Russian plots Lloyd’s entry via Chaucer May 14, 2009 RUSSIAN billionaire Alex Knaster unveiled plans to buy his way into the Lloyd’s of London insurance market yesterday, saying he is interested in taking a 29.9 per cent stake in Chaucer Holdings. Chaucer chief executive Ewen Gilmour confirmed the interest and ongoing takeover discussions, from Knaster’s private equity firm Pamplona Capital, in an official statement [...]
NOW SHOWING FIVE OF THE BEST May 14, 2009 FILM: Let the Right One In: Swedish film-maker Tomas Alfredson weaves friendship, rejection and loyalty into a disturbing vampire movie that’s one of the stand-out movies of 2009. OPERA: Peter Grimes at the ENO: Premiered in 1945, Britten’s masterpiece concerns an anti-hero outsider in a fishing village. An eagerly awaited new production by David Alden. [...]
Dispute ends as BP loses its man in Russia September 5, 2008 The Long-running dispute between BP and its Russian partners at joint venture TNK-BP drew to a close yesterday, after the two signed a deal which paves the way for floating up to 20 per cent of the company. But the embattled chief executive Bob Dudley, who was chosen by BP, will get the chop – [...]
From Putin to Pitt: a fascinating glimpse into the mind of America September 4, 2008 Vanity Fair’s power list says a lot about the country that produced it, says Jeremy Hazlehurst You will, no doubt, remember that famous New Yorker magazine cover from the 70s that showed The World From Ninth Avenue. It shows Ninth Avenue in the foreground, 10th Avenue behind it, then the Hudson River. Behind this, in [...]
UK asks NATO to get tough with Russia August 28, 2008 British Foreign Secretary David Miliband yesterday called on the EU and NATO to initiate “hard-headed engagement” with Russia in response to its actions in Georgia. Speaking in Ukraine’s capital, Kiev, he said Russian President Dmitry Medvedev had a big responsibility not to start a new Cold War. “Russia has not reconciled itself to the new [...]
Russian star Roman says: ‘I’m on my way to Spurs’ August 27, 2008 Pavlyuchenko heads to Tottenham as Berbatov’s United move looks back on Russian striker Roman Pavlyuchenko insisted he was on his way to Tottenham last night in a deal which would almost certainly bring an end to Dimitar Berbatov’s future at the club. Pavlyuchenko, a long-term target of Spurs boss Juande Ramos, told UEFA’s website he [...]
Second top executive quits troubled TNK-BP venture August 26, 2008 Russia’s third-largest oil producer TNK-BP has announced the departure of the second senior executive this month, further fuelling the crisis that has engulfed the firm. Executive vice president Tony Considine resigned yesterday after five years heading the refining, trading and marketing businesses at BP’s joint Russian venture. Considine cited personal reasons for the departure adding [...]
Holmes: Gold rush will spur on track stars August 15, 2008 Double Olympic gold medallist Dame Kelly Holmes believes Great Britain’s athletes will be buoyed by the successes of their Team GB colleagues as they prepare for the start of today’s track and field events. Britain have so far landed seven medals at the Beijing Games including golds for swimmer Rebecca Adlington and cyclist Nicole Cooke. [...]
Russia denies breaking truce August 14, 2008 Georgia accused Russia of breaking a shaky ceasefire in their six-day conflict yesterday, a charge strongly denied by Moscow. In a highly charged atmosphere of claim and counter-claim, Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili said Russian tanks had stormed the Georgian town of Gori and were advancing on the capital, though a deputy minister later backtracked on [...]
Russia orders a halt to war August 13, 2008 Russian President Dmitry Medvedev ordered a halt to military operations in Georgia yesterday but Tbilisi cast doubt on the announcement, saying Moscow was still bombing towns and villages. The announcement coincided with the visit of French president Nicolas Sarkozy to Moscow on an EU peace mission and seemed intended to help international efforts to negotiate [...]