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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Dunn calls actions at HP her duty

The Spokesman-Review

Hewlett-Packard Co.’s ousted chairwoman said it was her duty to stem boardroom leaks of sensitive information and that her decision to initiate an investigation was made in concert with others at HP, according to prepared testimony released by a congressional committee.

Patricia Dunn said she “never doubted” the legality of the methods used in the investigation, and that she discussed the conduct of the probe with the technology company’s CEO and board members – getting a clear impression that the directors were satisfied with it.

“I never doubted … that what they were doing was legal,” Dunn said in written testimony prepared for her appearance today at a hearing by the House Energy and Commerce Committee. It was released by the panel late Wednesday.

Late payments rose in quarter

Late payments on credit card bills edged up this past spring, when high energy prices were squeezing the finances of some people and making it hard to pay bills on time.

The American Bankers Association, in its quarterly survey of consumer loans, reported Wednesday that the percentage of credit card payments 30 or more days past due increased to 4.41 percent in the April-to-June quarter, up slightly from 4.40 percent during the January-March period.

Since then, gasoline and other energy prices have dropped and the Fed has halted its rate-raising campaign. The central bank last week decided for the second straight meeting to hold rates steady – a move that gives borrowers some more breathing room.

New York

Comverse CEO caught in Africa

The fugitive former chief executive of leading voicemail software maker Comverse Technology Inc. has been captured in Africa following a two-month international manhunt, U.S. officials announced Wednesday.

Details of the arrest of Jacob “Kobi” Alexander in the Republic of Namibia were not immediately available. But in a statement, U.S. Attorney Roslynn Mauskopf credited local officials in the southwest African nation for assisting the FBI in the capture.

Mauskopf said she would seek Alexander’s swift extradition to face charges in federal court in Brooklyn. A call to his defense attorney in New York was not immediately returned.

Seattle

Peter Jackson enters Xbox deal

Microsoft Corp. said Wednesday that it is teaming with “Lord of the Rings” director Peter Jackson to create content for its Xbox 360, in part to get more mainstream users interested in the company’s video game console.

Just don’t call these products “games.”

“I don’t want to classify it as a game. I’m hoping to stretch the definition of interactive entertainment to go beyond the game,” said Shane Kim, a corporate vice president in charge of Microsoft Game Studios.

Whatever they are, Kim said they could include deeper plot lines and more interactive drama, or delivering additional content.