WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING
FINANCIAL TIMES
DHL CHIEF PROMISES ACTION OVER BOMB FEARS
The head of one of the three big air-express companies has reacted to the parcel bombs sent from Yemen and Greece by pledging better screening of customers and packages before they reach airports. “What we need to do is improve surveillance at the pick-up point, have more aggressive screening as items enter our systems,” said Ken Allen, chief of DHL Express, rival of UPS and Federal Express.
NOMURA EYES US ACQUISITION IN BREAK FROM ORGANIC GROWTH PLAN
Nomura has been looking at a potential acquisition in the US, signalling a rethink of its organic growth strategy for the region, says its chief operating officer. Japan’s largest investment bank was keeping its eye “on the radar screen” for a US deal, Takumi Shibata, who has guided Nomura’s expansion, told the Financial Times.
BANKS SET FOR SMALL COMPANY FAILURES
Banks are bracing themselves for a rise in small company insolvencies and restructurings over the next year, reversing this year’s downward trend.
Some of the largest UK corporate lenders, including Barclays, Lloyds Banking Group and Royal Bank of Scotland, see restructurings and insolvencies among smaller companies increasing or staying at current high levels, and are boosting their resources to meet the need.
APAX SALE MARKS VC EXIT
Private equity group Apax Partners has sealed its exit from the venture capital industry by selling most of its early-stage technology investments to Azini Capital, a specialist at buying unwanted stakes in start-up companies. Azini will this week announce that it has bought interests in 16 technology companies.
THE TIMES
DON’T EXPECT US TO PAY FOR YOUR FAILINGS, RIVAL TELLS ROYAL MAIL
Britain’s biggest private postal company has launched a withering assault on Royal Mail, saying it is trying to fatten itself up for privatisation by demanding a 15 per cent rise in the price of business letters. UK Mail also claimed that Royal Mail was unfairly portraying competitors as highwaymen robbing business from public sector postal workers.
GALA CORAL PLACES ITS BETS ON FORMER M&S DIRECTOR
The Gala Coral gambling group is close to appointing Carl Leaver as chief executive, The Times has learnt.
The choice of the former Marks & Spencer director comes amid speculation that the company is also poised to name the Debenhams chief executive Rob Templeman as chairman. Gala would not comment.
The Daily Telegrpah
BBC AIMS TO GAIN FROM GLOBAL IPLAYER
An international version of the iPlayer will be launched next year after receiving the approval of the BBC Trust. John Smith, the chief executive of BBC Worldwide, the BBC’s commercial wing, said it would open up the “under-exploited” market for UK shows, such as Top Gear and Doctor Who. The move will mean that advertising could be introduced on to the iPlayer unless BBC Worldwide decides to charge viewers to use the service.
PALESTINIAN LEADERSHIP WRNS US CONCESSIONS TO NEANYAHU ARE DESTROYING TALKS
Palestinian leaders have warned that the US role as an honest broker in Middle East peace talks has been severely undermined by President Barack Obama’s concessions to Israel’s ruling coalition.
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
SECURITY FEARS KILL CHINESE BID IN US
Sprint Nextel Corp. is excluding Chinese telecommunications-equipment makers Huawei Technologies and ZTE Corp. from a contract worth billions of dollars largely because of national security concerns in Washington, according to people familiar with the matter.
CHERNIN UNVEILS ASIA PLAN
A venture led by former News Corp. President Peter Chernin is expected today to announce the launch of a media start-up in Asia, a move that shows the growing importance of the region and its audiences to American companies. Headquartered in Hong Kong, the new company, CA Media, will focus on investing in and operating emerging businesses in media, entertainment, sports and technology across China, India and Indonesia.