Nina Brink, former chairman of a Dutch Internet service provider, World Online , admitted links with five failed companies which had not been mentioned in a prospectus for World Online's initial public offering in March.

ECONOMIST: Terra nova

World Online's bungled flotation, and the subsequent resignation of Nina Brink, its founder and chairman, were grubby events, but they left the company with euro1.6 billion of cash in the bank, money that Tiscali can now use to finance its ambitious plans.

ECONOMIST: Internet mergers