Also

* Connecticut Treasurer Denise Nappier called for Walt Disney Co. to permanently separate the positions of chairman and chief executive to improve oversight of management at the media company.

* A French version of Halo 2, the sequel to Microsoft Corp.’s bestselling game for its Xbox video console, has leaked onto the Internet. Microsoft said it would stick to its Nov. 9 launch date for Halo 2.

* Northrop Grumman Corp. received a $207-million order from the Air Force to produce four Global Hawk unmanned spy planes and related equipment.

* Airbus raised its delivery target for 2004 to as many as 320 planes and said it might tap up to $1.24 billion in government loans to build a new model.

* PG&E; Corp.’s Pacific Gas & Electric unit said its average rate for residential customers might rise 4.1% next year, depending on the outcome of a number of pending state and federal regulatory cases.

* An Illinois jury found that Ford Motor Co. was not to blame for fiery collisions involving Crown Victoria police cruisers. The jury said the cars were “reasonably safe” and rejected claims that the auto maker’s placement of the gas tanks behind the rear axle made the cars more vulnerable to fuel-fed fires in high-speed, rear-end collisions.

* Safeway Inc. named Janet Grove, vice chairwoman of Federated Department Stores Inc., and Mohan Gyani, former chief executive of AT&T; Wireless Mobility Group, to its board. They succeed George Roberts and James Greene.