AFP - With Yahoo facing pressure from a corporate raider, the Internet giant has reopened discussions on a tie-up with Microsoft, but for a new deal that would probably not be an outright takeover.

AP - Just two weeks after breaking off merger talks, Microsoft Corp. and Yahoo Inc. have been pulled back to the bargaining table by their fears about what might happen if they don't work out a deal.

Reuters - Microsoft Corp has proposed to buy Yahoo Inc's search business and take a minority stake in the Web pioneer, stopping short of a full-out merger, a person familiar with the discussions said on Monday.

AFP - Microsoft said Sunday it was considering some kind of new deal with Yahoo that would not involve a new takeover bid, two weeks after withdrawing its offer to acquire the struggling Internet pioneer.

Reuters - Microsoft Corp said on Sunday it proposed an alternative deal to Yahoo Inc rather than a full acquisition, but the move was unlikely to win favor with financier Carl Icahn, a person familiar with his thinking said.

Reuters - Facebook Inc founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg stressed his company's independent spirit on Monday, after a report the social networking site might be sold to software giant Microsoft, which is hunting for ways to beef up its Internet business.

AFP - Yahoo shares jumped in early trading here on Monday after Microsoft said it was considering a new deal with the second biggest-Internet advertising platform, but not a new takeover bid.