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Why We Should Mourn Yahoo
One guess as to what's the biggest story we'll be reporting right out of the gate. It's not like reporters at other outlets aren't placed in similarly awkward positions. Consider The Wall Street Journal reporting on News Corp. (NWS), CNBC covering General Electric (GE), or BusinessWeek writing about The McGraw-Hill Companies (MHP). But the comparison only illustrates what I consider lamentable about Microsoft's irresistible bid for my new employer. There's plenty not to like about Yahoo's predicament. I agree with those who have said this deal will go through. No, it's not a good thing for Yahoo, the Valley, or the Internet. And no, in the long run it may not do Microsoft much good either. I don't agree with Google's (GOOG) alarmist view that Microsoft will monopolize the Internet, but I am concerned Yahoo won't flourish under its new owner.
Ivorians, hosts close in on the prize
Before a ball had even been kicked in this year's CAF Africa Cup of Nations, many experts were picking out Ghana or Côte d'Ivoire as eventual champions. Both remain two games away from glory, but they moved a massive step closer on Sunday, delivering performances that in vastly different ways made the case for their respective championship credentials. Depth of character, reams of skillIn Sunday's first quarter-final, Ghana were made to work desperately hard for their last-four berth. Up against a fine Nigeria side, Claude Le Roy's men drew strength from their vociferous fans to draw level after falling behind in the 35th minute. They then suffered another setback when reduced to ten men but were able to carve out a winner despite Nigeria's numerical advantage. "My boys put in an enormous team effort," said Le Roy after the game.
Rapping with a proud Albanian
This week Today and PM are broadcasting my radio reports on my Balkans trip. One of the frustrations of radio or TV is that you can find someone who has some very interesting things to say, but in the quest for balanced pieces reflecting the whole story I can only give them a half-minute or so of airtime. Here, I am not limited in that way. So, over the next few days I'll be posting four different stories about how people are reacting to the Serbian elections or the looming independence of Kosovo. They are not meant to be comprehensive or in themselves balanced: they are a snapshot. But I hope together they add up to a bigger picture. Rapper's studio Genc Prevlaka sits on a low, antique wooden stool playing a traditional Albanian wooden flute. In the corner of the small studio is a long necked guitar-like instrument which is a couple of centuries old.
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