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The article discusses on the joint venture of Universal Pictures Video France and TF1 Vision in order to launch a movie download service in France. The article reports that 35 titles will be included in the catalog which will be available to customers starting on July 6. The download service hopes to take over the rental market which accounts for 8% to 10% of the video/DVD business.

The article reports that Rochester Hills, Michigan-based Energy Conversion Devices Inc. has entered into an agreement to license its nickel metal hydride battery technology to a China-based company. Energy Conversion Devices said the patent license agreement was signed with L&K Battery Technology Co. Ltd.

This article reports that Microsoft Corp. signed Windows operating system license agreements with two China-based computer original equipment manufacturers, Tsinghua Tongfang Co. in Beijing and TCL Corp. in Huizhou. These Chinese companies are moving in advance of a Chinese government mandate regarding the use of licensed operating systems in microcomputers. Vice premier Wu Yi attended the signing ceremony on her way to Washington, D.C. for trade negotiations with the U.S. The deal includes the Chinese companies' effort to educate end users about the advantages of licensed software.

Reports on the move of Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. to license U.S. and foreign patents held by Ampex Corp. for the manufacture and sale of digital video tape recorders and camcorders. Terms of the license agreement; Other license agreements of Ampex Corp.

The article reports that minerals related company Outokumpu Technology Inc. has signed a multi-part agreement with Corriente Resources Inc. to provide technical services for the planned copper-gold concentrator at Corriente's Mirador starter project in southeastern Ecuador. The agreement covers a number of areas, including the primary crusher, mill, and concentrate storage facilities. Outokumpu will also supply much of the equipment that will be installed at the Mirador plant. The starter project is the subject of an ongoing feasibility study expected to be completed by the end of the first quarter of 2005.

The article reports that with increasing pressure being placed on fish stocks around the world, Australia's fishing grounds are becoming increasingly attractive to illegal foreign fishing vessels. The two hot spots lie thousands of kilometers apart and present two very different challenges for the Australian government and its agencies involved in the fight against illegal fishing. Illegal fishing occurs across the northern Australian Fishing Zone (AFZ). Heavy fishing pressure and the loss of marine habitats in Asian waters, combined with the high price for shark fin, make fishing in the AFZ increasingly attractive.

The intellectual property assets of display firm Printable Field Emitters (PFE) Ltd., have been bought by a consortium of its founders, former directors and other stakeholders using personal funds. Formerly venture funded, PFE had been developing field-emission display technology since 1995, producing a string of demonstrators until it was put into the hands of administrators earlier this year. The reborn PFE will continue the development of electron-emissive materials, and is likely to rely on display making specialists for manufacture.

Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications Ltd. is to expand its R & D Centre in China into a global development unit, one of four such units which will develop products and applications for the global market. The firm also announced it had taken control of joint-venture mobile phone manufacturing facility Beijing Ericsson Putian Mobile Comms by raising its shareholding from 10 to 51 per cent.

Discusses challenges faced by U.S. licensors regarding Japanese animation or animé. Observation that successful series in Japan prove to be successful elsewhere; Sophistication of U.S. children when it comes to animé content; Indication that females represent over half of U.S. manga sales; Themes of teamwork, friendship and the winning of good over evil in Japanese animation.

Reports on several joint-venture agreements for the plastics industry and trade in the U.S. Completion of the definitive joint-venture agreements between Acetex Corp. and National Petrochemical Industrialization Co.; Expansion of a joint-venture agreement made by Mineral Technologies Inc. with Asia Pulp & Paper Co. (China) Pte. Ltd.; Announcement of a joint development agreement made by Magni Group with Genthe-X-Coatings.

Reports on the licensing of several technologies developed by pharmaceutical company Avecia to Nard Institute of Japan, a contract research and process development company with laboratories and pilot plants in Kobe and Osaka.

Reports that Wachovia Corp. was penalized by Chinese regulators for conducting business beyond the policy allowed by its operating licenses.

Reports on the deal made by MGM Home Entertainment with Rogers Cable Inc. for the showing of films on Rogers' video-on-demand service in Canada. Total number of MGM films involved in the deal; Market edge of MGM in the region.

Reports on the worldwide sales rights to British Drama 'Conspiracy of Silence' acquired by Beyond Films in Australia.

Focuses on the lawsuit filed by the Gallic distrib BAC Majestic with Marimax for undertaking a joint distribution in New York City. Emphasis of the obligations of Miramax with BAC as shareholders; Examination of the revenue of BAC; Inclusion of the concept of cash-strapped distribution.

Reports that the United States Congress will most likely ignore a World Trade Organization (WTO) demand to void the Fairness in Music Licensing Act. View that if the U.S. turns its back on the WTO, the group is likely to ask for compensation from the U.S. in another area of trade; Discussion of the history of the legislation.

Reports on the renewal of America Mineral Fields' (AMF) joint-venture agreement with Anglo-American Ltd. for the development of the Kolwezi copper-cobalt tailings project in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Event that delayed progress being made at Kolwezi since Congo Mineral Developments reached an agreement with the Kinshasa government in 1998; Effects of the renewal of the joint venture; Revised terms negotiated by AMF.

Reports on the licensing agreement between Japanese independent record label Avex and South Korean label SM Entertainment. Efforts of South Korea to ease its ban on Japanese popular culture; Financial details of the agreement; Comments by Avex chairman Tom Yoda regarding business relations between the countries.

Reports the signing of distribution agreement between Adastra Research Group Ltd. and IPGE Japan Co. in Europe. Granting of exclusive rights to IPGE Japan Co.; Development of Windows NT SCADA and softlogic system; Components of Asian Satellite Consortium.

Relates company and product information in the electronics industry. Microchip Technology's 24LCS21 EEPROM; Oak Technology and Logitech, a computer accessory vendor, teaming up to deliver desktop videoconferencing; SRS Labs' licensing agreement with Motorola and partnerships with Seponix Corp. and Seiko; Other companies and innovations.

Discusses the agreement between Helm and Elf Atochem to form a joint venture to market and consume methanol from the Leuna complex in Germany. Terms of the agreement; Total methanol capacity at Leuna.

Provides information on the joint venture agreement of Great Lakes Chemical with A. Al. Zamil and Brothers in building a polymer stabilizer plant in the Middle East at Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia. Reason why Great Lakes Europe decided to build a plant in the Middle East; How the tax benefits and financing offered by the Saudi Investment Development Group give them the incentive to build the plant in the Middle East.

Slavneft is the only one of Russia's big oil companies which is not all Russian. The company was set up in 1994 as an international joint venture, incorporating assets in Siberia, European Russia and the Republic of Belarus, on Russia's western border. Slavneft has major capacities in production, refining, transport and sale of oil and oil products. But the company's main strength, and the guarantee of its future, is in its Siberian production base, centred on the Slavneft subsidiary, Megionneftegaz. In 1996, Megionneftegaz extracted 12.47 million tonnes of crude oil from fields in north-western Siberia, representing nearly 97% of total oil extraction by Slavneft. The company has over 600 million tonnes of extractable reserves, enough to provide for its activities over the next 35 years. But new fields in the vast Krasnoyarsk region of central Siberia promise a considerable increase in Slavneft's reserves and its rate of production. The company plans to bring the Krasnoyarsk fields on tap over the next three years, and aims to boost its overall annual output to 14-16 million tonnes by the year 2005.

Fake Brand Jeans Boom South of Border Each Saturday and Sunday at the Peri-13 open air bazaar half a mile from the Mexican president's official residence, Los Pinos, thousands of [...]

Commerce to tighten export licensing procedures Almost 700 companies-- many of them major exporters --are reviewing new export license procedures proposed by the U.S. Commerce Department. The agency wants to [...]