SYDNEY, Nov. 5 -- AsiaNet OUTSOURCING CENTER... BANGALORE: Affiliated Computer Services, Inc. Friday announced the opening of a new shared services center in Kochi, Kerala, supporting business process outsourcing and information technology services. http://www.acs-inc.com COURT DECISION... TORONTO: The Courts Friday endorsed the government's longstanding position that parties to the 407 Agreement must abide by the terms and conditions set out in the contract, Transportation Minister Harinder Takhar announced. http://www.mto.gov.on.ca SURVEY RESULTS... LONDON: The October Bloomberg Retail Purchasing Managers Index Eurozone survey results will be released on Monday, 8 November 2004. http://www.bloomberg.com DISTRIBUTION CONTRACT... LONDON: Gizmondo Europe Ltd, subsidiary of Jacksonville, Florida-based Tiger Telematics Inc, confirmed Thursday that a one year Distribution Agreement has been signed with United Electronics SL to distribute the Gizmondo hand-held multi-entertainer throughout Spain and Portugal for a minimum of 30,000 units. http://www.gizmondo.com http://www.tigertelematics.com http://www.unitedelectronics.com SECURITIES VENTURE... LONDON: Following the successful completion of the recent Kosciuszko transaction, TD Securities and Grange Securities Limited have teamed up again to launch what is believed to be the first step-up callable CDO squared transaction targeted at the Australian investor base. PIZZA MENU... HONG KONG: Pizza has for centuries been the Food of The Italian People. To honour this heritage PizzaExpress will be firing up the ovens, alongside S.Pellegrino mineral water and its 'still sister' Aqua Panna, throughout the month of November with the new Italian menu. http:/www.pizzaexpress.com.hk FANNIE MAE... WASHINGTON, D.C.: Fannie Mae will redeem the principal amount of 1 securities issue amounting to a total of US$50 million on November 14, 2004 at a redemption price equal to 100 per cent of the principal amount redeemed plus accrued interest. http://www.fanniemae.com SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGY... SALT LAKE CITY: Linux Networx announced today a new scalable storage technology, called the Xilo scalable storage system, that combines storage devices, management software and the most scalable file systems into an easy-to-administer storage appliance. http://www.clusterfs.com http://www.linuxnetworx.com/news/pr_summary.php http://www.linuxnetworx.com/xilo COMPANY FUNDING... SALT LAKE CITY: Linux Networx Friday announced it has closed US$40 million in Series B funding. Oak Investment Partners led the round, which also included new investor Tudor Ventures. http://www.linuxnetworx.com/xilo http://www.linuxnetworx.com BASKETBALL BROADCAST... SINGAPORE: Basketball fans in Taiwan can look forward to more of the best hoop action, after ESPN STAR Sports netted an agreement with the nation's Super Basketball League committee to broadcast and market the League's second season which begins in December. JAZZ FESTIVAL... SEATTLE: Searing alto saxophonist Gary Bartz will team up with renowned writer and iconoclast Ishmael Reed in a "Poetry for Peace" performance on Saturday November 6 as part of the Earshot Jazz Festival. http://www.warwickassociates.net http://www.poetry4peace.org NEW HANDSETS... BASINGSTOKE: Motorola, Inc. and 3, the UK's first video mobile network, Thursday announced the availability of three new handsets in time for Christmas. http://www.motorola.com http://www.three.co.uk RUGBY SPONSORSHIP... VICTORIA, BC: Premier sponsor Custom House Global Foreign Exchange has sweetened the pot for Canada's Men's 15s upcoming tour, with the offer of a $100,000 cheque to Rugby Canada if Canada beats England. http://www.customhouse.com AIRLINE SERVICES... KUALA LUMPUR: Lufthansa German Airlines has launched a new direct service between Kuala Lumpur and Munich in Germany. The aircraft used for the service features Lufthansa's groundbreaking new Business Class, as well as FlyNet, and a new broadband Internet on board service being pioneered by Lufthansa worldwide. (AsiaNet is a consortium of leading news agencies distributing unedited, translated news releases for worldwide clients. Visit www.asianetnews.net for full-text versions.)