BRIEFCASE.

Byline: -- Staff and Wire Services

Guba.com agrees to combat piracy

Warner Bros. began selling its movies and TV shows over the Internet video site Guba.com on Monday, marking the second deal the studio has made to distribute content over Web sites that have offered pirated video in the past.

Guba.com has featured mainly user-generated video clips for free or as part of a subscription, and some were unauthorized clips from TV shows or movies.

The site has since agreed to start filtering copyright and obscene content and institute tougher security measures after talks with the Motion Picture Association of America, a group that represents Hollywood studios.

Short-term T-bills reach '01 rates

WASHINGTON -- Interest rates on short-term Treasury bills rose in Monday's auction to the highest levels since early 2001.

The Treasury Department auctioned $15 billion in three-month bills at a discount rate of 4.905 percent, up from 4.830 percent last week. An additional $14 billion in six-month bills was auctioned at a discount rate of 5.110 percent, up from 5.055 percent.

The three-month rate was the highest since three-month bills averaged 4.920 percent on Feb. 5, 2001.

Stewart, Kodak new partners

NEW YORK -- Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc. and Eastman Kodak Co. announced a multiyear partnership today to develop a line of personalized photo products under the domestic diva's signature.

The collection, which ranges from invitations and stationery to photo books, is expected to make its debut in late September with a large selection of holiday offerings, such as cards. Other products and new categories are to be introduced at the end of the year and in early 2007.

Phelps Dodge plans huge buy

Phelps Dodge Corp. agreed Monday to buy Canadian miners Inco Ltd. and Falconbridge Ltd. for about $40 billion, with the three-way combination to be named Phelps Dodge Inco. Corp., a dominant player in the world nickel and copper markets.

The move is a big bet that the current bull market for metals will outlast previous industry cycles. Soaring metals prices propelled sales for the three companies last year to a combined $21 billion.

Record-high prices for copper and strong demand for molybdenum -- used to harden steel and as a grinding compound -- also provided the cash Phoenix-based Phelps Dodge needed to swing such a huge purchase, which already has the backing of all three companies' boards.

Annual output from the combined company would total 3.4 billion pounds of copper, making it the world's largest publicly traded copper producer, and 738 million pounds of nickel, which would put it at the top of list of global nickel producers.

35,000 accept GM layoff deal

DETROIT -- About 35,000 U.S. hourly workers at General Motors Corp. have accepted the automaker's historic job-cutting package, marking a massive exodus from GM as it tries to cut costs rapidly and return to profitability in North America.

Of those accepting the attrition packages, 33,800 were from the United Auto Workers and 1,200 from the International Union of Electrical Workers.

Coupled with the reduction of 6,500 hourly jobs and estimated replacements in 2005, GM expects to reach its target of reducing 30,000 manufacturing jobs by Jan. 1, 2007.