Suez Canal expansion running behind schedule

(Reuters) - A project to deepen the Suez Canal is running behind schedule because an unexpected increase in traffic has hampered dredging work, the chairman of the Suez Canal Authority said on Saturday.

The authority had hoped to complete the work by the end of 2006, making the canal 66 feet (20.1 metres) deep instead of 62 feet and opening the waterway to more giant vessels.


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UDATE 1-India SBI Q1 net profit up 78 pct, beats forecasts

(Reuters) - The government-run bank said net profit in April-June, its
fiscal first quarter, rose to 14.26 billion rupees from 7.99 billion rupees a year earlier.




A Reuters poll of 10 brokerages had forecast that net profit
would rise 31.6 percent to 10.5 billion rupees.


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France's Sarkozy aims to defuse Niger/Areva row

(Reuters) - French President Nicolas Sarkozy said on Friday he wanted a quick end to a spat between uranium mining company Areva and Niger, which barred a top executive over accusations the firm helped fund a rebellion.

Niger's interior minister declared Areva's country chief Dominique Pin persona non grata on Tuesday while he was out of the West African state.


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Merrill Lynch mulling Pagine Gialle buy: report

(Reuters) - Lehman Brothers is advising Seat's main shareholders - a group of funds including Cvc, Bc Partners, Investitori Associati and Permira, which hold a combined 49.6 percent of the shares - the paper said.




Merrill Lynch and Seat Pagine Gialle were not immediately available for comment.


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