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Development delays have brought the unconfirmed Microsoft 'Pink' project to the brink of failure, according to ChannelWeb. The codename is said to represent a smartphone that is being developed in conjunction with Verizon to compete against devices such as the iPhone. Unnamed sources suggest the project originally aimed to integrate technology from Windows Mobile 7. Delays with Mobile 7 have alleg...

The Poodle haired, hollow headed trio known as The Jonas Brothers manages to copy the careers of Hanson but without any of the talent or sonic joie de vivre. Source: James HamelPublished: May 06, 2009

A web-crawling system is providing vital, up-to-date data on the global spread of disease - including swine fluClusters of yellow and orange markers hover over a satellite image of the Earth, each representing a reported outbreak of disease. This is the screen that greets visitors to HealthMap, a near real-time web-crawling system that gathers and organises data from news sources, official alerts, online databases and blogs, overlaying it on to a Google map.The site is one of a number of initiatives aimed at identifying health, ecological and conflict crises earlier than official monitoring systems. Web crawlers - automated software programs that scour the web for information - are used to find patterns that may signify an emerging threat.A new alert marker on HealthMap is often the first indication of an outbreak of disease for both health organisations and the general public. Its colour - yellow, orange, or red - denotes the threat level.Infectious ideaJohn Brownstein and Clark Freif

India's biggest ever counter-terror exercise took place this week on the plains of Punjab near the Pakistan border. DEBKAfile's military sources disclose that the three-day maneuver ending May 5 was staged by massed mechanized and parachute units of the elite Kharga Corps trained by Israel military instructors in India and Israel in the arts of operating in areas fought over by Taliban and al Qaeda, possibly even with biological or radiological weapons.

Allison Iraheta, the 'girls' only hope' on AI Season 8 in Simon Cowell's words, gets sent packing in this season's most surprise upset.Source: Sheryl YoungPublished: May 06, 2009

PLSQL Guy writes 'Duke Nukem Forever developer 3D Realms is shutting down, according to Shacknews. They cite 'a reliable source close to the company,' who said the developer is finished and employees have already been let go. It looks like all of the Duke Nukem Forever jokes are turning into reality; DNF might turn out to be the ultimate vaporware after all.' 3D Realms' webmaster, Joe Siegler, confirmed the closing, saying that he didn't know about it even a day beforehand. Apogee and Deep Silver, who are working on a different set of Duke Nukem games (referred to as the Duke Nukem Trilogy) say they are not affected by the problems at 3D Realms. of this story at Slashdot.

One reason for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's urgent visit to Damascus Tuesday, May 5, according to DEBKAfile's intelligence sources, was to thwart a Saudi-Egyptian move to snatch the indirect Syrian-Israeli peace track backed by Washington from Turkey. The Iranian president came too late. Syrian president Bashar Assad had meanwhile decided to appoint one of his must trusted intelligence officers, Gen. Bahjat Suleiman, as Syrian ambassador in Amman and head of potential peace delegation.

The new Star Trek film came in for glowing praise from a rather unlikely source two Klingon generals speaking on YouTube.

Director Wilson Yip's Ip Man stars Donnie Yen playing the quiet and unassuming Wing Chun master Ip Man. Source: Jigoku DenryuuPublished: May 06, 2009

This was American Idol's first real taste of rock and roll power. But Adam Lambert brought rock and roll to AI long before AI's rock and roll week. He also brought sex to American Idol. It's about time.Source: RM GalPublished: May 06, 2009