Overall, the VP debate was notably slower than the Denver debate, partly because moderator Martha Radditz was a much more active moderator than Jim Lehrer, and partly because of all that chuckling and cross-talk.

FORBES: Biden Out-'Chuckled' Ryan and Out-Spoke Obama

As a group, despite Mr Diller's past talk of huge cross-selling opportunities, these businesses have never entirely connected up.

ECONOMIST: Face value

When they talk about a difficult cross-examination, what are they talking about?

NPR: Have Women's Rights Evolved In Pakistan?

What you're going to see -- if you haven't already -- is Xbox Live connecting up to the PC so your presence -- the ability to send messages and talk, you can even play some of the games that are cross-platform enabled -- that Live asset is going to make gaming on Windows a lot better.

ENGADGET: A lunchtime chat with Bill Gates at CES

India is refusing to talk to Pakistan about Kashmir until cross-border terrorism ends.

ECONOMIST: Colin Powell's visits solved little

The summit also produced several other pledges, such as one to allow the cross-listing of small firms' shares, that will remain just talk for now.

ECONOMIST: ASEAN looks to the new year

Mr Vajpayee has in turn accused Pakistan of breaking its promises to prevent cross-border infiltration by militants, although he said he was prepared to talk to Islamabad if demands were met.

BBC: Putin persists with Kashmir diplomacy

The talk centers on the corseted lives of women in modern Iran and the cross-cultural similarities can be striking: take away the headscarves and these women could be Connecticut housewives.

NEWYORKER: Ten

Ivory Coast were courageous in defence - Didier Zokora, for example, receiving a kick in his arm after bravely heading a cross that Liedson tried to volley - and showed an organisation and discipline in their play that suggested talk of fractures in their squad are wide of the mark.

BBC: Ivory Coast 0-0 Portugal