Serena: Rivalry will be as strong as ever July 4, 2008 Serena Williams says she won’t go easy on sister Venus after the pair booked their places in tomorrow’s final at Wimbledon. The siblings ensured a third family affair on Centre Court tomorrow after securing straight-sets victories in their respective semi-finals yesterday. But sixth seed Serena, 26, who has won both the previous Wimbledon finals against [...]
Chambers sets the legal ball rolling on challenge to BOA July 4, 2008 Dwain Chambers has formally begun his legal war with the British Olympic Association in an attempt to be granted permission to run in the Olympics. The sprinter is challenging a BOA bylaw which prevents athletes who have failed drugs tests from competing in the Games. Chambers served a two-year ban for testing positive for the [...]
Take Safin to start well, but be Fed up July 4, 2008 It’s easy to predict that Roger Federer will beat Marat Safin in the Wimbledon semi-final today, and is all set to clash with Rafa Nadal in the final. But there might still be some value out there if you look for it. Looking at the semi-final between Federer and Russian maverick Safin, better have an [...]
New Orange supremo in drive back to basics July 4, 2008 For a man who has spent his entire career in the telecoms industry, it seems strange that Tom Alexander, Orange UK’s newly installed chief executive, should list his first passion as racing cars. As we travel across London in the back of his chauffer driven BMW 7-series, he tells me he never expected to make [...]
M&S readies for investor protest vote July 4, 2008 Four large investors in Marks & Spencers are planning to vote against the retailer’s annual report and accounts at its annual meeting next week over concerns about Sir Stuart Rose’s dual role as executive chairman and chief executive. Three pension schemes – The Universities Superannuation Scheme, Railpen and APG, and the Co-operative Insurance Society, who [...]
Debts boost for Galliford helps shares July 4, 2008 Housebuilder and construction firm Galliford Try surprised the City yesterday, saying it had been able to slash its debt to less than £5m, sending its shares up 14 per cent by the close of trading. The figure fell well below analyst expectations, with predictions that the firm, which operates in the public and private sector, [...]
City rides to the £400m rescue of B&B July 4, 2008 Bradford & Bingley said last night its underwriters and other City institutions will back its £400m fundraising despite a dramatic decision by American private equity firm TPG to walk away from a deal after rating agency Moody’s cut the bank’s credit status. The move comes after Moody’s cut the cash-strapped bank’s rating to Baa1, giving [...]
McFall in oil probe July 4, 2008 Concern over the rising price of oil – which yesterday hit a new record of $146 a barrel – has prompted the powerful Treasury select committee to hold its first ever hearing into the regulation of the oil markets. The committee, which is chaired by Labour MP John McFall, will hold the hearing in mid-July [...]
B&B drama caps another day of troubles for UK Plc July 4, 2008 A day of gloom for the global economy was capped late last night by the revelation that private equity group TPG had walked away from its rescue of Bradford & Bingley. The dramatic development, which will see the bank rescued instead by City institutions, came as Moody’s downgraded B&B’s credit for the second time. The [...]
AstraZeneca victorious in patent battle July 3, 2008 Shares in AstraZeneca, the drugs giant, jumped nearly 5 per cent yesterday after it won a key patent battle in America over Seroquel, its anti-psychotic drug and second-best seller. The decision by a US court to award a summary judgment in AstraZeneca’s favour avoids the need for a full trial and means that generic copies [...]
