A round-up of today's other stories in brief.
Parsons to expand Cork facility
US engineering group Parsons has announced plans to expand its Cork base and make it the company's European headquarters.
The investment will create 80 jobs over the next three years, bringing total employment to 150. The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Micheál Martin, said the US group was investing in the business in Cork in order to strengthen its customer base in Europe.
The operation, which has moved to a new 15,000 sq ft headquarters in Cork Airport in association with IDA Ireland, will become the centre of Parsons' European operations in markets such as biotechnology and industrial communications, healthcare and education.
ComReg chair re-appointed
The chairwoman of the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg), Isolde Goggin, has been re-appointed for a further year.
The Minister for Communications, Noel Dempsey, said her second term would be the first part of a cycle that would see all three members of the commission hold the chairmanship for 12 months.
Appeal keeps new station off air
The launch date of Phantom FM, the new alternative rock station for Dublin, may have to be put back again following a new legal challenge to the award of the licence.
The losing consortium, Zed FM, which was supported by Bob Geldof, Niall Stokes of Hot Press and former FM 104 managing director Dermot Hanrahan, is contesting the award of the licence by the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI).
Its case was rejected by the High Court, but the group is now seeking to have this decision reviewed by the Supreme Court.
Dublin Rock's backers include U2 manager Paul McGuinness's Principle Management and promoter Denis Desmond's Gaiety Investments.
Black pleads not guilty to fraud
Toppled media tycoon Conrad Black pleaded not guilty on Thursday to charges he defrauded shareholders of newspaper publisher Hollinger International by siphoning $84 million (€71.7 million) in fees from asset sales and misusing company perks.
The US District Court accepted Black's not guilty plea and ordered him released on the stipulation that he travel only between the United States and Canada.
Black agreed to be extradited if he fails to appear. - (Reuters)
Petrel signs Iraqi oil agreement
Listed Irish explorer Petrel yesterday announced that it has formally signed a $200 million agreement with the Iraqi oil ministry that will allow it to develop the Subba and Luhais oilfield in the south of the country.The contract is valued at close to $200 million.
The John Teeling-chaired company won the contract last September.
