ALSO NOTED: Verizon spends $3.9 million lobbying; Panther hires Liddell as CEO; and much more...

> Verizon Communications spent about $3.9 million during the first quarter lobbying federal government officials on a number of issues. Article

> Content delivery network firm Panther Express hires former Level 3 and MCI WorldCom executive Steve Liddell as CEO. Article

> Sprint Nextel posted a $505 million first-quarter loss. Article