WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING
THE SUNDAYThe Sunday Telegraph
VIRGIN TRAINS EYES BID FOR EAST COAST FRANCHISE
Sir Richard Branson, the Virgin tycoon, has indicated that his company is ready to make a bid for the East Coast Main Line rail franchise. The Government is to re-nationalise the London to Scotland route for at least 12 months from the end of 2009
HULU IN TALKS WITH ITV FOR UK START
Hulu, the US video-on-demand venture, has begun talks with British broadcasters including ITV as it gears up for a UK launch later this year.
A launch in the UK has been much anticipated following the website’s huge success in the US, where it has attracted more than 24m users a month. Hulu users can watch programmes via the internet.
THE SUNDAY TIMES
ASHLEY IN NEW SPAT WITH JJB
THE bitter spat between Mike Ashley and Sir David Jones turned increasingly farcical this weekend. Ashley has instructed his lawyers to take action against JJB. He alleges that security guards it hired for its annual shareholder meeting tailed one of his representatives for 30 minutes on the M61 last Friday in a dangerous manner.
NISSAN BRINGS THE ELECTRIC CAR REVOLUTION TO BRITAIN
NISSAN, the Japanese car giant, is poised to set up Britain’s first production line for electric cars at its plant in Sunderland. Last week it confirmed it would build a £200m battery production facility next to the factory but said it was still in negotiations with the government over whether to make the vehicles there.
TODAY
FINANCIAL TIMES
EQUALITY WATCHDOG ROW ESCALATES
A bitter row about the future of the government’s £70m equality watchdog and its chairman, Trevor Phillips, threatens to involve Harriet Harman, Labour’s deputy leader. The Equality and Human Rights Commission has been affected by a series of high-profile resignations from its ruling board in the past few weeks.
TRADERS TO FACE “FIT AND PROPER” TESTS
Up to 2,000 traders and managers in the UK could face extra checks and even interviews by the Financial Services Authority to ensure they are fit and proper to do their job. The measures come as part of more intensive supervision by the UK financial regulator.
The Daily Telegraph
“GRIM READING” LIKELY AT BP AND SHELL
BP and Shell, the oil giants, will this week release results that analysts expect to make “grim reading” because of lower global demand for oil. Shell, which recently became the world’s biggest company by market capitalisation, has been hit by falling output in the Nigerian delta, where rebels have attacked its facilities.
BRITISH TRADE MINISTER RETURNS TO CHINA WITH NEW MISSION
Lord Davies is the sleek new technocratic face of Whitehall. His arrival in Shanghai has drawn the city’s movers and shakers to sip shot glasses of gazpacho, knock back glasses of Cloudy Bay wine and angle for an audience. “It’s good to be back here,” he comments. “I already know a number of the businesses and characters that I meet,” he adds.
THE TIMES
ODDBINS HOPES FOR A VINTAGE YEAR AS IT FASHIONS NEW LIST FOR WINE LOVERS
The retailer’s new owner grew up with the wine merchant, and hopes a rejigged range will help restore it to its former glory. Boss Simon Baile bought the ailing chain almost a year ago from Castel Freres, the French company. He said then — pre-recession — that he would have no problem making a profit in the first year.
PAY DONORS TO END THE SHORTAGE OF IVF EGGS, SAYS WATCHDOG
A longstanding ban on selling sperm and eggs should be reconsidered to address a national shortage of donors, the head of the Government’s fertility watchdog says.
Payments to donors could cut the number of childless couples travelling abroad for treatment, Lisa Jardine told The Times.