France may be having trouble shipping A 380 jumbo jets to Persian Gulf customers, but it will be shipping some of the masterworks from the Louvre to a "satellite" museum to be constructed in Abu Dhabi, according to the CBC, via Ummah News Links. French newspapers have reported the deal - which calls for the Louvre to lend its name, expertise and some of its art treasures to the proposed affiliate in Abu Dhabi - could be worth €500 million ($777 million). The New York Times has reported that figure could be closer to $1 billion. [....]"You don't have to look far for the reasons for this cultural escapade," the Liberation daily said in an editorial. "Oil is expensive and the Airbus has been selling badly recently."Etihad Airways, based in Abu Dhabi, has four A 380s on order. Emirates Airlines, based nearby in Dubai, is waiting for 43 planes to be delivered. Qatar Airways, also nearby, has 2 big birds also suffering from repeated delivery delays. The...(Read Full Post)