In an attempt to take control over the Walt Disney Company, Comcast, the largest cable operator in the United States, made an unsolicited offer of $54.1 billion on Feb. 11. Investors are cautious of the possible merger since past media mergers have proven devastating for shareholders, according to the New York Times.
Bush calls for new security plan
President Bush, speaking openly about the network established Pakistani’s Abdul Qadeer Khan at the National Defense University, proposed a seven-point plan that would make it more complicated to sell nuclear equipment on the black market. Bush called for a major extension of his Proliferation Security Initiative, a program that will result in the interception of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons shipments by sharing intelligence among a dozen countries, according to the New York Times.
Afghan elections to be rescheduled
Afghanistan’s elections may have to be rescheduled due security problems and the failure to register voters. With only eight percent of eligible Afghan voters being registered, the Afghanistan government has a daunting task to reach the 70 percent needed as recommended by the United Nations, according to the New York Times.
Cingular wins auction
In a last minute $41 billion bid, Cingular Wireless, the second largest wireless telephone operator in the United States, won the auction for AT&T Wireless, the third largest wireless operator in the United States. Cingular increased their offer late at night on Feb. 16 to edge out Vodafone Group of Britain in a deal that will reshape the competitive mobile telephone market and create the largest United States wireless carrier, according to the New York Times.
Greece and Turkey to resolve stalemate
Greek Cypriot president, Tassos Papadopoulos, and his Turkish Cypriot counterpart, Rauf Denktash, have come to an understanding to plan the ending of a 40-year conflict division of Cyprus and begin negotiations of reunification in time for the May 1 entry of Cyprus into the European Union. The decision was made after three days of talk at the United Nations, which if successful could put an end to the stalemate that on many times brought both Greece and Turkey to the brink of war, according to the New York Times.
Kerry becomes front-runner
As the Wisconsin primary closes in, Sen. John Kerry’s position as front-runner in the Democratic presidential campaign has been solidified with wins in 14 of the 16 primaries or caucuses. Sen. John Edwards and Howard Dean vowed to continue the fight regardless of the results of the Wisconsin primary, according to the New York Times.
Posted to the Web by Shawn Rice
