Internet search giant Google announced Tuesday it had reached agreement to host news stories and photos from eight members of the European Press Agency (EPA) on Google News and display ads alongside them.

The eight EPA members party to the agreement with Google are Belgium's Belga, Spain's EFE, Portugal's Lusa, Switzerland's Keystone, Austria's APA, Poland's PAP, Hungary's MTI and ANA of Greece.

Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Google in 2007 signed partnership agreements with Agence France-Presse (AFP), the Associated Press (AP), Britain's Press Association (PA) and the Canadian Press to feature their content on hosted pages of Google News.

Two members of Congress on Tuesday re-introduced a bill that would prevent states and local jurisdictions from imposing new taxes on cell phone service.

"By curtailing further increases on wireless taxes and fees, we hope to encourage additional consumer driven development in wireless technology," Rep. Zoe Lofgren, a California Democrat and the bill's sponsor, said in a statement.

"During the economic strain of a recession, raising taxes on hard-working American families is the last thing that will bring stability and growth back to our economy," said Rep. Trent Franks, an Arizona Republican and co-sponsor of the bill.
Google & EU news distributors reach a deal
The bill would ban local authorities from imposing new mobile taxes for a five-year period. It would not apply, however, to federal and state universal service or E-911 taxes.

Lofgren introduced the same bill last year, but it did not see any movement.

The expected release of Internet Explorer 8 is likely to be the biggest headline out of Microsoft's Mix conference this week, though the company is likely to spend at least as much time talking about Silverlight 3, the next version of its would-be rival to Adobe's Flash.

Microsoft has already released a near-final release candidate version of IE 8 and is widely expected to declare the browser done as it prepares to address a crowd of Web developers in Las Vegas starting on Wednesday.

said by KrK :

... Is a posterchild for why such programs should not be tolerated, period.

Sure, it starts with "Child Porn" and quickly moves on to "Things we think embarrass our Government"....

said by cameronsfx :

Kindle's outright lie you can read in the sun. You can't read it in the sun.

said by TKJunkMail :

Do you have a Kindle? Because I do and I read it in the sun out on the deck every morning without problem.

said by pleekmo :

I also notice that just about anyone can cause just about any site to become banned in Australia simply by posting a hyperlink to a banned site and then rubbing the government's nose in it.