Tobacco plain packaging braced for legal showdown at the WTO April 28, 2014 The battle over Australia's law compelling the standardised packaging of tobacco is set to come to a head after two years of procedural wrangling. The case will now be settled in court by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) after five countries brought the action against Australia arguing the law was a restriction on intellectual property [...]
Premier board rejects Ophir merger proposal April 28, 2014 Africa-focused oil company Ophir Energy has confirmed that its approach to Premier Oil for a merger between the two companies was rejected. Ophir Energy believed that a merger would create the potential for a "well-funded, re-focussed, full cycle Exploration and Production company." Such a merger would have created a company with market capitalisation of more [...]
BG Group board accepts CEO resignation April 28, 2014 The board of oil and gas explorer BG Group has accepted the resignation of the company's chief executive and executive director of the board Chris Finlayson with immediate effect. The company said in a news release that the resignation was due to personal reasons. The group's non-executive chairman Andrew Gould will take over as interim [...]
Asian markets tumble as Russia sanctions loom April 28, 2014 Asian markets are in retreat after a lacklustre performance on Wall Street and western nations prepare to impose further on sanctions on Russia in wake of heightened tensions in Ukraine. Representatives from all 28 EU member states will meet today to impose travel restrictions and asset freezes on a further 15 influential Russians, according to [...]
What London property could you get with 50,000 Bitcoins? April 25, 2014 Estate agent Knight Frank has compared how an investment in the cyrptocurrency Bitcoin would have performed compared to an investment in highly prized central London property. In July 2010, it would have taken 50,000 Bitcoins to buy one measly square foot of an eight-bedroom mansion house in Mayfair, based on a value of £28m. By [...]
Here’s why 2014 could still prove a great year for Bitcoin bugs April 25, 2014 The past few months have proved to be a tough time for cryptocurrency Bitcoin. The MtGox exchange suffered a dramatic fall from grace, while the price of the digital currency has fallen by 37 per cent the year to date. However, things may be looking up for Bitcoin as venture capital money continues pour in [...]
William Hill set to close 109 shops thanks to government tax hike April 25, 2014 Bookmakers William Hill will be closing 109 betting shops this year as a direct result of the government's decision to hike Machine Games Duty to 25 per cent. Up to 420 William Hill employees are now at risk of redundancy, with roughly £23-24m of exceptional costs to be incurred thanks to the closures. "This is [...]
Asian markets take a hit as Ukraine tensions rise April 25, 2014 Asian markets have taken a hit after US Secretary of State John Kerry warned Russia it would be making a "grave mistake" if it did not cease interfering in Ukrainian affairs. Investors were left disappointed after US President Barack Obama's state visit to Japan failed to secure a trade deal between the two countries. Many [...]
EU institutions slammed by leading anti-corruption think tank April 24, 2014 The European Union is highly vulnerable to corruption and conflicts of interest, according to a new report from Transparency International. In the first of its kind, the 250-page report examined all 10 EU institutions and found them wanting. The transparency group blasted the EU for the lack of adequate protections provided to internal whistleblowers. The [...]
Evidence missing in action as Ireland bans ecigarettes in health facilities April 24, 2014 Ecigarettes are to be banned in Irish health facilities from 1 May. The Health Service Executive (HSE) said the crackdown was justified because the devices "pose a challenge to smoke-free campus enforcement and come with safety concerns for a healthcare environment." The HSE said the decision followed a detailed review of its health policy, adding [...]
