Free Press Is Battered in Post-Soviet Central Asia
Date: 07 December 2000
By Douglas Frantz
Douglas Frantz
Western diplomats and local and foreign journalists say repression of news media is increasing and indiscriminate in former Soviet lands of Central Asia: Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan; say journalists there face arrests, visits from tax inspectors and sometimes authorities with padlocks; say there have been some extreme cases where journalists were beaten, and several have been killed; many of those watching governments say actions reflect way Central Asia's authoritarian leaders have consolidated power; but officials in region say they do not advocate violance, but that tough restrictions are necessary because what appears to be independent press is often aligned with insurgents trying to overthrow government; photo; map (M)
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Headaches Pile Up on Ukraine Leader
Date: 06 December 2000
By Patrick E. Tyler
Patrick Tyler
Pres Leonid Kuchma of Ukraine is coming under increasing pressure as he faces multiple crises; first is monumental task on Dec 15 of closing last reactor at Chernobyl nuclear power station, shutdown that threatens further power cuts for millions of Ukrainians; then, International Monetary Fund is holding back on certifying Ukraine as creditworthy even as Pres Vladimir V Putin of Russia is calling for Ukraine to pay off $1.5 billion debt; and finally, there is furor over opposition party's public release of tape recording supposedly featuring Kuchma and top aides hurling curses and threats at muckraking journalist Georgy Gongadze, who disappeared on Sept 16 (M)
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Mexico Plans To Unravel Illegal Web Of Wiretaps
Date: 06 December 2000
By Tim Weiner
Tim Weiner
Adolfo Aguilar Zinser, head of Mexico's new national security council, says he will try to unravel illegal web of wiretaps and other government surveillance that has long been used to intimidate opposition leaders, political parties, media and union leaders; Zinser says new government of Pres Vicente Fox still does not know extent of wiretapping network it has inherited (M)
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TEXTRON TO BUY TELECOMMUNICATIONS MANUFACTURER
Date: 07 December 2000
By Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News
Textron, conglomerate, agrees to buy Tempo Research Corp, maker of testing equipment for telecommunications industry; terms not disclosed (S)
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ELECTRIC COMPANY IN PENNSYLVANIA LOOKING FOR BUYER
Date: 07 December 2000
By Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News
DQE, parent of Duquesne Light Co, electric utility in Pennsylvania, says it might sell all or part of company; DQE earlier sold its power plants to Orion Power Holding for $1.7 billion (S)
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CIRCUIT CITY SAYS QUARTERLY LOSS WILL BE LARGER
Date: 07 December 2000
By Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News
Circuit City Group says it expects to report loss for quarter that ended Nov 30 that will be about four times what analysts had forecast (S)
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IMPERIAL CHEMICAL TO SELL THREE UNITS TO INEOS
Date: 06 December 2000
By Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News
Imperial Chemical Industries agrees to sell three units to Ineos Group for 325 million pounds ($470 million), bringing its staged exit from bulk chemicals business near completion (S)
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HASBRO ISSUES 4TH-QUARTER EARNINGS WARNING
Date: 07 December 2000
By Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News
Hasbro warns that its earnings for fourth quarter would be far below expectations, and that it would break even or lose money for fiscal 2000; cites sluggish sales (S)
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ARMSTRONG WORLD SEEKS CHAPTER 11 PROTECTION
Date: 07 December 2000
By Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News
Armstrong World Industries unit of Armstrong Holdings files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection; company says it has become financially overwhelmed by asbestos-related personal injury claims that might reach $1.36 billion by 2006 (S)
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F.D.A. WARNS ALCON LABORATORIES ON QUALITY AND SAFETY
Date: 06 December 2000
By Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News
FDA says Alcon Laboratories, unit of Nestle SA that makes eye drugs and medical devices, failed to follow federal quality and safety regulations (S)
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