Date: Fri, 14 Mar 2003 22:25:48 +0100 (CET) From: "newsfox.com" <system@mail.pressetext.com> To: "newsfox subscriber" <system@mail.pressetext.com> Subject: newsfox.digest Message-ID: <e488f3ecd36bdabf5b781d9f5d56b8a4.8581-7502@mail.pressetext.com>
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+++ pressetext.europe +++ newsfox.com +++ pressetext.europe +++
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News of the day
Message digest by newsfox from 03/14/2003
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1. High drop-out rate at German universities=20
Cause: Poor motivation and student-professor relationships=20
(pte030314024)
2. Online Publishers Association Europe launched=20
Charter members include Le Monde, Spiegel and Group Financial Times=20
(pte030314027)
3. Corporate crime has deep impact=20
Study shows losses higher than expected=20
(pte030314028)
4. Siemens phones can be "shot down" via SMS=20
German manufacturer recommends firmware update=20
(pte030314033)
5. Berger may return to F1 circuit=20
Negotiations under way with Volkswagen=20
(pte030314036)
6. Swiss posts heavy losses=20
New brand and restructuring weaken first annual results=20
(pte030314037)
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http://www.pressetext.com/pte.mc?pte=3D030314024
High drop-out rate at German universities
Cause: Poor motivation and student-professor relationships
Hannover (pte, Mar 14, 2003 12:37) - More than a quarter of German
students are dropping out of higher education before their final exams
according to a new study.
The survey found financial problems, poor student-professor relationships
and a lack of motivation were the main reasons that one in four of
Germany=92s 1.9 million students were breaking off their studies early.
Some 300,000 young Germans start university each year and with 27 per
cent of those dropping out before reaching their final exams the
country=92s universities have been dealt a stinging blow - particularly
when a large part of the problem is due to their administrative or
teaching standards.
Around 50 per cent of drop outs said it was down to just one of a number
of factors, either a lack of motivation, no money or a change of heart
over their chosen career.
Seventy per cent of students who broke off studies named poor conditions
at universities as one of the reasons why they threw in the towel,
although only eight per cent said this was the main reason. They were
particularly critical of teachers and professors in the economic- and
social science subject areas as well as information technology lecturers.
The report carried out by the Higher Education Information System (HIS)
http://www.his.de - a non-profit organisation funded partly by the
government and partly by the provinces =96 said students were also leavi=
ng
it longer before dropping out, averaging 7.6 semesters rather than 6.5 as
it was in 1993.
This, say experts, is the worst thing to do. Ulrich Heublein from the HIS
said the sooner students decided to give up their courses the better, as
only then could other options be concretely explored.
Germany=92s Education Minister Edelgard Bulmahn has acknowledged the
current problems and said they had to be tackled quickly in order for the
number of young students choosing to attend university from falling. She
said a "pact=94 had to be made between the federal government and the
regional governments to ensure that standards were met.
She said in order to combat the problem of increased drop-out rates a
system of ranking had to be introduced. "Those universities with high
numbers of students not completing their degrees should be investigated
whilst those with low numbers should be heavily rewarded,=94 said Bulmah=
n.
(end)
=A0
Submitter: pressetext.europe
=20=20=20
Contact: Newsfox Desk,
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=3D030314027
Online Publishers Association Europe launched
Charter members include Le Monde, Spiegel and Group Financial Times
New York/ Paris (pte, Mar 14, 2003 13:13) - The US-based Online
Publishers Association (OPA) http://www.online-publishers.org has
launched OPA Europe, an association dedicated to quality online
publishing under specific European conditions.
Ten leading European publishers form the hard core of OPA Europe. These
are: CNET Networks (Europe), Gruppo Editoriale L'Espresso (Italy), Group
Financial Times (Great Britain and France), IDM/La Vanguardia Digital
(Spain), International Herald Tribune (Europe), Khatimerini (Greece), Le
Monde interactif (France), Le Temps (Switzerland), Prisacom/El Pais
(Spain) and Spiegel Online (Germany).
"Many of the challenges for quality online content providers transcend
international borders," said Michael Zimbalist, executive director of the
U.S.-based Online Publishers Association in Business Wire. "We look
forward to extending the mission of the OPA through the formation of OPA
Europe."
The cornerstones of both OPA and OPA Europe are credible research,
ongoing communications, effective online advertising, and sustainable
online media business. Like its U.S. counterpart, OPA Europe will focus
its efforts on enhancing the business climate for quality publishers,
benchmarking, sharing key learnings and best practices, and serving as
the voice of quality online content providers to key constituencies
throughout Europe. OPA Europe will have access to the association's
research, methodologies, and publications to adapt to the business
conditions unique to Europe.
Martin Nisenholtz, chairman of the OPA Board in the U.S., said in
Business Wire: "The quality of OPA Europe's founding members is a
testament to the commitment of the European community to creating a
unified voice and a sustainable business for quality content publishers
internationally. We look forward to sharing our growing body of research
with our colleagues in OPA Europe."
Bruno Patino, CEO of Le Monde interactif, was elected president of the
OPA Europe Board. Mathias Muller von Blumencron, managing editor at
Spiegel Online, will serve as vice president. Didier Brun, senior
executive at the International Herald Tribune, will serve as secretary
general and Julien Jacob, managing director of CNET Networks France, will
serve as treasurer. The Online Publishers Association and OPA Europe will
share joint Board representation.
The OPA industry trade organization was established in June 2001 by some
of the Internet's leading content providers. Its declared mission is "to
advance the policies of high-quality online publishers before the
advertising community, the press, the government and the public. OPA will
serve to help its members fairly compete in the marketplace for
advertising services and will act as a voice so that online users clearly
understand the benefits that quality publishers provide to the public
discourse."
Information on becoming a member of OPA Europe can be found at
www.online-publishers.org, or by contacting Helene Fromen at
fromen@lemonde.fr .
(end)
=A0
Submitter: pressetext.europe
=20=20=20
Contact: Newsfox Desk,
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=3D030314028
Corporate crime has deep impact
Study shows losses higher than expected
Vienna (pte, Mar 14, 2003 13:38) - Companies lose more money than
previously thought through economic crime according to a study by
international consultants Ernst &Young http://www.eyi.com . The study
said as much as eight billion euros a year is lost due to criminal
activities on the part of employees in Germany.
Martin Goworek from Ernst & Young Vienna told Die Presse that the
intensity of economic crime was also applicable to Austria although the
scale would be smaller in keeping with the smaller size of Austria's
companies. Two thirds of those involved in theft are company employees.
In 12 per cent of the cases, employees join forces with outsiders. Every
20th person involved in company theft belongs to higher management.
Goworek said that economic crime had become an issue in Austria following
the spectacular fraud at the US blue chip energy company Enron.
Nevertheless, Klaus Fischer, the head of Forensic Services sector, said
that companies underestimate the problem. "Many companies just don't want
to see the problem. Not even every third company checks the data stored
on its computer system which can give clues on criminal activity," he
said.
A recent Ernst & Young survey on fraud showed that it was not
concentrated in any one geographic region, industry or size of
organization, 63 per cent of respondents identified asset
misappropriation as the worst possible outcome of fraud, while 21 per
cent were most worried about financial-statement reporting fraud.
Thirteen per cent of cases involved over one million US dollars =96 enou=
gh
to seriously impact the profitability, or even survival of an
organization.
One interesting discovery was that, despite the electronic nature of most
transactions and communications, electronic evidence in fraud
investigations was only used in five per cent of cases. The complete
study on fraud released in late February can be found at
http://www.ey.com/ca .
(end)
=A0
Submitter: pressetext.europe
=20=20=20
Contact: Mike Leidig,
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=3D030314033
Siemens phones can be "shot down" via SMS
German manufacturer recommends firmware update
Cupertino/ Munich (pte, Mar 14, 2003 14:22) - Recent complaints in
mailing lists by Siemens mobile phone owners have pointed to a serious
problem with certain Siemens devices =96 it appears they may stall or cr=
ash
when receiving certain types of SMS content.
Security Focus has published information on the problem at
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/7004/info . According to the report, the
mobile phones at risk are: A50, C55, M35, M45, M50, MT50, S35i and S55.
Devices in the SL42, SL42i and S45 lines may also be partially
susceptible. This nearly comprises the German company=92s entire GSM
product palette.
According to technical experts, the models in question crash when they
receive SMS messages containing characters in a certain order. These
phones can only be restarted once the rechargeable battery has been
removed and reinserted =96 so-called "denial-of-service=94 attacks. Other
devices stall for about two minutes while consuming large amounts of
electricity, so that five or eight such messages may empty the battery.
Some devices permit the interruption of this sleep phase by pressing a
key.
Siemens press speaker Michael Stenberg told pressetext.europe that
Siemens had been aware of such technical faults in early versions of its
35 and 45 series phones. He said customers could find firmware updates
for these phones at http://www.my-siemens.com . Sternberg however added
that "it is new to us that such problems have also occurred in the 50
series."
(end)
=A0
Submitter: pressetext.europe
=20=20=20
Contact: Newsfox Desk,
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=3D030314036
Berger may return to F1 circuit
Negotiations under way with Volkswagen
Wolfsburg (pte, Mar 14, 2003 14:54) - Outgoing BMW http://www.bmw.com
motor sport director Gerhard Berger could make a swift return to F1
racing leading German manufacturers Volkswagen http://vw.com onto the
circuit, insiders have said.
Berger recently said he was leaving the sport. But insiders say that he
could u-turn on that decision and come back to F1 with VW.
German motorsport expert Dietmar Gessner said Berger's close ties to
Bernd Pischetsrieder, former BMW director, could bring him back to the
sport.
Pischetsrieder is currently at VW and has claimed he wants to lead the
Wolfsburg-based company back to F1 racing.
Gessner said: "It was Pischetsrieder who convinced Gerhard to join the
BMW crew in 1998. VW are in still sort of secret but intensive
negotiations with Swiss team Sauber and I am sure Gerhard would love to
take a chance with them."
Rumours of VW's return to F1 have grown on the circuit in the last 18
months, with a possible partnership with Sauber often mentioned.
Just before the start of the new season Sauber team boss Peter Sauber
said he was "in close contact with Volkswagen".
Berger said of a possible job at VW: "I have not received a concrete
offer from them yet."
(end)
=A0
Submitter: pressetext.europe
=20=20=20
Contact: Harry Miltner,
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=3D030314037
Swiss posts heavy losses
New brand and restructuring weaken first annual results
Basle (pte, Mar 14, 2003 14:57) - Newly founded Swiss Air Lines
http://www.swiss.com has registered severe losses in its first completed
fiscal year. The company reported today that net losses in 2002 would
total 667.4m euros (SF 980m).
Consolidated turnover reached 2.91bn euros (SF 4.278bn), a result
influenced by one-time expenses of up to 219.3m euros. Excluding one-time
costs, the Swiss airline registered losses of 448.5m euros.
Earnings before interest and taxes were 619m euros. According to Swiss,
these results were influenced by initial restructuring costs due to the
company=92s expansion from a regional airline to an intercontinental
carrier and the introduction of the Swiss brand.
The complete annual report is to be released on 25 March.
At the end of February Swiss Air Lines announced it would adapt its
flight lines and reduce its fleet in response to the weak economy and
deep crisis in the international air travel sector.
(end)
=A0
Submitter: pressetext.europe
=20=20=20
Contact: Newsfox Desk,
E-Mail: editor@newsfox.com,
Phone: + 43 =96 1 =96 811 40 =96 319
=20=20=20
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