seenewstoday.com : Top News updates

Petronas seeks to win over Canada on Progress bid: Financial Times
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Malaysia’s Petronas aims to overcome Canada’s opposition to its $5.2 billion bid for Progress Energy Resources by adding more independent directors to the board of the gas producer, the Financial Times reported. The newspaper cited the Malaysian state oil firm’s chief executive Shamsul Azhar Abbas as saying in an interview that Petronas was prepared to make the move to soothe Canada’s concerns about a lack of transparency after the takeover. …

Southwest jet slides off taxiway at Denver International Airport
DENVER – A Southwest Airlines jet slid off a taxiway at Denver International Airport on Saturday amid light snowfall and freezing temperatures.

Author Tom Wolfe, fashion designer Isabel Toledo set to open Miami Book Fair International
MIAMI – Book lovers and writers are meeting in South Florida for the annual Miami Book Fair International.

Engine problem forces emergency landing for Emirates flight; passengers report loud bang
SYDNEY – An Emirates flight from Sydney to Dubai made an emergency landing shortly after takeoff because of an engine fault, the airline said Monday.

Rugby-NZ Super Rugby franchises attract private investment
WELLINGTON, Nov 12 (Reuters) – Private investors have been granted the licences to run two of New Zealand’s Super Rugby teams from 2013, the New Zealand Rugby Union said on Monday, in a move aimed at better exploiting the commercial potential of the franchises. The Wellington Hurricanes and Canterbury Crusaders will operate under the new licensing agreement from next year after a deal between commercial investors and local unions had been reached, NZRU chief executive Steve Tew said. “These new arrangements are a step forward in terms of putting … …

Abbas tells Obama he'll seek Palestinian UN upgrade, defying U.S.
RAMALLAH, West Bank/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told President Barack Obama on Sunday he was intent on pressing ahead with a Palestinian bid for United Nations recognition as a non-member state, despite the U.S. leader’s objections. Abbas explained his decision to Obama in a phone conversation, according to Abbas aide Nabil Abu Rdaineh. Continued defiance of Washington on such a sensitive issue casts further doubt on the chances for any renewed U.S.-led Israeli-Palestinian peace drive following Obama’s re-election on Tuesday. …

Canadian Leon's Furniture buying rival The Brick Ltd in $700 million deal
(Reuters) – Canadian home furnishing retailer Leon’s Furniture Ltd is buying smaller domestic rival The Brick Ltd in a deal worth about C$700 million ($698.85 million), including the value of warrants issued by The Brick, to deepen its retail footprint. As per the deal, Leon’s will pay C$5.40 per Brick share, a 54 percent premium over Friday closing price of C$3.50. Based on 121.6 million shares outstanding, as per Thomson Reuters data, the equity value of The Brick deal will be C$656.6 million. Also, Brick shareholders can elect to receive 0. …