ALSO. . .

* Gannett Co., the largest U.S. newspaper company, agreed to buy News Communications & Media, a British publisher of local newspapers, for $679 million in cash. Arlington, Va.-based Gannett said in December that it wanted to buy Newscom and had already sought regulatory approval.

* Ryder System Inc. shareholders overwhelmingly rejected a proposal to sell the transport and logistics company to the highest bidder in a corporate auction, with only 3.1% of voting shareholders backing the proposal.

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