What the other papers say this morning – 28 March 2014
FINANCIAL TIMES
Facebook works on drones and lasers
Facebook is working on drones, satellites and lasers to deliver the internet to far flung corners of the world, in its second big bet on future technology in a week. Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook founder and chief executive, said yesterday that the company is working with leading experts from Nasa and acquiring a team from Ascenta, a five person UK-based company whose founders helped create an early version of a solar-powered unmanned aircraft. Internet.org, a Facebook-led effort to bring everyone in the world online, has made “good progress”, he said, but needed to design new technology to work.
Berlin boosts Cameron’s EU effort
David Cameron’s effort to renegotiate Britain’s relationship with the Europe has been boosted after Germany said the EU had to ensure that the UK was legally protected from closer Eurozone integration. George Osborne, UK chancellor, and Wolfgang Schauble, his German counterpart, said in a joint article in the Financial Times that any treaty change must “guarantee fairness” for EU countries that stay outside the eurozone.
China Mobile deal buoys Alcatel
Shares in Alcatel-Lucent jumped yesterday after the French telecoms equipment maker won a one-year contract worth up to €750m with China Mobile.
THE TIMES
Americans could sell Thames site
One of London’s best development sites, a stretch of the Thames between Tate Modern and Blackfriars Bridge, could be put up for sale. Carlyle, the American private equity group, is believed to be considering selling the waterfront land for £325m with Knight Frank as agent.
Hedge funds bet AO World will slide
Some of London’s leading hedge funds are betting that AO World’s share price will slide amid speculation that the online appliances retailer makes more money from selling warranties than it does from shifting white goods.
The Daily Telegraph
Twitter launches photo tagging
Twitter has introduced new features which borrow concepts from more complex social networks such as Facebook, the first step in the company’s plan to “move the scaffolding into the background”.
Thomas Cook urges sex on holiday
Thomas Cook’s Danish arm is trying to boost Denmark’s dwindling birth rates by sending more couples to romantic cities like Paris, in an advertising campaign entitled “Do it for Denmark!”. Spies, the Danish unit of Britain’s Thomas Cook Group, in an advert laments that the country’s birth rate is now at a 27-year low.
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
EUROPE
Turkey blocks YouTube
Turkey’s telecommunications authority yesterday blocked Google’s video-sharing website YouTube, exactly a week after stopping access to Twitter. The move is likely to intensify domestic and international criticism three days ahead of critical local elections.
SAC Capital increases stake in Zynga
SAC Capital Advisors yesterday disclosed an increased stake in Zynga now owning more than five per cent of the game maker’s shares. Zynga’s shares were up 2.2 per cent to $4.58 in recent after-hours trading.