Eight for 2008: The ones to watch as Team GB go for gold in Beijing July 31, 2008 With our Olympians set a target of winning 35 medals, with 10 golds, Jon Couch looks at our most likely successes It’s just over a week before the start of the Beijing Olympics, and already the pressure is building on Team GB as they go in search of the ultimate prize in sport. A total [...]
Arshavin on ice but Spurs grab Bentley July 31, 2008 Tottenham have been warned they must significantly raise their offer for Andrei Arshavin if they want to make the Russia forward their second blockbuster signing of the week. Blackburn and England midfielder David Bentley will be presented as a Spurs player this morning, after the 23-year-old’s £15m switch was confirmed last night. The former Arsenal [...]
BP defiant in Russia July 30, 2008 Defiant BP chief executive Tony Hayward yesterday said the British oil giant would “not be intimidated by the strong arm tactics” of its warring oligarch partners at its Russian joint venture, TNK-BP. Hayward said: “The other shareholders want to tear up the agreement that they willingly signed in 2003 We are not prepared to do [...]
Scolari extends winning run July 30, 2008 Chelsea will head to Russia this week for the latest leg of the pre-season preparations with a 100 per cent record after ending their tour of Asia on a winning note yesterday. Striker Nicolas Anelka and fullback Ashley Cole scored in a 2-0 victory against a Malaysian League Select team as the Blues made it [...]
In-form Wright-Phillips has won the heart of Scolari July 28, 2008 Luiz Felipe Scolari says he wants to keep Shaun Wright-Phillips at Chelsea after admitting being impressed with his pre-season form. The England international has struggled to hold down a place in the Blues first-team since his £21m switch from Manchester City in 2005 and has been linked with an £11m summer move to Portsmouth. But [...]
BP’s Dudley must go, say oligarchs July 28, 2008 The position of TNK-BP chief executive Robert Dudley was blasted as “untenable” yesterday by four Russian billionaires who own half the joint oil venture after he fled the former communist state last week. A spokesman for AAR, the holding company for the oligarchs Mikhail Fridman, Viktor Vekselberg, Len Blavatnik and German Khan, said: “It is [...]
Oligarchs in oil grab as BP chief expelled July 25, 2008 Robert Dudley forced to leave Russia after campaign of “harassment” by authorities British oil giant BP was dealt a devastating blow last night after Robert Dudley, boss of its TNK-BP joint venture, was forced to leave Russia. Dudley, a key BP ally in its long-standing battle with its four oligarch partners, lashed out at the [...]
BP’s Russian row may hit production July 24, 2008 The dogfight between BP and its four oligarch partners could hit Russian oil production next year after the quartet demanded a $900m cut in spending at joint venture TNK-BP. The development is the latest in a long-running battle at the 50-50 venture between the British oil giant and its billionaire partners – Mikhail Fridman, Viktor [...]
De Beers boosts sales but stays cautious July 24, 2008 The world’s top diamond producer De Beers posted a 10 per cent rise in gem sales to $3.3bn (£1.7bn) on strong demand and price rises – but warned a slowdown of sales in America may hit revenues in the second half of the year. De Beers boosted rough-diamond prices by about 8 per cent in [...]
TNK-BP boss must clear status to stay in Russia July 22, 2008 Russia’s migration service said yesterday it would not give a visa to TNK-BP chief executive Robert Dudley without a valid contract of employment at the oil firm. A spokesman at the Federal Migration Service (FMS) said: “We cannot grant a visa to Mr Dudley before he presents a valid contract. The previous contract expired and [...]