Europe Intelligence Wire articles from December 2004

Europe Intelligence Wire archives from December 2004

Spanish cabinet approves relocation of regulator to Barcelona (El Consejo de Ministros aprueba el traslado de la sede de la CMT a Barcelona en 2005).
December 31, 2004... (From El Pais) Yesterday, the Spanish cabinet approved the relocation of the head office of the telecoms industry regulator, the CMT, from Madrid to Barcelona next year despite opposition from the regulator's chairman, Carlos Bustelo,...

LA airport terminal shuts after alarm.
December 31, 2004... (From Airline Industry Information) A Los Angeles International Airport terminal was temporarily shut down Wednesday (29 December) after a passenger aboard a flight preparing to depart ran from the plane and triggered an alarm, said the...

Nike ordered to pay Spanish firm (Nike, embargada por 980.000 euros para pagar a una firma espanola).
December 31, 2004... (From El Pais) In Spain, a Barcelona court has ordered the sequestration of industrial property rights to national, regional and industrial models owned by multinational shoe manufacturer Nike, in order to ensure the payment of 613,146...

France - Ile-de-France council approves Wi-Fi hotspot funding.
December 31, 2004... (From RDSL Europe) The Ile-de-France regional council has approved plans to provide aid worth up to EUR 200,000 in 2005 for deployment of public Wi-Fi hotspots in cultural and social locations across the region, reports ZDNet France....

Germany - Cartel office approves DPC sale to SES Global.
December 31, 2004... (From RDSL Europe) Pay-TV operator Premiere has received approval from the German Cartel Office for the sale of its technology subsidiary DPC to satellite operator SES Global Europe of Luxembourg, reports the Financial Times Deutschland....

Ireland - Deal puts mobile masts on state-owned buildings.
December 31, 2004... (From RDSL Europe) A EUR 100 million deal is expected to be announced at start-2005 to put mobile phone masts on state-owned buildings in Ireland, reports the Irish Independent. The deal has been negotiated by the Office of Public Works...

Ireland - Mobile operators to challenge ComReg decision.
December 31, 2004... (From RDSL Europe) Vodafone and O2 plan launch a legal challenge in Europe against a decision by Irish telecoms regulator ComReg that they have joint dominane of the mobile phone market in Ireland, reports the Irish Independent. They...

France - EADS sells Multicoms to Toadcom.
December 31, 2004... (From RDSL Europe) Defence group EADS has sold telecoms subsidiary Multicoms, which specialises in wholesale sales to operators, for an undisclosed amount to UK company Toadcom, reports Les Echos. Multicoms was created in 2001 by the...

Russia - IT Minister confident about Svayzinvest sale.
December 31, 2004... (From RDSL Europe) Russian IT Minister Leonid Reiman said he is certain that telecom company Svyazinvests privatisation will go ahead despite some other reforms being postponed in the country, reports Dow Jones Newswires. Russia plans to...

Russia - Vimpelcom receives back tax bill for 2002.
December 31, 2004... (From RDSL Europe) Russian IT Minister Leonid Reiman said he hopes mobile operator Vimpel Communications discussions over taxes with the authorities will not hurt the firm, reports Prime-Tass. VimpelCom said earlier that it had received...

Spain - Analogue TV switch-off brought forward to 2010.
December 31, 2004... (From RDSL Europe) The Spanish cabinet approved a plan to promote digital terrestrial TV (DTT) and to liberalise the cable TV sector on 30 December 2004. This declaration of intent sets some specific positions and a short time frame....

UK - Spiritel makes GBP 790,000 pretax loss.
December 31, 2004... (From RDSL UK) Telecoms services business Spiritel has announced a GBP 790,000 pretax loss on a GBP 3.1 million revenue in its maiden results, covering the eight months to end-October, reports the Financial Times. The companys Expo...

UK - Vodafone donates GBP 1 million for tsunami help.
December 31, 2004... (From RDSL UK) Vodafone Group said it would make a charitable donation of GBP 1 million to support the humanitarian rescue operation following the Asian tsunami disaster. The money is being made available from the Vodafone Group...

Generous Britons in rush to donate.
December 31, 2004... (From The Northern Echo) Byline: NIGEL BURTON and STUART ARNOLD BRITONS moved by the scale of the Asian tsunami disaster pledged record amounts to the international relief effort last night as United Nations officials warned...

Rail firm to make all staff redundant.
December 31, 2004... (From The Northern Echo) Byline: CATHERINE JEWITT THE company behind the country's newest heritage railway line is to make its workforce redundant because of a cash crisis. Weardale Railways Ltd, which launched Weardale Heritage...

Fears for missing couple.
December 31, 2004... (From The Northern Echo) Byline: NIGEL BURTON FURTHER details emerged last night of Britons caught up in the tsunami disaster. The families of a young British couple spoke of their fears after revealing they have not heard from...

MP and his wife delighted after US visit to adopt son.
December 31, 2004... (From The Northern Echo) Byline: ECHO STAFF CABINET Office Minister David Miliband and his wife flew to the US to adopt a baby son in time for a family Christmas. The 39-year-old, one of Tony Blair's closest allies, witnessed...

GOOD NEIGHBOUR READY TO RUSTLE UP A NEW YEAR TREAT FOR YOUNGSTERS.
December 31, 2004... (From The Northern Echo) AN award-winning good neighbour is planning a cart load of fun for youngsters in the New Yea r. Terry Dixon could not resist the challenge of restoring an old horse-drawn trap, which he bought in pieces from...

Rod back from new mercy mission to Romania.
December 31, 2004... (From The Northern Echo) CHARITY worker Rod Jones has carried out another Christmas mission to Romania. Hundreds of Romanian peasants look forward to the visits from 'Mr Rod', which he has made for the past 14 years. The...

Late-night noise at takeaway leads to misery for residents.
December 31, 2004... (From The Northern Echo) Byline: HELEN COOK RESIDENTS living close to a late-opening pizza takeaway shop have complained about illegal opening hours. A letter from Middlesbrough Council informing the owners they were in breach...

Police prepared for New Year.
December 31, 2004... (From The Northern Echo) Byline: TONY KEARNEY EXTRA police will be on duty across north Durham on New Year's Eve to curb the problems caused by binge drinking. Durham Constabulary says extra officers will be drafted in at Durham...

GBP15m scheme to create 130 affordable homes unveiled.
December 31, 2004... (From The Northern Echo) Byline: MARK FOSTER A MULTI-MILLION pound affordable housing initiative is offering a lifeline for hundreds of people in North Yorkshire. The county council's executive has approved the first phase of a...

HOUSE CLEANING IS A MOVING EXPERIENCE AT STATELY HOME.
December 31, 2004... (From The Northern Echo) NOT every house can be moved and given a complete overhaul - but then there aren't many houses like the Nunnington Baby House. Probably built sometime between 1800 and 1810, it is much more than a mere doll's...

TAPESTRY SHOWS HOW A STITCH IN TIME CAN SAVE THE LANDSCAPE.
December 31, 2004... (From The Northern Echo) TEXTILE pictures are being created for a touring exhibition that will show how the landscape has changed in a rural valley over the centuries. The 36 works of art are being made by pupils from 12 primary...

Men fined for assault after a night-out turned violent.
December 31, 2004... (From The Northern Echo) Byline: KATE BOWMAN TWO fathers have been ordered to pay GBP1,500 in compensation after breaking a man's nose in an unprovoked drunken attack. Darren Patrick McPhee, 22, of Melsonby Crescent, and Jason...

Council steps in to prevent further delay of gym centre.
December 31, 2004... (From The Northern Echo) Byline: CATHERINE JEWITT THE creation of a regional gymnastics centre at a Sedgefield Borough Council sports complex is over budget and behind schedule before the first brick has been laid. The gym, at...

Schoolgirl Kelly, 12, hailed hero after rescuing baby from blaze.
December 31, 2004... (From The Northern Echo) Byline: CHRIS BRAYSHAY A SCHOOLGIRL was hailed a hero last night after saving a baby from a house fire. Kelly Adington, 12, braved choking smoke to rescue Sophie Mahoney from her neighbour's burning...

'Big rises in house prices coming to an end in 2005'.
December 31, 2004... (From The Northern Echo) Byline: STUART ARNOLD HOUSE prices continued to rocket in the North-East during 2004 but are set for a big slowdown next year, experts have warned. A survey by the Nationwide showed that prices continued...

. . . and Molly gets a happy ending at last.
December 31, 2004... (From The Northern Echo) THIS Christmas, Molly, a three-year-old St Bernard, has been pampered by her new owners. She has been bathed in bubbles, had her hair done with a hair dryer, dressed in a red ribbon and had her toe nails...

Plans announced for GBP3.4m upgrade at leisure centre Councillor Lee Vasey.
December 31, 2004... (From The Northern Echo) Byline: KATE BOWMAN MULTI-MILLION pound plans have been announced to upgrade facilities at a NorthEast leisure centre. The proposed revamp of Darlington's Dolphin Centre will cost GBP3.4m. The...

Thieves stole horses' coats.
December 31, 2004... (From The Northern Echo) Byline: DAVID ROBERTS THIEVES left two horses shivering after stealing the coats from their backs. The two horses were in a field on the outskirts of Gainford, near Barnard Castle, County Durham, when...

HEAR ALL SIDES.
December 31, 2004... (From The Northern Echo) MODERN BRITAIN DEMOCRACY or dictatorship, it's hard to distinguish which is which. Whose country is this, what is left to sell off ? It is upside down and going deeper into the mire through clowns in office,...

BURTON'S BYTES - More murders for the CSI team.
December 31, 2004... (From The Northern Echo) Byline: NIGEL BURTON CSI: MIAMI Publisher: Ubisoft Format: PC Price: GBP19.99 Family friendly? Plenty of grue means it's for over 16s only. CSI (Crime Scene Investigation) is the most popular television...

Why we blush when we kiss frogs.
December 31, 2004... (From The Northern Echo) Byline: NICK MORRISON Could you really inject someone else's memories? Could your brain be kept alive after your head is removed from your body? And will kissing enough frogs really see you find your prince?...

VIRUS WATCH.
December 31, 2004... (From The Northern Echo) GERMAN police have announced that they have arrested five men in connection with a combined phishing scam and Trojan horse attack which successfully targeted users of Postbank online accounts. A phishing...

Here's to you, good Samaritan.
December 31, 2004... (From The Northern Echo) We all read a lot about how society is falling apart at the seams, but there is still a lot of goodwill out there. Here we salute some of the community-minded heroes of the past year TODAY is inevitably a day...

'How I went from fattie to feeling fabulous'.
December 31, 2004... (From The Northern Echo) Byline: BARRY NELSON With Christmas feasting behind us, what's the best way to shed unwanted pounds? Health Editor BARRY NELSON explains how he benefited when his wife joined WeightWatchers SOMEHOW I had...

WELLOCK'S WORLD.
December 31, 2004... (From The Northern Echo) AS 2004 ends with a tsunami making the Toon Army's gripes look pathetic, we have to remember that life goes on and hope that sport will dish up plenty of light relief in the New Year. Here are my predictions. ...

Jonny leads Falcons' academy products.
December 31, 2004... (From The Northern Echo) Byline: TIM WELLOCK JONNY Wilkinson will take his place in a fully home-grown Newcastle Falcons back division for Sunday's home match against Sale Sharks. With Matt Burke and Epi Taione ruled out by the...

Joey wants to prove his worth.
December 31, 2004... (From The Northern Echo) Byline: LEE HALL JOEY Hutchinson is hoping to be fit before the end of the season as the Darlington defender prepares to consider his options in the summer. The highly-rated Teessider is out of contract...

Ameobi hopes to take out frustrations on City.
December 31, 2004... (From The Northern Echo) Byline: WILL SCOTT SHOLA AMEOBI admitted he was devastated after losing to Patrick Viera's deflected winner on Wednesday. But the Newcastle striker aims to bounce back from the disappointment by making...

Hands off Schwarzer, warns McClaren.
December 31, 2004... (From The Northern Echo) Byline: PAUL FRASER STEVE McCLAREN last night told interested clubs to forget about attempting to prise Mark Schwarzer away from Middlesbrough during the transfer window. The Australian's contract...

Juventus want Bernard.
December 31, 2004... (From The Northern Echo) Byline: PAUL FRASER ITALIAN giants Juventus are weighing up the possibility of doing a swap deal with Newcastle United for contract rebel Olivier Bernard. Bernard, whose current terms expire at the end of...

Caldwell tips Collins for top honours.
December 31, 2004... (From The Northern Echo) Byline: PAUL FRASER SUNDERLAND'S Steve Caldwell has backed fellow Scotsman Neill Collins to become a star for club and country after a promising beginning to life on Wearside. Collins has only been used...

US Airways and Independence Air affect situation at RDU in 2005.
December 31, 2004... (From Airline Industry Information) There are indications of a year in turmoil at the Raleigh-Durham International Airport in 2005, as US Airways is close to shutting down and budget airline Independence Air has mentioned bankruptcy. ...

Delta allows SkyMiles members to donate miles for Asian relief.
December 31, 2004... (From Airline Industry Information) Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) has said that its SkyMiles programme members can support the victims in Southeast Asia by donating miles through the SkyWish programme. The aid will go to CARE, UNICEF...

Vietnam Airlines to acquire four 7E7 8 aircraft.
December 31, 2004... (From Airline Industry Information) Vietnam Airlines has formally chosen to purchase the 7E7 Dreamliner, Boeing (NYSE: BA) has said. According to Boeing, the airline plans to acquire four 7E7-8 aircraft in 2010. The value of the...

US attorney seeks to press class action lawsuit against airlines.
December 31, 2004... (From Airline Industry Information) Evans J Carter, an attorney who currently represents 14 frequent fliers from across the USA, is claiming that major airlines, including American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and British Airways, pocket...

Who will tip the balance in 2005?
December 31, 2004... (From Manchester Evening News) MANY tipsters are pinning their hopes on small-cap companies in our Stockbrokers' Challenge competition for 2005. Minnows in the oil and gas exploration, property, finance, restaurant and recycling...

. . . and honours for our sporting heroes.
December 31, 2004... (From Manchester Evening News) DARREN Campbell has capped his spectacular Olympic achievement by being awarded the MBE. The Moss Side-born Sale Harrier struck gold in Athens in the 4x100m relay and is one of a host of Olympians...

Gongs for the.
December 31, 2004... (From Manchester Evening News) Byline: david ottewell MUCH loved comedy legend Eric Sykes has scooped a top honour - but missed out on his knighthood. MPs, led by Tory Nigel Evans, have been campaigning since summer for the...

Roll of honour.
December 31, 2004... (From Manchester Evening News) GREATER MANCHESTER ORDER OF THE BATH (CB): Robin Paul Halward of Manchester, formerly Deputy Director General, Immigration and Nationality Directorate, Home Office. ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE (CBE): Prof...

giants of showbiz.
December 31, 2004... (From Manchester Evening News) VETERAN rocker Roger Daltrey has been awarded a CBE in today's glittering New Year Honours list. Daltrey - lead singer with The Who - was recognised for his services to music, the entertainment industry...

Knighthood for former Co-op boss.
December 31, 2004... (From Manchester Evening News) Byline: chris barry MERVYN Pedelty, who unexpectedly quit his GBP960,000-a-year job with Manchester's Co-operative Group two weeks ago, was knighted in the New Years Honours list. Mr Pedelty...

Barbara scoops a New Year honour.
December 31, 2004... (From Manchester Evening News) From Page 1 now been transformed, with a thriving pavilion cafe - which Barbara runs seven days a week - and nine resident bowling teams. Barbara, of Canal Street, said: "I don't know why they have...

Escape to top floor as the ocean flooded in.
December 31, 2004... (From Manchester Evening News) A COUPLE who flew into Manchester Airport told of their miracle escape after a 20ft tidal wave smashed into their Sri Lankan hotel. Barbara Swann and her partner Brian Appleby were on the beach when the...

toll now 120,000.
December 31, 2004... (From Manchester Evening News) Byline: blaise tapp and rashid razaq THE great British public is digging deeper into its pockets than ever before to help the victims of the tsunami disaster in South East Asia. By last night an...

Connor is picture of health.
December 31, 2004... (From Manchester Evening News) Byline: Catherine Smyth THIS is the picture friends, family and school mates of Connor Hurst will be delighted to see after life-saving surgery. The six-year-old from Hindle Street, Stacksteads,...

Best present of all.
December 31, 2004... (From Manchester Evening News) Byline: Michelle McKenna DEVOTED wife Lorna Joseph gave husband Terry the best present of all - the gift of life. Lorna, 60, underwent a gruelling five-hour operation at Manchester Royal Infirmary to...

Clay shoot triggers police call-out.
December 31, 2004... (From Manchester Evening News) ARMED police were out-gunned - when they ambushed a clay-pigeon shoot. The special unit, carrying Heckler and Koch MP5 machine pistols and wearing bullet-proof vests, were mobilised after a call from a...

Crerand son in hit-run trauma.
December 31, 2004... (From Manchester Evening News) MANCHESTER United legend Paddy Crerand has appealed for information after his son was injured in a hit-and-run incident. Danny Crerand, aged 35, was rushed to hospital after he was run over by a...

Coma mum hails son, 5, as a hero.
December 31, 2004... (From Manchester Evening News) Byline: brian lashley FIVE-YEAR-OLD Jordan Heap has been hailed a hero after saving his mum's life. The youngster from Glossop discovered mum Michelle had lapsed into a diabetic coma after he climbed...

Melissa's big break.
December 31, 2004... (From Manchester Evening News) Byline: BRIAN LASHLEY THE most dramatic scene in Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs at the Stockport Plaza occurred backstage. During the first act, lead actress Melissa D'Arcy, who has appeared in...

Car prices jackpot.
December 31, 2004... (From Manchester Evening News) 'TIS the season to be jolly - especially if you're buying a new car. Prices today are frozen at the same level as in June 2003, according to a new survey, and have actually dipped in the past months....

Dogged heroes.
December 31, 2004... (From Manchester Evening News) Byline: dave ayrton CANINE duo Gizmo and Poppy have been named the region's bravest dogs, after rescuing their feline friend Cobweb from a fox. Rather than fighting like cat and dog, the brother...

House prices soar here as London loses.
December 31, 2004... (From Manchester Evening News) THE north west saw the biggest rise in property prices of anywhere in Britain last year - becoming the country's hottest housing market. The value of an average property in the region rose by 24.6 per...

Luke in line for a derby debut.
December 31, 2004... (From Manchester Evening News) LUKE Robinson could make his Salford debut in Sunday's pre-season friendly with Swinton at The Willows. Reds' football director Steve Simms said Robinson had settled in well at Salford following his...

Robbo relishes new challenge.
December 31, 2004... (From Manchester Evening News) Byline: RUGBY UNION BY GEOFF GREEN FEW players welcome a challenge as much as Sale Sharks' skipper Jason Robinson. So there was a glint in his eye when he was told that Kingston Park, where Sharks...

Carl has a point to prove.
December 31, 2004... (From Manchester Evening News) Byline: racing BY peter levy CARL Llewellyn steps into the hot seat at Cheltenham tomorrow when he renews his partnership with Fundamentalist in the Dipper Novices' Chase. The dual Grand National...

Boss must look left to get it right.
December 31, 2004... (From Manchester Evening News) LET'S hope the New Year begins tomorrow in much better fashion on the pitch than it ended on Tuesday. Given the truly tragic events in South East Asia in the past week it is perhaps not the time to get...

Hard work is only cure for our ills-Mills.
December 31, 2004... (From Manchester Evening News) DANNY MILLS believes hard work is the only way to alleviate the Blues' bout of homesickness. Since beating Chelsea in the middle of October, City have managed only one success from six league and cup...

McIntyre ruled out.
December 31, 2004... (From Manchester Evening News) Byline: MACCLESFIELD v CHESTER MACCLESFIELD will be without Kevin McIntyre when Chester, the club from which he is on loan, visit the Moss Rose tomorrow for an all-ticket game, writes SIMON CARTER. ...

Eyes on Andreas.
December 31, 2004... (From Manchester Evening News) WIGAN Athletic are considering a transfer swoop for Swedish international midfielder Andreas Johansson, writes NEIL BARKER. Latics boss Paul Jewell today confirmed an offer had been made to Johansson's...

Chall plans a backlash.
December 31, 2004... (From Manchester Evening News) Byline: lincoln V bury DAVE Challinor hopes Lincoln feel the backlash of Bury's recent frustrations, including Tuesday's 2-0 defeat at Northampton, writes TREVOR BAXTER. The Shakers' skipper admits...

Robins chief in upbeat mood.
December 31, 2004... (From Manchester Evening News) Byline: NON-LEAGUE PREVIEW BY TONY GLENNON ALTRINCHAM manager Graham Heathcote has a simple New Year's wish: "More of the same!" The hard-up Robins have emerged as surprise Conference North title...

Sam is sticking by Tal.
December 31, 2004... (From Manchester Evening News) Byline: richard frost BOLTON boss Sam Allardyce insists Israeli defender Tal Ben Haim, charged with improper conduct by the FA following the Wayne Rooney flare-up, has no case to answer. But he wants...

Roo's lesson in United life.
December 31, 2004... (From Manchester Evening News) WAYNE Rooney has to accept his three-match ban as a harsh lesson in life as a Manchester United player. The 19-year-old Reds star has been quietly spoken to by Reds boss Sir Alex Ferguson, who feels he...

King amongst men.
December 31, 2004... (From Manchester Evening News) SHOW Ryan Giggs the respect he deserves! That is the demand from Manchester United stalwart Gary Neville to those fans who carp whenever the wing ace dips below his current dazzling form. Neville knows...

Case of Blues to hit Reds.
December 31, 2004... (From Manchester Evening News) I SEE Alex Ferguson's face contorted with fury as the final curtain comes down on the Premiership season in the second week in May. Sir Taggart's worst fear has been confirmed...the Blues have been crowned...

Just leave it to Suprendo.
December 31, 2004... (From Manchester Evening News) MY crystal ball tells me that there are dark days ahead for the once Happy Wanderers... something to do with back-four players who couldn't defend their honour and strikers who couldn't hit a cow's bum with...

Shaun off - and so are the fans!
December 31, 2004... (From Manchester Evening News) KEVIN Keegan receives some devastating news on New Year's Day. The Premiership hierarchy insist that the season must continue until May. There goes Kev's chance of quitting while he's ahead. King Kev...

Current account deficit EUR1.729bn in Q3 extended with revised.
December 31, 2004... (From Hungarian News Agency (MTI)) Budapest, Decedmber 31, 2004 (MTI-ECONEWS) - Hungary's current account deficit was EUR 1.729bn in the third quarter of 2004, the National Bank of Hungary (MNB)announced on Friday. The central bank...

SP Table - Current account in Q3 2004.
December 31, 2004... (From Hungarian News Agency (MTI)) Budapest, December 31, 2004 (MTI-ECONEWS) =================================================================== Current account 2003 2004 2004 (EURm) Q3 Q3 Q1-Q3...

Forint unchanged on the interbank forex market.
December 31, 2004... (From Hungarian News Agency (MTI)) Budapest, December 31, 2004 (MTI-ECONEWS) - The forint was unchanged at 245.45/55 to the euro on the interbank forex market on Friday morning, standing at 13.05pc on the strong side of its intervention...