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BP canvassing investors on possible break up: report

July 19, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

(Reuters) – Under-fire oil company BP Plc (BP.L) has started canvassing shareholders about a restructuring in the wake of its Gulf of Mexico oil spill which could include a break up of the business, the Sunday Times newspaper reported.

The newspaper, citing unnamed BP insiders, said options included selling the group’s refineries and petrol stations, scaling back its U.S. operations and ramping-up in-house engineering instead of outsourcing.

These are on top of the sale of about 10 percent of its assets, including its stake in the giant Prudhoe Bay field in Alaska, the Sunday Times added.

A BP spokesman said it did not comment on rumor and speculation.

BP, which has already divested much of its downstream operations in recent years, said last month it planned to sell around $10 billion of assets to help pay for costs from the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history, but declined to say which assets were up for grabs.

On Saturday, the oil group extended for another 24 hours a critical test of its blown-out Gulf of Mexico well that has so far shut off the huge oil leak, a top U.S. official overseeing the spill response said.

(Reporting by Mark Potter; Editing by David Holmes)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: bp, Bp Plc, Critical Test, david holmes, grabs, Gulf Of Mexico, Gulf Of Mexico Oil, Gulf Of Mexico Oil Spill, insiders, Mark Potter, Offshore Oil, oil company, oil group, Oil Leak, Petrol Stations, Prudhoe Bay, refineries, reuters, Spill Response, Sunday Times

Japan PM sticks to modest election goal after polls

June 28, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

(Reuters) – Japan’s prime minister tried to quell suggestions on Saturday he could be the next in line of revolving door leaders, sticking to a modest target in a forthcoming election after polls showed his party may miss a majority.

World | Japan

Speculation simmers that rivals in Naoto Kan’s ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) could try to oust him if the party fares poorly in the July 11 upper house election. The party needs a majority in the chamber to forge ahead with policies to boost the economy and cut huge debt.

The DPJ, which swept to power for the first time last year, will run the government regardless of the outcome given its dominance in the lower house, but control of the upper house would enable it to avoid policy deadlock.

Kan, who took over this month as Japan’s fifth premier in three years, said he was standing by a goal to win 54 of 121 seats in the election. That would fall short of a majority but analysts say Kan is setting the bar low to avoid being ousted in a party leadership vote in September.

“Before I became the party leader, the DPJ was in a tough position,” he told reporters in Toronto, where he was making his debut at a meeting of G8 and G20 leaders.

“I want to focus on winning the current number of seats we have, then how we can exceed that.”

SHORT OF A MAJORITY

Media have reported that the DPJ could well fall short of an outright majority and may need to find new allies to control the chamber, clouding the outlook for policies.

A June 24-25 survey by the Asahi newspaper showed the DPJ could win about 54 of the 121 seats up for grabs in the 242-member upper house, in line with Kan’s target but short of the 60 it needs for an outright majority.

Support for the DPJ-led government has rebounded since Kan took over from the unpopular Yukio Hatoyama. But ratings slipped after Kan made fiscal reform the heart of his campaign and floated the idea of doubling the 5 percent sales tax.

While many voters agree an increase in the sales tax is inevitable to pay growing social security costs and fix tattered public finances, others say the government should first do more to cut wasteful spending.

Kan said priorities would be established for spending cuts and pledged to drum up support for bold tax reforms from DPJ members, some of whom are wary that the idea could hurt the party’s election chances.

“Of course we will consider ways to not put too much burden on people with low incomes,” Kan said. “My proposal is to initiate debate, so I think I can win (the party’s) understanding.”

(Editing by Ron Popeski)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: asahi newspaper, deadlock, dominance, Dpj, Fiscal Reform, Forthcoming Election, G20, grabs, Japan Pm Sticks, Majority Support, Majority World, Naoto Kan, party leader, party leadership, reuters, rivals, target, Upper House Election, World Japan, yukio

CORRECTED-Japan PM sticks to modest election goal after polls

June 28, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

TORONTO, June 26 (Reuters) – Japan’s prime minister tried to quell suggestions on Saturday he could be the next in line of revolving door leaders, sticking to a modest target in a forthcoming election after polls showed his party may miss a majority.

“Before I became the party leader, the DPJ was in a tough position,” he told reporters in Toronto, where he was making his debut at a meeting of G8 and G20 leaders.

“I want to focus on winning the current number of seats we have, then how we can exceed that.”

SHORT OF A MAJORITY

Media have reported that the DPJ could well fall short of an outright majority and may need to find new allies to control the chamber, clouding the outlook for policies.

“Of course we will consider ways to not put too much burden on people with low incomes,” Kan said. “My proposal is to initiate debate, so I think I can win (the party’s) understanding.” (Editing by Ron Popeski)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: asahi newspaper, deadlock, democratic party, dominance, Dpj, Fiscal Reform, Forthcoming Election, G20, g8, grabs, Japan Pm Sticks, June 24, Naoto Kan, party leader, party leadership, reuters, rivals, target, Upper House Election, yukio

Sheree Murphy Calls for an End to Football Boredom

June 2, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, Jun 01 (MARKET WIRE) —
Gala Bingo has teamed up with Sheree Murphy to offer the
football-fatigued an escape from all the discussions regarding Rooney’s
right foot or England’s penalty shootout chances.

While her World Cup footballer husband, Harry Kewell, is away playing for
the Australian team in South Africa, the Hollyoaks actress will be having
plenty of fun at home without him.

She’ll be going out with her friends to play bingo at the UK’s number one
bingo operator, where every day during June and July someone can win GBP
250K playing Gala Bingo’s ‘World Cup Fever High 5′game.

Driven by big prizes, excitement and teamwork, ‘World Cup Fever High 5′
is a rollover jackpot game. If ‘house’ is called on number 5, the winner
claims half the jackpot, while the other half is shared by all the other
players at the club.

From 9-30 June, Gala Bingo is also offering the chance to win between GBP
50 to GBP 15k cash prizes in its eight ‘All Winners Games’.

Gala Bingo offers plenty of things to do if bored of the World Cup. From
June 1 and throughout the World Cup, Sheree will have a series of online
games in the dedicated ‘Sheree Murphy’ club at galabingo.com, as well as
weekly jackpots of GBP 20,000. Popular interactive bingo channel, Gala
TV, which is streamed and broadcast on Sky and Freesat channel 861, will
also be running a number of World Cup themed games.

Sheree said: “During the World Cup, I’m not going to be sitting
around watching endless hours of football. Instead I’m really looking
forward to a great night out playing bingo with my friends.”

She added: “I’m really excited to be working with Gala Bingo. I’ve
always loved to play bingo. It’s a great night out.”

Chris Edgington, group marketing director at Gala Bingo said: “With
Sheree’s help, we’re delighted to be offering our players a fantastic
escape from all the World Cup fever in June and July. We’ve got some
great cash prizes up for grabs as well as the chance to win GBP 250k. We
wish all our players – and England – the very best of luck!”

Gala Bingo’s ‘World Cup Fever High 5′ game will take place in Gala Bingo
clubs nationwide everyday throughout the World Cup at 14.30 and 20.30hrs.

Notes to editors

Gala Bingo, galabingo.com and Gala TV are all part of Gala Coral Group
Limited – Europe’s leading gambling operator.

Gala Bingo

Gala Bingo is the UK’s number one bingo operator, with 145 clubs. Gala
Bingo hosts a rollover jackpot game called High 5, a unique offering in
the bingo industry whereby jackpots are shared between club members. The
largest win to date was in November 2007, where nearly GBP 875,000 was
won – half of which was distributed among High 5 players and the other
half went to one overall winner.

The way High 5 works is very simple. If ‘house’ is called on number 5,
players can claim 50 per cent of the rollover jackpot, while the
remaining 50 per cent is shared by all the other players at the club.
There’s another chance to win if members call ‘house’ on a number ending
with a five – for example number 85 – where 10 per cent of the total cash
is awarded to that player and the rest of the jackpot rolls over to the
next game.

The High 5 game has paid out GBP 2.3 million in Jackpot prizes alone
since January 1, 2010. That’s the equivalent of a High 5 Jackpot paid out
every single day.

galabingo.com

galabingo.com is a leading online bingo website with a winner every
second (bingo and games) and gives away GBP 65 million a year.
galabingo.com offers bingo, chat and other fun games 24 hours a day,
seven days a week.

Gala TV

Gala TV is streamed at galabingo.com and broadcast on Sky and Freesat
channel 861.

Gala Coral Group

Gala Coral Group is proud to support Sue Ryder Care, and has raised over
GBP 1m and is the first gambling operator to have received full GamCare
accreditation across all its divisions.

Gala Coral Group employs nearly 17,000 people.

Contacts:
Slice
Hannah Morgan
020 3128 6557
hannah@slice.co.uk

Gala Coral Group
Lesley Hall
01483 718326
lesley.hall@galacoral.com

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: big prizes, bingo, boredom, cash prizes, Edgington, Endless Hours, Freesat, Gala Bingo, grabs, Group Marketing, Harry Kewell, Jackpots, online games, penalty shootout, Play Bingo, right foot, Rooney, Sheree Murphy, teamwork, World Cup Fever

BCCI puts Team India sponsorship up for grabs

May 24, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

With its deal with Sahara coming to an end next month, the BCCI on Monday invited bids from companies through a tender notice for sponsoring four Indian squads, including the much sought-after men’s outfit.

The tender notice, issued by BCCI secretary N Srinivasan, called for firms to bid for sponsorship of the men’s, women’s, India A and India under 19 teams, indicating the documents would be available from May 24 for a non-refundable payment of Rs 5 lakh.

It said all bidders need to fulfill the eligibility criteria set up by the Board as well as other requirements as mentioned in the bid document.

Submission of the bids also has to be done as per conditions outlined, the Board also reserved its rights “to cancel or amend the entire bidding process at any stage and to reject any and/or all bids without providing any reasons, including calling for a re-tender.”

BCCI’s deal with existing sponsors Sahara is set to come to a close next month.

Sahara, which has supported the Indian team for several years as its main sponsor, recently bid successfully for the new Pune IPL franchise for a staggering Rs 1700 crore.

Sahara will review its sponsorship to the Indian cricket team, Group chief Subroto Roy had said after winning the IPL franchise bid on March 23.

Sahara had bagged the sponsorship for the Indian cricket team for Rs 400 crore for a four-year period ending December 2009, and had agreed to continue for six more months as BCCI could not find any sponsors.

“No, it will not. Only thing we will see is our continuation of sponsorship to the Indian cricket team. We will sit on that and we will discuss on that. But on all other sports nothing will be affected,” Roy had said on the impact of the Group’s aggressive bidding to acquire the IPL’s Pune franchise.

Asserting that the Group, which is also sponsoring the Indian hockey team, would seriously consider (limiting) exposure to the BCCI and the women’s cricket, he said then that the Group “will take a conscious decision about it.”

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: BCCI, Bidders, continuation, Document Submission, eligibility criteria, franchise, grabs, Group Chief, hockey team, indian cricket team, indian hockey, may 24, other sports, Pune, rs 1700, sahara, sponsorship, subroto roy, team group, Tender Notice

Britain’s remotest pub up for grabs!

May 18, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

London, May 18 (ANI): The Old Forge pub at Inverie, on the Knoydart Peninsula in the West Highlands, has been put up for sale for 790,000 pounds, despite the fact it has no roads leading to it and takes an 18 mile hike or a seven mile sea crossing to reach.

The easiest way to get to the most remote pub in Britain is via a 45-minute ferry crossing or a 20-minute water taxi from the small harbour town of Mallaig.

Owners Ian and Jackie Robertson have had the pub for 20 years but have decided to retire.

“I turn 65 next year and we have decided the time has come to retire. We have thoroughly enjoyed building up the business, but it is a lot of hard work and someone younger should now be given the opportunity to enjoy it,” the Scotsman quoted Robertson as saying.

The property comes with 10 private moorings, a waterfront bar and restaurant, and owners’ accommodation as well the potential to acquire another house with outline planning permission.

David Reid, of selling agents Knight Frank, said: “There is no question that the Old Forge is a rare find and it will appeal to those looking for a new lifestyle in a remote location, but with the added benefit of a superb business showing exceptional turnover, strong performance, yearly growth and good net profits.” (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: added benefit, David Reid, Ferry Crossing, grabs, Inverie, Jackie Robertson, Knight Frank, Knoydart, Knoydart Peninsula, mile hike, Minute Ferry, Net Profits, Old Forge, Outline Planning Permission, Private Moorings, scotsman, turnover, Water Taxi, Waterfront Bar, West Highlands

Antonio Banderas makes debut as pro snapper

May 14, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

London, May 14 (ANI): Antonio Banderas is now trying to make his mark as a professional photographer – the Spanish actor recently unveiled a collection of his photos in New York.

Banderas, 49, has been snapping pics for years, but he decided to go public with his photos only after the suggestion was made during discussions for the promotion of his new men”s fragrance, The Secret.

Bosses at perfume house PUIG convinced Banderas to go public with his photos, which show varying aspects of Spanish culture and emphasise women”s powers of seduction.

And finally Banderas launched the Secrets on Black collection at Instituto Cervantes in Manhattan earlier this week, reports the Daily Express.

The proceeds from the sale of the snaps, which are currently up for grabs, will benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, a cause Banderas has been championing for the last five years.

The travelling Secrets on Black exhibition will be displayed in galleries across the globe throughout 2010. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: Antonio Banderas, broadway, Cervantes, daily express, debut, exhibition, fragrance, globe, grabs, Instituto Cervantes, manhattan, new men, perfume, proceeds, professional photographer, Seduction Secrets, snapper, Spanish Actor, Spanish Culture, Travelling Secrets

Beatles’ 1966 ‘Jesus’ press conference tape up for grabs

May 12, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

London, May 12 (ANI): An audio recording of the Beatles from 1966, in which John Lennon is asked about his comment that the band was more popular than Jesus, is expected to sell for about 13,400 pounds at auction.

Auction house Bonhams & Butterfields said the 14 minute reel-to-reel tape recording was the only known surviving audio record of the 1966 press conference by the Fab Four at the King Edward Hotel in Toronto.

Bonhams said journalists also had lots of questions about Lennon’s controversial “Jesus” remark months earlier, and that Vietnam and the generation gap were also discussed.

The press conference was well reported at the time but there is no known television or audio record.

“We do know what they said that day. We have just never heard it,” the Telegraph quoted Margaret Barrett, director of entertainment memorabilia at Bonhams & Butterfields, as saying.

She said the tapes were made by a young photojournalist and Beatles fan who attended the press conference.

“He tried to sell them in 1966, but no-one thought they were important,” Barrett stated.

The two reels lay in a drawer for over 40 years but now carry an estimated price of 13,400 pounds to 16,750 pounds and are among the most expensive items at the June 13 auction in Los Angeles. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: Auction Auction, auction house, beatles, beatles fan, Bonhams Butterfields, Entertainment Memorabilia, fab four, gap, Generation Gap, grabs, jesus, John Lennon, journalists, King Edward Hotel, King Edward Hotel In Toronto, Margaret Barrett, photojournalist, Reel Tape, Tape Recording, Telegraph

Al Capone”s 1939 gun up for grabs

May 6, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

New York, May 6 (ANI): American gangster Al Capone’s silver-plated Colt .38 Special, which he bought in 1939, is for sale for 95,000 dollars.

Accoridng to dealer Gary Zimet, who lists the revolver on MomentsInTime.com, the pistol was inherited by Scarface”s brother, Ralph “Bottles” Capone, reports The New York Post.

Ralph got his nickname because he distributed beverages in Chicago.

The Brooklyn-born Capone was the wealthiest and most powerful organized crime boss during Prohibition.

However, his career ended with an eight-year stretch for tax evasion. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: american gangster, beverages, brooklyn, Brother Ralph, Colt 38, Crime Boss, gangster al capone, Gary Zimet, grabs, new york post, nickname, organized crime, pistol, prohibition, revolver, Scarface, tax evasion

Monroe’s ‘Diamonds are a Girl”s Best Friend’ pink gown up for grabs

May 4, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Washington, May 04 (ANI): The bright pink strapless dress that Marilyn Monroe wore in “Diamonds are a Girl”s Best Friend” sequence in the movie “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” is being auctioned off.

Hollywood memorabilia dealers at California auction house Profiles in History are offering the dress, which they”re calling “the most important film dress to ever come to auction” during a summer sale next month (Jun10), reports Contactmusic.

The gown is said to be the highlight of the auction, and will also feature Monroe’s test footprints and signature set in cement from outside Grauman’s Chinese Theatre.

Monroe”s beautiful dress is expected to fetch between 150,000 dollars and 250,000 dollars.

The auction will feature over 1,500 lots of Hollywood memorabilia. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: auction house, best friend, Cement, chinese theatre, diamonds, footprints, gentlemen prefer blondes, Girl Friend, grabs, Grauman, highlight, Hollywood, Hollywood Memorabilia, Marilyn Monroe, Memorabilia Dealers, pink dress, Pink Gown, Pink Strapless Dress, Profiles In History, signature

All Whites begin ‘cut-throat’ World Cup camp

April 30, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Dwarfed by the main stand at North Harbour Stadium on Thursday, New Zealand coach Ricki Herbert scrutinised 15 players hoping to make his final World Cup squad.

“This is really the last piece of the puzzle,” Herbert told reporters as his four-year campaign to get the All Whites back to the World Cup finals entered its last steps.

“We’ve got a real diverse group, players that will go to the World Cup and some that are challenging,” he added at a 12-day camp, which had its first full training session on Thursday.

“We’ve set the bar extremely high this week and if they haven’t come well-equipped for that then they may struggle.”

Herbert said the majority of his 23-man squad had already been pencilled in for the June 11-July 11 finals in South Africa, though there were still “four or five spots” available.

“It’s all down to performances now, it’s really quite simple for them,” he said. “We’ve built a fantastic brand in the group over four years and its real strong and tight.

“But this camp is a little bit diverse and spots are up for grabs. While there is a collective approach going into games it will be cut-throat.

“It’s dog eat dog a little bit through the week and I think ‘Bring it on!’ because that’s what we’re looking for.”

DOOR OPEN

The camp, which is made up of only Australasian-based players, will conclude with a match between an All Whites eleven and a selection from the domestic league, and Herbert also said players in that selection could even force their way in.

“When a tournament of this stature is up for grabs and you want to be part of it and I would be disappointed if I didn’t see it,” said Herbert, who was a central defender when New Zealand made their only other World Cup appearance in Spain in 1982.

Goalkeeper Mark Paston, who required surgery on a broken leg, and midfielder Jeremy Brockie, who broke his leg and had to have a plate inserted, both took part in training. “I’ve had a couple of months now building up training-wise and my knee has been pretty good, so I’m pretty happy with it,” said Paston, whose penalty save in the second leg of the Asia/Oceania playoff with Bahrain last November ensured the All Whites qualified for South Africa.

“I’ve had plenty of time to get some training under my belt for it not to be a problem. It’s been hard and sometimes you thing ‘am I going to get there?’ But week by week you get stronger so I think I’m a lot closer.”

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: 11 July, Brockie, broken leg, central defender, Collective Approach, diverse group, Dog Eat Dog, goalkeeper, grabs, Group Players, man squad, Paston, Piece Of The Puzzle, stature, training session, World Cup Appearance, World Cup Camp, world cup finals, World Cup Squad, zealand coach

All Whites begin ‘cut-throat’ World Cup camp

April 29, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment