February 14, 2003

Iraq to pope: Will disarm if averts war United Press International - Tariq Aziz, Iraq's deputy prime minister and the main ranking member of Saddam Hussein's government from the country's small Christian minority, Friday told Pope John Paul II that Iraq was prepared to meet demands that the country disarm if it meant that war could be avoided. As if he really had any power.  As if he really knew what was going to happen next. 9:31:45 PM

Four former '70s radicals get six to eight years in prison for deadly bank robbery San Diego Union Tribune -  Four graying former members of the Symbionese Liberation Army the '70s radical group that kidnapped newspaper heiress Patricia Hearst were sentenced to prison terms ranging from six to eight years Friday for six to eight years Friday for a murderous 1975 bank robbery. 9:29:01 PM

Powell Presses Allies to Threaten Iraq News Journal, TX -Secretary of State Colin Powell tried anew to rally reluctant allies to threaten Iraq with force if it does not disarm. The response was tepid. Waiting his turn, Powell sat impassively Friday at the horseshoe-shaped U.N. Security Council table, taking notes. When his time came, he used the notes but also spoke extemporaneously, saying the progress reported by chief U.N. weapons inspectors Hans Blix and Mohamed ElBaradei was "all process, not substance.'' "What we need is for Iraq to disarm,'' Powell declared. 9:27:24 PM

New Linux support policies are ominous The Register -  Opinion Red Hat and Mandrake are cutting support for older versions of their Linux distributions... The results will be a security nightmare for the Internet, says Jon Lasser. 7:06:07 AM

Dell matches forecasts The Globe and Mail - Shares of Dell Computer Corp. rose in extended trading Thursday after the company reported higher fourth-quarter profit and reaffirmed its estimates for the current quarter. 7:04:46 AM

Microsoft Readies New Office Beta Information Week - Next version of productivity suite is likely to be known as Office 2003 when it enters its second beta next month. Microsoft is also reprising moves seen in earlier editions of Office by making the newest beta, dubbed Beta 2, available to the public. Microsoft won't confirm prices for the Office Beta 2 Kit, but if the company follows past policy, expect it to be priced at $20--what Microsoft charged early adopters for the Office XP public beta two years ago. Those eager for the kit can sign up for notification of its impending availability at a form on the Microsoft Web site. 7:03:14 AM

American motives eyed with suspicion: Chretien Canada.com, Canada - Much of the world doubts America's motives as it barrels towards war with Iraq -- a war that could lead to Washington fatally undermining the United Nations, Jean Chretien said Thursday in a speech to foreign policy experts. "The price of being the world's only superpower is that its motives are sometimes questioned by others," the prime minister said. "Great strength is not always perceived by others as benign. Not everyone around the world is prepared to take the word of the United States on faith." 7:00:33 AM