Government health care plans have given GPs more choice November 18, 2012 HEALTHCARE reform has succeeded in widening the range of healthcare providers chosen by GPs, a study revealed this morning. Government reforms intended to boost choice and competition within the NHS have resulted in GPs choosing the independent sector for 3.5 per cent of all first appointments, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) said, going up [...]
Ryanair to grow organically if bid is blocked November 18, 2012 RYANAIR may mount a legal challenge if its bid to buy Irish rival Aer Lingus is blocked by the European Union but it will not pursue further acquisitions if the merger ultimately fails, its chief executive has told Rueters news agency. Michael O’Leary is trying for the third time to buy Ireland’s once dominant airline, [...]
Montgomery finally gets chance to prove his worth November 18, 2012 I REMEMBER David Montgomery from my time at the Independent newspaper in the early 1990s when he, alongside Independent News & Media’s Tony O’Reilly, controlled the publisher. He used to occasionally wander around the paper’s Canary Wharf headquarters on the 18th floor of the tower, where his presence was rarely welcomed by journalists who found [...]
Lawyers now expected to give commercial and legal advice November 18, 2012 LAWYERS are increasingly being called on to make commercial decisions because of the growing tide of regulations, a new study reveals. A report from KPMG, out today, shows the views of 320 in-house general counsel in 32 countries on issues including relationships with the board, the risk of regulatory challenges and managing future disputes. It [...]
Final Twilight film heats up the box office with $341m opening November 18, 2012 THE Twilight vampire saga’s final chapter debuted with a massive $341m (£214.6m) in global movie ticket sales as devoted fans bid farewell to blood-sucking spouses Bella and Edward and one of Hollywood’s biggest franchises. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 earned an estimated $141m in the US and Canada over the weekend, falling [...]
Sweet spell over as Twinkie maker heads for bankruptcy November 18, 2012 HOSTESS Brands, the bankrupt maker of Twinkies snack cakes and Wonder Bread, will this morning seek a US court’s permission to go out of business after failing to get wage and benefit cuts from thousands of its striking bakery workers. The 82-year-old Hostess, which has about $2.5bn (£1.5bn) in sales and is one of the [...]
Daimler extends China focus November 18, 2012 German luxury carmaker Daimler will enlarge its management board to put a top executive in charge of its troublesome Chinese car business, a German magazine reported yesterday. The additional eighth executive board seat will be created at the group’s upcoming board meeting, weekly Der Spiegel reported, without specifying its sources. A Daimler spokesman declined to [...]
Madoff accountant son in suicide November 18, 2012 The son of the accountant of disgraced financier Bernie Maddoff has committed suicide in central Ohio. Jeremy Friehling, whose father David Friehling of New City, New York pleaded guity to securities fraud in 2009, was found dead in Columbus, where he was studying at Ohio State’s medical school, according to police. Authorities said there was [...]
No deal reached in SAS crisis talks November 18, 2012 Troubled Scandinavian airline SAS and unions held vital talks yesterday aimed at ensuring the company’s survival and avoiding bankruptcy, but no deal had been reached by the evening. The Scandinavian airline, hit by competition from lower-price rivals, last week announced plans to cut some salaries by up to 17 per cent and reduce overall headcount [...]
City Moves | Who’s switching jobs November 18, 2012 Boost ETP The investment product provider has appointed Richard Kent (right) as head of product operations and Jose Poncela as senior in-house counsel. Kent joins from UBS, where he was a director in its equity and fund-linked derivatives team. He has also worked for Barclays Capital. Poncela has held roles at Nomura International, UBS and [...]
