The Beatles were right about taxes February 18, 2010 BEATLEMANIA is back – or at least that is what it is starting to feel like when one reads the endless coverage of the proposed sale of the Abbey Road studios by EMI, Guy Hands’ troubled music giant. Let me join in: the current political climate reminds me increasingly of that described so beautifully in [...]
CITY SET FOR HERON’S ROOM WITH A VIEW February 18, 2010 BUSINESS hotshots out to impress in the City’s culture of superlatives, take note: plans are finally afoot to find a restaurateur to take on what will soon become the venue with some of the best views over the Square Mile. Heron Tower, the 46-storey Bishopsgate glass and stainless steel giant due for completion just over [...]
City and Reds to share the spoils as battle for fourth spot heats up February 18, 2010 MANCHESTER CITY V/S LIVERPOOL Sunday – 3.00pm THIS game could quite easily decide which team finishes fourth and takes the crucial final Champions League spot. Manchester City and Liverpool have been nip and tuck all season and a 10th home victory of the season for the host side would put them in a hugely strong [...]
EU has been hiding its debt for years February 15, 2010 IT is astonishing how short our collective memories have become. It was once well-known that Greece, Italy and other countries had used dodgy tricks to embellish their public finances prior to the launch of Economic and Monetary Union to meet the entry requirements; yet now everybody is pretending to be surprised or even shocked. Even [...]
SPORT | IN BRIEF February 15, 2010 Event boss cools Murray row TENNIS: Director of the Marseille Open, Jean-Francois Caujolle, has denied calling for Andy Murray to be suspended from the ATP Tour for pulling out of his event. Murray was due to be top seed in Marseille but withdrew this week through fatigue following his Australian Open exploits. Caujolle was quoted [...]
BA shares surge on AA ruling February 15, 2010 SHARES in British Airways yesterday surged after the lucrative tie-up between the struggling carrier and potential partner American Airlines moved a step closer. The US Department of Transportation (DoT) proposed granting the Oneworld alliance immunity from anti-trust competition laws. It says the move would enhance competition within the airline industry where the SkyTeam alliance and [...]
Belgian train crash kills 18 commuters February 15, 2010 TRAINS between London and Brussels will remain suspended today, Eurostar said yesterday as an inquiry into a crash that killed at least 18 got underway. Some estimates have put the death toll from the head-on smash – which occurred ten miles south of the Belgian capital during morning rush-hour – at 25, with more than [...]
Osborne on the offensive over Ashcroft tax status February 15, 2010 SHADOW chancellor George Osborne yesterday went on the offensive after being quizzed over the tax status of Conservative deputy chairman Lord Ashcroft in a TV interview, hitting back by calling into question the tax position of Labour donor Lord Paul. Speaking on Sky News, Osborne appeared visibly rattled at questions regarding Ashcroft, snapping: “You have [...]
Virgin could appeal BA and AA tie-up February 15, 2010 VIRGIN Atlantic could appeal against a controversial decision by US transport regulators to allow a tie-up between British Airways (BA) and American Airlines (AA). Virgin said it would await final approval by the US Department of Transportation (DoT) and the European Union of the plan to allow BA and AA to work together on ticketing and [...]
Reubens mull sports TV bid February 14, 2010 The Reuben brothers, the billionaire property investors, are mulling a takeover of sports TV business Catalyst Media Group, which is listed on Aim and valued at £26m. City sources said the brothers, who are estimated to be worth more than £2.5bn, had not made a firm decision on an offer for Catalyst but had expressed [...]