August 14 - 3:05pm EDT   The Securities and Exchange Commission has announced a settlement in the backdating allegations against Apple's former general counsel, Nancy Heinen. Heinen is the central figure in the backdating scandal that saw Apple accused of improper options payouts which led to numerous lawsuits from shareholders and has seen Apple CEO Steve Jobs subpoenaed to testify in court about the backdating. Heinen has agreed to pay $2.2 million in disgorgement, interest and penalties, and will also be barred from serving as an officer or director of any public company for five years. She has also been suspended from appearing or practicing as an attorney before the SEC for three years, ... [full story]

March 5 - 12:25pm EST   Yahoo is extending the deadline for nominations to its board of directors, Reuters reports. While nominations were to have ended by March 14th, they will now take place 10 days after the company announces a date for its shareholders' meeting. The move is openly admitted by CEO Jerry Yang to be a delay tactic, preventing Microsoft from subverting Yahoo in order to ease its hostile takeover attempt. "Microsoft, of course, could still choose to name directors," says Yang in a letter filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, "but our objective here is to enable our board to continue to explore all of its strategic alternatives for maximizing value for stockholders ... [full story]