MS denies new interest in Yahoo

Microsoft is scrambling to quell a new round of speculation after CEO Steve Ballmer hinted the company may still be interested in Yahoo, says Computing.co.uk.

The possibility of renewed talks between the companies began after Ballmer was quoted in a Bloomberg news report as saying that "perhaps there will be continuing opportunities" regarding an acquisition deal.

The report sparked a storm of rumours that a deal between the companies may be back on. Speculation on the deal was cited as a main factor for Yahoo's 13% jump in stock price on Thursday.

US vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin isn't saying citizens interested in open government can't get access to her e-mails. She's just saying it will cost a little, reports The Register.

The office of the Alaska governor, which by state law is required to make such messages public, says it could cost more than $15 million for anyone conducting an exhaustive search. Even then, Palin - who ran for governor on a platform of running a clean and transparent government - says requests won't be honoured until 17 November, two weeks after the presidential election is held.

Interest in Palin's e-mail has spiked since Republican presidential nominee John McCain named her as his running mate.

Entertainment company Sony has postponed the global release of a much-anticipated video game because of concerns that it may offend Muslims, says The BBC.

Copies of LittleBigPlanet are being recalled from shops worldwide after it emerged that a background music track contained two phrases from the Koran.

Sony says it apologises for any offence caused, and that a modified version is due to be released next month. The game is expected to be a hit for the PlayStation 3 games console.

People in the solar industry are hopeful that the sun is a good place to put money these days, reports CNet.

The financial crunch is rippling through even the fast-growing solar business: with falling house prices and general belt-tightening, consumers may be more reluctant to purchase solar panels, even if they want renewable electricity. Less available capital makes it difficult to finance large-scale projects, like corporate rooftop arrays or solar power plants.

But even with the gloomy economic outlook, the mood at the Solar Power International 2008 conference was decidedly upbeat. The solar industry scored a major policy win, getting an eight-year extension to federal tax credits that tacked on more generous terms for homeowners.