Ideal Shopping Direct stakeholders mull sale July 11, 2010 THE founders of Ideal Shopping Direct are considering selling their 35 per cent stake in the home shopping channel group to cash in on a near doubling of the firm’s shares in the last year, the Sunday Times said. Paul Wright and Val Kaye could get more than £20m for their stake in the AIM-listed [...]
BT and TalkTalk to fight piracy laws July 8, 2010 BT AND TalkTalk will fight controversial new anti-piracy laws in the courts, they revealed yesterday. The internet providers say the Digital Economy Act, which was rushed through parliament earlier this year, will unfairly target their users and could hurt their businesses. The “draconian” act could force ISPs to disconnect users suspected of repeatedly downloading copyrighted [...]
HSBC runs the rule over potential Nedbank deal July 8, 2010 HSBC is mulling the strategic sense of making a bid for South Africa’s Nedbank, majority owned by insurance group Old Mutual, it emerged yesterday. HSBC has appointed investment bank Lazard to advise on a possible takeover, Sky News reported. The emerging markets-focused group is likely to have to stump up several billions of pounds to [...]
Tottenham ready to mount a league title challenge – Bale July 8, 2010 TOTTENHAM flyer Gareth Bale believes Spurs are ready to take another step up and mount a challenge for the Premier League title next season. Harry Redknapp ended years of frustration in May when he led the White Hart Lane outfit to fourth place and a first ever shot at the Champions League. And Wales star [...]
Cavendish claims 11th stage win July 8, 2010 CYCLING: Mark Cavendish recovered from his recent setbacks to claim his 11th Tour de France stage victory after a sprint finish in Montargis. The Manxman crashed out of the first stage and finished a disappointing 12th in Wednesday’s fourth stage, but showed his class to hold off German Gerald Ciolek and Team Sky’s Edvald Boasson [...]
ALSO OUT THIS WEEKEND ENTERTAINMENT July 8, 2010 FILM LEAVING Kristin Scott Thomas gives a typically powerful performance in this French romantic thriller. LONDON RIVER Moving drama set in the aftermath of the 7/7 bombings, with Brenda Blethyn. WENT THE DAY WELL Rerelease for the classic wartime propaganda movie. DVD PERCY JACKSON & THE LIGHTING THIEF Fantasy fun a little too much in [...]
City heavyweights poised to swoop for government assets July 8, 2010 A PAIR of prominent City figures are drawing up secret plans to launch a bid for one of the banks owned by British taxpayers, according to Sky News. It has been reported that Lord Levene, chairman of Lloyd’s of London, and Sir David Walker are backing a new acquisition vehicle that will list on the [...]
Labour hits out at Sky tie-up plans July 7, 2010 LABOUR is gearing up to oppose Rupert Murdoch’s proposed £12bn takeover of satellite broadcaster BSkyB. Shadow culture secretary Ben Bradshaw has written to opposite number Jeremy Darroch demanding he launch an investigation into plans by News Corp. to acquire the 61 per cent of Sky it doesn’t already own. And a group of Labour MPs [...]
SPORT | IN BRIEF July 6, 2010 Semenya free to compete ATHLETICS: South African athlete Caster Semenya has been given the all-clear to return to competition by the International Amateur Athletics Federation. The world 800m champion, 19, has been out of the sport for 11 months after undergoing gender tests. But an IAAF statement yesterday read: “The IAAF accepts the conclusion of [...]
Battle of the broadcasters – BT vs SKY July 1, 2010 • BT yesterday attacked its major TV rival, offering Sky Sports 1 for as little as £6.99 a month • Sky pre-empted the BT move by hiking its wholesale prices, hitting the telecom firm hard IAN Livingstone, BT chief executive, could be staring down a £100m-a-year black hole after announcing a ground-breaking football package. The [...]