France Says It Was Victim of Lies Fed by White House
Date: 16 May 2003
By Brian Knowlton
Brian Knowlton
Officials in France complain formally that their country is victim of 'repeated disinformation' being fed by Bush administration officials who accuse France of having provided military and diplomatic aid to Saddam Hussein's government; White House denies assertion; still, some experts are surprised by anti-French virulence that has come, if not directly from Bush administration, then from some of its supporters or sympathizers in news media; French complaint is made in form of letter sent by Amb Jean-David Levitte to White House, State Dept and Congress (M)
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Times Reporter Wins a Book Award
Date: 16 May 2003
The New York Times reporter Keith Bradsher is awarded New York Public Library's Helen Bernstein Award for Excellence in Journalism for book High and Mighty: SUV's-The World's Most Dangerous Vehicles and How They Got That Way; finalists noted (S)
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Dominican Bankers Linked to Embezzlement
Date: 16 May 2003
Three top executives of Dominican Republic's Banco Intercontinental, including president Ramon Baez Figueroa, are arrested after authorities discover clandestine banking operation that resulted in embezzling of $2.2 billion; central bank says executives of Banco Intercontinental established unsupervised bank-within-a-bank in 1989 that used deposits to buy companies linked to bank officers and that forgave millions of dollars in bad loans; arrest of Baez Figueroa brings cries of political skullduggery because government placed Baez Figueroa's media properties under 'administrative control,' including Listin Diario, country's leading newspaper, which is seen as friendly to former Pres Leonel Fernandez, who is seeking to regain presidency in next year's election; Baez Figueroa says government is seizing his media properties to help re-election of Pres Hipolito Mejia; Listin Diario publishes editorial denouncing government's probe of Baez Figueroa as threat to press freedom; photo (M)
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Paths Of Glory
Date: 16 May 2003
By Paul Krugman
Paul Krugman
Paul Krugman Op-Ed column rebuts view that Pres Bush, whatever his other failings, has been effective leader in fight against terrorism; quotes warning by International Institute for Strategic Studies that Al Qaeda is 'more insidious and just as dangerous' as before Sept 11; recounts Bush administration's 'amazing refusal' to fund even minimal measures to secure chemical and nuclear plants, mirrored by its failure to follow through on overseas efforts once television-friendly part of operation is over; cites departure of main US team hunting weapons of mass destruction in Iraq now that media coverage has slackened off (M)
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STARBUCKS IN JOINT VENTURE TO EXPAND INTO CHILE
Date: 15 May 2003
By Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News
Starbucks Corp agrees to joint venture with Grain Red to open coffee shops in Chile; financial terms undisclosed (S)
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LEUCADIA OFFERS $365 MILLION FOR REST OF WILTEL
Date: 16 May 2003
By Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News
Leucadia National offers to buy part of WilTel Communications it does not already own for $365.1 million; Leucadia owns about 47 percent of WilTel (S)
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MEADWESTVACO TO TAKE CHARGES AND CLOSE 3 PLANTS
Date: 15 May 2003
By Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News
MeadWestvaco Corp, maker of coated paper, will take $13 million charge this quarter for management changes; will also record expense of $2 million to close plants in Virginia, Tennessee and Delaware (S)
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BRUNSWICK RESTATES EARNINGS TO REFLECT A RESERVE FUND
Date: 16 May 2003
By Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News
Brunwick is restating first-quarter earnings because of $25 million reserve for possible settlement of patent lawsuit; net income for quarter is restated to $3.8 million from $19.8 million reported on April 24; company's Life Fitness unit is in talks with Precor, unit of Amer Group, to settle dispute over rights held by Precor relating to design of exercise machine known as cross-trainer (S)
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DOLLAR TREE IN $100 MILLION DEAL FOR GREENBACKS INC.
Date: 16 May 2003
By Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News
Dollar Tree Stores acquires Greenbacks Inc for about $100 million in cash (S)
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TOM BROWN TO BUY MATADOR PETROLEUM FOR $373 MILLION
Date: 15 May 2003
By Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News
Tom Brown Inc, natural gas producer, acquires Matador Petroleum Corp for $373 million (S)
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