Monday, October 1, 2001		Lens on IT

Barbie, the venerable doll, makes her acting debut in the computer-generated image video "Barbie in the Nutcracker" which inspires girls to dream about dance, music and adventure. The film will be released on home video and features Barbie as she dances into a modern-day adaptation of the timeless tale "The Nutcracker."

A photo message sent on mobile phones, featuring the face and name of suspected terrorist Osama bin Laden is seen in Amman, Jordan. The image was apparently made on a computer and distributed to people, although it is not known from which country it originated.

Japanese high school students write e-mails to Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi calling to "stop the war effort, to not get involved in the U.S. war" in Tokyo. Personal computers were set up in various locations of the capital so that passersby could write their messages to send directly to the Prime Minister's residence home page.

The NASDAQ sign in New York's Times Square, announces that the launch of the Microsoft Windows XP operating system is scheduled for October 25, 2001. The launch will take place at the Marriott Marquis Theatre in the heart of Times Square theatre district.

— Reuters photos