EUROPE MORNING UPDATE: Turkmen Dictator Still Being Forgotten

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THE WALL STREET JOURNAL Europe Morning Update

Dec. 8, 2008 -- 12:09 a.m. EST

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TODAY'S NEWS
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The Turkmen are grappling with change -- as well as the lack of it -- in this former Soviet republic where an egomaniacal dictator ruled with an iron fist for 21 years.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122868729069786289.html?mod=djemEMU

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HSBC Holdings plans to boost U.K. mortgage funding 20% in 2009.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122869789744786913.html?mod=djemEMU

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Vodafone and Western Union will offer international money transfers via cellphones, as the wireless carrier seeks to tap into the flow of cross-border remittances.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122869576629386747.html?mod=djemEMU

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Greece's interior minister called for restraint during demonstrations to protest the killing of a teenager by police, after extensive overnight rioting in several Greek cities.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122863450778385805.html?mod=djemEMU

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Deutsche Bourse held exploratory talks with NYSE Euronext about heightened cooperation -- including a possible merger -- but they ended without success.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122869767370686895.html?mod=djemEMU

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Time may be running out for Guy Hands, the British private-equity chief who bought EMI Group in one of the last big deals before the credit crunch.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122868805125986293.html?mod=djemEMU

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Libya's top oil official said the North African nation will pursue only a minority stake in Italian oil and gas company Eni and is interested in buying shares of other Western oil companies.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122865410210185859.html?mod=djemEMU

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The CEO of Roche said some drug makers may fail because they won't have enough innovative medicines that insurers will be willing to pay for.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122868844014886295.html?mod=djemEMU

To read any of the articles above, please see: http://www.wsj.com

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FEATURES
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When the European Commission president arrives in London for a summit, he might not rush to repeat his recent claim that the U.K. was "closer than ever" to joining the euro.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122868510252086241.html?mod=djemEMU

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Club Méditerranée's plans to change its reputation from midmarket fun-in-the-sun destination to luxury brand could take a hit as the world economy falters.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122869034486786419.html?mod=djemEMU

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Clive Cowdery's achievement is to persuade investors they would be better off transferring to him assets they own and allowing him to rake off a proportion of the upside.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122870135660687227.html?mod=djemEMU

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