Cool Stars 14 - Submitted Abstract # 98 This version created on 05 October 2006 Highlights of the XMM-Newton Extended Survey of the Taurus Molecular Cloud (XEST) Manuel Guedel, PSI Switzerland Kevin Briggs, PSI Switzerland Kaspar Arzner, PSI Switzerland Marc Audard, Columbia University, USA Jerome Bouvier, LAOG Grenoble, Fr Catherine Dougados, LAOG Grenoble, Fr Eric Feigelson, PennState, USA Elena Franciosini, Palermo, It Adrian Glauser, PSI Switzerland Nicolas Grosso, LAOG Grenoble, Fr Sylvain Guieu, LAOG Grenoble, Fr Francois Menard, LAOG Grenoble, Fr Giusi Micela, Palermo, It Jean-Louis Monin, LAOG Grenoble, Fr Thierry Montmerle, LAOG Grenoble, Fr Deborah Padgett, Caltech, USA Francesco Palla, Arcetri, It Ignazio Pillitteri, Palermo, It Luisa Rebull, Caltech, USA Luigi Scelsi, Palermo, It Bruno Silva, Porto Univ., Pt Stephen Skinner, Colorado Univ., USA Beate Stelzer, Palermo, It Alessandra Telleschi, PSI Switzerland The `XMM-Newton Extended Survey of the Taurus Molecular Cloud' (XEST) is a large program designed to systematically investigate the X-ray properties of young objects in Taurus. The project makes use of 28 XMM-Newton observations of the most populated ~5 square degrees of the cloud, including imaging and spectroscopy from the EPIC and RGS instruments, and also using UV/U-band data from the Optical Monitor. Complementary data from the Chandra archive are used as well. Among the highlights are: i) A systematic comparison of X-ray emission from WTTS and CTTS finds differences in the electron temperature structure; a `soft excess' is found in grating spectra of accreting stars. ii) Half of the surveyed brown dwarfs have been detected; the X-ray fractional luminosity declines from M dwarfs to BDs; one BD showed a possible accretion event in the U band. iii) A soft component in two-absorber spectra of jet-driving TTS is attributed to jet shocks. iv) The first X-ray grating spectrum of a Herbig star reveals very soft emission. v) Optical/UV variability is mostly uncorrelated with X-rays, except in flares, although CTTS clearly show a UV/U excess. vi) X-ray variability is predominantly seen in the harder band, with no statistical difference between CTTS and WTTS, suggesting a common, coronal origin. vii) Contrary to previous reports, there appears to be no rotation-activity relation among the Taurus TTS. viii) A total of 57 new candidate members of the Taurus clouds are reported. We present an overview of the above highlights. ----------------------------------