Reluare miercuri, 22 mai 1996

WORLD NEWS BRIEFS;House Moves to Prevent Use of Journalists as Spies

Date: 23 May 1996

AP

The Central Intelligence Agency would be prohibited from using journalists as spies under a House proposal passed overwhelmingly today. But the C.I.A. could still use its own agents in the guise of journalists. In a 417-6 vote, the House approved an amendment to an overall budget for espionage that would prohibit intelligence agencies, including the C.I.A., from using American media representatives for intelligence-gathering.

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Safir Backed in Reporter's Ouster

Date: 22 May 1996

By David Kocieniewski

David Kocieniewski

Faced with a flurry of criticism from news organizations, Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani yesterday reaffirmed his commissioners' right to exclude individual reporters from group news briefings if their coverage was deemed too critical. The controversy began May 9, when a police reporter for The Daily News, John G. Marzulli, was banned from a press briefing with Police Commissioner Howard Safir because an article that morning had angered the Commissioner. In the article, Mr. Marzulli repeated a former police commander's widely quoted criticism that Mr. Safir was "a lightweight."

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NEWS SUMMARY

Date: 23 May 1996

International A3-13

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NEWS SUMMARY

Date: 22 May 1996

International A3-9

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COMPANY NEWS;NEWS OF A STOCK SPLIT SENDS SHARES OF ZOLTEK HIGHER

Date: 22 May 1996

Bloomberg Business News

Bloomberg News

The shares of the Zoltek Companies rose 9 percent yesterday after the company said it would split its stock for the second time in a year. Shares of the maker of carbon fiber climbed $7.25, to $84, after rising $2.25 on Monday. The 2-for-1 split would be payable on June 17 to holders of record on June 3. Last July, Zoltek, which is based in St. Louis, split its shares 3 for 2. Lightweight carbon fibers are used to reinforce materials in industrial products like airplane brake pads. Analysts predicted that carbon fibers would be used increasingly in consumer products like fishing rods and golf-club shafts as production and selling costs fall through new technology.

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CRITIC'S NOTEBOOK;Killer Sleepwalkers? Scary Squid? That's News?

Date: 23 May 1996

By Caryn James

Caryn James

Here's a crime epidemic waiting to happen: People who kill in their sleep. That was the subject of a recent, heavily hyped, two-part "Fox News Investigative Report: The Sleeping Killer." Even the reporter on the story admitted that sleepwalking murderers are not the cause of overcrowded prisons. The point of this so-called news report actually came in the introduction, when the anchor said with a straight face, "Sounds like 'The X-Files' tonight, doesn't it?" The report did echo the plot of the show that had just ended on Fox. What better way for local news to piggyback on the success of an entertainment hit? All the networks learned how to cross-pollinate news and entertainment long ago, with stories on the 11 o'clock news pegged to whatever hot series or movie was on in prime time. But they have been pollinating like bees on speed in the last month, during the May ratings sweeps (the period that sets advertising rates).

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COMPANY NEWS;CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS TO ACQUIRE OVERLOOK

Date: 22 May 1996

Bloomberg Business News

Bloomberg News

Charter Communications International Inc. agreed yesterday to buy Overlook Communications International Inc., a closely held long-distance provider, for about 40 percent of its stock, worth about $55 million. The merger would give Overlook access to the Latin American market through Charter's satellite links and would allow Charter to expand its domestic Internet-access business to Atlanta, said David Olson, chairman and chief executive of Charter. Charter's shares jumped $2.75, to $9.25, in Nasdaq trading. The shares, 92 percent of which are held by insiders, have risen from a low of 37.5 cents in December, when Mr. Olson and other investors activated the shell company by purchasing an Internet service provider. Overlook buys long-distance service in bulk.

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COMPANY NEWS;APPLE NAMES LANDI AS EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

Date: 22 May 1996

Bloomberg Business News

Bloomberg News

Apple Computer Inc. yesterday named Marco Landi, an Apple executive in Europe, to the post of executive vice president and chief operating officer. Mr. Landi, 52, is currently president of Apple Computer Europe, Middle East and Africa. He plans to assume his new position on June 1, overseeing four newly formed product divisions, worldwide sales, marketing and manufacturing operations. Analysts said Mr. Landi would be a welcome addition to the management team because of his solid reputation in Europe and his familiarity with the company and its woes.

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COMPANY NEWS;CANADIAN OPERATIONS OF PRUDENTIAL TO CHANGE HANDS

Date: 23 May 1996

Dow Jones

Dow Jones

The London Life Insurance Company said yesterday that it had agreed to acquire the Canadian branch operations of the Prudential Insurance Company of America for about $100 million (Canadian), or $73 million (U.S.). London Life will acquire Prudential's Canadian life insurance, group life and health, pension, annuity and mutual fund businesses, which have total assets of $4.2 billion (Canadian). London Life, a financial services concern based in London, Ontario, will have assets of $19.4 billion (Canadian) after the transaction.

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COMPANY NEWS;A CONSORTIUM AND HOUSTON INDUSTRIES BUY LIGHT

Date: 22 May 1996

Reuters

Houston Industries said yesterday that it and an international consortium of investors paid $2 billion for a majority interest in Light, the electricity distribution system serving Rio de Janeiro, in a privatization by the Brazilian Government. Other members of the consortium include Electricite de France; the AES Corporation of Arlington, Va.; the CSN Brazilian industrial group, and Bndes, a major Brazilian financial institution.

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