Inflation in Japan Rises at a Slower Pace
Date: 13 February 2007
By Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News
Japan’s producer prices rose at the slowest pace in more than a year in January as oil costs fell, easing pressure on companies to pass expenses on to consumers.
Full Article
F.B.I. Lags in Securing Its Laptops and Weapons
Date: 13 February 2007
By Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News
A report says that 160 weapons and 160 laptops had been lost or stolen over a 44-month period.
Full Article
Verizon Sells Venezuela Stake
Date: 13 February 2007
By Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News
Venezuela’s government agreed to buy the stake held by Verizon Communications in Compañía Anónima Nacional Teléfonos de Venezuela for $572 million.
Full Article
Applebee’s Explores a Sale of the Company
Date: 14 February 2007
By Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News
Applebee’s International, the operator of almost 2,000 restaurants, mainly in North America, said yesterday it might sell the company after its third-biggest shareholder accused management of failing to increase sales and cut costs.
Full Article
Yum Brands Reports Profit and Sales Rose
Date: 13 February 2007
By Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News
Yum Brands, operator of the Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and KFC chains, said that fourth-quarter profit rose, helped by increased sales in China, its fastest-growing market.
Full Article
Canada: Uranium Producer Acquired
Date: 13 February 2007
By Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News
SXR Uranium One agreed to buy UrAsia Energy for $3.1 billion to form the world’s second-largest uranium producer as rising demand for nuclear fuel drives prices to records. SXR, owner of South Africa’s largest undeveloped uranium deposit, bid 7.05 Canadian dollars ($6.01) a share for UrAsia, which is based in Vancouver, British Columbia, and owns mines in Central Asia. That was 13 percent more than UrAsia’s Feb. 9 closing price in Toronto, the companies said. SXR’s stock rose 6.8 percent to a record. The combined company, once all its mines are operating, will trail only Cameco in production and be the only producer in Kazakhstan, South Africa, Australia, the United States and Canada, the five largest holders of uranium deposits.
Full Article
Charles Walgreen Jr., 100, Who Built the Family Drug Chain, Is Dead
Date: 13 February 2007
By Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News
Charles Walgreen Jr. helped build his father’s drugstore chain into America’s biggest.
Full Article
Italy: Finalists in Bidding for Alitalia
Date: 14 February 2007
By Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News
Five companies were picked by the government as finalists in the bidding for its stake in Alitalia, the ailing state-controlled carrier. The bidders include the Texas Pacific Group, the private equity firm; UniCredit, the bank; as well as financier Carlo De Benedetti’s Management and Capitali, MatlinPatterson Global Advisers; and Carlo Toto, owner of Italy’s No. 2 carrier, Air One, the finance ministry said. They have until mid-April to submit preliminary offers. Italy decided in December to sell its stake in the country’s largest airline after the government abandoned turnaround efforts. Alitalia last reported a profit in 2002 and has forecast a loss in 2006.
Full Article
Charles Gibson’s ‘World News’ Gets Rare Ratings Victory
Date: 14 February 2007
By Jacques Steinberg
Jacques Steinberg
For the first time since the network newscasts led by Brian Williams, Charles Gibson and Katie Couric began competing in September, Mr. Gibson on ABC was the most watched of the three.
Full Article
NBA: Amaechi calls reaction positive to news he's gay - Sports - International Herald Tribune
Date: 14 February 2007
By Liz Robbins
Liz Robbins
Since the news broke last week that John Amaechi, a retired center, had become the first NBA player to disclose he is gay, he has been overwhelmed by the mostly positive responses, Amaechi said in an interview this week.
Full Article