Europe Intelligence Wire articles from November 2006

Europe Intelligence Wire archives from November 2006

AT&T to invest 620 mln usd, hire 2,000 employees in Michigan over next 3 yrs.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX Europe (Focus)) LANSING, Mich. (AFX) - AT&T Inc said it will invest 620 mln usd and hire 2,000 employees in Michigan over the next three years to bring next-generation video and broadband services to local consumers. AT&T...

UK Trade & Industry committee to hold inquiry into Airbus.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX Europe (Focus)) LONDON (AFX) - Parliament's Trade and Industry Committee said it is to hold an inquiry into recent developments with Airbus, the consequences for the UK supply chain and the company's relationship with the...

9 unions at Philly papers extend talks.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX Europe (Focus)) PHILADELPHIA (AFX) - Nine unions at Philadelphia's two largest newspapers agreed Thursday to extend contract talks by another week and are prepared to cross picket lines if editorial employees strike before...

Intel elects William Holt senior vice president.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX Europe (Focus)) LONDON (AFX) - Intel Corp said it has appointed William Holt as senior vice president of the company and has elected Sohail Ahmed, Stacy Smith and Richard Taylor as corporate officers. newsdesk@afxnews.com ks...

PokerTek says Pokermatic dismisses suit.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX Europe (Focus)) CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AFX) - PokerTek Inc., which makes electronic poker tables, said Thursday that Pokermatic Inc. voluntarily dismissed a lawsuit filed in federal court in Philadelphia. The dismissal is without...

Sierra Pacific Purchases Debt.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX Europe (Focus)) LAS VEGAS (AFX) - Electric utility holding company Sierra Pacific Resources said Thursday that the response to its offer to purchase some of its outstanding debt has exceeded the $110 million cap the company set...

Prague shares slightly higher on European buying.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX Europe (Focus)) LONDON (AFX) - The Prague Stock Exchange rose and the PX stock index improved 0.71 pct to 1,570.6 points. "The bourse saw optimistic sentiment today. There is a strong purchase support by European investors...

Wal-Mart Predicts Slim Dec. Sales Gain.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX Europe (Focus)) NEW YORK (AFX) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. issued a sobering warning for the holiday shopping season Thursday, predicting its December same-store sales gain would be no better than 1 percent. The news,...

Netlist stock climbs in trading debut.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX Europe (Focus)) WASHINGTON (AFX) - Shares of Netlist Inc. climbed Thursday as the memory chip maker had its trading debut on the Nasdaq Stock Market. Stock of the Irvine, Calif.-based company jumped $1.35, or 19 percent, to...

Eastman Chemical partner gets tax credit.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX Europe (Focus)) KINGSPORT, Tenn. (AFX) - Eastman Chemical Co., which makes chemicals, fibers and plastics, on Thursday said TX Energy LLC has been awarded a federal investment tax credit of $130 million for a proposed...

Honeywell receives contract from Huntsman.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX Europe (Focus)) NEW YORK (AFX) - Diversified manufacturer Honeywell International Inc. said Thursday it received a $3.7 million contract from Huntsman Corp. to provide its Experion Process Knowledge System R300 and other...

Aides claim former Russian PM was poisoned.
November 30, 2006... (From Guardian Unlimited) Doctors believe the former Russian prime minister Yegor Gaidar, who fell badly ill after attending a conference in Ireland, has been deliberately poisoned, his spokesman said today. "Doctors don't see a...

Gadget-maker comes down to earth.
November 30, 2006... (From Guardian Unlimited) QinetiQ, the company on which James Bond's gadget-maker "Q" was based, can make armed robots for Iraq, Spiderman-style nets to stop vehicles and battlefield satellites to track jets and helicopters. However, it...

Murdoch takes aim at TV 'elite'.
November 30, 2006... (From Guardian Unlimited) James Murdoch, the BSkyB chief executive, today attacked the "authoritarian" and "elitist" British broadcasting establishment as the satellite broadcaster finds itself under investigation by regulators after...

ITN staff to vote on strike.
November 30, 2006... (From Guardian Unlimited) ITV and Channel 4 news bulletins could be hit in the new year if broadcasting union members vote for strike action over ITN plans to change their pension benefits. The decision to vote on industrial action...

Tories demand more action to combat people trafficking.
November 30, 2006... (From Guardian Unlimited) William Hague today called for stronger measures to protect victims of modern-day slavery in Britain as he warned that the trafficking of women and children for the sex industry was worsening. The Tory...

South Africa ends long denial over Aids crisis.
November 30, 2006... (From Guardian Unlimited) South Africa will use World Aids Day tomorrow to launch a plan that turns away from years of denial and obfuscation over the disease by President Thabo Mbeki and his health minister, which critics say have cost...

Sky News to revamp website.
November 30, 2006... (From Guardian Unlimited) Sky News is to relaunch its website in the spring with more video footage from viewers and technology to help focus on the most popular stories. It also plans to make itself available via new outlets, such...

Football: FA charges Terry over Poll comments.
November 30, 2006... (From Guardian Unlimited) John Terry has been charged with improper conduct by the Football Association following comments he made about referee Graham Poll after his sending-off in the 2-1 defeat at Tottenham. The England captain...

Duncan: Channel 4 must keep more rights.
November 30, 2006... (From Guardian Unlimited) Channel 4 chief executive Andy Duncan has warned the broadcaster will struggle in the digital world unless it is able to hold on to more of the rights to the programmes it commissions. Speaking at an Ofcom...

BBVA US Unipersonal - Supplemental Ofering Circular.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX CNF) RNS Number:0441N BBVA U.S. Senior, S.A. Unipersonal 30 November 2006 Publication of Supplemental to the Offering Circular The following supplemental have been approved by the UK Listing Authority and are available for...

Imperial Tobacco Gp - Transaction in Own Shares.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX CNF) RNS Number:0446N Imperial Tobacco Group PLC 30 November 2006 Imperial Tobacco Group PLC - Transaction in Own Shares Purchase of own securities Imperial Tobacco today acquired from Morgan Stanley Securities Limited 150,000...

BBVA Subord Cap S.A. - Suplemental Offering Circular.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX CNF) RNS Number:0438N BBVA Subordinated Cap S.A. Unipers. 30 November 2006 Publication of Supplemental to the Offering Circular The following supplemental have been approved by the UK Listing Authority and are available for...

ING Bank N.V. London - Exercise of Greenshoe.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX CNF) RNS Number:0444N ING Bank N.V. London Branch 30 November 2006 ING Bank N.V., London Branch 30 November 2006 Announcement of Exercise of Over-allotment Option 30 November 2006 ING Bank N.V., London Branch announces, in...

Getmobile Europe PLC - Director Shareholding.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX CNF) RNS Number:0447N Getmobile Europe PLC 30 November 2006 getmobile europe plc (the "Company") DIRECTORS' DEALINGS The Company has been notified that the following directors and companies owned by directors have today...

Developer Offers Fly & Buy Program*.
November 30, 2006... (From Hugin) Invites Buyers to Discover Delray Beach -- On the House DELRAY BEACH, FL -- (MARKET WIRE) -- November 30, 2006 -- Southcoast Partners announces a Fly and Buy Incentive Program* inviting potential European buyers to explore...

BBVA Snr Fince, S.A. - Supplemental Offering Circula.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX CNF) RNS Number:0435N BBVA Senior Finance S.A.Unipersonal 30 November 2006 Publication of Supplemental to the Offering Circular The following supplemental have been approved by the UK Listing Authority and are available for...

S&P Cuts Dole's Credit Rating.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX Europe (Focus)) NEW YORK (AFX) - Credit agency Standard & Poor's Ratings Services lowered its ratings on privately-held Dole Food Co. Inc. to "B" from "B+," based on weaker than expected third-quarter financial results and...

Novelis invests $4.1M in S.Korea plant.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX Europe (Focus)) ATLANTA (AFX) - Aluminum producer and recycler Novelis Inc. said Thursday its Korean subsidiary will invest $4.1 million to install multi-alloy casting technology in its Ulsan, South Korea, plant. The...

Forward diary - Advance AGMs/EGMs (G-Q).
November 30, 2006... (From AFX UK (Focus)) --- X - ADDITIONS A - AMENDMENT G - GENERAL MEETING E - EXTRAORDINARY S - SPECIAL COMPANY NAME DATE MEETING IP Live Dec 18...

Forward diary - advance board meetings (Dec).
November 30, 2006... (From AFX UK (Focus)) ---- X - ADDITION A - AMENDMENT D - DIVIDEND ONLY F - FINAL I - INTERIM Q - QUARTERLY COMPANY NAME DATE TYPE ---- Millbrook Scientific...

Forward diary - Advance AGMs/EGMs (R-Z).
November 30, 2006... (From AFX UK (Focus)) --- X - ADDITIONS A - AMENDMENT G - GENERAL MEETING E - EXTRAORDINARY S - SPECIAL COMPANY NAME DATE MEETING Spirent Communications Dec 22 ...

Forward diary - advance board meetings (Jan).
November 30, 2006... (From AFX UK (Focus)) ---- X - ADDITION A - AMENDMENT D - DIVIDEND ONLY F - FINAL I - INTERIM Q - QUARTERLY COMPANY NAME DATE TYPE ---- Experian ...

RAM Investment FY loss narrows; pursuing claim against Greek Ministry of Culture.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX UK (Focus)) LONDON (AFX) - RAM Investment Group PLC reported a pretax loss of 426,702 stg for the year to May 31 2006, a reduction from the loss of 712,549 stg the prior year. Turnover for the period was 100,000 stg...

Czech Republic settles Nomura dispute.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX UK (Focus)) PRAGUE, Czech Republic (AFX) - The government has settled a long-running dispute with Japan's investment bank Nomura Co. over its investment in the Czech Republic, the Czech finance minister said Thursday. A...

Crimson Tide says FY loss to be in line with expectations.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX UK (Focus)) LONDON (AFX) - Crimson Tide PLC, the mobile date solutions provider for handheld devices and smart phones, said that it will report a full year loss for 2006 in line with market expectations. It added that...

Poland's Dependence on Coal Makes Mining Sector's Restructuring Economically and Socially Impossible.
November 30, 2006... (From Polish News Bulletin) Every Pole has his own opinion on who is guilty of the tragedy in the Ruda Slaska-based Halemba coal mine. Some say the coal mine's management was at fault, others claim that profit-driven private...

Instead of Meeting Loud Applause, Governmental Concept of Halting Privatisation Meets Anger in State Firms.
November 30, 2006... (From Polish News Bulletin) It could have seemed that the government's idea to halt privatising processes in the economy would be appreciated by trade unions in state companies. Their staff often regards private investors as the "bad...

Sejm Public Finance Committee Head: Budget Deficit Lower Than ZL30bn Out of Question.
November 30, 2006... (From Polish News Bulletin) "Lowering the deficit is important, but it is not a value as such. We must take into account various other goals in order to maintain stable economic growth in the future," says Aleksandra Natalli-Swiat, chair...

PM Warns of Euro Hurry.
November 30, 2006... (From Polish News Bulletin) The government has approved its convergence programme. The new version stipulates that Poland's so-called general government deficit should reach 3.4 percent of GDP in 2007, 3.1 percent in 2008 and 2.9 percent...

OECD: Polish GDP Accelerating.
November 30, 2006... (From Polish News Bulletin) In its Economic Outlook report, the OECD indicates that economic growth in Poland has accelerated and as a result will reach 5.1 percent for the whole of 2006, in comparison to 4.4 percent expected in spring...

EU Fund Distribution Approved.
November 30, 2006... (From Polish News Bulletin) On 29 November, the government accepted four major programmes concerning EU funding distribution: a National Strategic Reference Framework; Human Resources; Technical Assistance; and Infrastructure and...

Orlen Signs Huge Loan Deals.
November 30, 2006... (From Polish News Bulletin) Yesterday, the PKN Orlen petrol company signed two loan agreements, worth EUR1.6bn in total, facilitating the acquisition of Lithuania's Mazeikiu refinery. The financing, comprising a EUR800m revolving loan...

Arms Sector Wants Protection.
November 30, 2006... (From Polish News Bulletin) Polish companies could play a major role in the development of European defence systems of coalition troops participating in foreign missions. This is one of the first research programmes started under the...

Energy Sector Hungry for Investment.
November 30, 2006... (From Polish News Bulletin) The Economy Ministry says that ZL30bn needs to be spent on modernising power plants by the year 2016. Without the necessary investment, Poland may face power shortages. The replacement of old energy blocks...

First Portuguese Pharmacy for Christmas?
November 30, 2006... (From Polish News Bulletin) The news that Jeronimo Martins (JM), owner of Poland's largest discount sales chain Biedronka, is planning to enter the pharmacy market first appeared at the end of August, when the company ordered research...

9 unions at Philly papers extend talks.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX Europe (Focus)) PHILADELPHIA (AFX) - Nine unions at Philadelphia's two largest newspapers agreed Thursday to extend contract talks by another week and are prepared to cross picket lines if editorial employees strike before...

Kerkorian reduces GM stake to 4.95 pct from 7.4 pct.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX Europe (Focus)) NEW YORK (AFX) - Billionaire investor Kirk Kerkorian has cut his stake in General Motors Corp to 4.95 pct from 7.4 pct, the SEC said in a statement. Kerkorian's Tracinda Corp sold 14 mln GM shares at 28.75...

Energy, Treasury award $1B in tax credits.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX Europe (Focus)) WASHINGTON (AFX) - The U.S. Departments of Energy and Treasury on Thursday announced $1 billion in federal tax incentives to nine companies to rapidly deploy clean coal-based power generation technologies. ...

Kerkorian selling another 14M GM shares.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX Europe (Focus)) DETROIT (AFX) - General Motors Corp. shareholder Kirk Kerkorian is selling another 14 million shares in the troubled automaker, dropping his stake by a third to 4.95 percent. In a filing Thursday with the...

General Dynamics gets Army contracts.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX Europe (Focus)) STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. (AFX) - Defense contractor General Dynamics Corp. said Thursday its Land Systems unit won two U.S. Army contracts totaling $359 million for work related to the Abrams battle tank. The...

SCH to abstain from vote on Sanpaolo, Banca Intesa merger - spokesman.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX Europe (Focus)) MILAN (AFX) - Banco Santander Central Hispano (SCH) said it will abstain from tomorrow's vote of shareholders at SanPaolo IMI to approve a merger with Banca Intesa. An SCH spokesman noted that the bank does...

Williams Scotsman considered for upgrade.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX Europe (Focus)) NEW YORK (AFX) - Credit ratings agency Moody's Investors Service said Thursday that it has placed its ratings on mobile office and storage provider Williams Scotsman International Inc. under review for a...

Kerkorian selling another 14M GM shares.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX Europe (Focus)) DETROIT (AFX) - Dissident General Motors Corp. shareholder Kirk Kerkorian is selling another 14 million shares in the troubled automaker, dropping his stake by a third to 4.95 percent. Kerkorian's move...

Fitch reaffirms Cardinal Health ratings.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX Europe (Focus)) CHICAGO (AFX) - Fitch Ratings reaffirmed its positive rating for Cardinal Health Inc. Thursday following the Health care products and services provider's announcement that it will sell its pharmaceutical...

Report cites lack of data on 401(k) fees.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX UK (Focus)) WASHINGTON (AFX) - Participants in 401(k) plans may be losing thousands of dollars in retirement savings because of sponsor fees, a report said Thursday, in urging investors be given a clearer picture of the fees...

Iraqi forces ready to take command in June 2007 - Iraqi PM.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX Europe (Focus)) BAGHDAD (AFX) - Iraqi forces will be ready to take charge of security in the country in June 2007, Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said in an interview with the US television network ABC. "I can say that Iraqi...

Judge approves Delphi's SEC settlement.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX Europe (Focus)) NEW YORK (AFX) - A federal bankruptcy judge on Thursday approved the settlement of accounting fraud charges against Delphi Corp. and six people, including the auto-parts supplier's former chief financial...

Getmobile Europe chairman, co CEO's, CFO up stakes.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX UK (Focus)) LONDON (AFX) - Getmobile Europe PLC said chairman Pierce Casey, chief financial officer Sven Schreiber and co chief executives Tim Schwenke and Daniel Wild have all bought shares at 14 cents each. Casey has...

Enel's sale of Weather Investment stake would not affect Weather IPO.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX Europe (Focus)) ROME (AFX) - Enel SpA's reported plan to sell its 26 pct stake in Weather Investments will not impact Weather's planned initial public offering, said officials at Wind Telecommunicazioni SpA, one of two telecom...

Foreign Secretary visits Jordan.
November 30, 2006... (From Government News Network (Was Hermes-Government Press Releases)) ] FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE 30 November 2006 Foreign Secretary visits Jordan Today the Foreign Secretary, Margaret Beckett MP, will travel to Jordan to...

Royal Bank records record yearly profit.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX Europe (Focus)) TORONTO (AFX) - Royal Bank of Canada Inc. on Thursday reported a record profit of 4.73 Canadian dollars billion ($4.22 billion) in fiscal 2006, the highest annual earnings ever reported by a Canadian bank, but...

Suez/GDF merger project approved by France's Constitutional Council - UPDATE.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX Europe (Focus)) (Adds comment from GDF, French govt) PARIS (AFX) - France's Constitutional Council, which rules on the legality of government legislation, said it has validated the law allowing the privatisation of...

EDF Energies Nouvelles says IPO over-allotment option fully subscribed.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX Europe (Focus)) PARIS (AFX) - EDF Energies Nouvelles, whose initial public offering of shares took place yesterday, said the deal's global coordinators have exercised in full an over-allotment option for another 1.82 mln...

Family Television Awards honors shows.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX Europe (Focus)) BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AFX) - The CBS crime drama "Numb3rs" and CW network comedy "Everybody Hates Chris" took top honors Wednesday at the eighth annual Family Television Awards. "Dancing with the Stars"...

French Q3 broadband internet subscribers 11.75 mln, up 40 pct year-on-year.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX Europe (Focus)) PARIS (AFX) - The total number of French broadband internet subscribers stood at 11.57 mln at the end of the third quarter, up 39.6 pct from the same period last year, according to figures from telecoms...

Jonathan Steele: While the Pope tries to build bridges in Turkey, the precarious plight of Iraq's Christians gets only worse.
November 30, 2006... (From Guardian Unlimited) Whatever harm Benedict XVI's incendiary remarks about Islam and the prophet Mohammed did for his image in Turkey, which his visit there is trying to repair this week, they were devastating in Iraq. The...

Microsoft releases Vista to businesses.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX UK (Focus)) NEW YORK (AFX) - Microsoft Corp. launched its first new computer operating system in five years Thursday, saying that despite delays, the product's emergence is perfectly timed for PC users who increasingly...

Bush will make decision on Iraq in 'weeks' - report.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX Europe (Focus)) LONDON (AFX) - US President George W. Bush will make a decision on Iraq policy in "weeks rather than months", national security advisor Stephen Hadley said. "I think probably it's going to be weeks rather...

JCDecaux joint venture wins Osaka bus shelter advertising contract.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX Europe (Focus)) PARIS (AFX) - JCDecaux said its MCDecaux Japanese joint venture has won the bus shelter advertising contract for the city of Osaka in Japan, a 20-year contract that calls for the supply of 500 shelters. The...

First Marblehead completes acquisition.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX Europe (Focus)) BOSTON (AFX) - First Marblehead Corp., which provides private education loans, on Thursday said it completed the purchase of Rhode Island banker Union Federal Savings Bank. Terms were not disclosed. ...

Kerkorian selling another 14M GM shares.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX UK (Focus)) DETROIT (AFX) - Dissident General Motors Corp. shareholder Kirk Kerkorian is selling another 14 million shares in the troubled automaker, dropping his stake by a third to 4.95 percent for a price of just over $400...

China Health Management Corp. Announces New Information Website.
November 30, 2006... (From Hugin) China Health Management Corp. Announces New Information Website Yunnan, China. November 30, 2006. China Health Management Corp. (CHMC), (Pink sheets: CNHC) a Nevada Corporation, is pleased to announce today that it has...

GLOBAL INVESTMENT UPDATE: Aurelio Resource Corporation Appoints Allan J. Marter To The Board Of Directors.
November 30, 2006... (From Hugin) Vancouver, BC -- November 30, 2006 -- Global Developments, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: GBDP), a publicly traded venture capital company, is pleased to provide the following update with respect to Aurelio Resource Corporation, a...

GMH expands Colorado project.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX Europe (Focus)) NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. (AFX) - Real estate investment trust GMH Communities Trust said Thursday it plans to expand its Fort Carson military housing privatization project in Colorado Springs, Colo. The expansion...

Study: 'Broker penalty' on fund sales.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX Europe (Focus)) WASHINGTON (AFX) - Investors who buy index mutual funds through brokers pay a steep "broker penalty" because they are steered to funds with much higher operating expenses, according to a study issued Thursday....

Minimum wage hike won't go far.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX Europe (Focus)) (AFX) - Two months into her minimum wage job at Target Corp., Tara Dennis realized she and her three children would be better off if she was unemployed and on food stamps. So she quit. "As a single mom,...

Report cites lack of data on 401(k) fees.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX Europe (Focus)) WASHINGTON (AFX) - Participants in 401(k) plans may be losing thousands of dollars in retirement savings because of sponsor fees, a report said Thursday, in urging investors be given a clearer picture of the...

Retailers tap holiday giving spirit.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX Europe (Focus)) (AFX) - Walk into any Gap clothing store this holiday season and expect to see red T-shirts, red hats and red bracelets. Of course decorating with red is nothing unusual this time of year, but the...

Wells Fargo to buy EFC Partners.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX Europe (Focus)) SAN FRANCISCO (AFX) - Financial services provider Wells Fargo & Co. said Thursday it has agreed to acquire factoring company EFC Partners LP. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. The deal is expected...

Stocks mixed following purchasing index, retailers' sales figures.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX Europe (Focus)) NEW YORK (AFX) - Stocks were narrowly mixed Thursday after Wall Street got a weak reading on manufacturing in the Midwest and retailers turned in uneven sales reports for November. The Chicago...

MortgageIT shareholders approve takeover.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX Europe (Focus)) NEW YORK (AFX) - MortgageIT Holdings Inc. said Thursday its shareholders approved the residential mortgage banker's acquisition by Deutsche Bank for about $429 million in cash. About 98.9 percent of the...

Prosecutor pursues backdating violators.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX Europe (Focus)) NEW YORK (AFX) - The federal prosecutor overseeing Silicon Valley said Thursday the way a company responds to stock option backdating allegations is crucial to whether or not it will be indicted. Kevin Ryan,...

Fired exec drops suit against Wal-Mart.
November 30, 2006... (From AFX Europe (Focus)) BENTONVILLE, Ark. (AFX) - Fired Wal-Mart executive Jared Bowen has quietly dropped a state lawsuit that claimed the world's largest retailer defamed him when it accused him of helping his former boss defraud the...