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Daimler reportedly wants to sell EADS stake to government

Automaker Daimler wants to sell half of its remaining 15 percent stake in the aerospace and defence group EADS to the German government, the Financial Times Deutschland said Thursday.

Daimler reportedly wants to sell EADS stake to government
Photo: DPA

According to the newspaper, which did not identify its sources, Berlin would also buy a 7.5 stake in EADS from German banks and regional governments, giving Germany an equivalent stake to that held by France.

The transactions would cost the state €2.7 billion ($3.6 billion), the FTD said.

Although Daimler now owns 15 percent of the shares in EADS, it controls 22.5 percent of the voting rights, whereas on the French side, the state and the Lagardere group also control 22.5 percent.

Spain owns 5.5 percent of the aerospace group, which is the parent company of the aircraft manufacturer Airbus and the Eurocopter consortium.

On Wednesday Daimler said it wanted to find “a balanced solution” for France and Germany with respect to EADS, while Daimler chairman Dieter Zetsch added that “the shareholder structure will have to be discussed in the future.”

Daimler has already reduced its holding twice and is believed interested in putting even more distance between itself and EADS.

Judges in France are pursuing Daimler in connection with an insider trading scandal centred on the European defence group following the sale by Daimler of a 7.5 percent stake in EADS in April 2006.

Two months later Airbus announced a major delay to deliveries of its A380 passenger jet, which sent EADS share prices plunging.

AFP/mry

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NORTHERN LIGHTS

Why the northern lights might be visible in more of Norway than usual

Current atmospheric conditions mean there's a good chance the aurora borealis will be visible across much more of Norway than normal on Friday.

Why the northern lights might be visible in more of Norway than usual
Photo by stein egil liland from Pexels

Normally, the northern lights are only visible in northern Norway, typically between April and September.

According to the Geophysical Institute of Alaska the KP index, which is a system of measuring aurora strength, will reach Kp 5 out of a possible 9.

Anything Kp 5 and above is classed as a geomagnetic storm. This means you will be able to see the green lady a lot further south than you usually would.

The reason for this high forecast is “corona holes” (no relation to the pandemic). These are holes in the Sun’s atmosphere, where solar wind is thrown out at high speeds.

The northern lights occur when the protons and electrons from solar wind hit the particles in the Earths atmosphere and release energy.  

“You can see it down towards eastern Norway as an arc on the horizon, while in central Norway and in Trøndelag it will be right over your head.” Pål Brekke, head of space research at the Norwegian Space Center, told newspaper VG.

READ MORE:Taking pictures of the Northern Lights: 10 expert photography tips 

While there will be strong northern lights activity over large parts of the country, it does not necessarily mean that everyone will get to see it.

“It doesn’t look too promising in Nordland and Troms”, state meteorologist, Sjur Wergerland told VG.

However, he also added that the forecast looks much better further south.

Even then though there is no guarantee you will see the northern lights, according to Brekke.

“It is not certain that the northern lights will move as far south as we think, but I recommend people to follow forecasts on websites to stay up to date,” he said.

In order to see the northern lights, the weather will also have to be on your side. Clear skies are best and going to areas with no or low light pollution is important too.

If you are lucky enough to see the lights make sure you don’t wave at them. Doing so will cause the lights to lift you up and take you away according to Norwegian folklore.

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