Weekly news from 1st Nov

Submitted By: Karan Kapoor

A rocket carrying an Earth-observation satellite for civilian and military use has launched from California's Central Coast.

The payload was the last part of a four-satellite system called COSMO-SkyMed that uses radar to create images for defense and scientific purposes, mainly in the Mediterranean region.

The satellite system was developed under an agreement between the Italian Space Agency and Italy's defense ministry.

Satellite launched from US base

Microsoft launched its Xbox 360 motion-sensing controller Kinect on Thursday with a Times Square extravaganza.

Kinect, which went on sale at more than 30,000 US stores on Thursday, uses a 3D camera and motion recognition software to let people play videogames using natural body movements and voice commands instead of hand-held controllers.

The Kinect hits the market on the heels of Sony PlayStation 3 Move motion controllers which IDC estimates will sell between 2.0 million and 2.25 million units by the end of the year.

Microsoft's Xbox 360 motion sensor Kinect hits stores

A four-gigabyte Xbox 360 console that includes the Kinect and "Kinect Adventures" sells for 299 dollars.

Seventeen Kinect games are currently available ranging from dance, exercise and sports titles to "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," which lets people portray the fictional young wizard.

The Kinect is to go on sale in Europe on November 20 and in Japan on November 20.

China and France have joined forces to push for reform of the global monetary system when France takes the helm of the G20 economic grouping next week.

They reached a "true convergence of views" on France's reform plans in talks between President Nicolas Sarkozy and his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao in the Mediterranean city of Nice,

There is a true convergence of views between China and France on the aims to be achieved and the route and means necessary to achieve this reform

China, France join forces for world monetary reform

The Shiv Nadar-promoted HCL Group and multinational distributor of IT products, Ingram Micro, are in talks to buy a controlling stake in Bangalore-based software firm, Sonata Software

Sonata is a mid-sized software provider focused on offshore software services and domestic software products distribution and implementation

Sonata’s domestic business competes with the likes of Wipro in India. “With some customers, such as IBM, HCL Infosystems does not have tier one status

HCL, Ingram lead race to buy Sonata Software stake

Sonata shares have surged in recent weeks on rumours that Wipro and Oracle Financial Services Software are interested in buying the company.

Sonata posted a net profit of Rs 95 crore on revenues of Rs 1,381 crore in fiscal 2010.

Take-out pizza chain hiring. o Aged over 18, o no experience required. o Uniform provided. o Salary: $31,000 an hour.

As part of a series of events commemorating the 25th anniversary of its arrival in Japan, Domino's Pizza Japan is set to hire one lucky person at the rate of 2,500,000 yen ($31,030) for an hour's worth of work in December.

Pizza chain offers $31,000/hour part-time job