As part of a separate deal with EMI, his publishing rights which cover the use of songs in television commercials, sampling by other artists and more will return to him in 2013, combining to form an incredible asset.

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Combining the two companies in whichever form could at best help the two automotive giants gain access to each other's markets or, under the sort of more limited alliance that is currently being entered into, at least to each other's technologies.

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Another rationalization under consideration: combining the oil and gas operation with PreussenElektra to form a single, integrated energy operation.

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