Deals of the Hour

Trying to find out what's the deal with the world, tracking what's on sale and who's talking about it on Twitter. Update hourly.

Deals of the Hour / October 26, 2010, 6:41 pm

Africa BPO set to benefit from Bharti-IBM deal

Africa's Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sector has received a major boost, with the signing of a customer service outsourcing agreement between Bharti Airtel, IBM, Tech Mahindra and Spanco. Under the agreement Bharti Airtel, which bought Zain ... (Source: CIO.de 2010-10-26T21:16:05Z)

IBM, TechM, Spanco bags Airtel's $500 outsourcing deal

Bangalore: IBM, TechM and Spanco have bagged the Bharti Airtel's call centre contracts for its African operations. This five-year contract is worth around $500 million, with IBM and Spanco sharing most of the spoils and the deal will be signed soon. "Our ... (Source: Silicon India 2010-10-26T05:38:21Z)

Robert Pattinson Disses Simon Cowell's Record Deal

He's on top of his acting game, and when it comes to getting his music out to the masses, Robert Pattinson is very particular about who he'll work with. The "Twilight" stud was reportedly offered a record deal from Simon Cowell , but Rob decided to ... (Source: GossipCenter.com 2010-10-26T15:53:57Z)

Texas Instruments shares slip on worries of slowing market

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Shares of Texas Instruments Inc. slipped Tuesday a day after the semiconductor giant posted results that showed a big jump in profit, but also confirmed analysts' fears of a slowing market. TI (NYSE:TXN)  was down roughly ... (Source: Marketwatch 2010-10-26T16:29:45Z)

Toyota, Honda lead quality rankings but GM gains

Consumer Reports magazine says Honda and Toyota still make the most problem-free cars and trucks, but Ford is closing in fast and General Motors has made big improvements in the past year. Consumer Reports is widely used by buyers to judge car and truck ... (Source: AP - msnbc.com 2010-10-26T18:02:48Z)

Canadian pleads guilty in Guantanamo trial

GUANTANAMO BAY U.S. NAVAL BASE, Cuba (Reuters) - Canadian captive Omar Khadr pleaded guilty on Monday to all five terrorism charges against him in the U.S. war crimes tribunal at the Guantanamo Bay naval base as part of a deal that could send him home to ... (Source: Reuters 2010-10-25T15:55:09Z)

Bharti splits $500 mn Africa deal among IBM, Tech Mahindra and Spanco

NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: India's top mobile phone firm Bharti Airtel said it will award call centre contracts for its African operations to IBM, Tech Mahindra and Spanco, marking the second significant step in replicating its hugely-successful outsourcing model ... (Source: Economic Times 2010-10-26T05:02:33Z)

G-20 Deal To Curb China Is Weakened

GYEONGJU, South Korea—Finance ministers of the world's leading industrial powers were close to an agreement to address trade imbalances that have roiled the global economy and currency markets, but the plan fell short of U.S. demands for tougher measures ... (Source: Wall Street Journal 2010-10-23T02:21:28Z)

Pakistan resists US push to expand terror fight

Pakistan's foreign minister says the country's military will deal with a key Taliban sanctuary along the Afghan border on its own timeline despite U.S. pressure. Shah Mahmood Qureshi spoke Sunday after returning from Washington following the latest round ... (Source: AP - msnbc.com 2010-10-24T15:56:20Z)

Jeff Gordon's car will have a new sponsor

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon will be sponsored next season by an anti-hunger campaign coordinated through the AARP Foundation. The multiyear deal will be announced Wednesday by Hendrick Motorsports. A person familiar with ... (Source: World Link 2010-10-26T18:45:45Z)

AARP-coordinated anti-hunger campaign to sponsor Gordon car

Four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon will be sponsored next season by an anti-hunger campaign coordinated through the AARP Foundation. The multiyear deal will be announced Wednesday by Hendrick Motorsports. A person familiar with Hendrick's sponsorship ... (Source: Kansas City Star 2010-10-26T04:05:17Z)

Canada shouldn't approve BHP deal: premier

Saskatchewan's premier said Australia wouldn't approve of BHP Billiton's foreign takeover of Potash Corp and Canada shouldn't either. Premier Brad Wall continued to step up the pressure to make sure Canada's federal government blocks what would be the ... (Source: Sydney Morning Herald 2010-10-26T20:04:30Z)

AOL Autos Chooses Best October Lease Deals

AOL Autos recently picked 20 vehicles for what the site declared as the best October lease deals. Contained within five vehicles segments — compact cars, family cars, compact crossovers, luxury SUVs and luxury cars — the list included three units from ... (Source: Auto Remarketing 2010-10-22T06:33:12Z)

NPR receives bomb threat; timing suggests link to Juan Williams firing

Sources at the news organization said the threat was received via U.S. mail and was immediately turned over to local police and the FBI. The organization did not publicly disclosed the threat or release details, on the advice of law enforcement officials ... (Source: Washington Post 2010-10-26T21:16:05Z)

NPR chief apologizes for handling of Juan Williams' firing

NEW YORK — NPR's chief executive says she's sorry for how analyst Juan Williams ' dismissal was handled — but she's not sorry for firing him. Vivian Schiller sent an apology to NPR staff members Sunday night. She says Williams deserved a face-to-face ... (Source: USA Today 2010-10-26T06:35:37Z)

O'Reilly Factor's Jesse Watters Interviews NPR Exec Who Sacked Juan Williams

Last night Fox News Channel host Bill O'Reilly aired an ambush interview that "O'Reilly Factor" producer Jesse Watters sprung on Vivian Schiller, National Public Radio's president. Last week, Schiller fired Williams over the phone in reaction to a comment ... (Source: News Busters 2010-10-26T22:34:49Z)

Premier says Australia wouldn't approve of deal

Saskatchewan's premier said Tuesday Australia wouldn't approve of Anglo-Australian BHP Billiton's foreign takeover of Potash Corp. — and Canada shouldn't either. Premier Brad Wall continued to step up the pressure to make sure Canada's federal government ... (Source: AP - msnbc.com 2010-10-26T18:38:36Z)

Saskatchewan premier: Australia wouldn't approve of Potash Corp deal

TORONTO (AP) — Saskatchewan's premier says Australia wouldn't approve of Anglo-Australian BHP Billiton 's foreign takeover of Potash Corp and Canada's shouldn't either. Premier Brad Wall is stepping up the pressure to make sure Canada's federal ... (Source: Chicago Tribune 2010-10-26T17:27:01Z)

Canadian admits terror charges, avoids Gitmo trial

GUANTANAMO BAY U.S. NAVAL BASE, Cuba — Canadian captive Omar Khadr pleaded guilty on Monday to all five terrorism charges against him in the U.S. war crimes tribunal at the Guantanamo Bay naval base as part of a deal that would limit his sentence. Khadr ... (Source: msnbc.com 2010-10-25T13:24:49Z)

Canadian pleads guilty to murder

GUANTÁNAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba – A Canadian accused of killing an American soldier as a teenage al-Qaeda militant pleaded guilty Monday as part of a deal that avoids a war crimes trial for someone labeled a "child soldier" by his defenders. Omar Khadr ... (Source: Dallas Morning News 2010-10-26T13:16:29Z)

Stocks waver on mixed earnings, rising dollar

Stocks were narrowly mixed in afternoon trading Tuesday after a rise in consumer confidence offset disappointing news on home prices and earnings. The Dow Jones industrial average rose about 4 points. Stocks started the day lower after weak results from ... (Source: Los Angeles Times 2010-10-26T18:09:58Z)

Pakistan says Taliban is broken in one region, but won't promise new front in N. Waziristan

KALAYA, Pakistan (AP) — A seven-month Pakistani offensive has broken the back of the Taliban in the Orakzai tribal region, commanders say. But they caution that success there does not mean Pakistani troops can now move into lawless North Waziristan ... (Source: Los Angeles Times 2010-10-27T00:29:21Z)

Anti-hunger campaign to sponsor Jeff Gordon

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon will be sponsored next season by an anti-hunger campaign coordinated through the AARP Foundation. The multiyear deal will be announced Wednesday by Hendrick Motorsports. A person familiar with ... (Source: Delaware Online 2010-10-26T16:29:45Z)

Focus on global currency pact targets enforcement

SEOUL, South Korea - Facing the risk of a dangerous trade war, top finance officials from the world's leading rich and developing nations looked each other in the eye and vowed they wouldn't use their currencies as economic weapons to boost exports. The ... (Source: The Ledger 2010-10-26T11:50:35Z)

World steps back from the brink with G-20 currency deal, though challenge will be enforcement

SEOUL , South Korea (AP) — Facing the risk of a dangerous trade war, top finance officials from the world's leading rich and developing nations looked each other in the eye and vowed they wouldn't use their currencies as economic weapons to boost exports ... (Source: Chicago Tribune 2010-10-25T10:54:30Z)

Pakistan resists U.S. push on terror fight

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said Sunday his country would deal with a key Taliban sanctuary along the Afghan border on its own timeline despite increasing U.S. pressure to move swiftly to help turn around the war in ... (Source: Philadelphia Daily News 2010-10-26T07:04:15Z)

Robert Pattinson Record Deal From Simon Cowell Rejected: "I Am Selfish"

Did you know that Robert Pattinson was a musician as well as the world famous lead actor in the 'Twilight' series? Well, Pattinson scored a lucrative record deal but there is a slight problem though... He declined the record offer. Pattinson plays the ... (Source: Post Chronicle 2010-10-25T22:07:22Z)

Robert Pattinson Turns Down Record Deal from Simon Cowell

The "Twilight" Stud was Recently Named as Glamour Magazine's Sexiest Man, Making This the Second Year in a Row that He's Been Named #1 Out of 15 He's on top of his acting game, and when it comes to getting his music out to the masses, Robert Pattinson is ... (Source: Associated Content 2010-10-26T17:05:32Z)

Toyota, Honda lead quality rankings

DETROIT -- Consumer Reports magazine says Honda and Toyota still make the most problem-free cars and trucks, but Ford is closing in fast and General Motors has made big improvements in the past year. Consumer Reports is widely used by buyers to judge car ... (Source: KABC 2010-10-26T18:17:07Z)

ZTE inks $3B deal with TI, other chip makers

A Chinese maker of telecom equipment has inked a supply deal with five U.S. chip makers, including Texas Instruments Inc. , that will be worth $3 billion over three years. A break down of how much revenue Dallas-based TI might reap from the deal with ZTE ... (Source: Birmingham Business Journal 2010-10-25T19:29:53Z)

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