online as a distraction from financial woes -- and to save themselves money, according to dating Web sites.

Microsoft to soon sell full range of Web software

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp will soon launch a full range of online versions of its software products, including the Office suite, and expects the weak economy to accelerate growth of the nascent Web-based software market, a senior executive said on Monday.

Lots of TV and Web harms kids' health

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Spending a lot of time watching TV, playing video games and surfing the Web makes children more prone to a range of health problems including obesity and smoking, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday.

Bad back may stop cane toad invasion

SYDNEY (Reuters) - It seems a bad back might be the only thing that can stop the relentless spread of Australia's poisonous cane toads, which are killing native animals as they hop across the nation, researchers say.

Time Warner eyes limited WiMax service late '09

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Time Warner Cable Inc plans to offer limited wireless services in late 2009 or early 2010 using the WiMax high-speed wireless network that Clearwire Corp is building, the cable company's finance chief said on Monday.

150 whales die in stranding off Australian coast

SYDNEY (Reuters) - At least 150 whales have died in a mass stranding off Tasmania's west coast, Australian authorities said on Sunday, despite the efforts of rescuers who managed to shepherd a small number back to the ocean.

Germany plans lab tests for airport "naked scans"

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany will begin laboratory tests in the next few weeks on full-body airport screening devices to see if they can produce images that do not show passengers naked, the Interior Ministry said on Saturday.

Walmart.com offers "thousands" of Wiis from Monday

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Nintendo Co Ltd's Wii has emerged as one of the few hot products this holiday season, and Wal-Mart Stores Inc will offer "tens of thousands" of the hard-to-get video game consoles on its website starting on Monday.

Britain's DNA database violates privacy: court

STRASBOURG, France (Reuters) - Britain violated the privacy of two people by storing their DNA profiles, Europe's human rights court ruled on Thursday, a decision that calls into question rules governing the use of the country's DNA database.

Digital market offers hope as music sales slow

DENVER (Billboard) - Ever since Apple's iTunes store launched in 2003, the digital music market has received an annual Christmas gift in the form of a sales boost, as consumers unwrap new iPods and gift cards for the holidays.

As music sales slow, digital market offers hope

DENVER (Billboard) - Ever since Apple's iTunes store launched in 2003, the digital music market has received an annual Christmas gift in the form of a sales boost, as consumers unwrap new iPods and gift cards for the holidays.

Nokia takes on rivals with N97 touch-screen phone

BARCELONA (Reuters) - Nokia launched a flagship phone to update its aging high-end offering, but analysts said the device would not be enough on its own to help the world's top mobile phone maker recover lost market share.

Toshiba to halt chip output due to weak demand

TOKYO (Reuters) - Toshiba Corp , the world's No. 2 maker of NAND flash memory, will halt chip production at two plants for nine days due to weak demand, in its first output break in seven years, broadcaster NHK reported on Friday.

Sephardic Jews leave genetic legacy in Spain

MADRID (Reuters) - From the 15th century on, Spain's Jews were mostly expelled or forced to convert, but today some 20 percent of Spanish men tested have Sephardic Jewish ancestry, and 11 percent can be traced to North Africa, a study has found.

Climate history may explain empires' fall

CHICAGO (Reuters) - An analysis of rings on a stalagmite from a cave near Jerusalem reveals a drier climate in the region at a time in history when the Roman and Byzantine empires were in decline, scientists reported on Thursday.

China, Russia to send probes to Mars next year

BEIJING (Reuters) - China will team up with Russia to launch two satellite probes to take pictures of Mars and one of its small moons in October next year as it seeks to cement its place in the select ranks of global space powers.

Industry sales good so far: Take-Two

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Black Friday sales for the video games industry were probably better than expected, but that's no guarantee of strong sales for the rest of the holiday season, Take Two Interactive Software Inc Chief Executive Strauss Zelnick said on Thursday.

Blockbuster offers 99-cent DVD rentals

NEW YORK (Reuters) - DVD rental company Blockbuster Inc said it will offer 99-cent DVD rentals for the first time to lure customers in tough economic times, and it is also renegotiating one-third of its store leases to cut costs.

Classical musicians get shot at fame on YouTube

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The video-sharing website YouTube will take classical music out of pricey concert halls and bring it to the masses by holding an online competition where the public chooses musicians to play at Carnegie Hall.

Sail online for thrills without danger

PARIS (Reuters) - Always wanted to sail around the globe but never had the nerve? Just sign up online and now you can compete in one of France's most beloved yachting events without ever having to leave your desk.

CBS to run Yahoo's Internet radio service

DENVER (Billboard) - Chalk up another Internet radio casualty of significantly increased royalty fees for airing music online. Yahoo Music, once the top music destination on the Web, is handing over the bulk of its Launchcast Internet radio operations to CBS Radio.

Cutting costs but still want a fancy phone?

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. economy's worst crisis since the 1930's depression may have some consumers questioning the wisdom of buying a fancy new cell phone just yet, but those who can't wait just might find some deals out there.

Ex-AOL boss seeks funds for his firm, not Yahoo: report

(Reuters) - Former AOL Chief Executive Jonathan Miller is trying to raise capital for Velocity Interactive Group, an investment firm focused on digital media where he is a partner, and not for buying Yahoo Inc, the New York Post reported.

Ex-AOL boss looking to raise cash for Yahoo bid

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Former AOL Chief Executive Jonathan Miller is seeking as much as $30 billion from investors to buy all or part of Yahoo Inc, The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, boosting shares of the Web search engine by 7 percent.

Start-ups knock on MySpace's door

NEW YORK (Reuters) - MySpace, the online social network owned by News Corp, sees opportunities to buy start-ups for a fraction of what they would have cost six months ago as the economic slump slices millions of dollars off their price tags.

FCC to mull free Internet plan at December meeting

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Communications Commission is likely to consider a plan this month to auction public airwaves with a mandate that the winning bidder set aside some for free Internet nationwide, a proposal staunchly opposed by the cell phone industry.

FCC to mull free Internet plan at meeting

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Communications Commission is likely to consider a plan this month to auction public airwaves with a mandate that the winning bidder set aside some for free Internet nationwide, a proposal staunchly opposed by the cell phone industry.

Time Warner Cable CFO sees tougher 2009

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Time Warner Cable Inc will likely sell fewer than expected video, Internet and phone subscriptions this year, and expects a further decline next year due to the worsening U.S. economy, Chief Financial Officer Rob Marcus said on Monday.

Qualcomm ruling affirmed, vacated in part: U.S. court

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. federal court on Monday affirmed a ruling against Qualcomm Inc in its long-running battle with Broadcom Corp over some video technology patents, but voided a part of the lower-court decision that said Qualcomm could not enforce the patents.

Endeavour touches down in California

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - Astronauts aboard the space shuttle Endeavour wrapped up a 16-day mission to prepare the International Space Station for its first six-member crew with a flawless touchdown at NASA's backup landing site in California.

Nokia seen outlining smartphone, services push

BARCELONA (Reuters) - World cellphone leader Nokia is expected to bolster its offering of high-end phones at a media and industry event in Barcelona on Tuesday, where it is also due to outline a push into Internet services.

Space shuttle touches down in California

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - Astronauts aboard the space shuttle Endeavour wrapped up a 16-day mission to prepare the International Space Station for its first six-member crew with a flawless touchdown at NASA's backup landing site in California.

Space shuttle lands smoothly in California

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, California (Reuters) - The space shuttle Endeavour glided to a smooth landing at Edwards Air Force Base in California on Sunday, returning to Earth from a mission to expand and renovate the International Space Station.

Microsoft-Yahoo deal "total fiction:" report

LONDON (Reuters) - A report in the Sunday Times that Microsoft Inc is in talks with Yahoo Inc to buy the U.S. internet company's online search business for $20 billion is "total fiction," according to a key executive cited by an influential U.S. blog.

Bad weather delays space shuttle landing

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - NASA delayed the landing of space shuttle Endeavour on Sunday due to bad weather at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and may have to divert the spaceship to a backup landing site in California.

Scientists track genetic changes in leukemia

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Distinctive genetic changes occur in the cancer cells that trigger relapse in patients with the most common type of childhood cancer, according to a study that may offer new hope for beating the disease.

Japan polar bear mating stymied by gender mixup

TOKYO (Reuters) - Handlers of a popular polar bear, brought to mate with a female in a zoo in northern Japan, found their breeding plan was doomed when they noticed that he, in fact, was a she.

Former MTV exec named MySpace Music president

NEW YORK (Reuters) - MySpace, the popular social networking website owned by News Corp, said on Tuesday former MTV executive Courtney Holt will become president of its MySpace Music joint venture with the four major record companies.

Wal-Mart previews Black Friday deals to draw sales

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc previewed some of the deep discounts it plans to offer right after Thanksgiving next week, part of a promotional strategy that has kept cash-strapped customers scouring its stores for bargains.

Tech looks to raise bets on healthcare

LONDON (Reuters) - An aging population, spiraling medical costs and increasingly poor service are spurring more computer firms to bet on healthcare and what many of them see as a lucrative -- but relatively untapped -- market.

Verizon Wireless bets on Storm for holiday season

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Verizon Wireless is betting on the new BlackBerry Storm for the all-important holiday season, hoping the highly anticipated smartphone can compete against the iPhone offered by rival wireless provider AT&T Inc.

Israeli archaeologists unearth Herod family tombs

BEIT SAHOUR, West Bank (Reuters) - An Israeli archaeologist said on Wednesday he had unearthed what he believed were the 2,000-year-old remains of two tombs which had held a wife and daughter-in-law of the biblical King Herod.

New, old media good for each other, Huffington says

NEW YORK (Reuters) - New media and old can clash and crowd each other out, but blogger extraordinaire Arianna Huffington argues in a new book that the two worlds are rapidly joining together to bring out the best in each other.

Microsoft: New software not Symantec, McAfee rival

BOSTON (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp's upcoming security software is not designed to take sales from Symantec Corp and McAfee Inc as it is a stripped-down, free product that focuses purely on anti-virus protection, a Microsoft executive said.

Tiny, long-lost primate rediscovered in Indonesia

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - On a misty mountaintop on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, scientists for the first time in more than eight decades have observed a living pygmy tarsier, one of the planet's smallest and rarest primates.

Cuban responds to SEC, says no secrecy deal

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Billionaire basketball team owner Mark Cuban responded to U.S. insider trading charges on Tuesday, saying on his website that he had not agreed to keep information about a proposed stock sale confidential.

Bolivian farmer leads to dinosaur discovery

ICLA, Bolivia (Reuters) - Bolivian farmer Primo Rivera had long wondered about the dents in a rocky hill near his home. Paleontologists solved the mystery this month: they are fossilized dinosaur footprints -- the oldest in Bolivia.

Plumes from Saturn moon may come from liquid water

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Huge plumes of water vapor and ice particles are spewing from Saturn's moon Enceladus at supersonic speeds in a way that strongly suggests they come from liquid water down below the icy surface, scientists said.

Public safety airwave auction faces next test

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A renewed effort by U.S. regulators to auction part of the airwaves to a commercial entity that must share the spectrum with firefighters, police, and other emergency workers, faces its next test within weeks.

Apple gears up for Black Friday sale

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple Inc, facing a tight U.S. consumer spending environment, is gearing up for a one-day sale on Friday and at least one analyst expects the company to offer discounts of up to 15 percent.

Cheap Blu-ray players seen scarce in Europe

LONDON (Reuters) - A scarcity of cheap Blu-ray video players combined with the effects of a recession are expected to delay take-up of the new, high-definition Blu-ray DVD format in Europe, according to media research firm Screen Digest.

Online networks a magnet for job-seekers

HELSINKI (Reuters) - Janel Landon, who runs a small PR consultancy in Chicago, has long been aware of the potential of online networks: now in her mid-50s and facing a global recession, she's decided to sign up.

Shipwreck may hold key to Turks and Caicos' lineage

MIAMI (Reuters) - A pair of glass-eyed idols led marine archeologists to the wreck of a Spanish ship that once carried an illegal cargo of African slaves believed to be the ancestors of many of today's inhabitants of the British colony of Turks and Caicos.

Apple sued over tech that helps iPhone surf Web

BOSTON (Reuters) - Apple Inc is the target of a lawsuit that claims a technology the iPhone uses to surf the Web infringes on a patent filed by Los Angeles real estate developer Elliot Gottfurcht and two co-inventors.

NASA finds apparent fix for urine recycling system

HOUSTON (Reuters) - NASA appears to have resolved problems with a new urine recycling system on the International Space Station, bolstering hopes it will be able to expand the research outpost's crew next year, officials at the U.S. space agency said on Tuesday.

Blockbuster takes on Netflix with new set-top box

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Blockbuster Inc on Monday said it would roll out a new digital media player that brings fewer, but more recent titles from the Internet to consumers' televisions than a six-month old offering from rival Netflix Inc.

Jury to deliberate in MySpace suicide case

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The suicide of a Missouri teen could have been avoided had she not been tormented online by a mom who lived a few houses away, prosecutors said on Monday, describing the girl's death as a tragedy.

Silver Lake eyes Asia tech investments

TAIPEI (Reuters) - Private equity fund Silver Lake is in talks with technology companies in China, Taiwan, South Korea and Japan as it looks for firms with strong growth potential during the global financial turmoil, an executive said on Monday.

MySpace Japan bets on world demand for J-Pop

TOKYO (Reuters) - Banking on the global appeal of Japanese pop and video games, social networking site MySpace said it would more than double the number of artists on its Japanese pages to get more clicks internationally.

Shuttle inspects heat shield on way to space post

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Astronauts orbiting the Earth aboard the U.S. space shuttle Endeavour unfolded a robotic arm on Saturday to inspect the ship's heat shielding as they sped toward a rendezvous with the International Space Station.

Facebook pulls Italian neo-Nazi pages after outcry

ROME (Reuters) - Facebook said on Friday it had removed several pages from its site used by Italian neo-Nazis to incite violence after European politicians accused the Internet social networking site of allowing a platform to racists.

Sony's Crackle.com set to roll out new Web shows

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A Web site owned by Sony Corp is expected on Monday to unveil a slew of new Internet programs in the latest move by a division of a major media company to bolster online entertainment.

YouTube rolls out sponsored videos in revenue drive

NEW YORK (Reuters) - YouTube, the popular online video sharing site owned by Google, said on Wednesday it will roll out a new sponsored videos format, the latest step in its drive to grow revenues through advertising.

Meteor lights up skies over Western Canada

CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) - A massive ball of fire that lit up the skies over two Western Canadian provinces on Thursday evening was likely among the biggest meteor events to be witnessed in Canada this year, one expert said.

Astronauts finish longest spacewalk outside station

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Two shuttle Endeavour astronauts finished the longest of their planned spacewalks outside the orbiting International Space Station on Saturday, a nearly seven-hour effort aimed at cleaning and repairing a contaminated joint on the station's solar power array.

Spacewalkers resume space station repairs

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Two shuttle Endeavour astronauts slipped outside to the vacuum of space on Saturday to clean and repair a contaminated joint in the International Space Station's external frame, a key step to restoring the outpost to full power.

Virgin Media sees mobile broadband as complementary

LONDON (Reuters) - British cable operator Virgin Media said it did not believe mobile broadband had mass appeal in the short term, but it entered the market to offer the service in its high-end mobile, broadband and TV bundles.

Even Google scales back on holiday fun

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Internet search giant Google Inc is known for hosting the most extravagant holiday parties in Silicon Valley, often drawing crowds of over 10,000 and prompting some employees to post ads for party dates on classifieds Website Craigslist.

Huge glaciers detected under rocky debris on Mars

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A radar instrument aboard a NASA spacecraft has detected large glaciers hidden under rocky debris that may be the vestiges of ice sheets that blanketed parts of Mars in a past ice age, scientists said on Thursday.

Sony says Blu-ray sales short of forecasts

NEW YORK (Reuters) - High definition Blu-ray disc players may be one of the holiday season's best sellers, but they will still fall short of expectations, due to the tough economy, the head of Sony's U.S. electronics unit said.

Irish the heaviest users of mobile phones: Ofcom

LONDON (Reuters) - Residents in the Republic of Ireland spent the most time on their mobile phones and sent the most text messages per head in the world in 2007, according to a report which examines changes in the communications industry.

Astronauts finish second spacewalk outside station

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Shuttle Endeavour astronauts working outside the orbiting International Space Station faced glitches during a second spacewalk on Thursday, as one astronaut experienced high carbon-dioxide levels after his crew mate lost a tool bag on the mission's first spacewalk.

Government warns of "catastrophic" U.S. quake

KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Reuters) - People in a vast seismic zone in the southern and midwestern United States would face catastrophic damage if a major earthquake struck there and should ensure that builders keep that risk in mind, a government report said on Thursday.

Woman posed as teen online in suicide case: attorney

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A Missouri woman established a fake identity online to torment a vulnerable teenage girl who later committed suicide, federal prosecutors said on Wednesday in a trial that is being closely watched by the burgeoning social networking industry.

U.S. woman posed as teen online, teased girl: attorney

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A Missouri woman established a fake identity online to torment a vulnerable teenage girl who later committed suicide, federal prosecutors said on Wednesday in a trial that is being closely watched by the burgeoning social networking industry.

High-street shopping losing appeal in plugged-in Asia

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - The Internet is replacing the high street as the shopping destination of choice in the Asia Pacific, with a new survey showing a majority of Internet users prefer to go online to buy everything from electronics to holidays.

Suit forces eHarmony to offer gay dating service

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Online dating service eHarmony has agreed to create a new website for gays and lesbians as part of a settlement with a gay man in New Jersey, the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General said on Wednesday.

Global chip sales forecast to drop 5.6 percent in 2009

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Global semiconductor sales will fall in 2009, the first decline in eight years, as the financial crisis takes its toll on consumer spending, a chip industry trade group forecast on Wednesday, sending a key industry gauge to its lowest level in a decade.

Astronaut set to become Japan's first mom in space

TOKYO (Reuters) - A Japanese astronaut and mother of one has been picked as a crew member of the space shuttle Atlantis, Japan's space agency said Tuesday, making her the country's first mom to go into space.

Woman gets first trachea transplant without drugs

LONDON (Reuters) - A Colombian woman has received the world's first tailor-made trachea transplant, grown by seeding a donor organ with her own stem cells to prevent her body rejecting it, an international research team reported on Wednesday.

National Geographic enters the sea of video games

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - National Geographic is getting into the video game business. Through its for-profit unit National Geographic Ventures, the nonprofit National Geographic Society is set to announce Tuesday that it has created National Geographic Games.

Obama ticket sellers threatened with prosecution

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - People trying to sell tickets to Barack Obama's inauguration as the 44th president of the United States may face a fine of up to $100,000 or a year in prison, if a U.S. senator has her way.

Search is on for new Yahoo CEO after Yang steps down

SAN FRANCISCO/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Yahoo Inc said Jerry Yang will step down as chief executive as soon as the board finds a replacement, sending its shares up 4 percent on hopes his departure will clear the way for a deal with Microsoft.

Sci Fi's "Sanctuary" a true Web-to-TV pioneer

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - A milestone was reached last week in the crossover from Internet to TV when Sci Fi Channel gave an early second-season pickup to "Sanctuary," making it the first TV show based on an online series to accomplish the feat.

Yahoo's Yang to step down

SAN FRANCISCO/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Yahoo Inc said Jerry Yang will step down as chief executive as soon as the board finds a replacement, sending shares up 4 percent on hopes the departure would clear the way for a deal with Microsoft.

NASA loses contact with Mars lander, ends mission

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The Phoenix Mars Lander, which made history by finding definitive proof of water on the Red Planet, has lost contact with Earth, effectively ending its more than five-month mission, NASA said on Monday.

Mountain gorillas at mercy of Congo war factions

GOMA, Congo (Reuters) - East Congo's conflict has put more than a quarter of the world's last mountain gorillas at the mercy of armed groups who hunt and camp in their territory, park officials said on Monday.

Lawmaker plans bill on Web neutrality

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A senior U.S. lawmaker plans to introduce a bill in January that would bar Internet providers like AT&T Inc from blocking Web content, setting up a renewed battle over so-called network neutrality.

Music Mogul offers virtual world to musicians, fans

LOS ANGELES (Billboard) - Grammy Award-winning songwriter/producer Rodney Jerkins and former Vivendi Games executive Nicholas Longano are teaming up on a technology project that will present a basic virtual world, in the tradition of Second Life, on the Web.

U.S. lawmaker plans bill on Web neutrality

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A senior U.S. lawmaker plans to introduce a bill in January that would bar Internet providers like AT&T Inc from blocking Web content, setting up a renewed battle over so-called network neutrality.

Web travel agencies feel pinch of weaker demand

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Online travel agencies are a traveler's best friend when budgets are tight, but the current economic crisis is so bad it has squelched a lot trips and clouded the outlook for companies that sell bookings.

NASA begins shuttle launch countdown

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) -- Countdown clocks at the Kennedy Space Center began ticking down on Tuesday toward Friday's launch of space shuttle Endeavour on a mission to outfit the International Space Station for an expanded live-aboard crew.

Purified urine to be astronauts' drinking water

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - As NASA prepares to double the number of astronauts living aboard the International Space Station, nothing may do more for crew bonding than a machine being launched aboard the space shuttle Endeavour on Friday.

Wide-hipped fossil changes picture of Homo erectus

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The fossil of a wide-hipped Homo erectus found in Ethiopia suggests females of the pre-human species swayed their hips as they walked and gave birth to relatively developed babies with big heads, researchers said on Thursday.

EA debuts fitness videogame for Wii

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Electronic Arts Inc unveiled its first personal training product on Thursday, tapping into the growing appeal of video games as fitness systems as seen with Nintendo Co Ltd's hit title "Wii Fit" earlier this year.

Videogame sales up 18 percent in October

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - U.S. sales of videogame hardware and software rose 18 percent in October from a year earlier, after falling 7 percent in September, as Nintendo Co Ltd's Wii console sold over 800,000 units, market researcher NPD reported on Thursday.

Rare dinosaur nest offers look into bird evolution

CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) - Canadian researchers say they've narrowed down the likely owner of a dinosaur nest, abandoned on a river's edge 77 million years ago, adding the discovery offers a unique look at dinosaur reproduction and the evolution of birds.

Bacteria, fungus problems? Try copper socks

SANTIAGO (Reuters) - Copper socks? Copper towels? How about copper subway poles? These are only a few of the uses Chile, the world's biggest copper producer, is applying to the red metal now used more in the construction and auto sectors.

Video games sales up 18 percent in October

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - U.S. sales of video game hardware and software rose 18 percent in October from a year earlier, after falling 7 percent in September, as Nintendo Co Ltd's Wii console sold over 800,000 units, market researcher NPD reported on Thursday.

Japan police crackdown videos a hit online

TOKYO (Reuters) - Video clips of a Japanese police crackdown on a group of "working poor" who tried to get a look at the wealthy prime minister's luxurious private home in Tokyo have attracted of thousands of viewers on the Internet.

Google to let businesses generate more search pages

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Google Inc said on Thursday it is launching a new feature to help businesses that use its Site Search service to instantly incorporate and update new Web pages in the latest phase of its expansion into business services.

Intel's shock warning sounds alarm for tech sector

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Chip giant Intel Corp cut its fourth-quarter revenue forecast by about 14 percent citing weak demand across the world and in all its products, indicating the economic crisis is set to hurt computer sales in the holiday season and beyond.

WITNESS: Zero G -- like being born

Tim Hepher has been a journalist with Reuters for 14 years, with experience covering trade wars and takeover battles, and now specializes in aerospace business in Paris. In the following story, he describes a parabolic flight where he somersaulted weightless with space officials and politicians.

WITNESS: Zero G is like being born

Tim Hepher has been a journalist with Reuters for 14 years, with experience covering trade wars and takeover battles, and now specializes in aerospace business in Paris. In the following story, he describes a parabolic flight where he somersaulted weightless with space officials and politicians.

U.S. issues Internet gambling rule, ignoring lawmaker

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve issued a final rule on Wednesday aimed at stopping illegal Internet gambling, two days after a leading Democratic lawmaker called for a delay because of the problems he said it would cause for banks.

U.S. top court rules for Navy in whales-sonar case

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Navy can conduct sonar training exercises off the southern California coast without restrictions designed to protect whales, dolphins and other marine mammals, the Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday in a defeat for environmentalists.

Economy grinch may pinch Blu-ray format

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Executives hoping that the weak consumer embrace of high-definition discs will strengthen during the holiday season thanks to clarity on format and hardware issues suddenly face this rude awakening: It's the economy, stupid.

Taiwan's Asustek says U.S. sales not hurt by slowdown

TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan Asustek Computer said on Tuesday its U.S. sales have not been affected by the global economic slowdown, even as a bankruptcy filing by a major U.S. retailer raised fears about price wars.

Dell quells rumors about music player

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Dell Inc, struggling to recharge its lineup of consumer product offerings, indicated Monday that a digital music player is not in the computer maker's near-term plans despite speculation that such a product is in the works.

Obama boosters urge greater role for Web

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Barack Obama had a brigade of Web denizens backing his election, from comedy star Obama Girl to throngs of young voters, and now they are clamoring for the Internet to play a big role in his presidency.

New test to identify heart failure in ER superior

NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) - A new blood test to identify heart failure patients in most dire need of treatment when they turn up at an emergency room complaining of shortness of breath proved better than current tests, according to results of a study unveiled on Tuesday.

Dell quells rumors about new music player

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Dell Inc, struggling to recharge its lineup of consumer product offerings, indicated Monday that a digital music player is not in the computer maker's near-term plans despite speculation that such a product is in the works.

Stem-cell firms surge as Obama fuels funding hopes

BANGALORE (Reuters) - Shares of companies developing therapies based on stem cells surged on Monday, after confirmation over the weekend that U.S. president-elect Barack Obama plans to reverse an existing executive order against federal funding of embryonic stem-cell research.

DTV ad gets mileage in race car crash: FCC chief

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A nine-car NASCAR pileup may have wrecked a vehicle sponsored by the Federal Communications Commission, but it gave the agency more mileage in advertising the imminent switch to digital TV signals, the FCC's chief said on Monday.

YouTube to post full-length MGM films

NEW YORK (Reuters) - YouTube, the largest video-sharing website, will show full-length television shows and films from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's archives in its latest step to boost advertising revenue by adding professional programing, the company told Reuters on Sunday.

Octopuses had Antarctic ancestor: marine census

OSLO (Reuters) - Many octopuses evolved from a common ancestor that lived off Antarctica more than 30 million years ago, according to a "Census of Marine Life" that is seeking to map the oceans from microbes to whales.

YouTube to post full-length MGM films on site

NEW YORK (Reuters) - YouTube, the largest video-sharing website, will show full-length television shows and films from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's archives in its latest step to boost advertising revenue by adding professional programing, the company told Reuters on Sunday.

Gene Simmons rushes to cash in on rock videogames

DENVER (Billboard) - Amid the flood of third-party instrument peripherals emerging for the new "Guitar Hero" and "Rock Band" music simulation games, God forbid if Gene Simmons would miss an opportunity to get his brand on.

FCC head, Google co-founder see cheaper Internet

SAN JOSE, California (Reuters) - High-speed wireless Internet will be cheaper and more available across the United States in the near future, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission and a Google co-founder said on Thursday.

Activision posts better-than-expected earnings

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Video game publisher Activision Blizzard Inc posted better-than-expected third quarter earnings on Wednesday, fueled by sales of "Guitar Hero: On Tour", and said it plans to buy back $1 billion of its stock.

Earliest known shaman grave site found: study

LONDON (Reuters) - An ancient grave unearthed in modern-day Israel containing 50 tortoise shells, a human foot and body parts from numerous animals is likely one of the earliest known shaman burial sites, researchers said on Monday.

3D gives taste of life and combat in ancient Rome

ROME (Reuters) - For tourists who struggle to make sense of the ruins around the Roman Forum, a new high-tech show provides a 3D sense of what life was like for plebeians and gladiators in ancient Rome.

AMD lays off 500 people worldwide

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Advanced Micro Devices, one of the world's two makers of microprocessors for personal computers, said it had cut 500 people from its staff of 15,500, effective Wednesday, as part of a move to cut costs.

Media groups turn on Web for election coverage

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Comedy spoofs by Tina Fey and Stephen Colbert have made the U.S. presidential race a made-for-television event, but on Tuesday many voters will turn to the Internet to watch election night coverage.

Brains of depressed people handle pain differently

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Scientists have found clues in the brains of people with major depression that might help explain why so many depressed people also battle chronic pain, according to a U.S. study published on Monday.

Malaysia court to free blogger under security act

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - A Malaysian court is to free a blogger who was detained under the country's draconian security laws and whose arrest in September sparked condemnation from rights groups, state news agency Bernama reported on Friday.

Cell phone makers face toughest year since 2001

HELSINKI (Reuters) - A wave of economic gloom is set to hit mobile phone buyers next year, with a growing number of analysts expecting the once-buoyant market to shrink for the first time since the 2001 crash, a Reuters poll showed.

A cancer patient's genome decoded for first time

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Scientists for the first time have decoded the entire genome of a cancer patient, identifying a series of genes never before linked to the type of white blood cell cancer that ultimately killed the woman.

Yang says Yahoo is still best option for Microsoft

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - After nearly a year spent seeking alternatives to Microsoft Corp's buyout offer, Yahoo Inc's Chief Executive Jerry Yang said he believes a deal between the two is still the best option for the software company.

Apple, RIM win smartphone market share from Nokia

HELSINKI (Reuters) - Surging demand for the latest iPhone and Blackberry models helped Apple Inc and Research In Motion to win larger shares of the smartphone market in the third quarter at the expense of top vendor Nokia, market research firm Canalys said on Thursday.

Newspapers grabbed up after Obama's historic win

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - It was a good day to be in the newspaper business. The historic November 5 editions proclaiming Barack Obama's White House victory flew off the newsstands and major newspapers struggled to keep up with the demand for copies.

Yahoo's Yang says Microsoft deal still best option

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - After nearly a year spent seeking alternatives to Microsoft Corp's buyout offer, Yahoo Inc's Chief Executive Jerry Yang said he believes a deal between the two is still the best option for the beleaguered Internet company.

Google executives to face trial in Italy: sources

MILAN (Reuters) - An Italian prosecutor has ordered four former and current Google officials to stand trial on charges related to a video of a taunted youth with Down syndrome posted on its Italian website, court sources said on Wednesday.

Google pulls out of search ad deal with Yahoo

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Google Inc pulled out of a search advertising partnership with Yahoo Inc due to regulatory objections, causing Yahoo shares to rise as investors hoped the move could lead to a resumption of deal talks with Microsoft Corp.

Gates urges rich countries not to cut health aid

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Microsoft founder Bill Gates on Wednesday said he was worried the global financial crisis he says could last two to three years might drive rich countries to cut back spending on health aid for the developing world.

FCC gives go-ahead to Verizon purchase of Alltel

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday voted to approve a Verizon Wireless plan to buy Alltel Corp for $28.1 billion, allowing it to overtake AT&T Inc as the biggest U.S. mobile service.

Yahoo-Google deal may flounder, analyst says

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The new search advertising deal between Yahoo Inc and Google Inc is unlikely to win U.S. antitrust approval, and therefore may open the door to a new bid for Yahoo from Microsoft Corp, an analyst said on Tuesday.

Yahoo-Google deal may founder, analyst says

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The new search advertising deal between Yahoo Inc and Google Inc is unlikely to win U.S. antitrust approval, and therefore may open the door to a new bid for Yahoo from Microsoft Corp, an analyst said on Tuesday.

Yahoo, Google revise deal in hopes of approval: source

WASHINGTON/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Yahoo Inc and Google Inc have drastically scaled back the scope of their search advertising deal, a person close to the discussions said on Monday, in a last-ditch effort to win U.S. antitrust approval.

Senior Apple executive to leave: report

(Reuters) - One of Apple Inc's top executives, who was part of the development of the iPod, has decided to leave the company and will be replaced by a former employee of International Business Machine Corp, the Wall Street Journal said.

Salesforce.com unveils new services, pushes its cloud

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Business software provider Salesforce.com Inc said Monday it set alliances with Facebook and Amazon.com Inc and unveiled a new Web site management service as it pushed to bring more customers into its so-called "cloud" computing universe.

Media groups turn on Web for election cover

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Comedy spoofs by Tina Fey and Stephen Colbert have made the U.S. presidential race a made-for-television event, but on Tuesday many voters will turn to the Internet to watch election night coverage.

China sacks drunk official outed on Internet

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's ministry of transport has fired an official in the southern boomtown of Shenzhen after photos and video clips of his drunken misbehavior in a seafood restaurant appeared online.

MySpace, MTV test piracy-profit plan

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - A new technology that essentially allows content owners to profit from piracy will get a high-profile test this month from MySpace and MTV Networks.

Shanty sound

What do you do with the recorded sailor?

Geeking out

How dinner parties are bringing women into tech

Supersonic car

British team that broke sound barrier targets 1,000mph

Valley Girls

Bebo founder Xochi Birch on start-ups and success

Scientists find genes that lift lung cancer risk

LONDON (Reuters) - An international research team has identified two genetic variations that appear to increase a person's risk of developing lung cancer by up to 60 percent, they reported on Sunday.

Lost and found

Treasure hunt mixes blogs, booty and Google maps

The Tech Lab

What multicore computing will soon be doing for you

On your trail

What control do we have over our personal data?

Japan's latest robots

Oct 13 - Japan puts its human-like robots on display.

A tour of the greenest museum

A peek at the world's most eco- friendly museum

Talking robot

Trying to have a proper chat with a computer

Dial-a-crime

How can we stop prisoners getting hold of mobiles?

Holding on

The Mars Phoenix Lander battles the onset of winter

PC users to invent ideal machine

Intel and computer manufacturer ASUS are asking consumers to come up with their wildest ideas to help design the ideal PC.

Valley pearls

Why the downturn is not making VCs wary of investing

Cloudy future

Who takes care of data when the cloud takes over?

Future football stars start here

Gamers get a chance to be a virtual football star

dot.life

Why crashes of the past have lessons for the future

Game on for British developers

Why the UK is a heavy hitter in the games market

Virtual help

How a 3D computer world can be used to train paramedics

Click to play

Films at your local cinema this Friday will be: your choice

Little, big

Why the UK is a heavy hitter in the games market

Iceland's geothermal energy plan

Iceland's geothermal resources could be the answer to saving its economy.

Are paper's days numbered?

Bill Thompson says the writing is on the wall for paper

MS offers peek through Windows 7

Software developers are given a demo of Microsoft's next version of Windows.

Solar clothes

Oct. 3 - Argentine designer looks to the future by creating solar-powered clothing.

Ancient temples discovered in Peru

Oct. 21 - Peruvian archaeologists confirm the discovery of two 3,000 year old temples.

Reuters Technology Week

Oct. 24 - Talking plants, pesky PC blackouts, and planet friendly electricity savers.

The medium and the message

Regular contributor Bill Thompson looks at what separates TV and the internet.

Between a rock and an interface

Regular contributor Bill Thompson looks at what makes a good user interface

Cybercrime wave sweeping Britain

Cybercrime in the UK rose by more than 9% in 2007, according to a report.

Inside Venezuela's Mission Control

As Venezuela launches its first communications satellite, the BBC has access inside Mission Control.

Sony restructuring Crackle online video hub

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Sony Pictures Entertainment is ready to make Crackle pop.

Golden Joysticks honour games

The gaming industry's biggest awards, the Golden Joysticks, have been held following voting by 850,000 gamers.

Fire fear sparks battery recall

Laptop-makers including Hewlett-Packard and Toshiba are recalling 100,000 Sony batteries over fears they may catch fire.

Imaging system could transform facial surgery

A new imaging programme which could help transform the treatment of facial surgery scoops an award.

Pirate swoop 'catches' non-gamers

A couple who claim they have never played a video game are accused of illegal file-sharing.

Games firms 'catching' non-gamers

A couple who claim they have never played a video game are accused of illegal file-sharing.

Joystick gold for action shooter

Call of Duty 4 has cleaned up at the 2008 Golden Joystick awards taking a total of four prizes.

Facebook 'good for business'

Companies should not dismiss social networking sites such as Facebook and Bebo as merely time-wasting, says a study.

Space tourist talks to BBC

Richard Garriott has just returned from a 10-day holiday on the International Space Station, at a cost of £20m.

Trojan virus steals banking info

Hundreds of thousands of people have been hit by a globe-trotting virus that has been scooping up bank login details.

Trojan virus steals bank info

Hundreds of thousands of people have been hit by a globe-trotting virus that has been scooping up bank login details.

Hatched turtles go on sea journey

Crowds came to a sea turtle sanctuary in Mexico to help set some 7,000 hatchlings begin their journey into the sea.

Ancient iceman probably has no modern relatives

LONDON (Reuters) - "Otzi," Italy's prehistoric iceman, probably does not have any modern day descendants, according to a study published Thursday.

Boost for easier web login plans

Microsoft and Google unveil plans for tools that may let people use one set of login credentials for many different websites.

MTV and Activision face off in battle of the brands

DENVER (Billboard) - Now that "Rock Band" publisher MTV Networks just scored the Beatles catalog for a new videogame, announced days after the October 26 release of Activision's "Guitar Hero World Tour," the stage is set for another battle of the bands between the two music-based game franchises.

Nielsen finds strong TV-Internet usage overlap

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Nearly a third of all U.S. household Internet activity takes place while the user watches television, suggesting new and old media often share rather than compete for attention, the Nielsen Company said in a report on Friday.

Mformation sues RIM for patent infringement

TORONTO (Reuters) - Handset management software firm Mformation Technologies said on Friday it has sued BlackBerry maker Research In Motion, claiming patent infringement.

IBM sues to block executive from moving to Apple

(Reuters) - International Business Machines Corp sued a top executive on Thursday to prevent him from joining Apple Inc , court documents showed.

Mali musician defends game song

A Malian musician defends a track that is being removed from a Sony video game out of concern it may offend Muslims.

Italians grow 'greener' olives

A range of technologies are being installed at an Italian Olive farm in a bid to cut CO2 emissions, from electric farm vehicles to sun-reflecting paint.

Pope sees physicist Hawking at evolution gathering

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Benedict told a gathering of scientists including the British cosmologist Stephen Hawking on Friday that there was no contradiction between believing in God and empirical science.

Gadgets still a centerpiece of holiday shopping

NEW YORK/ATLANTA (Reuters) - Shoppers who crave electronics goodies, but are increasingly short on cash, may sacrifice a gym membership or movie popcorn just to get a new gadget like the "Google phone" this holiday season.

Google may scrap Yahoo deal: sources

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Google Inc may decide to scrap its proposed partnership with Yahoo Inc rather than accept government-imposed antitrust restrictions on it, according to two sources familiar with the companies' discussions.

Green gadgets aim to woo eco-aware shoppers

LONDON (Reuters) - Gadget makers showed off their green credentials at a technology show in London on Friday to try to tempt consumers worried about soaring fuel bills, climate change and the financial crisis.

Hatched turtles set off on sea journey

Crowds came to a sea turtle sanctuary in the Mexican state of Chiapas to help set some 7,000 hatchlings off on their journey into the sea.

Looks count for women running for office: study

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Women had better appear attractive as well as competent if they want to be elected to political office, according to research published on Thursday.

Financial crisis spells business for lending sites

KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Reuters) - One woman wants to pay off medical bills. An Ohio couple wants $5,000 to start a home business. An Illinois college student needs help with tuition.

Nintendo sees overseas DSi launch by next summer

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese video game maker Nintendo Co Ltd will likely launch a new model of its top-selling handheld player, the DS, in overseas markets by the summer of 2009, President Satoru Iwata said.

Qaeda wants Republicans, Bush "humiliated": video

DUBAI (Reuters) - An al Qaeda leader has called for President George W. Bush and the Republicans to be "humiliated," without endorsing a party in the upcoming U.S. presidential election, according to an Internet video posting.

Yahoo, Google may walk away from search deal: report

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Google Inc and Yahoo Inc could announce a decision to walk away from their search deal by the middle of next week, The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter.

Appeals court rejects business method patents

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. patent appeals court ruled on Thursday that business methods, such as Amazon.com Inc's one-click to buy goods on the Internet, cannot be patented.

U.S. appeals court rejects business method patents

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. patent appeals court ruled on Thursday that business methods, such as Amazon.com Inc's one-click to buy goods on the Internet, cannot be patented.

Sony recalls PC batteries

SAN FRANCISCO/TOKYO (Reuters) - Sony Corp said five PC makers including Hewlett-Packard Co and Toshiba Corp will recall 100,000 computer battery packs made by the Japanese electronics maker due to a fire hazard.

Datz launches MP3 download deal

A new online music store has launched which is the first subscription site to let you copy MP3 files to a CD or other music player with no strings attached.

Split-screen settlement for dueling TV viewers

HOLLYWOOD (Hollywood Reporter) - The classic dilemma: You are home for the evening. You wish to watch, say, a comedy, on TV, but a family member would rather watch something else.

U.S. ruling may curb business method patents

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court has rejected patenting a way to smooth energy costs in a closely watched decision that could narrow the scope of "business method" patents.

Quakes give trampoline effect: Japanese study

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Earthquakes not only shake the ground from side to side, they hoist it up and down as though the earth is bouncing on a trampoline, researchers in Japan found.

Giant bat makes comeback in Tanzania

OSLO (Reuters) - A giant bat with a wingspan up to 5.5 feet has made a comeback from the brink of extinction in Tanzania in a rare conservation success, an environmental group said on Friday.

Looking for a Halloween scare? Try a videogame

RALEIGH, NC (Reuters) - Looking for more than ghosts and ghouls to liven up Halloween? The latest videogames are offering plenty of scary options and new terror is waiting just around the corner.

Researchers find more Alzheimer's genes

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Researchers combing the human gene map have found four more areas that affect the risk of Alzheimer's disease and believe the studies are starting to point to new and better treatments.

Hubble telescope back in business

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - The Hubble Space Telescope is back in business after a month of problems, but preparing spare equipment to keep the orbital observatory running will force NASA to delay its final servicing mission beyond February, officials said on Thursday

Nasty fungus may be killing thousands of bats

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A previously unknown fungus that thrives in chilly temperatures may be the culprit behind the deaths of at least 100,000 bats hibernating in caves in the northeastern United States, scientists said on Thursday.

Foo Fighters rock for Blackberry in L.A

LOS ANGELES (Billboard) - The Foo Fighters brought their arena rock show to a much smaller stage Wednesday at the 1,400-capacity Avalon in Los Angeles, during a private concert with Queens Of The Stone Age to help promote a new Blackberry.

Gene study shows the Phoenicians still with us

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The seafaring Phoenicians left the world more than a legacy of alphabets and purple dye -- they left their DNA scattered throughout Mediterranean men, as well, according to a report published on Thursday.

Motorola eyes phone weakness, job cuts

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Motorola Inc warned its fourth-quarter results would miss expectations and said its struggling mobile phone business would weaken further in 2009, forcing the company to delay its plan to spin off the unit and cut 3,000 jobs.

Motorola eyes phone weakness, job cuts; delays spinoff

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Motorola Inc warned its fourth-quarter results would miss expectations and said its struggling mobile phone business would weaken further in 2009, forcing the company to delay its plan to spin off the unit and cut 3,000 jobs.

MTV strikes deal to use Beatles songs in video game

NEW YORK (Reuters) - MTV Networks announced on Thursday a deal to use songs by 60s group The Beatles in a custom video game similar to its popular "Rock Band" video, marking the band's first key plunge into digital music.

Intense care for premature babies risky: studies

BOSTON (Reuters) - Some of the intense care given to the smallest premature infants may be a little too intense, suggested two studies published on Wednesday.

MTV strike deal to use Beatles songs on "Rock Band"

NEW YORK (Reuters) - MTV Networks announced on Thursday a deal to use songs by 60s band The Beatles in a custom video game similar to its popular "Rock Band" video, marking the band's first key plunge into digital music.

Handset market stalls, Christmas fears rise

HELSINKI (Reuters) - The world's top mobile phone makers fear further weakening demand after reporting third-quarter growth grinding to a standstill, with only Samsung Electronics gaining market share through price cuts.

Archaeologists report finding oldest Hebrew text

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Archaeologists in Israel said on Thursday they had unearthed the oldest Hebrew text ever found, while excavating a fortress city overlooking a valley where the Bible says David slew Goliath.

Rise above economic woes with the hover chair

LONDON (Reuters) - A "Star Wars" inspired hover chair, a speedy electric motorbike and stereo speakers that cost as much as a small house are among the attractions at Britain's biggest gadget show in London this weekend.

Looking for a Halloween scare? Try the newest videogames

RALEIGH, NC (Reuters) - Looking for more than ghosts and ghouls to liven up Halloween? The latest videogames are offering plenty of scary options and new terror is waiting just around the corner.

Banks, telcos to decide on wallet-phones

HELSINKI (Reuters) - The potentially lucrative business of mobile phone wallets is waiting for banks and telecom operators to agree on each one's role and possible revenue flow in the future.

Hover chair hopes to rise above woes

LONDON (Reuters) - A "Star Wars" inspired hover chair, a 125 mph electric motorbike and hi-fi speakers that cost as much as a small house are among the attractions at Britain's biggest gadget show in London this weekend.

Sci Fi game for videogame challenge

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Sci Fi Channel has ordered a reality competition that pits 12 contestants against one another in a series of video game challenges to find the best all-around gamer in the United States.

Bosses 'should embrace Facebook'

Companies should not dismiss social networking sites such as Facebook and Bebo as merely time-wasting, says a study.

The creep of nanotech

Oct 28 - UK businesses that are using nanotechnology to fight bird flu, diagnose asthma instantly and identify cancer cells have been recognized with Innovation Awards.

Tivo, Netflix partner on Web streaming

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Netflix Inc said on Wednesday it reached a deal with TiVo Inc to further deliver on its goal of offering Netflix's Web streaming service directly to televisions through many devices.

Intense care for premature babies risky

BOSTON (Reuters) - Some of the intense care given to the smallest premature infants may be a little too intense, suggested two studies published on Wednesday.

Banks, telcos to decide on cellphone-wallets

HELSINKI (Reuters) - The potentially lucrative business of cellphone wallets is waiting for banks and telecom operators to agree on each one's role and possible revenue flow in the future.

MTV expected to announce Beatles "Rock Band" deal

NEW YORK (Reuters) - MTV Networks is expected to announce on Thursday a deal to use songs by The Beatles in its popular "Rock Band" video game series, marking the band's first major plunge into the digital music world.

Mega-tsunami hit southeast Asia 700 years ago

HONG KONG (Reuters) - A mega-tsunami struck southeast Asia 700 years ago rivaling the deadly one in 2004, two teams of geologists said after finding sedimentary evidence in coastal marshes.

Touchscreens heat up enthusiasm for gadgets

NEW YORK (Reuters) - More and more shoppers are willing to spend on gadgets with a touchscreen -- even if it means they lose on extra features and better quality.

Mercury was once alive with volcanoes

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - While it seems like a geologically dead planet today, early in its history tiny Mercury may have been a caldron of volcanic activity, NASA scientists said on Wednesday.

FCC member optimistic airwaves proposal will pass

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A top federal regulator said on Wednesday he is optimistic communications officials will approve a plan, backed by Microsoft Corp and Google Inc, to open soon-to-be vacant television airwaves.

Motorola plans job cuts, focus on Google software: report

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Motorola Inc's co-chief executive, Sanjay Jha, plans to make more job cuts and simplify how it makes devices, the Wall Street Journal reported on its website on Tuesday.

Space shuttle crew practices for next launch

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - Seven astronauts climbed aboard the U.S. space shuttle Endeavour on Wednesday in a practice run for a mission to deliver equipment needed to prepare the International Space Station for a larger crew.

Yahoo, AOL in due diligence on combination: source

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Yahoo Inc and Time Warner Inc's AOL unit are engaged in "meaningful" due diligence about a possible combination, but a deal is not imminent, a person familiar with the talks said on Wednesday.

South African officials say new virus is contained

LONDON (Reuters) - A new virus that has killed four people and infected another in South Africa appears to have been contained, according to the most recent information posted by South African authorities on their website.

HP launches $400 mini-notebook as it plays catch-up

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Hewlett-Packard Co on Wednesday will unveil a new mini-notebook in a move to gain ground in the fastest-growing PC category, which until now has been dominated by its smaller rivals.

Mobile gaming market troubles to continue: Nokia

HELSINKI (Reuters) - The global economic slowdown will hurt the mobile gaming market this year and next after it already suffered an unexpected slump last year, the head of gaming at Nokia said on Wednesday.

Social networking sites "good for businesses"

LONDON (Reuters) - Good news for workers addicted to Facebook, Bebo and MySpace -- a British think-tank says bosses should not stop their staff using social networking sites because they could actually benefit their firms.

Microsoft warns of financial crisis email scams

LONDON (Reuters) - Internet fraudsters will try to exploit the global financial crisis by sending fraudulent emails purporting to offer cash-strapped consumers new mortgages, loans or money from failed banks, a Microsoft executive said on Wednesday.

Consumer group opposes Google, Yahoo partnership

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Public Interest Group, a consumer organization, is opposing Google's plan to share advertising with rival Yahoo, saying it could harm consumer privacy, according to a letter sent to the U.S. attorney general, a copy of which was given to Reuters.

EA takes FIFA 09, Spore Origin to N-Gage this year

HELSINKI (Reuters) - Electronic Arts will launch hit titles EA Sports FIFA 09, Spore Origins and Monopoly Here & Now for Nokia's N-Gage gaming service in time for Christmas sales, the U.S. video games firm said on Wednesday.

LinkedIn offers new apps in office push

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - LinkedIn, the career-oriented social networking website, on Wednesday will unveil an assortment of applications from big names like Google Inc and Amazon.com Inc in a push to integrate LinkedIn's platform into the daily workings of corporate life.

Bosses 'ignore toxic data risk'

Bosses must stop leaving data security to the 'IT boys' and take responsibility, the Information Commissioner has said.

A closer look at Windows 7

Software developers have been given a preview of Microsoft's next version of Windows.

Tech firms warn of lower profits

Economic worries prompt Texas Instruments and Sun Microsystems to warn of lower profits.

Japan unveils maid robot

Oct 28 - A Japanese robot research centre have created a robot that can do household chores.

Indian space countdown begins

India has begun the countdown for its first unmanned mission to the moon.

Microsoft Yahoo partner on scams

The tech giants join Western Union and the African Development Bank to educate users about scams.

Thin line between love and hate? - science knows why

LONDON (Reuters) - It often seems a thin line between love and hate, and now scientists think they know why.

Mars robot's heaters to be turned off, one by one

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Engineers taking long-distance care of NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander mission are planning to start turning off its heaters one by one and let it freeze to death.

LittleBigPlanet players help build video game

RALEIGH, NC (Reuters) - Sony Computer Entertainment America's "LittleBigPlanet" game, released in North America on Tuesday, lets players create characters and scenarios for the PlayStation 3, taking the Internet's embrace of community-created sites to video games.

Tyrannosaurus rex noses out dinosaur competition

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - When it came to the sense of smell among meat-eating dinosaurs, Tyrannosaurus rex nosed out the competition.

Tech giants in human rights deal

Microsoft, Google and Yahoo unite in a charter to protect online freedom of speech from official interference.

Lawmaker wants indepth review of Google/Yahoo deal

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A leading Republican lawmaker asked the Justice Department on Tuesday to "thoroughly investigate" antitrust and privacy issues in a search advertising partnership planned by Google Inc and Yahoo Inc.

Wal-Mart to sell G1 for $30 less than T-Mobile USA

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc plans to sell the G1 cell phone, powered by Google Inc , for about $30 less than T-Mobile USA, the exclusive U.S. carrier for the device.

Google to pay $125 million in online books settlement

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Google Inc has reached a legal settlement with authors and major publishers that paves the way for readers to search through millions of copyrighted books online, browse passages and purchase copies.

Windows 7 aims to simplify

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp is betting its next Windows operating system will be faster and easier to use and avoid the missteps of Windows Vista that alienated many users of the software that powers 90 percent of the world's PCs.

Does mold make you sick? Doctors seek answers

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Fungus expert Joan Bennett did not believe in so-called toxic mold -- the cause of "sick building syndrome" and many lawsuits -- until her New Orleans home was flooded during Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Microsoft says next Office suite will go on the Web

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The next upgrade of Office business software from Microsoft Corp will include a version that edits word processing documents and spreadsheets inside a Web browser, the software maker said on Tuesday.

Microsoft's Windows 7 aims to simplify

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp is betting its next Windows operating system will be faster and easier to use and avoid the missteps from the introduction of Windows Vista, which alienated many users of the software that powers 90 percent of the world's PCs.

Google strikes book search deal

Following two years of negotiations, Google has reached an agreement with publishers and authors to index millions of books

Intel says global investment plans on track

BEIJING (Reuters) - Chip giant Intel Corp's chief executive said on Tuesday that its investments around the world are proceeding as originally planned, but that some disruption from the global financial crisis was unavoidable.

Cleaning up in 'fab world'

A look inside the surreal and ultra-clean world of the silicon manufacturing plant.

Games ratings row gets colourful

Games consortium Elspa has proposed a 'traffic light' system for rating games ahead of a government decision.

Future directions in computing

A look at the future computing technologies which will go beyond Moore's Law.

Japan unveils maid robot.

Oct 28 - A Japanese robot research centre have created a robot that can do household chores.

Gamers get very much in character to break world record

Hundreds of video game fans dress as characters from their favourite games to set a new record in east London.

Google looking to invest in energy sector: report

(Reuters) - Internet search and advertising leader Google Inc is increasingly looking at the energy sector as a potential business opportunity, the New York Times reported.

Canadian music royalties go online

TORONTO (Hollywood Reporter) - Canada on Monday extended music royalties to the Internet in a move that will encompass commercial TV and radio station websites, electronic gaming sites and online radio stations.

And the Word became digital

ROME (Hollywood Reporter) - An assembly of Catholic bishops on Monday called for the use of mass communications -- including television, cinema, DVDs and even iPods -- to be used to spread the Bible in as many languages as possible.

Tech giants agree on free speech principals: report

(Reuters) - Google Inc, Microsoft Corp and Yahoo Inc are expected to announce on Tuesday that they have agreed to a common set of principals on how to do business in nations that restrict free speech and expression, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Microsoft anti-piracy move irks Chinese official

BEIJING (Reuters) - A top Chinese copyright official chided Microsoft for launching an anti-piracy tool that nags users of counterfeit software with a black computer screen and said the company's prices were too high.

GM tomato 'may boost health'

Scientists have developed purple tomatoes which they hope may be able to keep cancer at bay.

Microsoft anti-piracy move irks China

BEIJING (Reuters) - A top Chinese copyright official chided Microsoft for launching an "anti-piracy" tool that causes screens of computers using counterfeit software to turn black and said the company's prices were too high.

Microsoft to rent Web "cloud" computing space

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp took the wraps off a new computing service that allows companies to use its data centers to run their Web applications in a bid to become a player in the "cloud computing" trend.

Technology helps restore Raphael masterpiece

FLORENCE (Reuters) - After 10 years of painstaking study and restoration that tested both cutting edge technology and human patience, one of the greatest masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance is returning to the public.

Will Twitter and terrorism meet?

Concerns arise that terrorists may use technologies like blogging site Twitter to plan and organise attacks.

Microsoft to battle in the clouds

Microsoft has unveiled Azure, its cloud computing venture in which data storage and computing will happen on the web

French company aims to create artificial heart

PARIS (Reuters) - A company backed by European aerospace giant EADS and one of France's leading cardiac surgeons aims to create an implantable artificial heart it says could help hundreds of thousands of patients.

Microsoft's Gates steps up FCC "white space" lobbying

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Bill Gates and other Microsoft Corp officials stepped up lobbying of top U.S. communications regulators on Monday, ahead of an important vote next week to open up unused wireless airwaves.

Microsoft matches reward for missing Canadian teen

TORONTO (Reuters) - Software giant Microsoft Corp has matched a reward being offered in the search for a missing Canadian teenager who ran away from home after his parents took away his Xbox 360 video game console.

Club drug Special K helps schizophrenia researchers

LONDON (Reuters) - British researchers said on Monday they might have discovered how schizophrenia affects part of the brain by carrying out tests with "Special K," a popular club drug that mimics the symptoms of the mental illness.

Space tourism will weather market crisis: astronaut

STAR CITY, Russia (Reuters) - At over $30 million a ticket it is not cheap, but rich adventurers will still pay for a dream trip into orbit despite a global financial crisis, U.S. space tourist Richard Garriott said Monday.

Microsoft looks to rent Web "cloud" computing space

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp took the wraps off a new computing service that allows companies to use its data centers to run their Web applications in a bid to become a player in the so-called "cloud computing" trend.

US Army warns of Twitter danger

Concerns arise that terrorists may use technologies like blogging site Twitter to plan and organise attacks.

Wireless bolsters Verizon profit despite economy

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Strong wireless sales helped Verizon Communications Inc post a higher quarterly profit despite a fall in landline customers and worries of a slower U.S. economy, helping the shares rise 8 percent.

81-year-old Chinese man finds love online

BEIJING (Reuters) - An 81-year-old Chinese man has proved age need not be a barrier to Internet love, marrying a 58-year-old bride he met online, a local newspaper reported.

NII, RIM to launch new smartphone in Latin America

(Reuters) - Wireless carrier NII Holdings Inc said it will launch Research In Motion's BlackBerry smartphone in Latin America during the first quarter of 2009. The company, formerly Nextel International Inc, said it will launch the BlackBerry smartphone in Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and Peru.

Is surfing the Internet altering your brain?

CANBERRA (Reuters) - The Internet is not just changing the way people live but altering the way our brains work with a neuroscientist arguing this is an evolutionary change which will put the tech-savvy at the top of the new social order.

Alarm raised on teenage hackers

Computer security experts warn that many teenagers are falling into a life of petty cyber crime.

India's first Moon mission

India has successfully launched the unmanned Chandrayaan 1 spacecraft, its first mission to the Moon.

Cox plans own cellular network: report

(Reuters) - Cox Communications is expected to announce later on Monday that it plans to have its own cellular network up and running next year, the Los Angeles Times said.

Indian Moon craft lifts off

India has successfully launched the unmanned Chandrayaan 1 spacecraft, its first mission to the Moon.

The man behind Moore's Law

BBC News interviews Gordon Moore, the man whose "law" has driven the computer revolution.

Hi-tech brings families together

New technologies are forging bonds among families and bringing people together, says a report.

Indian Moon probe set to launch

India is counting down to the launch of its first unmanned mission to the Moon.

UK positioned for sat-nav prizes

A UK company wins the European Satellite Navigation prize for a satellite positioning-enabled smart lifejacket.

Hope for future of red squirrel

Scientists say they have come up with a way to revive the red squirrel population.

Going for online gold

Bill Thompson is keeping an eye on the Olympics but isn't interested in medal winners

Job seekers warned over website CV theft

Job seekers have been warned to be particularly careful when sending their CVs to websites.

Scientists develop cancer fighting tomato

LONDON (Reuters) - A purple tomato genetically engineered to contain nutrients more commonly seen in dark berries helped prevent cancer in mice, British researchers said on Sunday.

Handsets to become crime targets

Mobile phones are becoming increasingly attractive targets for virus writers and scammers, say security experts.

Gizmo puts cold callers on hold

A device which attaches to a landline phone claims to combat the menace of nuisance calls.

Broadband users reach their limit

A survey finds one million customers are close to or have overstepped their monthly bandwidth quota

Computers controlled by gesture?

Computer users of the future could use gestures or even their minds to control their machines.

Scientists develop purple, cancer fighting tomato

LONDON (Reuters) - A purple tomato genetically engineered to contain nutrients more commonly seen in dark berries helped prevent cancer in mice, British researchers said on Sunday.

Google on Android's future

Google's director of mobile platforms explains his vision for Android, a new operating system for mobiles.

Humans made fire 790,000 years ago: study

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - A new study shows that humans had the ability to make fire nearly 790,000 years ago, a skill that helped them migrate from Africa to Europe.

Google soars despite economy

The online search engine Google defies economic worries, as its profits rise 26% sending its shares soaring.

Broadband speeds in question

Virgin Media has said that broadband speed tests are unable to accurately measure its super-fast service.

Electric car pilot for UK roads

The government is set to announce a pilot scheme to test electric cars on Britain's roads in three cities.

Data centre to be powered by tide

Hundreds of jobs and heat for Prince Charles' greenhouses are identified as spin offs of project.

Game delay over Koran phrases

The global release of a much-anticipated video game is delayed because of concerns it could offend Muslims.

Safe landing for Soyuz capsule

A Soyuz space capsule carrying two Russian crew and an American space tourist has returned to Earth.

Google's phone debuts

Customers line up in New York City to be the first to buy Google's new G1 phone.

Ofcom sets out stall for fast net

The price of next-gen broadband should reflect how much it costs to invest in it, says regulator

Lawmaker questions Google-backed spectrum plan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A senior U.S. lawmaker on Friday joined a growing chorus asking the head of the Federal Communications Commission to explain his plan to open unused airwaves for wireless devices, an approach backed by Google Inc.

The online battles for president

The Obama campaign becomes the first to advertise in video games, while the McCain camp challenges YouTube.

Cheaper mobiles hit phone firms

Mobile phone maker Sony Ericsson sees profits fall, blaming demand for cheaper phones and fluctuating currency rates.

Game delayed over Koran phrases

The global release of a much-anticipated video game is delayed because of concerns it could offend Muslims.

Texts tackle HIV in South Africa

Free text messages to mobile phones will soon be helping encourage South Africans to get tested for HIV.

Keyboard sniffers to steal data

Techniques to eavesdrop on what people are typing on a computer keyboard have been revealed by security researchers.

Australia scientists say bees can count to four

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Researchers have discovered that honey bees can count to four, a report said here on Sunday.

Getting more from Moore's Law

A look at some of the technologies that could allow the silicon industry to deliver faster, cheaper chips.

Fraudsters' website shut in swoop

A website where criminals traded credit card details and bank log-ins is shut down after a police operation.

iTunes glitch censors song titles

A temporary error on the UK's iTunes Music Store service causes some inoffensive song titles to be starred out.

UK has biggest off-shore wind farm

Blustery Britain is the world's biggest producer of wind energy out at sea, with the largest site off Skegness.

Team track deer population

A group of volunteers along with National Trust workers have been tracking changes in the deer population in Dorset.

NHS 'not making enough use of IT'

The NHS must be more innovative in its use of everyday technology to improve care to patients, experts say.

Nasa launches Ibex probe

US space agency Nasa has launched the interstellar boundary explorer, or Ibex, toward the edges of the solar system.

Why the future is in your hands

The humble mobile phone looks set to become a multimedia, multi-function monster as more features are crammed inside it.

Queen visits Google London

A YouTube clip sparks laughter from the Queen during her visit to the London offices of internet giant Google.

Web content 'disturbing children'

Three out of four children have seen images on the internet that disturbed them, according to an NSPCC poll.

Apple's $999 laptop

Oct 14 - Apple cut the price of its entry level laptop, and unveiled a new line of aluminum clad machines

How not to monitor mobiles

Bill Thompson is worried that the methods we are using to keep kids safe on mobiles have stopped being useful.

Users urged to report abuse sites

Web users who find images of child sex abuse online are being urged to report it to the Internet Watch Foundation.

Virtual murder of 'husband' leads to real-life jail for Japan woman

Japanese police arrest a woman who allegedly illegally accessed computer data to kill off her virtual husband in an online game.

Yahoo in licensing deal with Everyday Health: report

(Reuters) - Yahoo Inc is set to announce a content-licensing agreement with the Everyday Health Network, the New York Post said.

Norway tackles salmon killer

Hundreds of Norwegian rivers are being treated with insecticide to kill off bacteria which are destroying the country's freshwater salmon stocks.

eBay warning of tough Christmas

Online auction site eBay reports robust profits but warns that a weak economy will hurt sales in the run-up to Christmas.

EBay to ban sales of ivory goods

Online auction site eBay says it is bringing in a global ban on the sale of all ivory products to protect elephants.

Wartime tunnel for sale

Oct. 17 - BT is putting on the market a once secret tunnel that linked the Cold War hotline between Washington and Moscow.

Musician defends Sony game song

A Malian musician defends a track that is being removed from a Sony video game out of concern it may offend Muslims.

Captain's log: I'm annoyed - Shatner angry at snub by co-star

Actor William Shatner feels "nothing but pity" for his Star Trek co-star George Takei after failing to be invited to his wedding.

Hoon defends database plans

Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon says he is prepared to go "quite a long way" with civil liberties to "stop terrorists killing people".

Pupils reveal mobile snapshot

Students at a school in Tynemouth carry out a survey of mobile phone use as apart of the BBC's School Report project.

NASA unveils new lunar rover built for endurance

BLACK POINT, Arizona (Reuters) - NASA unveiled a new lunar rover on Friday which aims to transform space exploration by allowing astronauts to roam large distances without cumbersome spacesuits when they return to the moon by 2020.

The mobile future is calling

Developers are being urged to unleash their creativity and make the mobile future a reality and bring the world to everyone's phone.

The importance of being there

Regular columnist Bill Thompson says the virtual world still needs a lot of work if it is to replace the real world.

Hoon defends giant database plans

Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon says he is prepared to go "quite a long way" with civil liberties to "stop terrorists killing people".

CBS books "Novel Adventures" for webisodes

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - CBS Interactive is partnering with GM's Saturn auto division to launch a scripted Web series starring Daphne Zuniga.

EU lawmakers approve crackdown on Internet violence

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Cyber-bullying and child pornography will be targeted in a 55 million euro ($70.9 million) scheme agreed by European Union lawmakers on Wednesday.

Europe delays ExoMars mission

The ExoMars rover, which will search for signs of life on the Red Planet, will not launch now until 2016 because of high costs.

Sony delay game over Koran text

Sony have delayed the launch if its new Playstation 3 game Little Big Planet after it emerged the music contained verses form the Koran

Verizon, Klausner settle voice mail patent suit

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Verizon Wireless settled a lawsuit over voice mail technology with the patent's owner, Klausner Technologies Inc, the companies said on Friday.

Talking to a computer program

Elbot is a computer program pretending to be a person. And this week it won a prize for coming closest to fooling people into thinking it was human. The BBC's Mark Lobel catches him in more a relaxed moment.

Germany says full-body airport scanner "nonsense"

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany will not participate in EU proposals for airports to use full-body scanner security checks, which have raised privacy issues, its interior ministry said on Friday.

Greece unearths Neolithic home, household equipment

ATHENS (Reuters) - Archaeologists in northern Greece have unearthed the ruins of a Neolithic house, a rare find that offers valuable information about everyday life 6,000 years ago, the Greek culture ministry said Friday.

Words of wisdom from Woz

Find your passion, follow your heart and don't let a lack of money stop you. Words of wisdom from Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak.

Shazam enters new era

Oct 6 - The mobile music discovery service has seen a surge of new users after broadening its offering to work seamlessly with social networks.

China finds fossils of small feathered dinosaur

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Archaeologists in China have discovered fossils of a pigeon-sized feathered dinosaur which they believe to be an ancestor of birds.

Russian watchdog rejects Google's bid for ad firm

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's Federal Anti-monopoly Service (FAS) said on Thursday it had refused to let Google acquire 100 percent of the Begun advertising agency.

UK encouraged to get online

New research shows that 17 million people in the UK have never used a computer and one third of adults do not use the internet.

Hippie apes make war as well as love, study finds

LONDON (Reuters) - Despite their reputation as lovers, not fighters, of the primate world, bonobos actually hunt and kill monkeys, German researchers said Monday.

New TB blood test seen more accurate

LONDON (Reuters) - A new blood test will allow doctors more accurately to pinpoint patients likely to develop the symptoms of tuberculosis, researchers said on Monday.

Chinese surfers see red over Microsoft black-outs

BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese Internet users have expressed fury at Microsoft's launch of an anti-piracy tool targeting Chinese computer users to ensure they buy genuine software.

A new way to make sticky tape see-through

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Researchers have found a new "see-through" use for commonplace clear adhesive tape -- it produces X-rays when it is peeled off the roll.

U.S. space tourist, Russians return to Earth

NEAR ARKALYK, Kazakhstan (Reuters) - A Russian Soyuz capsule carrying U.S. space tourist Richard Garriott and a Russian crew bumped down safely in Kazakhstan on Friday.

U.S. space tourist returns to Earth

ALMATY (Reuters) - A Russian Soyuz capsule carrying U.S. space tourist Richard Garriott and a Russian crew landed safely in Kazakhstan at 11:36 p.m EDT as planned on Friday.

Videogame makers bank on sequels

RALEIGH, North Carolina (Reuters) - Sequels may not always match up to the original in Hollywood but videogames can often get better the second or third time around.

Doing the 'Green Thing'.

Oct 23 - Whatever your view of climate change, most would agree it's a serious topic but the newly relaunched 'Green Thing' site hopes to affect change through creativity.

Artifacts discovery might lead to lost tribe

MANILA (Reuters) - When Philippine police confiscated 22 bags of broken pottery from antiquity smugglers near an area where Muslim rebels operated, little did they know that they may have uncovered the remnants of a long-lost tribe.

Tiny dinosaur on verge of swearing off meat

CHICAGO (Reuters) - A rare juvenile skull of a 190 million-year-old dinosaur may help explain when an important group of plant eaters branched off from carnivorous cousins, U.S. and British researchers said on Thursday.

NASA traces glitches that stopped Hubble

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - NASA engineers have traced two glitches that shut down the orbiting Hubble space telescope and said on Thursday they rebooted one of the computers involved.

Scientists find way to erase memories in mice

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - It seems like a movie plot, but scientists have developed a way to erase specific memories in mice while leaving others intact and not damaging the brain.

Russian watchdog rejects Google bid for ad firm

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's anti-trust watchdog rejected on Thursday a $140 million bid by Google Inc. to buy the Begun advertising agency, claiming the deal would reduce competition in the online advertising market.

Guns N' Roses finally release long-delayed album

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Guns N' Roses, the rock band whose appetite for self-destruction has left it with only one original member, will release its first album of new material in more than 17 years on November 23, its label said on Wednesday.

Computer heart model recalls da Vinci's sketches

LONDON (Reuters) - Five centuries after Leonardo da Vinci's intricate drawings transformed understanding of the human heart, a new computer model promises to do the same for modern-day cardiac care, experts say.

Jupitermedia to sell online image unit to Getty

BANGALORE, India (Reuters) - Jupitermedia Corp said it will sell its online images business to Getty Images Inc for $96 million in cash, leaving it to focus exclusively on its online media division.

EU MPs concerned by airport full-body scanners

STRASBOURG, France (Reuters) - Airport full-body scanners that show people's private parts are a virtual strip search, European Union lawmakers said Thursday, calling for detailed study of the technology before it is used.

Onion News Network has international appeal

LONDON (Hollywood Reporter) - The Onion News Network, an offshoot of the satirical newspaper the Onion, will be available to online viewers across the U.K., Europe and Asia following an exclusive deal Wednesday with digital distributor MyVideoRights.com.

Japan, Korea lead in fiber-optic broadband: OECD

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Fiber-optic cable has become the biggest single broadband technology in Korea and Japan, which lead the world in the proportion of households connected to the Internet with super-fast links, OECD data showed on Thursday.

Onion News Network goes global

LONDON (Hollywood Reporter) - The Onion News Network, an offshoot of the satirical newspaper the Onion, will be available to online viewers across the UK, Europe and Asia following an exclusive deal Wednesday with digital distributor MyVideoRights.com.

CBS offers mashup for Web couch potatoes

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - CBS Interactive is launching an online feature that enables groups of viewers to collectively watch and interact with streaming TV content.

Videogame makers banking on big hits with sequels

RALEIGH, North Carolina (Reuters) - Sequels may not always match up to the original in Hollywood but videogames can often get better the second or third time around.

Netflix sees half million Blu-ray subscribers

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - DVD rental company Netflix Inc said on Monday it expects about 500,000 of its 8.7 million subscribers will be Blu-ray subscribers in the current quarter.

Sony says to beat PSP sales forecast in 2008/09

TOKYO (Reuters) - Sony Corp said on Thursday it expects to beat its sales forecast for its PlayStation Portable handheld game gear for the year to March.

Device helps monkeys move paralyzed wrists

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Monkeys regained the use of paralyzed wrist muscles with a computer-aided device that uses brain signals to direct movement, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday.

Sony's new PSP model off to strong start in Japan

TOKYO (Reuters) - Sony Corp's new PlayStation Portable got off to a robust start in Japan, with combined sales of it and earlier models in the week of its market debut hitting the highest so far this year, a research firm said on Thursday.

Japanese climbers say find footprints of abominable snowman

KATHMANDU (Reuters) - Japanese climbers returning from a mountain in western Nepal said on Tuesday they had found footprints they think belonged to the abominable snowman or Yeti.

Netflix, Samsung in streaming partnership

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Online DVD rental company Netflix Inc said on Wednesday that some of Samsung Electronics Co Ltd's Blu-ray DVD devices can now play video streamed over the Web from Netflix.

Asustek targets 77 percent laptop jump in 2009: report

TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan's Asustek Computer aims to increase its notebook output by 77 percent in 2009 as it rides growing demand for its low-cost laptops, local media reported on Tuesday.

U.S. to study possible space-based defense

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Congress has approved $5 million for an independent study of possible space-based missile defenses, a potential step toward a system once mocked as "Star Wars."

Russia set to invest heavily in space industry

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia will spend billions of dollars over the next three years to consolidate its leading role in the space industry, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday.

The 'second wave' of Second Life

Oct 21 - Linden Lab's CEO Mark Kingdon says after working to make the virtual world more stable and scalable, the focus is now on fueling new uses for the grid.

Genentech team grows mice prostate from stem cells

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Researchers have discovered stem cells in the prostates of mice and grown complete prostates from them, a big step toward regenerating organs from a patient's own cells.

L.A. man pleads innocent in Guns N' Roses piracy

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A man accused of placing songs on the Internet from an unreleased album by the rock band Guns N' Roses pleaded innocent on Monday in federal court.