Hong Kong Rulings Stir Fears Over Law System
Date: 31 March 1998
By Mark Landler
Mark Landler
Series of rulings by Hong Kong Government in recent weeks have stirred fears that rule of law is being eroded as former British colony is absorbed into China; Government's refusal to prosecute politically well-connected newspaper publisher on fraud accusations, or to prosecute mainland's New China News Agency for violating Hong Kong's privacy statute discussed; legal experts worry rulings may indicate growing unwillingness to prosecute those with strong mainland ties; are worried that Hong Kong may hobble its legal system by exempting Chinese Government organizations from as many as 14 local laws (M)
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Updates/Media and Technology; 26 Journalists Were Killed Last Year
Date: 30 March 1998
By Iver Peterson
Iver Peterson
Number of journalists killed worldwide in 1997 because of their work was 26, same as previous year despite reduced hostilities in Balkins and in former Soviet republics; but number in prison declined to 129 from 189 in 1996, principally due to sharp decline in imprisonments in Turkey; figures were compiled by Committee to Protect Journalists (M)
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KNOWLEDGE UNIVERSE TO ACQUIRE CHILDREN'S DISCOVERY
Date: 31 March 1998
By Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News
Children's Discovery Centers of America Inc says it agreed to be acquired by Knowledge Universe LLC for as much as $99.1 million in cash (S)
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UNIVERSAL FOREST TO BUY STRUCTURAL SUPPORTS MAKER
Date: 31 March 1998
By Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News
Universal Forest Products Inc says it will buy Shoffner Industries for $90.7 million in cash and stock (S)
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GREAT UNIVERSAL WINS BID TO ACQUIRE METROMAIL
Date: 31 March 1998
By Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News
Great Universal Stores PLC wins battle to acquire Metromail Corp, for $905 million, after rival bidder, American Business Information Inc, fails to provide proof that it has necessary financing; American Business had bid $980 million (S)
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UNION PLANTERS TO BUY SOME CALIFORNIA FEDERAL ASSETS
Date: 31 March 1998
By Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News
Union Planters Corp agrees to buy California Federal Bank's Florida branches from First Nationwide Holdings Inc for $110 million (S)
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DECAUX OF FRANCE UNIT OFFERS HIGHER BID FOR MORE GROUP
Date: 31 March 1998
By Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News
Unit of Decaux SA offers $799 million in cash for More Group PLC; bid is 8 percent higher than bid of Clear Channel Communications Inc; Clear Channel suggests it might make another bid (S)
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Daiwa Bank Doubles Bad Loan Write-Offs
Date: 31 March 1998
By Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News
Daiwa Bank Ltd says it is writing off twice as much in bad loans as it had forecast earlier, using money it set aside to cover stock losses; Daiwa also widens its current loss forecast (S)
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South Korea Wraps Up Bank Debt Extension
Date: 31 March 1998
By Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News
South Korea wraps up $21.8 billion bank debt extension with creditors, paving way for swift return to international capital markets (S)
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Problems at DFS Cause Shares of LVMH to Fall
Date: 31 March 1998
By Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News
Shares of LVMH fall after its duty-free unit, DFS Group Ltd, says it is negotiating two-month delay in payments to its 5,000 suppliers to offset slowing sales in Asia (S)
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