Date: Mon, 24 Feb 2003 23:30:08 +0100 (CET) From: "newsfox.com" <system@mail.pressetext.com> To: "newsfox subscriber" <system@mail.pressetext.com> Subject: newsfox.digest Message-ID: <20030224223008.68548A3507F@laetitia.pte.at>
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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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