News Headlines - 21 March 2011

▽Supermoon blamed for stranding five ships in Solent - Telegraph.co.uk
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/space/8395123/Supermoon-blamed-for-stranding-five-ships-in-Solent.html
Speculation that the "supermoon" may have caused the Japanese earthquake was dismissed by Nasa – but now British coastguards say it could be behind the stranding of several ships.

▽Royal Mail cuts to hit managers hard - Financial Times
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/c6b3da00-5406-11e0-8bd7-00144feab49a.html#axzz1HHOUehEu
Royal Mail has announced plans to cut more than 1,700 jobs, including 1,000 operational managers across the UK, and close two mail centres in south and east London.
It also emerged on Monday that a staff share scheme would pay out less than half the expected £5,300 per employee because the shares’ notional capital value has slumped to zero as a result of Royal Mail’s deteriorating financial position.

▽AT&T Deal Joins a History of Antitrust Fights - New York Times
http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2011/03/21/big-mergers-often-pose-antitrust-concerns/
AT&T’s deal to buy T-Mobile USA for $39 billion is shaping up to be a heated regulatory battle.
Federal trade and communications regulators, along with the Justice Department, must bless the deal, which would create the nation’s largest cellular carrier. Lawmakers are already denouncing the deal, saying it will reduce competition in an already consolidated industry.

▽European Stocks Jump; Japan Nuclear Woes Ease - Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20110321-702517.html
Over the weekend, Japanese leaders voiced optimism that the worst of the nuclear crisis is over, raising hopes that the stricken plant's cooling systems can be restored.

▽Japanese auto industry could face “protracted” shutdown - Toronto Star
http://www.thestar.com/business/auto/article/957659--japanese-auto-industry-could-face-protracted-shutdown
One report said Monday that vehicle production in Japan could face a “protracted” shutdown which would trigger shortages and higher prices of some models in North America including Canada.