AbitibiBowater merger clears final hurdle.

• Position: AROUND THE NORTH

Following an agreement between Abitibi-Consolidated Inc., Bowater Incorporated and the United States Department of Justice, the way has officially been cleared for the two companies to merge as AbitibiBowater Inc.

The agreement requires the two companies to agree that the merged firm will divest Abitibi-Consolidated's 375,000-tonne-per-year newsprint mill in Snowflake, Arizona.

The move provides the merger with all the necessary regulatory approvals, including those needed from the Canadian Competition Bureau...