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Date:      Tue, 25 Feb 2003 00:12:46 +0100 (CET)
From:      "newsfox.com" <system@mail.pressetext.com>
To:        "newsfox subscriber" <system@mail.pressetext.com>
Subject:   newsfox.digest
Message-ID:  <20030224231246.0BCB7A358F3@laetitia.pte.at>

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+++   pressetext.europe   +++   newsfox.com   +++   pressetext.europe  +++
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News of the day
Message digest by newsfox from 02/24/2003
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 1. Bayern Munich could lose title over marketing deal=20
    Bayern and KirchMedia accused of tax fraud and corruption=20
    (pte030224025)

 2. Ukraine may soon face AIDS epidemic=20
    Up to 1.5 million HIV positive could cripple health sector=20
    (pte030224028)

 3. France supports technology start-ups=20
    30 million euros to most innovative firms=20
    (pte030224030)

 4. Springer returns to profits=20
    German publisher sees results of dramatic cost cuts=20
    (pte030224032)

 5. Czech Republic gets ADSL-connected=20
    SkyNet first to offer access, 80.000 clients interested=20
    (pte030224035)

 6. EMI looking for partners abroad=20
    Warner and BMG potential candidates=20
    (pte030224038)

 7. Mental Images honoured in Hollywood=20
    German upstart delivers effects for Matrix sequels=20
    (pte030224040)

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   http://www.pressetext.com/pte.mc?pte=3D030224025

   Bayern Munich could lose title over marketing deal
   Bayern and KirchMedia accused of tax fraud and corruption

   Munich (pte, Feb 24, 2003 12:37) - German football giants Bayern Munich
   http:// www.fcbayern.t-online.de/ could be stripped of their 2001 league
   title following allegations they cut a secret marketing deal with now
   bankrupt media giants KirchMedia.

   Both Bayern and KirchMedia http:// www.kirchmedia.de/ are suspected of
   corruption and tax fraud after reports in a financial magazine "Manager
   Magazine=92 over a 1999 deal between the club and KirchMedia.

   The magazine alleged Bayern pocketed 15 million pounds over three seasons
   from KirchMedia in a marketing deal that neither the German FA nor the
   Bundesliga were aware of.

   Under the deal Bayern were paid by KirchMedia in return for the four-time
   European Champions=92 support for a central marketing scheme for all Ger=
man
   clubs, run by the German FA but, from which KirchMedia would have
   benefited.

   Bayern had previously been opposed to such a scheme, arguing that as a
   massive European club they had the clout to organize their own marketing.

   Berlin-based lawyer Bert Handschumacher said: "There is an immense
   suspicion of corruption which the public prosecution will now examine.=
=94

   Bundesliga heads maintain they were never told about the deal and that
   Bayern had always assured them they did not have their own individual
   marketing company.

   Bundesliga chairman Werner Hackmann said: "I=92m baffled. They always
   claimed they had no marketing company and now it turns out they had a
   deal with Kirch.=94

   Bundesliga managing director Michael Pfad said the league wanted to
   examine the case in minute detail "to find out whether the league has
   suffered any financial or sport damages".

   Other league chiefs suggested the team could even be stripped of the
   league title it won for the 2000-2001 season =96 the season in which it =
got
   the most money from the deal - over the affair.

   Bayern officials have denied any wrongdoing in the deal. Club manager Uli
   Hoeness told German daily =91Bild=92: "This was a common marketing deal =
that
   all clubs have. There is no reason for any kind of criticism of it.
   Without us, the other German clubs would never have got the big marketing
   deals they did.=94

   The 50-year old rejected allegations Bayern had been bribed to back a
   central marketing scheme. He said: "We have not accepted a bribe, as FC
   Bayern are not open to bribes. Once again there seem to be many people
   out there who envy us, but that's nothing new."

   Former KirchMedia deputy boss Dieter Hahn revealed, though, that Bayern
   and Kirch had previously discussed setting up a TV channel solely for the
   Munich team showing their matches exclusively.

   He told German sports magazine =91Kicker=92: "We wanted to set up a deal=
 with
   Bayern for individual games. On a new channel we would have televised
   their matches in the event the central marketing project failed." (end)
   =A0
   Submitter: pressetext.europe
=20=20=20
   Contact: Harry Miltner,
   E-Mail: editor@newsfox.com,
   Phone: + 43 - 01 - 811 40 - 319

   ________________________________________________________________________=
___
   +++   pressetext.europe   +++   newsfox.com   +++   pressetext.europe   =
+++


   http://www.pressetext.com/pte.mc?pte=3D030224028

   Ukraine may soon face AIDS epidemic
   Up to 1.5 million HIV positive could cripple health sector

   Odessa (pte, Feb 24, 2003 13:09) - An AIDS epidemic is set to ravage the
   Ukraine within seven years, with recent research suggesting up to one and
   half million people will be HIV positive in the country by 2010.

   Officials at the country=92s Institute for Social Studies (ISS)
   http://www.osu.odessa.ua/faculties/socinst.php3 in Odessa said the
   disease is poised to explode over the next seven years.

   According to official statistics 53,000 people were last year diagnosed
   as having HIV. But the ISS believes the real figure could be as much as
   ten times higher, Slovak paper =91Pravda=92 http:// www.pravda.sk/ repor=
ted.

   There were 183 registered cases of HIV/AIDS in 1994.

   The ISS also said the prognoses for the development of HIV and AIDS for
   the future was grim.

   It said that while last year 2,300 deaths from AIDS were recorded, the
   figure by 2010 is likely to be just under 100,000.

   Director of the ISS Oleksander Jaramenko said: "By that time we could see
   the number of people sick from HIV and AIDS rise to 1.44 million people.=
=94

   He added that some areas in the south and west of the Ukraine have turned
   into "catastrophe zones=94.

   The disease is reportedly spreading rapidly in those areas as sex and
   drugs tourists come to big cities, such as Odessa on the Black Sea, from
   across the former Soviet Union.

   Experts have warned that if the ISS=92s predictions come true, the
   country=92s economy could be seriously affected and the massively
   underfunded health sector could collapse as doctors struggle to battle
   the disease. (end)
   =A0
   Submitter: pressetext.europe
=20=20=20
   Contact: Ed Holt,
   E-Mail: editor@newsfox.com,
   Phone: + 43 =96 1 =96 811 40 =96 319

   ________________________________________________________________________=
___
   +++   pressetext.europe   +++   newsfox.com   +++   pressetext.europe   =
+++


   http://www.pressetext.com/pte.mc?pte=3D030224030

   France supports technology start-ups
   30 million euros to most innovative firms

   Paris (pte, Feb 24, 2003 13:47) - The French Ministry for Research and
   New Technologies has pledged millions of euros in support of upcoming
   technologies during its fifth national contest for the most innovative
   start-up projects.

   To be admitted to the contest, participants must be residents of France
   but need not be French citizens. The projects submitted must be in the
   developmental stage, in preparation for entry on the market.

   The goal is to identify the most interesting ideas for the founding of a
   company based on innovative technology. These companies will then receive
   financial support from the government.

   Winners may receive subventions for up to 70 per cent of the maturation
   process or 50 per cent of the founding costs, as well as special
   supervision from former prize winners. They are also promised easier
   access to consulting and financing institutions.

   The deadline for the contest is 6 March 2003. Further details can be
   found at http://www.recherche.gouv.fr/technologie/concours/default.htm

   The contest is co-organized by the French Innovation Agency (Anvar)
   http://www.anvar.fr/ and the European Social Fund
   http://europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/esf2000/guidelines_fr.htm.
   (end)
   =A0
   Submitter: pressetext.europe
=20=20=20
   Contact: newsfox newsdesk,
   E-Mail: editor@newsfox.com,
   Phone: + 43 =96 1 =96 811 40 =96 319

   ________________________________________________________________________=
___
   +++   pressetext.europe   +++   newsfox.com   +++   pressetext.europe   =
+++


   http://www.pressetext.com/pte.mc?pte=3D030224032

   Springer returns to profits
   German publisher sees results of dramatic cost cuts

   Berlin (pte, Feb 24, 2003 14:22) - Europe=92s largest newspaper publisher
   Axel Springer http://www.asv.de has reported profits in 2002 as the
   result of a radical cost-cutting programme helping it to survive a
   downturn in the German media sector.

   Earnings before interest, tax and amortisation (ebita) climbed to 110m
   euros, compared to 33m euros in 2001. The operating result was 63m euros
   higher than in the previous year (14m euros). In spite of a three per
   cent decline in turnover to 2.777 billion euros, the publishers managed
   to return to profits on a net level.

   Springer chairman of the board Mathias D=F6pfner attributed the improvem=
ent
   to cost cuts of up to 137m euros. He said the publishing house had
   "recognized the difficult market situation early and reacted quickly by
   reducing costs=94.

   Springer reported its first losses in 2001 when it recorded a net loss of
   minus 198m euros.

   In addition to reducing personnel, the group has withdrawn from several
   business areas and merged its two dailies =91Berliner Morgenpost=92 and =
=91Die
   Welt=92. Two weeks ago Springer sold the publishing group Ullstein Heyne
   List to the Bertelsmann group. (end)
   =A0
   Submitter: pressetext.europe
=20=20=20
   Contact: newsfox newsdesk,
   E-Mail: editor@newsfox.com,
   Phone: + 43 =96 1 =96 811 40 =96 319

   ________________________________________________________________________=
___
   +++   pressetext.europe   +++   newsfox.com   +++   pressetext.europe   =
+++


   http://www.pressetext.com/pte.mc?pte=3D030224035

   Czech Republic gets ADSL-connected
   SkyNet first to offer access, 80.000 clients interested

   Prague (pte, Feb 24, 2003 14:53) - Czech Internet users now have the
   option of going online via ADSL. The eastern European country with a
   population of ten million is the first EU entry candidate to provide its
   Internet surfers with ADSL connections.

   SkyNet http://www.skynet.cz has published a complete price list, with
   connections available in Prague, Brunn and Ostrau. According to former
   monopolist Czesky Telecom, about 80,000 Czech citizens have expressed an
   interest in acquiring an ADSL connection.

   Since Czesky Telecom published its ADSL wholesale offer on 6 February
   http://telecom.wholesale.cz/sluzby/pristup_k_siti_internet/adsl/index.ph=
p,
   half a dozen contracts have been signed, including the agreement with
   SkyNet. SkyNet provides ADSL connections in five speed and price
   categories. The slowest connection (192 kbps downstream, 64 kbps
   upstream) costs about 43 euros a month, with the fastest connection
   (1Mbit downstream, 526 kbps upstream) available for 332 euros
   http://adsl.skynet.cz.

   IOL, Czesky Telecom=92s Internet subsidiary, is planning to put an ADSL
   offer on the market in March
   http://www.telecom.cz/infocentrum_e/tiskove_centrum/tiskove_zpravy/clane=
k.php?tz=3D21022003_1.
   (end)
   =A0
   Submitter: pressetext.europe
=20=20=20
   Contact: newsfox newsdesk,
   E-Mail: editor@newsfox.com,
   Phone: + 43 =96 1 =96 811 40 =96 319

   ________________________________________________________________________=
___
   +++   pressetext.europe   +++   newsfox.com   +++   pressetext.europe   =
+++


   http://www.pressetext.com/pte.mc?pte=3D030224038

   EMI looking for partners abroad
   Warner and BMG potential candidates

   London (pte, Feb 24, 2003 15:30) - The British EMI group
   http://www.emimusic.com, the smallest of the world=92s five largest music
   labels, is looking for a partner for a new merger.

   According to the Wall Street Journal, EMI has cast its eye on Warner
   Music http://www.warnermusic.com, AOL Time Warner=92s music subsidiary. =
But
   Handelsblatt reports that EMI has also entered talks with the Bertelsmann
   group about a possible fusion with BMG http://www.bmg.com. In each of the
   scenarios, EMI would hold the majority in the new music label.

   While it may be unusual for the smallest player in the music business to
   take the initiative, analysts suggest EMI aims to take advantage of a
   need for fresh capital among the respective parent companies. Both AOL
   Time Warner and Bertelsmann are also rumoured to be seeking ways out of
   the difficult music business without completely forsaking their foothold.

   EMI is the only independent label not belonging to a larger media group.
   It is also the weakest label on the stock market. With a market value of
   just over 1.4m euros, EMI has already been deemed a likely candidate for
   takeover. By taking the initiative, EMI may ward off this option.

   If EMI merged with Warner, the new company would occupy a 22 per cent
   market share in the United States, placing it second to market leader
   Universal.

   Before any deal can go through, however, it must pass review by the
   European antitrust authorities, who have stopped similar merger attempts
   on the part of EMI before. Yet experts say dramatic changes in the music
   business due to sinking CD sales and online distribution could place such
   a merger in a new light and help it gain the favour of the authorities.
   (end)
   =A0
   Submitter: pressetext.europe
=20=20=20
   Contact: newsfox newsdesk,
   E-Mail: editor@newsfox.com,
   Phone: + 43 =96 1 =96 811 40 =96 319

   ________________________________________________________________________=
___
   +++   pressetext.europe   +++   newsfox.com   +++   pressetext.europe   =
+++


   http://www.pressetext.com/pte.mc?pte=3D030224040

   Mental Images honoured in Hollywood
   German upstart delivers effects for Matrix sequels

   Berlin (pte, Feb 24, 2003 16:10) - Mental Images GmbH
   http://www.mentalimages.com/ in Berlin has surprised the industry by
   providing the effects for two of Hollywood=92s most anticipated films =
=96 the
   sequels to the futuristic blockbuster Matrix.

   According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), based on these and other
   achievements in the film indsutry, the German special effects experts are
   to receive a technical achievement award for their "mental ray=94
   technology from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in
   Beverly Hills on 1 March.

   In creating the effects for the film, Mental Images worked together with
   California visual effects studios, but much of the technology used was
   their own.

   The mental ray rendering technique was first used in computer-assisted
   design for cars, but has recently attracted the attention of movie
   studios. the concept behind it is that it not only emulates light, but
   also simulates the way light bounces off a variety of surfaces. It takes
   into consideration the way a ray of light doesn't just illuminate an
   object once, but bounces several times off walls, floors and other
   surfaces to create several degrees of shadow, light and reflections. It
   computes what fraction of light will reach the object at different
   places, from different surfaces.

   The German software is particularly good at creating life-like eyes and
   hair on animals, and its range of applications made it especially
   attractive to the makers of the Matrix sequels, "Matrix Reloaded=94
   http://www.whatisthematrix.com/ and "The Matrix Revolutions=94.

   Mental Ray CEO Rolf Herkin founded the company in 1986 while working on a
   PhD these on "Complexity Aspects of Quantum Gravity=94 at the Free
   University of Berlin, which he never finished. The company currently
   employs 30 people, most of them software developers. (end)
   =A0
   Submitter: pressetext.europe
=20=20=20
   Contact: newsfox newsdesk,
   E-Mail: editor@newsfox.com,
   Phone: + 43 =96 1 =96 811 40 =96 319

=20=20=20

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