“Today is a miraculous day”: US Ebola doctor treated with ZMapp discharged from hospital August 21, 2014 Two Americans who contracted Ebola while they were working in Liberia have been discharged from a hospital in Atlanta. Dr Kent Brantly and Nancy Writebol were among the first human patients treated with ZMapp, an experimental drug made by US-based Mapp Biopharmaceutical. Before it was rushed to Liberia to be used on patients during the latest [...]
Russia partially abandons food ban as minister claims it could cost country €10bn August 21, 2014 Russia has dropped part of the ban on EU food imports after its agriculture minister claimed the policy could cost the Russian economy €10bn (£8bn) over the next few years. Russia's food authority has removed a host of products from the black list, including: trout and salmon hatchlings; potato and onion seeds; hybrid sugar maize [...]
Why Quindell’s share price bombed today, even though profits rose threefold August 21, 2014 Over the past few months, insurance outsourcer Quindell – once the darling of the stock market – has been the reluctant protagonist in a soap opera with a plot involving a shadowy organisation run by a mysterious superhero intent waging war on business “bad guys”. Quindell’s woes began in April, when analyst Gotham City [...]
Bank of America makes record $16.65bn settlement with US regulators over mortgage-backed securities August 21, 2014 Bank of America is to pay out $16.65bn (£10bn) to settle an investigation into sales of mortgage-backed securities dating back to the financial crisis. As agreed with the US Justice Department America's second-largest bank will pay a $9.65bn cash penalty to the US government and provide around $7bn of relief to consumers. The figure is [...]
Fair weather friends fade away as Balfour Beatty and Carillion deal collapses August 21, 2014 They say you often find out who your real friends are when you’re at your lowest. Carillion’s announcement that it would be no longer pursuing a merger with Balfour Beatty yesterday came with some conspicuous absences. When the deal was still hot stuff, announcements came with scores of contacts to send enquiries to; Carillion, Lazard, [...]
Uber launches same-day grocery delivery with no minimum spend August 21, 2014 Uber is branching out from app based taxi hire to same-day grocery delivery services. The pilot programme launched in Washington DC will last just a few weeks but could be extended if proves to be popular. “The more you love it, the more likely it will last,” the company said. The Corner Store service is [...]
How to find a happier commute: Walking, cycling and train travel more satisfying than car, bus or tube travel August 21, 2014 Commuting is an unavoidable but often nightmarish daily mission and will be for the foreseeable future- unless remote working by drone becomes a reality or robots takeover your job. Until then, the matter of how to make the commute bearable, even happy, is something scientists and commuters want to know about. The latest research from [...]
Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary in talks to takeover Cyprus Airways August 21, 2014 The outspoken boss of budget airline Ryanair will begin talks with the Cypriot government about a possible takeover of Cyprus Airways, despite previously claiming he was "not particularly interested" in buying the airline. Ryanair is one of a number of companies interested in the state-controlled, loss-making airline. At a press conference today (August 21), O’Leary [...]
Police clash with Ebola protesters in Liberian capital Monrovia August 21, 2014 Clashes have broken out between police and protesters against restrictions imposed to limit the spread of Ebola in the Liberian capital Monrovia. Liberian authorities imposed a quarantine on the West Point neighbourhood of the city earlier this week in order to prevent the spread of the disease, but residents have retaliated by throwing stones [...]