Spore Expansion Pack “Coming Soon”

Electronic Arts today confirmed that a Space stage expansion pack is in development for Spore, with a release expected next spring.  The expansion will allow players to beam down their creatures from their spaceships, exploring new planets and going on missions. A new Adventure Creator will allow for the creation of custom missions, which can be shared online. The EA Store now offers preorders of that Spore: Creepy & Cute Parts Pack that appeared on Amazon.com and Gamestop.com a little over a week ago. In stores worldwide November 18, the Creepy & Cute pack will include 100 new components for creating creatures.

Microsoft Launches PC Advisor Repair Utility

This weekend, Microsoft quietly rolled out a preview release of the Microsoft PC Advisor to select members of the Windows Feedback Program.  (Members of the Windows Feedback Program agree to let Microsoft monitor their machines closely, and Microsoft uses that data to determine what types of problems real users experience.) The invitation to try out the PC Advisor made some intriguing promises—the app will monitor our PC for problems and give solutions in real time and it will monitor system settings for potential pitfalls.

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European leaders agree on inter-bank loans

Dutch banks on Monday welcomed the decision by European leaders to guarantee inter-bank loans up to the end of 2009 in an effort to restore confidence in the financial markets.

‘It is good that there is a coordinated European plan which can help restore calm and stability,’ a spokesman for the Dutch banking association told the Telegraaf.

On the Amsterdam stock exchange, traders reacted positively to the deal. By 3pm, the AEX was up 6.5% at nearly 275 points.

On Sunday, prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende said the deal, thrashed out between the 15 eurozone countries in Paris, said the deal was extremely important.

Money movements

‘Money has to move between banks again, that makes the economy stronger and offers more financial opportunities,’ Balkenende was reported as saying by the Financial Dagblad. ‘If there is no credit any more, financial resources will dry up.’

European leaders also agreed that no big financial institution will be allowed to collapse. And they pledged to put money into banks by buying preference shares.

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Netherlands invested in troubled banks

The home affairs ministry is currently assessing Dutch local authority exposure to troubled financial institutions. So far, €58million total..

The province of Zeeland, for example, has €5m invested with US merchant bank Lehman Brothers, which has gone bankrupt.

At least 12 local councils are also thought to have put money into Iceland’s Landsbanki, which is now under government protection.

One of those is the Noord Brabant council Asten (population 16,000), which has €1m with the Icelandic bank.

But most councils put the bulk of their cash with the local authorities’ bank BNG, news agency ANP reports.

Third arrest in Bonaire disappearance

A third suspect has been arrested in connection with the disappearance of the 24-year-old Dutch woman Marlies van der  Kouwe on the Dutch island of Bonaire in the Caribbean three weeks ago, reports ANP news service on Monday.

A first man was arrested shortly after the 24-year-old pharmacy assistant went missing three weeks ago.

A second man was arrested on Friday and the third, reported by local media as being the 37-year-old brother of the first suspect, was taken into custody by police on Sunday morning local time.

The police on Bonaire are continuing their search for Der Kouwen who was last seen being dragged off her bike after a night out. They have thanked local people for coming forward with information.