Also

* Richard Branson sold music label V2 North America to Sheridan Square Entertainment Inc. and formed a global marketing partnership with the New York-based record company. Terms were not disclosed.

* Gold mining company Placer Dome Inc. said its board would recommend that shareholders reject a $9.2-billion takeover bid last month by Canadian rival Barrick Gold Corp., calling the offer inadequate.

* Ford Motor Co. added 231,075 Focus cars from the 2003 and 2004 model years to a recall to fix a rear door that can open while the vehicle is moving. The automaker in February said it was recalling 358,857 of the cars from the 2000 through 2002 model years.

* Harley-Davidson Inc. issued a voluntary safety recall on more than 13,000 of its 2006 model Dyna series motorcycles built between June 9 and Oct. 19 because of a transmission defect.