From Businessweek.com:

An Indian company will take over copy editing duties for some stories published in The Orange County Register and will handle page layout for a community newspaper at the company that owns the Pulitzer Prize-winning daily, the newspaper confirmed Tuesday.

Orange County Register Communications Inc. will begin a one-month trial with Mindworks Global Media at the end of June, said John Fabris, a deputy editor at the Register.

Mindworks' Web site says the company is based outside New Delhi and provides "high-quality editorial and design services to global media firms ... using top-end journalistic and design talent in India."

Editors at Mindworks will work five shifts a week for one month, performing layout for the community paper and editing some stories in the flagship Register, Fabris said. Staffing at the company will not be affected, he said.

Fabris did not specify which community newspaper would be laid out by Indian designers.

"This is a small-scale test, which will not touch our local reporting or decision-making. Our own editors will oversee this work," Fabris said in an e-mail to The Associated Press. "In a time of rapid change at newspapers, we are exploring many ways to work efficiently while maintaining quality and improving local coverage."

(Thanks, Mungo -- I think)

You're gonna be there a while.

A three-member panel from the U.S. Court of Appeal's Seventh Circuit upheld all four of Conrad Black's convictions stemming from his too-clever-by-half scheme to pay himself and his cronies non-compete fees.

Here's the CTV.ca story, and here's the Globe and Mail Update story. Here's the court's opinion.

Eric Sussman, who led the prosecution team, told CTV Newsnet that he thinks Conrad's legal options are now quite limited.

Hmm. Would Dubya pardon him as his presidency ends? That would appear to be Conrad's last great hope (he's previously said he wasn't seeking a pardon, but the ground has ... shifted).

Otherwise, see you in late 2013, Conrad.

Germany scored a late goal to cook Turkey 3-2 in the first Euro 2008 semi-final (tomorrow, Spain vs. Russia).

I picked Germany to win the tourney, so imagine my surprise when it turns out Germany will actually be playing in the final.

Anyway, the BBC game report.

The Globe and Mail's Stephen Brunt wrote this morning that the Turks would need a miracle, then outlined the litany of suspensions and injuries that would hobble Turkey. But the Turks had a history of miracle finishes in this tournament.

Ladies and gentlemen, presenting your sentimental favourite - though the truth is, as feel-good nations go, Turkey is really a minor power in underdog's clothing. It reached the World Cup semi-finals in 2002 and is the home of two powerful club sides, Fenerbahce and Galatasaray, both of which have had their moments in the big European competitions.

Terim understands the feeling. "Anyone and everyone in the world today - people who are fans of football and people who are not interested in football - are all talking about Turkey", he said (perhaps overstating matters just a touch). But as for his side somehow being touched by the gods, he would prefer to remain in the rational realm, understanding that no fourth bolt of lightning is likely to get the team past Germany.

Funny Brunt should mention lightning. There was a thunderstorm, and lightning took out the television feed for about 25 minutes. From William Houston's column:

(TSN's Vic) Rauter and analysts Dick Howard and Craig Forrest were clearly frustrated and perhaps a little irritated by the lost signal. Rauter noted the Swiss are famous for their efficiency.

"This is not like the Swiss, considering how good their chocolate is," he said.

I called for Spain to advance after tomorrow's game. Let's see if my jinx continues to be jinxed.