Europe Intelligence Wire articles from July 2009

Europe Intelligence Wire archives from July 2009

PeerApp Announces UltraBand Certified Partner Program.
July 31, 2009... (From Hugin) Solutions for Network Operators to Deliver High Quality Video and Offer Internet Video Services NEWTON, MA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 07/30/09 -- PeerApp Ltd., the global leader in video cache and content delivery solutions, today...

How God propelled Stephen Hawking into the bestsellers list.
July 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) A new book is a bit like a baby universe. The moment of conception is always obscure and its birth uncertain. Then it bursts into the public consciousness and either undergoes swift collapse or experiences a brief,...

Readers recommend: Songs about failure.
July 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) A monstrous seven days on the readers recommend blog that provided two of my favourite lists. I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed this week's music. If pop is good at anything it's standing and staring and...

Wanted: Volunteers to grin for Britain.
July 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) Thousands of people are being sought to grin their way through next week as part of an ambitious attempt to lift the nation's spirits. Volunteers will be asked to try out one of several strategies designed to...

EnerGulf Management Update.
July 31, 2009... (From Hugin) HOUSTON, TEXAS--(Marketwire - July 30, 2009) - EnerGulf Resources Inc. (TSX VENTURE: ENG) (FRANKFURT: EKS) (EnerGulf or the Company): EnerGulf is pleased to report Dr. Joseph Davis has re-joined Digital Prospectors, Inc....

WESTERN GEOPOWER OBTAINS US$1.35 MILLION INCREASE TO SECURED LOAN FACILITY.
July 31, 2009... (From Hugin) Corporate news announcement processed and transmitted by Hugin AS. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------- ...

Czech press survey.
July 31, 2009... (From Czech News Agency) Adds the source "Mlada fronta Dnes" in the last commentary. -------------------- Prague, July 31 (CTK) - Major Czech dailies today comment on the photographs from the Italian holiday of Czech Civic Democrat (ODS)...

Half-Year Report 2009: Sika shows fortitude in a tough market environment.
July 31, 2009... (From Hugin) Corporate news announcement processed and transmitted by Hugin AS. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------- ...

Quarterly Report for the period ended 30 June 2009.
July 31, 2009... (From Hugin) DiamonEx Limited AIM Release 31 July 2009 QUARTERLY REPORT FOR THE QUARTER ENDING 30 JUNE 2009 - Continuing suspension in trading of DiamonEx Limited ("DiamonEx" or the "Company") Shares - Execution of formal agreement for sale...

Presentation of Q2 2009 results 14th August at 08:00 (CET).
July 31, 2009... (From Hugin) Marine Harvest ASA hereby invites you to the presentation of the results of the second quarter 2009 at Shippingklubben, Haakon VII's gate 1, 0112 Oslo, Norway. Please note that the quarterly report and presentation will be...

Recommended split of the portfolio into a Continuation Portfolio and a Realisation Portfolio and investment management changes.
July 31, 2009... (From Hugin) For immediate release on 31 July 2009 INDOCHINA CAPITAL VIETNAM HOLDINGS LIMITED ("ICV" or the "Company") Recommended split of the portfolio into a Continuation Portfolio and a Realisation Portfolio and investment management...

News release: Tongoril project Argentina.
July 31, 2009... (From Hugin) Mariana Resources Limited AIM and PLUS code: MARL 31 July 2009 Drill Targets at Dos Calandrias (Tongoril) gold-silver project in Santa Cruz Province, Argentina. Highlights: Seven drill targets identified to date, scout...

RHJ International: Notice to Shareholders of Extraordinary Shareholders' Meeting.
July 31, 2009... (From Hugin) Please find enclosed the convening notice to shareholders of the Extraordinary Shareholders' Meeting to be held by RHJ International on Wednesday August 29, 2009, at 3 P.M. at its headquarters in Brussels. RHJ International...

Camillo Eitzen & Co ASA - Formation of Eitzen Solvang Ethylene A/S.
July 31, 2009... (From Hugin) Camillo Eitzen & Co ASA (CECO) affiliate Eitzen Gas A/S has together with its partner Solvang ASA formalized their existing cooperation through the formation of the new company, Eitzen Solvang Ethylene A/S, for the joint...

Ad hoc: Constantia Packaging AG acquires 16.55 % of AMAG's shares from Constantia B.V.
July 31, 2009... (From Hugin) Constantia Packaging AG (CPAG), Vienna, has been holding 73.45 % of the shares in Austria Metall AG (AMAG), Ranshofen, since September 2007. As of end of July the Group acquires further 16.55 %, i.e. 132.370 shares of AMAG...

Transparency declaration by Threadneedle Asset Management Holding Limited: Divestment of voting securities.
July 31, 2009... (From Hugin) Threadneedle Asset Management Holding Limited, with registered office at Holbrook House, Swindon, SN1 1HH, United Kingdom, has notified the CBFA and Umicore that on 27 July 2009 it has crossed the statutory threshold of 3%,...

Santander minor drop in profitability.
July 31, 2009... (From Banking Newslink) Santander reported net attributable of €2,423m (GBP2,086m $3,417m YEN324.3bn Y23,346m) for Q2 and €4,519m (GBP3,891m $6,374m YEN604.9bn Y43,541m) for the half year to end of June. This represents...

Implications of Cooksey Chairing UK Financial Investments.
July 31, 2009... (From Banking Newslink) Sir David Cooksey was confirmed as the new chairman of UK Financial Investments. The organisation is the state owned holding company owning Northern Rock, a majority stake in Royal Bank of Scotland and a significant...

Expenses rip at Deutsche Bank.
July 31, 2009... (From Banking Newslink) Deutsche Bank reported net attributable of €1,185m (GBP1,020m $1,671m YEN158.6bn Y11,417m) for the quarter and €2,277m (GBP1,961m $3,211m YEN304.8bn Y21,939m) for the half year. This compares with...

Macquarie first half profit may fall one quarter.
July 31, 2009... (From Banking Newslink) Macquarie offered a trading update requiring some interpretation but seemingly indicating that on current trends the bank is likely to report net income down between 25% and 30% for the six months to the end of...

Santander Brazilian subsidiary IPO planned?
July 31, 2009... (From Banking Newslink) Santander is reported to be planning to float a significant part of its Brazilian subsidiary on the Brazil stock exchange. Arrangements have been in process for some time with estimates that it is likely to float...

Another attempt at new financial regulation bites the dust.
July 31, 2009... (From Banking Newslink) It is widely reported that the European Commission plans for hedge fund regulation will be toned down considerably from the earlier consultation documentation. The EC suggests that as other regimes around the globe...

Bank Millennium profit tumbles.
July 31, 2009... (From Banking Newslink) Bank Millennium reported first half profit of Z21m (€5.0m GBP4.3m $7.1m YEN670m Y48.3m) down 92%. Operating income was down 22.5% whilst operating costs were down 9.6%. Loans were up 38%. The bank is not...

BBVA Q2 underlying profit UP one third.
July 31, 2009... (From Banking Newslink) BBVA reported net attributable of €1,561m (GBP1,344m $2,202m YEN209.0bn Y15,040m) for Q2 and €2,799m (GBP2,410m $3,948m YEN374.7bn Y26,968m) for the first half, UP 5.0% and DOWN 7.6% respectively. If...

Bank of America settles $10bn Parmalat claim for $100m.
July 31, 2009... (From Banking Newslink) Bank of America has settled the claim by Parmalat seeking $10bn in damages for the sum of $100m. The settlement is said to include a cash and non-cash element with details not to be released until all court papers are...

Santander and AIG merge Polish consumer businesses.
July 31, 2009... (From Banking Newslink) Santander Consumer Bank (Poland) S.A and AIG Bank Polska S.A are to merge. The organisations are the consumer finance businesses in Poland for the two global businesses. The merged operation will be owned 70% by...

Visa Inc restructures - President departs.
July 31, 2009... (From Banking Newslink) John Morris, Visa Inc. President is to step down as president with immediate effect and is to leave the company at year end. The sales, client service, marketing, product development and innovation functions which has...

Visa merchants have 1 year to meet software security standards.
July 31, 2009... (From Banking Newslink) Visa Inc. reminded merchants that they have one year left to ensure that all software used to take Visa card payments meets the new security standards. Specifically that it does not retain PIN numbers, track data and...

Retail business and equity gains get Nomura into Black.
July 31, 2009... (From Banking Newslink) Nomura reported net attributable of YEN11.47bn (€85.7m GBP73.8m $120.9m Y825.6m) for the first quarter of its financial year to end of June. This compared with a LOSS of YEN76.59bn in the year ago period. ...

Northern Rock shareholders lose Appeal Court case.
July 31, 2009... (From Banking Newslink) Former Northern Rock shareholders lost their appeal regarding the valuation put on Northern Rock at the time of nationalisation. They had sought to overturn a high court decision refusing a judicial review of the...

Visa profit jump.
July 31, 2009... (From Banking Newslink) Visa reported net income of $729m (€519m GBP442m YEN69.5bn Y4,981m) for Q3 of its financial year which ended June 30th and $1,839m (€1,309m GBP1,115m YEN175.2m Y12,565m) for the 9 months. This...

Millennium BCP profit increase from non-op items.
July 31, 2009... (From Banking Newslink) Millennium BCP reported net attributable of €147.5m (GBP125.7m $207.3m YEN19,749m Y1,416m) for the half year, up 45.5%. Operating profit can be seen up 39% before impairments and provisions and down 2% after....

Bank Austria executive changes.
July 31, 2009... (From Banking Newslink) Willibald Cernko will take over as chairman of the management board (CEO) of Bank Austria from 1st October. Current chairman, Erich Hampel, will join the Supervisory Board. This much had been indicated in May when...

BoNY-M Pershing unit gains Singapore licence.
July 31, 2009... (From Banking Newslink) Pershing Securities Singapore Private Limited, a newly formed Bank of New York Mellon subsidiary, has gained a capital markets banking licence from the Singapore authorities. The bank states that the licence ".... ..

DBS and Aviva renew Asia bancassurance alliance.
July 31, 2009... (From Banking Newslink) DBS and Aviva have agreed to extend their bancassurance alliance in Asia until 2015. It had been due to finish next year. Aviva is to train 30 DBS staff in Singapore and 10 in Hong Kong to become insurance...

Deutsche Postbank net profit down 70%.
July 31, 2009... (From Banking Newslink) Deutsche Postbank reported first half net profit of €70m (GBP59.7m $98.4m YEN9,372m Y672.1m) DOWN 71%. The bank emphasises that securities losses are declining and admits that it was helped by the lower tax....

NYSE Liffe Clearing pushes NYSE Euronext into loss.
July 31, 2009... (From Banking Newslink) NYSE Euronext reported a Q2 net LOSS of $182m (€130m GBP110m $182m YEN17.3bn Y1,243m) compared with a PROFIT of $195m in the year ago period. The main causes were severance payments and the closure of NYSE...

Lazard Q2 net down 18%.
July 31, 2009... (From Banking Newslink) Lazard announced net attributable of $28.2m (€20.1m GBP17.1m YEN2.687bn Y192.7m) for Q2 and a LOSS of $25.3m (€18.0m GBP15.3m YEN2.41bn Y172.9m). This compares with profits of $34.3m and $42.1m for...

Takefuji profit jump.
July 31, 2009... (From Banking Newslink) Takefuji reported net income of YEN9,272m (€69.3m GBP59.0m $97.3m Y664.9m) for Q1 of the financial year, compared with YEN1,306m for the year ago period. The main reason for the recovery in profit is that...

Visa and U.S. Bank Launch EIPP service.
July 31, 2009... (From Banking Newslink) U.S. Bank and Visa Inc. announced the launch of Syncada, an electronic invoicing presentation and payment (EIPP) offering. The announcement claims that it is better than other EIPP offerings "in that it combines Visa's...

US investment bank bonus statistics.
July 31, 2009... (From Banking Newslink) A report finds that whilst in receipt of TARP funds during 2008 leading US banks paid out $32.6bn in bonuses, equal to 19% of the public funds received. The report was presented by Andrew Cuomo, New York Attorney...

Sumitomo Trust buys Nikko Asset Management from Citi.
July 31, 2009... (From Banking Newslink) Sumitomo Trust is to buy the 98.55% stake in Nikko Asset management owned by Citigroup for YEN112.4bn (€839m GBP716m $1,180m Y8,060m). The deal is expected to close on October 1st. Nikko is Japan's third...

Will gaming ever offer you a real moral choice?
July 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) Ok, the vast majority of games have little in the way of moral choices. Do you get -- or even want? - the chance to stop bombarding insurgents from your copter in Modern Warfare? Not a chance. But some games at least...

If these plans go ahead our children will be condemned to second rate services.
July 31, 2009... (From The Journal) ONE of Britain's leading experts on childhood medicine has launched a scathing attack on plans to build a specialist emergency hospital in the North East. The pounds 200m plan would see all serious emergency care cases...

Artist was locked in cell with murderers.
July 31, 2009... (From The Journal) Byline: Neil McKay AN artist who was cleared of mocking the Prime Minister of Turkey by portraying him as a dog has told of being locked in a cell with murderers, having a police gun fired at him during a midnight...

Swine flu cases are not escalating.
July 31, 2009... (From The Journal) THE number of swine flu cases in the North East appears to have plateaud, according to health experts. The number of anti-virals authorised to those living in the North East by the National Pandemic Flu Service in the...

Pervert jailed for inciting child abuse.
July 31, 2009... (From The Journal) A WEBCAM paedophile who incited another pervert to sexually abuse a vulnerable young girl thousands of miles away was finally trapped by a two-year Transatlantic police investigation. Married Ronald MacRae was arrested...

Policemen killed in Eta bomb explosion.
July 31, 2009... (From The Journal) Byline: David Old HOLIDAYMAKERS were hit with delays yesterday following a terrorist attack in Majorca - the second attack blamed on Basque separatist group Eta in two days. Flights which were due to be returning to...

Leading doctor sees red over plan.
July 31, 2009... (From The Journal) Byline: Helen Rae ONE of the country's leading experts on childhood medicine has launched a scathing attack on plans to build a specialist emergency hospital in the North East. In the pounds 200m proposals, health...

Great North unit will be a first for North East.
July 31, 2009... (From The Journal) THE Great North Children's Hospital will bring together all children's services under one roof. Costing pounds 100m, the 245-bed complex based at Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary will be one of 14 children's...

ID cards flag row.
July 31, 2009... (From The Journal) THE launch of the design for the new Identity Card prompted a political row after it was revealed the cards will not feature the Union flag. The flag has been left off because of fears it could upset Nationalists in...

War on drugs 'not winnable'.
July 31, 2009... (From The Journal) THE war on drugs is not winnable in the near future, a survey of police and other law enforcement agents claims. Nine out of 10 of those questioned in the study by the independent UK Drug Policy Commission said it was...

Brave Debbie hails her 'right to live'.
July 31, 2009... (From The Journal) Byline: Tom Morgan MULTIPLE sclerosis sufferer Debbie Purdy last night hailed an 'incredible start' after winning a famous victory in her legal battle to be told what would happen to her husband if he helped her travel...

Ashes on the way.
July 31, 2009... (From The Journal) Byline: Ben Guy ASHES cricket will be played in the North East, it was announced yesterday. Durham County Cricket Club has won the right to stage an England v Australia match at its Riverside ground in the 2013 series....

RED KITES ARE ALL OVER THE SHOP.
July 31, 2009... (From The Journal) SHOPPERS will be able to check out the story of the reintroduction of red kites in the North East. Artwork titled Spirit of the Valley takes the form of a 16-metre frieze which runs across the front of the Tesco store in...

New footpaths will be open to public.
July 31, 2009... (From The Journal) Byline: Tony Henderson ALMOST 60 miles of new coastal footpath in the North East will be made accessible when a Bill to open all of the country's coast to the public is made law. The findings by Natural England come...

Cash for Sir Bobby.
July 31, 2009... (From The Journal) EMPLOYEES at the Procter and Gamble plant at Longbenton raised thousands of pounds for The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation. Staff from technical centre on the site raised pounds 5,000 as part of the company's Community...

We know what we're doing.
July 31, 2009... (From The Journal) Byline: Dave Black THOUSANDS of people who put their names to petitions opposing the potential closure of day care centres in Northumberland have been sent official council letters - questioning whether they had the...

ANSWERS ABOUT THE ANTARCTIC.
July 31, 2009... (From The Journal) POLAR explorers were on hand to answer youngsters' questions about the Antarctic. Sian Henley, Elizabeth Jones, Tamsin Gray and Jennifer Hall were at the Life Science Centre in Newcastle city centre yesterday to talk...

Power of information.
July 31, 2009... (From The Journal) THE upset caused by a bid to further illuminate a council's thinking on the closure of day care centres for older people is surely misplaced. If all 2,442 recipients of the offending letters read, digest and consider...

Rail investment in North is essential.
July 31, 2009... (From The Journal) YOUR report about investment, or lack of it, in railways in the North East was bad news (The Journal, July 25). I was one of the passengers on the chartered train which ran along the Blyth and Tyne line to Ashington last...

Obese children: a correction.
July 31, 2009... (From The Journal) AN error crept into our report on Monday, July 27, headlined "Mothers furious at NHS 'obese' claims". It contained a statement attributed to Dr Ashley Adamson, a senior lecturer at the Human Nutrition Research Centre at...

Fantastic tribute to Sir Bobby Robson.
July 31, 2009... (From The Journal) WHAT a fantastic tribute was paid to Sir Bobby Robson at St James's Park in Newcastle on Sunday. It emphasised everything that was good about our city and this club. It emphasised how the club and individuals who have...

The North is still a poor relation.
July 31, 2009... (From The Journal) IT was with a resigned sigh that I viewed the latest news that, while the other northern cities of Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds and Sheffield would get 105 commuter trains to alleviate congestion on the railways, the North...

Creationism must not be taught as fact.
July 31, 2009... (From The Journal) CONTRARY to TR Manley (Voice of the North, July 21), I say congratulations to playwrights Ed Waugh and Trevor Wood for bringing to light how, in some state schools, creationism is taught as scientific fact. Teaching...

Reassurance is welcome on children.
July 31, 2009... (From The Journal) THE very public intervention by the Crafts in the consultation process regarding a new specialist emergency hospital proposed for the North East will make everyone involved take note. Prof Sir Alan Craft, a former...

Captain Memo and the Ministry.
July 31, 2009... (From The Journal) Byline: DAVID BANKS NEWSPAPERMEN are fond of giving each other nicknames. Interestingly, many of these conferred titles have military origins. Early in my career I worked at the Daily Express with a heavily accented...

Council defends exclusion rise.
July 31, 2009... (From The Journal) Byline: Sam Wood THE NUMBER of children suspended and excluded from Durham schools has rocketed in the last 12 months. Latest figures from the Government were released yesterday, which revealed that last year in...

IMAGES RELEASED OF ARMED SHOP RAIDERS.
July 31, 2009... (From The Journal) CCTV images have been released of armed robbers who subjected an elderly shopkeeper to a terrifying ordeal. The 68-year-old was locked-up and terrorised at knifepoint after two masked raiders burst into the discount...

IN MEMORIAM.
July 31, 2009... (From The Journal) ANDERSON (Whitley Bay). George McLaren. One year on. Also softly the leaves of memory fall, gently I gather and cherish them, not here but always in my thoughts and heart, loved and missed so very much. Jane. CONVERY...

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
July 31, 2009... (From The Journal) BEECROFT (Seahouses). The family of the Muriel Beecroft would like to express their sincere thanks to all relatives, friends and members of the Methodist Church, for their kindness and expressions of sympathy shown to them...

DEATHS.
July 31, 2009... (From The Journal) DODDS (Ponteland). On July 27th, Elizabeth Bolton (Betty), beloved wife of the late John and dear mother of Pauline. Funeral Service at Ponteland Methodist Church on Wednesday 5th August at 1.30pm, followed by interment at...

'Sadistic, wicked and intentional'.
July 31, 2009... (From The Journal) Byline: Rod Minchin ATEENAGER stole a cat and was filmed on a mobile phone putting it in a bag, forcing it to inhale cannabis and swinging it round his head like a lasso, a court heard. Jobless Mark Kane, 19, had been...

SAFETY CONCERNS AT POPULAR SPOT.
July 31, 2009... (From The Journal) A SEA rescue incident has sparked safety fears at a stretch of Northumberland coastline where pounds 4m is being spent in an attempt to attract more families and visitors. Money has been poured into upgrading Blyth Links...

Last-gasp rescue for kerbside recycling.
July 31, 2009... (From The Journal) Byline: Tony Henderson EMERGENCY powers had to be used by a council to rescue kerbside recycling services. The action was taken by Durham County Council after the com- panwhich ran the service, Greencycle, went into...

The summertime blues.
July 31, 2009... (From The Journal) Byline: BOB CUFFE TWO alarming summer events. Firstly, it was with real concern that I read about the summer police clampdown. They like a clampdown. They're the only people who clamp down. They clamp down on crime....

Flypast for a hero.
July 31, 2009... (From The Journal) Byline: Tom Pugh ; Elizabeth Barrett THE remarkable life of First World War veteran Henry Allingham was celebrated yesterday at a funeral service to mark the passing of the last founder member of the RAF. Mr...

Blair will be quizzed in war probe.
July 31, 2009... (From The Journal) THE head of the inquiry into the Iraq war yesterday said it was "crucial" key decision-makers gave evidence in public as he confirmed Tony Blair would be among the witnesses called. Sir John Chilcot said his five-strong...

Exhausted army surgeons call for help to deal with record casualties.
July 31, 2009... (From The Journal) RECORD casualty rates among British troops in Afghanistan left UK military surgeons so exhausted they had to call in US reinforcements, it has emerged. A total of 57 UK personnel were wounded in action in the first half...

Accident causes more concerns on road's safety.
July 31, 2009... (From The Journal) SAFETY checks are to be carried out on a stretch of road in Northumberland following an accident in which a van crashed into a house. Householder Maureen Davison called on council officials to examine safety on Pottery...

Another blow to academy plans.
July 31, 2009... (From The Journal) Byline: Neil McKay AFOOTBALL club boss has withdrawn his support for controversial plans to build a 1,500 student academy on part of his ground. The objection by John Hurst, chairman of Consett football club, is a...

NORTHUMBERLAND IS PERFECT PLACE TO TIE THE KNOT.
July 31, 2009... (From The Journal) A NEW brochure has been launched to entice couples to tie the knot in Northumberland. Northumberland County Council wants to help local businesses and capitalise on the country's big-business wedding industry. The...

Team heads off to defend world title.
July 31, 2009... (From The Journal) Byline: Guy Aspin JUVENTUS have proved themselves pretty swift at settling scores over their illustrious history. They have not stacked up 27 Serie A titles, nine Coppa Italias, one European Cup and one Champions League...

Marathon hike round Kielder.
July 31, 2009... (From The Journal) BREATHTAKING views are on offer on the "world's most beautiful marathon course". Walkers can enjoy the stunning scenery on a gruelling walk along the shoreline of Kielder Water in the first event of its kind on the newly...