Italian minister expects Etihad-Alitalia alliance to be up and running by January 1 | The National

Italian minister expects Etihad-Alitalia alliance to be up and running by January 1 | The National:



"Maurizio Lupi, the Italian minister of infrastructure and transport, says that he sees “no obstacles” to the Etihad Airways and Alitalia deal and expects their alliance to be fully operational by January 1.



“I really don’t think that there will be any obstacle at this stage, especially that the [Italian] government is backing the deal,” Mr Lupi told The National in an interview last week.



This is believed to be the first time that Mr Lupi, who has been a key player in the Italian government’s negotiations with Etihad, has set a specific date for the alliance to launch."



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US probing Standard Chartered for accounts held in Dubai | GulfNews.com

US probing Standard Chartered for accounts held in Dubai | GulfNews.com:



"US authorities are investigating London-based Standard Chartered Plc for potential US sanctions violations connected to its banking for Iranian-controlled entities in Dubai, according to people familiar with the probe.



The latest investigation involving the bank is based, in part, from evidence that emerged during a separate probe of BNP Paribas, the French bank that pleaded guilty this summer to charges related to sanctions-busting and agreed to pay $8.9 billion (Dh32.68 billion) in penalties, the people said.



During the course of the BNP case, US federal and state investigators received evidence the French bank had done business with a Dubai-registered corporation that was a front for an Iranian entity, one source said. Investigators also learnt that the company used to have an account with Standard Chartered, according to the source."



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