Swann leaps to defence as Kallis hits out December 16, 2009 SPINNER Graeme Swann insists England were justified in their decision to bowl first on day one of the Test series with South Africa despite the hosts setting the platform for a big first innings total. Captain Andrew Strauss won the toss but controversially asked the hosts into bat first on a flat Centurion track – [...]
O’Shea lands top job at Quins December 16, 2009 FORMER Ireland full-back Conor O’Shea has seen off competition from several high-profile candidates to be named the new director of rugby at Harlequins. The 39-year-old beat off competition from the likes of British Lions coach Ian McGeechan, former Scotland coach Frank Hadden and Quins assistant coach Tony Diprose to land the top job at The [...]
SPORT | IN BRIEF December 16, 2009 Renault announce Genii tie-up FORMULA ONE: Renault have ended speculation as to their future in Formula One after forming a new partnership with Luxembourg-based management firm Genii Capital. The French manufacturer has sold a large stake – believed to be around 80 per cent – to Genii, but the team will still run under the [...]
What to read this Christmas December 16, 2009 Thrillers THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNET’S NEST BY STIEG LARSSON Maclehose, £18.99 The third and final novel in the late Swedish crime writer’s hugely popular Millennium Trilogy – all three books have been published posthumously. Computer hacker and investigator Lisbeth Salander’s third outing is no less electrifying than the previous two, as she tries [...]
The top spots to see in the new decade December 16, 2009 BLACK AND WHITE BALL AT BEACH BLANKET BABYLON Think art nouveau and film noir with a dash of Casino Royale – if your mind stretches that far. Notting Hill’s most glamorous restaurant/bar is offering a New Year’s Eve night with a jazz band and guest DJs till 2AM. There’s a four-course dinner too, for those [...]
Government’s RBS policy may cost the taxpayer December 16, 2009 ALISTAIR DARLING’S attack on bonuses last week has caused a furore in the Square Mile. However, the pre-Budget Report is perhaps in the long-term not the most important bonus-related event that has taken place in recent weeks. That was when the government acted to limit bonuses at RBS, of which it owns 84 per cent. [...]
M&A outlook is positive for 2010 December 16, 2009 MERGERS and acquisition activity was down 33 per cent in 2009 compared to the year before, but things could be changing in 2010. A survey by the Association for Corporate Growth and Thomson Reuters has found that M&A professionals are optimistic about a pickup of M&A in the next six months. This is heartening news, [...]
New banking body will not improve December 16, 2009 THE regulation of British banks has – to say the least – been in the spotlight since the financial crisis, with the tripartite system coming in for serious criticism. The government says that it wants to change the arrangement and create a Council for Financial Stability, which will co-ordinate the responsibilities and actions of the [...]
BA SUES UNION OVER XMAS STRIKE CRISIS December 15, 2009 BELEAGUERED airline British Airways (BA) is taking legal action against the Unite union in a desperate bid to prevent cabin crew from striking over the peak Christmas period, it said yesterday. Thousands of cabin crew voted to walk out for 12 days from 22 December earlier this week, in the latest blow to an airline [...]
C Suisse to pay £329m fine to US December 15, 2009 CREDIT Suisse shocked the financial markets last night after it revealed it expected to pay US authorities a hefty $536m (£329m) following a probe into its financial dealings with Iran. The Swiss bank said the settlement would likely result in a SFr445m charge this quarter, or a net impact of SFr360m after tax. Manhattan District [...]
