World Briefing | Europe: Britain: Plan To Hold Terror Suspects 42 Days The government said the measure was needed because Britain could face ?two or three 9/11’s? in a single day, requiring complex investigations.... Read Full Article Bush Goes To Europe In Wake Of Putin’s Threat The Russian president threatened to point missiles at Europe if the U.S. builds its missile defense system.... Read Full Article Ideas & Trends: A Battle Between The Bottle And The Faucet Thirsty? How much money do you have on you?... Read Full Article Four Kisses And Then The Band Played: The Day Iran And Iraq Became Friend President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad declared a new chapter in relations between Iran and Iraq today as he made an unprecedented trip to Baghdad to strengthen ties between the former foes, once divided by ... Read Full Article The Energy Challenge: Cleaner Coal Is Attracting Some Doubts Power companies are planning to build about 150 coal plants in the next few years. Almost none of them will be built to capture carbon dioxide.... Read Full Article |
Piers NewsBits: How Green Is Your Printer?Xerox is introducing a Sustainability Calculator, a tool that representatives of its Office Services unit will use to help companies gauge the environmental impact of their printers and copiers.Read Full Article Silvio Berlusconi may save Alitalia from Air FranceAs prospects for a sale of Alitalia to Air France-KLM recede and Italy’s troubled national airline moves closer to receivership, a rich and powerful “white knight” has appeared on the horizon to save it - none other than Silvio Berlusconi, twice Italian Prime Minister and, according to the polls, likely to win a third term in the country’s general election next month.<br/> <br/> Mr Berlusconi, describing the Air France-KLM offer for the partly state-owned Alitalia as “arrogant and unacceptable”, said that he was backing a rival offer by Air One, Italy’s biggest private carrier, with financial support from Banca Intesa, the second-biggest bank in Italy. Mr Berlusconi, who earlier in the election campaign had said that he could accept the Air France-KLM offer provided Alitalia kept its “national” character, yesterday indicated that he would reject it if he won office next month.<br/> <br/> Mr Berlusconi urged Romano Prodi, the outgoing Prime Minister, to arrange a state bridging loan to allow time for an “all-Italian” bid to be presented. He indicated that such a bid might include him and his children Piersilvio, executive vice-president of Mediaset, and Marina, president of the family’s holding company Fininvest, who he said were “ready to help” alongside “Arab investors ready to participate with minority stakes”. Mr Berlusconi’s three children by his second wife, the actress Veronica Lario – Barbara, Eleonora and Luigi – also hold stakes in his companies.<br/> <br/> He added: “Even Greece and Portugal have a national airline. One can’t just give up Alitalia. I’ve been silent until now, but I spoke up when I saw the unacceptable conditions.”<br/> <br/> However Mr Berlusconi later backed away from the idea that he or his family would sink their own cash into Alitalia, instead urging other “patriotic” businessmen to step forward, insisting that “there is an Italian option”.<br/> <br/> To some sceptics, all this looked like a blatant electioneering appeal to nationalist and protectionist sentiment. “If there were Italian businessmen capable of saving Alitalia, why didn’t they come forward earlier?” said Pier Ferdinando Casini, leader of the Christian Democratic UDC, which was formerly part of Mr Berlusconi’s Centre Right alliance but has deserted it to run independently.<br/> <br/> The board of Alitalia announced last weekend that it was accepting the bid by Air France-KLM. This provoked protests from politicians and trade union leaders over the sale price, proposed job cuts and the impact on the economy of Milan because of plans to cut flights from Malpensa airport and make Rome the only hub for Alitalia. Letizia Moratti, the mayor of Milan, said that Italy was “handing its transport policy over to foreigners”.<br/> <br/> Air France-KLM said that it was losing patience and would pull out of the deal unless threats of strikes and a lawsuit by SEA, the Malpensa airport operator, were lifted. However, Giuseppe Bonomi, SEA’s chairman, insisted that it would not drop its lawsuit against Alitalia for €1.25 billion (£970 million) in damages over its decision to downgrade Malpensa.<br/> <br/> Maurizio Prato, chief executive of Alitalia, said its situation was grave, and Tommaso Padoa-Schioppa, the Finance Minister, said bluntly that the only alternative to Air France’s bid was bankruptcy. Alitalia loses more than €1 million a day. Mr Padoa-Schioppa said: “Whoever is interested in Alitalia should come ahead formally and with concrete offers. Time is running out very rapidly.”<br/> <br/> Union leaders who walked out of talks with Jean-Cyril Spinetta, chief executive of Air France, on March 18 are to meet him again next Tuesday, together with Alitalia management. Air France has set a March 31 deadline for agreement with the unions. Marco Veneziani, of the UIL union, said: “There may be room to negotiate.”<br/> <br/> Ansa, the Italian news agency, said that receivership would almost certainly involve grounding 50 of Alitalia’s 174 aircraft, which would mean more than doubling the 2,100 job cuts among air and ground staff envisaged in Air France’s plan. Alitalia would have to be put up for liquidation and its assets sold to pay debts of €1.5 billion.Read Full Article Canon to Buy Quarter of Hitachi LCD Panel UnitThe Japanese camera and office equipment maker said it would pay $403 million for a quarter stake in Hitachi’s LCD panel business to get its own supply of parts for its cameras and copiers.Read Full Article Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema, a ?Soldier of Orange,? Is Dead at 90Mr. Hazelhoff Roelfzema was acclaimed as one of the Netherlands? greatest World War II heroes for leading missions against Nazi occupiers of his homeland.Read Full Article World Business Briefing: Japan: Canon to Build an Ink FactoryCanon will invest about 80 billion yen ($709 million) to build a factory in northern Japan to make ink cartridges for printers and photocopiers. Canon, which is based in Tokyo, said construction of the factory in Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture, will start in November and production will begin in August next year.Read Full Article External News for: piersLongtime Texas surfing mecca demolished - Dallas Morning NewsLongtime Texas surfing mecca demolishedDallas Morning NewsFaggard would like to see two or even more fishing piers built on the barrier island, although so far the state isn't going that far. ...and more »Longtime Texas surfing mecca demolished - Dallas Morning NewsLongtime Texas surfing mecca demolishedDallas Morning NewsFaggard would like to see two or even more fishing piers built on the barrier island, although so far the state isn't going that far. ...and more »Campaign aims to bring back town's traditional pier - Darlington and Stockton TimesCampaign aims to bring back town's traditional pierDarlington and Stockton TimesA CAMPAIGN has been launched to restore tradition and build a pier on Redcar seafront. Historically, the town boasted two stretching out into the North Sea, ...Longtime Texas surfing mecca demolished - Dallas Morning NewsLongtime Texas surfing mecca demolishedDallas Morning NewsFaggard would like to see two or even more fishing piers built on the barrier island, although so far the state isn't going that far. ...and more »Campaign aims to bring back town's traditional pier - Darlington and Stockton TimesCampaign aims to bring back town's traditional pierDarlington and Stockton TimesA CAMPAIGN has been launched to restore tradition and build a pier on Redcar seafront. Historically, the town boasted two stretching out into the North Sea, ...Harlem's Vicious Circle, Williamsburg's Anticipated Sequel - Curbed (blog)Curbed (blog)Harlem's Vicious Circle, Williamsburg's Anticipated SequelCurbed (blog)[CurbedWIre Inbox] WILLIAMSBURG—The first Northside Piers tower has given us so much over the years, so it's weird that the Toll Brothers' Northside Piers 2 ...and more » |
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