15:28:27

Let's Go to the Videotape: Audi RS6 On the 'Ring

Those lovable scamps over at Fast Lane Daily plugged some spy footage of the upcoming Audi RS6 into their midday newscast. Gathered by Automedia at Germany's N眉rburgring, the clip shows Audi's answer to the Mercedes E63 AMG and BMW M5 in effect, its larger air intakes, the wider fender flares and rear diffuser giving away the goods. It's reportedly powered by the same V10 as the S6, but turbocharged to produce between 520 and 550 hp. We'll see the finished product at the Frankfurt show -- which is shaping up to be a killer -- later this year. Whether or not it causes the death of the RS4 remains to be seen. – Mike Spinelli

Related: Spy Photos: Audi RS6 Caught Testing On N眉rburgring [internal]

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21:55:53

Robert Kubica crash in Montreal

Data released from Robert Kubica's crash at the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal shows just how lucky the BMW-Sauber driver was to escape with relatively minor injuries.

According to the onboard accident data recorder, Kubica hit the wall approaching the hairpin turn at 230 km/h and experienced a 75-G impact.

Former Lotus engineer Peter Wright, who is now the head of the FIA safety commission, studied the data and concluded that all of the safety measures worked perfectly.

To put it in perspective, F1 drivers usually experience g-forces of 5 when under heavy braking and 4 while going through a corner.

Former F1 driver David Purley is believed to have survived a 178 g crash during pre-qualifying for the British Grand Prix in 1977.

17:14:37

BEL - Quotes from Ypres Rally, Record Super2000 Entries

Freddy Loix (B/Volkswagen Polo S2000): "We have really made a lot of progress on the development of the VW Polo since the beginning of the year. We went through two days of testing last week and the car is really fantastic. The only issue is that we know where we are at but not how our competitors are doing. We have done some 200kms during our tests. Some teams are running up as much as 2000kms. We cannot afford this. We do not have the same means as the manufacturer's teams. Still, I am not going for second place......" Dani Sola (E/Honda Civic A7): "Since I became Junior World Champion in 2002, I have stayed with Citro毛n, but racing in Spain. Last year I won the Spanish championship on tarmac with a C2 Super1600. I also became vice-champion on gravel despite only racing four times with a Mitsubishi.

13:52:16

BMW releases new M Sport package for X5

BMW has unveiled its new M Sport package for all members of the X5 range, giving the SAVs a sportier look and feel inside and out. A new bodykit gives the X5 a more aggressive appearance, with updated fascias, flared fenders, black low-profile roof rails, and a choice of different 19" and 20" wheels. Inside, electrically-adjustable sport seats and an M steering wheel can be augmented with any number of customization options from BMW Individual, and the X5's already-sporting character is further enhanced by a retuned suspension that reinforces the "sport" in Sport Activity Vehicle (hey, that's what they want to call it, so who are we to argue?). A variety of available paint finishes complete the deal.German pricing for the M Sport upgrades is €6,350 for the X5 3.0si and 3.0sd, and €4,840 for the more-powerful X5 4.8i.

21:13:51

Hedonists hit the road for fun rally

The supreme award is called the Prince of Darkness Award, and goes to the team that "goes the hardest, does the most, gives it heaps and doesn't count the cost".

Mr Fletcher said the rally would visit Nelson when it was held again next year. "Everything has just been fantastic."

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11:54:27

Codemasters giving free item to RF Online players

It's already been a year since RF Online first went live in North America and Europe. In honor of RF Online's first anniversary, Codemasters has a nifty little surprise for all long-term RF Online players: the Pioneer's Sword, a weapon that allows players to increase their character's speed.

Codemasters is also gearing up for the release of Episode II Part 1. This latest addition to the RF Online saga will be going into test status over the coming months and is slated for a live-service launch later this year.

Codemasters Online Gaming Product Marketing Manager, Adam McGowan, also promised more good things to come. "Our brand new website design coupled with all these FREE major updates we have on the horizon are very encouraging. This is a positive time for RF Online and we look forward to many more updates over the next 12 months," said McGowan.

10:19:32

[non-news] 411 Is Looking For New Writers!

411mania.com is once again looking to bring aboard some new writers! Writing for 411 is a fun experience that gives you valuable experience writing for a major website! Many writers have used 411 as a springboard to writing books and establishing themselves in the entertainment industry, not to mention the perks of writing which include scoring countless "freebies" (DVDs, video games, CDs, etc.), attending concerts and screenings as media, interviewing stars, attending wrestling indie shows as media, attending conventions and shows as media, and more! Please read the descriptions below and follow the instructions when applying. DO NOT APPLY UNLESS YOU ARE READY TO TAKE ON A WEEKLY COMMITTEMENT TO COMPLETING YOUR COLUMN/REPORT/ARTICLE! PLEASE DO NOT WASTE OUR TIME! MMA MMA Columnists - We are looking for writers to provide a UNIQUE voice via a weekly UFC/MMA-focused column.

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Overseas Vietnamese investing in IT favoured in house purchases

VietNamNet Bridge 鈥?Overseas Vietnamese who invest in or participate in IT activities in Vietnam will be given favourable conditions to buy houses and land under the national laws on land and housing.

According to the circular guiding the implementation of some articles of the Law on Information Technology, organisations and individuals investing in IT will be allowed to enjoy preferences on land use tax and their products will enjoy the highest preferences on value added tax and export tax.

The State will give priority of investment to agencies participating in research and development of key IT projects.

The circular says that IT zones with clear geographical borders must have at least 300 workers and at least 500 for those located in Hanoi and HCM City.

financial broker

Willis Quarterly Results Show Organic Growth

Willis Group Holdings reported a 21 percent increase in first-quarter net income鈥攑ushed upward by the brokerage's new business, management said.

The New York-based insurance broker posted net income of $169 million compared with $140 million in the 2006 period.

Earnings per diluted share rose 25 percent to $1.10 compared with 88 cents a year ago.

The company reported that organic growth in commissions and fees, which excludes market remuneration, was 6 percent in the first quarter.

鈥淭his growth was attributed to net new business won," the company said in a statement. 鈥淭he net impact of declining premium rates was offset by other market factors."

Bear Stearns analyst David Small said the solid results broke a string of disappointing earnings announcements beating his earnings per share estimate by 3 cents and the consensus by 7 cents.

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Explore Investment Opportunities With HSBC

Bandar Seri Begawan - HSBC has always been at the forefront of the investment market and their qualified financial planners are readily available to help their customers choose the best investment opportunities.

To keep their customers abreast of upcoming investment opportunities, HSBC is organising a seminar, entitled "Exploring New Investment Opportunities-, exclusively for its valued customers.

Conducted by Ashley Neal, Vice President of BlackRock Investment Management (Singapore) Limited, it will be held on April 28 at the Mutiara Ballroom of Sheraton Utama Hotel.

Among the products that will be addressed at the seminar include the MLIIF Global Allocation Fund, a diversified core mutual fund investing in US dollars and international stocks, bonds and alternative cash equivalents, which can help protect investors during market downturns, while still letting them benefit if the markets rise.

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Arroyo has much at stake in elections

MANILA, Philippines (AP) -- President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's name isn't on the ballot, but she has plenty at stake in the Philippines' midterm elections Monday.

Much of the attention will be on the races for Congress, especially the House of Representatives. The opposition has mounted two impeachment efforts against Arroyo over allegations that she rigged the 2004 presidential vote, only to see both bids voted down in the House, where the president's allies dominate.

A major shift in power in the House would immediately spark moves to revive the impeachment case and send it to the opposition-dominated Senate for trial.

Still, the odds appear in favor of Arroyo -- who also survived two coup plots and numerous other crises during six years in power -- despite weak approval ratings.

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Guinness Peat FY pretax profit hit by forex, few capital ...

LONDON (AFX) - Guinness Peat Group PLC reported a full-year pretax profit from continuing operations of 36 mln stg versus a restated 79 mln mainly due to 'very few' realised capital transactions and the loss of earlier foreign exchange gains in the second half.

Profit on disposal of investments and other net investment income was 45 mln stg for the year ended Dec 31 as compared with a restated 77 mln last year.

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NextWave Wireless Announces First Quarter 2007 Financial Results

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--NextWave Wireless Inc. (NASDAQ: WAVE) a global provider of mobile broadband and wireless multimedia products and technologies to enable Wireless 2.0, the next generation of mobile communications, today announced financial results for the first quarter of 2007 ended March 31, 2007. Financial schedules are included with this release.

Revenues were $7.7 million for the first quarter of 2007 and were derived primarily from our PacketVideo subsidiary, which supplies device-embedded multimedia software to many of the largest wireless carriers and handset manufacturers in the world. Our first quarter revenues represent a 98% increase over revenues of $3.9 million for the first quarter of 2006 and are primarily the result of unit sales growth and market penetration of mobile subscriber services by PacketVideo's customer base.

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Nastech to Present at Acumen BioFin Rodman & Renshaw Global ...

BOTHELL, Wash., May 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Nastech Pharmaceutical Company Inc. announced today that it will present at the Acumen BioFin Rodman & Renshaw Global Healthcare Conference on Monday, May 14, 2007 at 9:25 a.m. Central European Summer Time (3:25 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time) at the Le Meridien Beach Plaza Hotel in Monte Carlo, Monaco.

To access the live audio webcast for this conference, please log on to Nastech's website at http://www.nastech.com/ approximately 15 minutes prior to the presentation in order to register and download any necessary software. A replay .

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Broker tips: BSkyB, Capita, Imperial Tobacco, Home Retail, Punch

LONDON (SHARECAST) - Satellite broadcaster BSkyB rallied Wednesday following strong third quarter results, prompting Morgan Stanley to repeat its 'overweight' rating. The groups shares topped 600p for the first time since 2004 as it reported customer growth of 51,000 during the period, up 28% year-on-year. The broker kept its 640p price target as it believes operating metrics will continue to improve through the rest of the second half, while investment in broadband will begin to show benefits. In addition, Swiss broker UBS maintained 'buy' advice and 725p target as the figures beat consensus forecasts. Home Retail was down despite reporting full year earnings slightly better than Swiss broker UBS had expected. But analysts there repeated their neutral rating as they see no property angle or cyclical margin recovery at Argos.

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Murray wants to invest surplus

Senate President Therese Murray wants to divert a portion of the state's surplus each year to pay for life science research, new technology projects, and housing in an effort to help create and keep jobs in Massachusetts.

In the Senate budget plan, to be unveiled Wednesday, Murray will propose changing a state law that sends all excess cash to reserves so that it reroutes up to $75 million each year to four state funds that invest in technology and housing.

"We've heard over and over again that the obstacle to job growth in Massachusetts is the lack of affordable housing, and we've also heard about the need for investment in our biotech industry," Murray told the Globe. "We're second in the nation with our state fund balance. Let's take a portion and invest it in the economy rather than have it sit there earning a small amount of interest."

The first batch of money could be distributed as early as November if the state ends this fiscal year, June 30, with a large enough surplus, Senate staff members said.

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Wall St Week Ahead: Investors look for stocks pullback

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Investors will likely look for evidence the U.S. housing slump may be over and for signs of moderating inflation next week before deciding whether the rally in U.S. stocks since mid-March is over.

The steepest one-day drop in U.S. stocks in two months on Thursday this week gave investors pause, but signs of slowing retail sales and slowing inflation on Friday encouraged a return of confidence.

"On a short-term basis, the market is very vulnerable to a normal 3 percent, 5 percent correction," said Al Goldman, chief market strategist at A.G. Edwards in St. Louis. "I would think we would probably have a normal pause to refresh coming up."

But when or what might spark a pullback is impossible to predict, he added.

The Dow Jones industrial average (.DJI: Quote, Profile, Research and the Standard & Poor's 500 Index (.SPX: Quote, Profile, Research both rose for a sixth straight week, with the Dow setting new all-time closing and intraday highs.

currency prices

Hub International Obtains Interim Order in Connection With ...

CHICAGO -- Hub International Limited (NYSE:HBG) (TSX:HBG) announced today that it has obtained an Interim Order from the Ontario Superior Court of Justice approving the mailing of materials and the holding of a special meeting in connection with Hubs proposed acquisition by funds advised by Apax Partners together with Morgan Stanley Principal Investments.

The special meeting of Hub shareholders to approve the acquisition will be held at 10:00 a.m. (Chicago time) on Tuesday, June 5, 2007 at the CNA Conference Center located at 333 S. Wabash Street, 2nd Floor, Chicago, Illinois 60604. Hub intends to mail the meeting materials on May 7, 2007, including the notice of the meeting and proxy statement and proxy card, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on May 4, 2006.

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Economic Summits, China Trade War, and the Gold Bull Run

Numerous international events took place within the last month. The Economic Summit was held in Davos Switzerland. It convened a large collection of world renown economists, corporate chieftains, and some financial market kingpins. The G8 Meeting of finance ministers was held in Germany. Back home, USFed Chairman Bernanke issued a grave warning to the US Congress on the shattered US financial balance sheets. My commentary on money supply explosion comes next.

Lastly, the Chinese trade disputes have taken a big step toward outright trade war and protectionism. Few see how the trade war will affect gold yet. They will soon enough. Restricted trade flow always results in higher prices. It is always accompanied by a scramble for resources in today's context. This trade war will include a massive bidding war and staggering battles to build stockpiles of all critical commodities.

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New ETF Tracks Natural Gas

One year after the release of its ground-breaking exchange-traded security for following the crude oil market, Victoria Bay Asset Management has launched a vehicle for tracking the natural gas market.

The United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG - Cramer's Take - Stockpickr), an exchange-traded security based on natural gas, launched on the American Stock Exchange Wednesday at $50 a share.

In a written statement, the California-based asset manager said the fund isn't operated to have its net asset value perfectly track changes in the dollar price of spot natural gas or any particular futures contract. Rather, the fund expects its price to reflect the daily percentage change in the price of natural gas delivered at Henry Hub, La.

The fund has an expense ratio of 0.6%. Brokerage costs for the trading of futures contracts isn't included in the expense ratio.