The Evening Standard (London, England) articles from February 2007

The Evening Standard (London, England) archives from February 2007

Evening Standard, London, business briefs column.(Column)
February 1, 2007... Feb. 1--BP TODAY SOLD ITS LAST REMAINING OIL REFINERY IN BRITAIN, disposing of its Coryton facility at Canvey Island in Essex for more than [pounds sterling]700 million to Petroplus of Switzerland. Coryton, which employs 540 workers, is being...

This month in Odyssey.(Science Scoops)
February 1, 2007... Microbes are tiny, but they can be as scary as the electron micrograph on our cover, showing many-times magnified white blood cells (green) engulfing bacteria (orange). Don't worry; these live, but weakened, bacteria are part of a vaccine for...

Got stomach flu? Hug your pet!(Science Scoops)(study finds that having pets are good for the health)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Stomach hurt? Feel nauseated? Got a fever? Well, according to a recent report in New Scientist magazine, if you have a cat or dog, you may be in luck. You see, Jane Heyworth, a viral specialist at the University of Western Australia in...

Killing germs with a song.(Science Scoops)(use of antibacterial soap)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... It seems as if most soaps today, especially liquid soap, are labeled "antibacterial." This means that an active chemical ingredient, usually triclosan, is added to kill germs or bacteria (but not viruses, so antibacterial soap can't prevent a...

Dengue alert!(Science Scoops)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Although dengue (also know as "dandy" or "break-bone fever") has been around since the 1700s, it is now becoming a major international public health concern. In 2006, more than 10,000 Cambodian children contracted the disease, and more than 100...

Pluto gets busted!(Science Scoops)(exclusion of PLuto as a planet)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Pluto is not a planet anymore. It's not even a minor planet. It's a dwarf. This, in a nutshell, was the long-awaited decision made last August when a working group of astronomers from 75 countries was challenged to come up with a definition of...

"Xena" gets the ax!(Science Scoops)(dwarf planet Xena changes name to Eris)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Oh, no! First Pluto gets demoted, now Xena gets an ax in the back! What's going on? First of all, Xena is the largest known dwarf planet in our solar system. (Yes, it's even larger than Pluto.) Xena was discovered in 2003, when it was...

Bird flu: pandemic of fear?
February 1, 2007... When I go camping in the forest with my 9-year-old son, the park ranger tells us that there is a bear somewhere in the forest. That night, we sense the bear in every rustle of a leaf or crunch of a pine needle. We cower in our tent, and it...

Flu fighter: an interview with disease detective Justin Ortiz.(People to Discover)(Interview)
February 1, 2007... Dr. David Ortiz went to Nigeria with a medical team in 2006, after health officials found avian influenza in birds there. He is an epidemiologist, or "disease detective," for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Epidemic...

The world's "most unwanted" list.(update on killer diseases)
February 1, 2007... HIV/AIDS: RANKED #1 Known Whereabouts: This killer has agents working around the globe, and is currently devastating sub-Saharan Africa. HIV works through a gang; it doesn't do the killing itself. Instead, it weakens the immune...

Bird in the hand.(Brain Strain)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Dr. Brain places you in a glass sphere suspended by a steel chain from beneath a tall bridge. A scale attached to the chain measures the weight of the sphere and its contents. Inside the sphere, you are holding several birds. The sphere has...

Micro-Attack stopped ... by micro-lab!(use of bio-chip in fighting microorganisms and viruses)
February 1, 2007... At the University of Michigan, Dr. Ronald Larson and his team are tracking a killer. One problem: Their quarry, the spherical H5N1 pathogen responsible for bird flu, measures just about two billionths of an inch in diameter. Question: How...

Seen in a different light.(use of James McMullin's hybrid chips)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Biochips are tiny. But seeing what's going on inside them can require large equipment, such as specialized microscopes. So University of Alberta optics expert James McMullin is developing a new way to peer into this microscopic world. You might...

Can math help stop a contagious disease? count on it!(Activity to Discover)
February 1, 2007... Learn bow mathematical models can predict and help to prevent epidemics. Then stop a simulated outbreak--using, the power of numbers. We have a crisis! In Science City, 200 citizens are already infected with a new strain of virus. We...

Can you stop an outbreak with math?(Activity to Discover)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... HERE'S YOUR CHANCE TO TRY. The town of Mathville has been struck with a viral outbreak. The illustration below shows the number of people who can still get sick (S) in each part of town: For this disease: b = .071 a = .0004...

An ant in sheep's clothing: harnessing the power of evolution.(ants' method of fighting garden parasites)
February 1, 2007... In 1928, Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin. This "wonder drug" saved millions of lives in World War II. By the end of the 1940s, however, penicillin-resistant bacteria were appearing in hospitals around the world. In 1958, farmers...

The nearly forgotten: sound of buzzing.(Short story)
February 1, 2007... Lindy stretched and took one last sip of her energy drink, puckering her face at its bitterness and touching the small golden vial that hung on a chain around her neck. "You're kidding, aren't you?" she mumbled, mostly to herself. Looking...

Spotlight careers in microbiology.
February 1, 2007... JUST AS MICROBES ARE EVERYWHERE, SO MICROBIOLOGISTS ARE FOUND IN EVERY INDUSTRY. They keep your food and water safe, as well as work in hospitals to figure out what makes you ill and in pharmaceutical companies to develop drugs that defend...

Microbes: the good, the bad, and the nasty.
February 1, 2007... Ever since our early years, we have all been instructed to wash our hands before eating to avoid ingesting "germs." Microorganisms (bacteria, protozoa, and yeast) seem to have a bad reputation when it comes to food! The nasty ones make...

Make your own curds and whey.(Activity to Discover)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... (For best results, do this experiment overnight.) 1. Pour the water into the pot. This prevents the milk from getting burned. 2. Pour the milk on top of the water and heat it on the stove on high. (CAUTION: Ask an adult for assistance...

Star chart.(All-Sky Chart )(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... The monthly All-Sky Chart depicts the sky (minus the Moon) as it appears at 6 p.m. on Feb. 15. Useful all month (except for planet positions), the chart is also accurate for 7 p.m. on Feb. 1 and 5 p.m. on Feb. 28. To use the All-Sky Chart,...

The secrets of castor.(Stargazing)(Brief article)(Cartoon)
February 1, 2007... THE SECRETS OF CASTOR GO OUT MID-MONTH AT 9PM AND FACE DUE SOUTH. IF YOU LOOK A THIRD OF THE WAY UP FROM THE HORIZON, YOU'LL SEE SIRIUS, THE BRIGHTEST STAR IN THE HEAVENS. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] JUST UP TO SIRIUS RIGHT ARE THE...

"Invent a wearable" contest ...: winners.(You've Got Mail!)
February 1, 2007... In our September 2006 "Smart Clothing" issue we asked ODYSSEY readers to be "edesigners" for a day. The challenge was to create a smart clothing invention and send a drawing of it, with a full description of how it works. Congratulations...

ActorsLife.(You've Got Mail!)(shirt's use and innovation)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... ActorsLife is a shirt made to cool actors down while they are on-stage. The shirt has fans with tubes on the ends. The actor's costume goes over the ActorsLife shirt. The tubes are at the ends of the costume's arms. Matthew Dudak, age 10

Dear Odyssey.(You've Got Mail!)
February 1, 2007... Dear ODYSSEY, My name is Esher, the cat. I live in Jacksonville, Florida. I am writing with my very paw to tell you why people think they are better than us cats. My owners are so irritating. The red-head girl is always waving a stupid...

Deadly Invaders: virus Outbreaks Around the World, from Marburg Fever to Asian Flu.(Kids' Picks)(Brief article)(Book review)
February 1, 2007... Deadly Invaders: Virus Outbreaks Around the World, from Marburg Fever to Asian Flu by Denise Grady (Kingfisher, Boston, 2006) The illnesses start out in a pretty ordinary way--with a headache, fever, and aches and pains. Sometimes there's a...

Dragon drool!(Animal Angles)(komodo dragons)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Yes, we are talking about saliva, spit, that goopey stuff in your mouth that does a lot for you. Saliva does a lot for komodo dragons (Varanus komodoensis), too, including killing large prey. They are able to devour a deer or buffalo by...

Sales up, profits down at Amazon.com.(Financial report)
February 2, 2007... Feb. 2--Amazon.com lifted sales by 34 percent in its fourth quarter but net profits fell 51 percent as the online retailer continues to plough money back into the business. Meanwhile, in its international operations, which include the UK,...

Evening Standard, London, business briefs column.(Column)
February 2, 2007... Feb. 2--JPMORGAN EYES WHARF INVESTMENT BANK: JPMorgan is considering moving to Canary Wharf. It is looking at two locations for its new London HQ -- the Riverside scheme in Docklands and the City's St Alphage House. JPMorgan confirmed...

Evening Standard, London, Chris Blackhurst column.(Column)
February 2, 2007... Byline: Chris Blackhurst Feb. 2--What is surprising about the private equity groups mulling a bid for Sainsbury's is not so much their choice of target as the timing. The supermarkets chain is no longer the basket case it once was....

British Airways 'sorry' as profits dive.
February 2, 2007... Byline: Robert Lea Feb. 2--A horrendous Christmas has sparked a 32 percent slump in profits at British Airways, with the flag-carrier today rounding on incompetent EU administrators and airports operator BAA as well as blaming the weather....

Evening Standard, London, City Spy column.(Column)
February 2, 2007... Feb. 2--SHOULD Corus workers be nervous in the face of the [pounds sterling]6.7 billion takeover by Tata Steel? Other forays into Britain by the Indian firm's parent Tata Group, included an ill-fated joint venture with MG Rover. Under the...

Evening Standard, London, City Spy column.(Column)
February 2, 2007... Feb. 2--Mystery reigns in the land of the London Olympics. CLM, the consortium hired by the Olympic Delivery Authority to manage the construction of the Games site on time and to budget, is thought to have a contract worth [pounds...

Evening Standard, London, Neil Collins column.(Column)
February 2, 2007... Byline: Neil Collins Feb. 2--TATA, NOT GOODBYE TO BRITISH STEELMAKING: It's not surprising that Michael Leahy is apprehensive. The general secretary of the steelworkers' union welcomed the new owners of his industry thus: "Tata should be...

Buyout firm in talks for a quick sale of Benjys.
February 2, 2007... Feb. 2--Sandwich shops chain Benjys could be set for a quick sale by the private equity firm that bought it from administrators last year. Hamilton Bradshaw, which ousted chief executive Ian Rickwood shortly after taking over the company, is in...

Evans wheels out sale plan as cycling gains fans.
February 2, 2007... Feb. 2--Bike chain Evans Cycles is tapping into the growing appetite for city cycling and putting itself up for sale. Managing director Mike Rice said shareholders and directors were in the "early stages" of investigating potential...

Northern Foods gives chief the chop.
February 2, 2007... Byline: Nick Goodway Feb. 2--Northern Foods, maker of Goodfella's pizzas and Fox's biscuits, today delivered a karate blow to its chief executive Pat O'Driscoll, replacing her with martial arts fan and chilled foods and bakeries director...

Worry for Europe as Putin favors gas-industry cartel.
February 2, 2007... Feb. 2--Russian leader Vladimir Putin could come out in favor of launching an international cartel to keep the price of gas high. Putin admitted that a gas-industry cartel similar to the Opec cartel of oil producing nations may have merits...

Fast-growing Google pulls in [pounds sterling]3400 an hour.
February 2, 2007... Byline: Bill Condie Feb. 2--Online search giant Google has again surged past expectations, trebling net profits in the last three months of 2006 to more than $1 billion ([pounds sterling]510 million) -- or over [pounds sterling]3400 an...

Evening Standard, London, Anthony Hilton column.(Column)
February 2, 2007... Byline: Anthony Hilton Feb. 2--TAKING THE GLOSS OFF BROWN'S IMAGE: The Institute for Fiscal Studies is one of those think-tanks that politicians dislike because it will insist on telling the unvarnished truth about levels of taxation,...

Evening Standard, London, Anthony Hilton column.(Column)
February 2, 2007... Byline: Anthony Hilton Feb. 2--Huw Van Steenis of Morgan Stanley made a rare public appearance at a McKinsey conference this week to discuss the challenge of unlocking the value of an in-house fund manager. His starting point was to...

Bellway upbeat after homes order book grows.
February 2, 2007... Feb. 2--Low-cost homes builder Bellway is confident of reporting record results this year despite three rises in the cost of borrowing since August. Completions in the first half of its financial year to the end of January were up 10...

Evening Standard, London, market report column.(Column)
February 2, 2007... Byline: Mickey Clark Feb. 2--FAMILY-SIZE PORTION OF SAINSBURY'S SNAPPED UP: Good shares cost less at J Sainsbury. Just ask the investors who snapped-up a large slug of the Sainsbury family holding on Friday, worth [pounds sterling]176...

Money-machines provider Cashbox gets bid approach.
February 2, 2007... Feb. 2--Cashbox, the AIM-traded company that puts cash machines in areas where it is hard to find a regular bank machine, today said it had received an approach that "may or may not lead to an offer." The company, which numbers former...

Output damper on Shell [pounds sterling]13bn record.
February 2, 2007... Byline: Robert Lea Feb. 2--Shell today reported record-breaking profits of [pounds sterling]35 million a day but immediately announced it is having to slash its production targets because of killings and kidnappings at its facilities in...

[pounds sterling]4.3bn Astra plans to axe 3000 jobs.
February 2, 2007... Byline: Hugo Duncan Feb. 2--Pharmaceuticals giant AstraZeneca plans to slash 3000 jobs despite a 28 percent jump in profits. The company, which is facing patent challenges and increasing competition from generic drugs, will cut the...

M&B pondering 'risk and reward' of a split-up to unlock its assets.
February 2, 2007... Byline: Peter John Feb. 2--Mitchells & Butlers, owner of the Harvester pub-restaurants chain, today added further fuel to speculation it is poised to unlock its property assets by converting into a Real Estate Investment Trust (Reit). ...

Suspended chief executive was whistleblower at Torex software group.
February 2, 2007... Feb. 2--Torex Retail's suspended chief executive Neil Mitchell revealed today that he was the leader of the Torex whistleblowers who reported the company to the Serious Fraud Office. He said he would be seeking immediate reinstatement under...

Takeover titans line up for Sainsbury's.
February 2, 2007... Feb. 2--Supermarkets giant Sainsbury's has become the target of a possible [pounds sterling]10 billion bid from some of the world's biggest private equity groups. Blackstone, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and CVC have teamed up to point...

Toyota holds on to No. 2 slot in United States.
February 2, 2007... Feb. 2--Car giant Toyota has snatched the number two slot in the US for a second month with a 10 percent gain in January sales while troubled Ford has been relegated to number four after being overtaken by Chrysler. Sales of market leader...

Harry Weeks travel agency is just the ticket for Capita.
February 2, 2007... Feb. 2--The Harry Weeks travel agency, set up in South-east London more than 50 years ago, has been bought by congestion charge group Capita, netting the founding Weeks family up to [pounds sterling]33 million. Capita, whose tentacles already...

Troubled British Airways sees profits nose-dive.(Financial report)
February 2, 2007... Feb. 2--The Christmas fog, tens of thousands of lost bags, the chaos from restrictions on passenger luggage and threats of industrial action, have brought a 32 percent slump in profits at British Airways and a warning from the flag carrier that...

Evening Standard, London, Anthony Hilton column.(Column)
February 4, 2007... Byline: Anthony Hilton Feb. 4--The news last week that Scottish & Newcastle is suing Pricewaterhouse-Coopers over management consultancy advice must have lifted the heart of every company director in the land. S&N alleges the consultants'...

Evening Standard, London, Chris Blackhurst column.(Column)
February 5, 2007... Byline: Chris Blackhurst Feb. 5--For those present at this year's Davos, there was no doubting one of the undeclared items on the agenda: the selling of a Prime Minister. Tony Blair is at ease in the new global commercial establishment,...

Canadians lining up a buyout at multiplex after Wembley fiasco.
February 5, 2007... Byline: Bill Condie Feb. 5--Wembley developer Multiplex, weakened by the fiasco at the North London stadium, has received a takeover offer from Canadian investor Brookfield Asset Management. But the Australian group's founding Roberts...

Evening Standard, London, City Spy column.(Column)
February 5, 2007... Feb. 5--As the former science minister, Lord (David) Sainsbury is still technically covered by the ministerial code on business dealings. His shares in the supermarkets group are managed by Judith Portrait, trustee of the family trust. She...

Evening Standard, London, Anthony Hilton column.(Column)
February 5, 2007... Byline: Anthony Hilton Feb. 5--You have an unmortgaged house and garden, and I come along with an offer to buy the property and contents. My plan is to dispose of all your antiques and replace them with cheap modern furniture, sell the...

New buyer steps up for Countrywide.
February 5, 2007... Byline: Hugo Duncan Feb. 5--Estate agent Countrywide was back in the takeover spotlight today as Barratt Developments won the battle for housebuilder Wilson Bowden. Countrywide said it had received a "preliminary approach" from an...

ITV chairman kicks out Hoare Govett as broker.
February 5, 2007... Feb. 5--New ITV executive chairman Michael Grade has ditched Hoare Govett as one of the broadcaster's three brokers. He is sticking with UBS and Citigroup. The loss is the latest blow to Hoare Govett, the UK corporate broking arm of Dutch...

LSE hits at NASDAQ over 'inconsistent' claims.
February 5, 2007... Feb. 5--The London Stock Exchange today accused hostile [pounds sterling]2.7 billion bidder Nasdaq of being inconsistent in its claims of what could happen if it loses the bid, which closes at the end of this week. Nasdaq, which has a 28.7...

Evening Standard, London, market report column.(Column)
February 5, 2007... Byline: Mickey Clark Feb. 5--Could the bear run in shares of BP be about to come to an end? That was the question being posed by investors after one of the City's big guns changed its recommendation on the shares ahead of tomorrow's...

Heart FM ahead in London but ad revenues fall by 10 percent.
February 5, 2007... Feb. 5--Jamie Theakston's breakfast show has helped power Heart FM to number one on all measures in London but his success has taken time to show through in advertising revenues. Chris Wright, chairman of the station's owner Chrysalis, told...

Luggage charge bags a record for Ryanair.
February 5, 2007... Byline: Robert Lea Feb. 5--The controversial Ryanair baggage charges -- which can add up to 25 percent to its average fare -- are helping Europe's biggest budget airline to post record profits, it emerged today. Ryanair today admitted...

Sainsbury's gets [pounds sterling]10bn bid approach defences ready.
February 5, 2007... Feb. 5--Sainsbury's banking advisers have begun working on a defence strategy against a possible [pounds sterling]10 billion takeover approach that could see the supermarkets chain offload its property portfolio. Morgan Stanley and UBS are...

New owners give the public chance of a slice of Gherkin.
February 5, 2007... Feb. 5--The public will be able to buy a share in iconic City skyscraper the Gherkin under an innovative plan from its new owners. German firm IVG and niche West End private investment bank Evans Randall completed the [pounds sterling]630...

Pace Micro gets a hi-tech boost back into the black.
February 5, 2007... Feb. 5--Television is going through a massive technological shift, with new formats, high definition and personal video recorders all helping to boost sales at Pace Micro Technology, one of the world's leading set-top box makers. After a...

BP shares plunge as output forecast cut.
February 6, 2007... Byline: Robert Lea Feb. 6--Shares in BP plunged close to a two-year low today -- despite the oil giant revealing record profits of $22.2 billion ([pounds sterling]11.3 billion), or more than [pounds sterling]30 million a day. The oil...

Evening Standard, London, City Spy column.(Column)
February 6, 2007... Feb. 6--AFTER Gavyn Davies quit as BBC chairman, he must have assumed he'd have an easier and lucrative life in the hedge-fund industry. Hmmm. SemperMacro, the fund run by Fulcrum, the manager he co-founded, is said to be in a right old mess....

FSA to cut 300 jobs as spending and fees soar.
February 6, 2007... Byline: Nick Goodway Feb. 6--The City's top watchdog plans to raise the fees it charges brokers, banks and other financial services companies by an inflation-busting 9.5 percent in the coming year. But the Financial Services Authority...

Aviva hits a [pounds sterling]31bn high and leaves Pru merger door open.
February 6, 2007... Byline: Simon English Feb. 6--Aviva, Britain's largest insurer, today revealed record sales figures, and appeared to leave the door open for the resumption of merger talks with rival Prudential. Talks foundered last year after the Pru...

Evening Standard, London, market report column.(Column)
February 6, 2007... Byline: Mickey Clark Feb. 6--It pays to shop around to get the best bargains when it comes to food retailing. That is the advice of Swiss broker UBS, which has chosen to ignore bid target J Sainsbury and, instead, has focused its attention...

Oz water wrangle may add [pounds sterling]7.6m a year to BHP costs.
February 6, 2007... Byline: Bill Condie Feb. 6--Mining giant BHP Billiton is in the centre of a growing fight between the Australian federal and state governments over water shortages as it battles for access to scarce supplies. BHP's Olympic Dam copper...

New jumbo a plane for the rich, Airbus admits.
February 7, 2007... Byline: Robert Lea Feb. 7--TOLOUSE -- Airbus today conceded the new A380 double-decker superjumbo will be a rich man's aircraft, with launch airlines aiming to fill it with first and business class seats. The planemaker also said it...

Evening Standard, London, business briefs column.(Column)
February 7, 2007... Feb. 7--EASYJET SEES A PROFIT RISE OF UP TO 50 PERCENT ON THE HORIZON: Low-cost airline easyJet today said it expects profits for the coming year to rise by between 40 percent and 50 percent as it revealed a 15 percent rise in revenues in its...

Evening Standard, London, City Spy column.(Column)
February 7, 2007... Feb. 7--TESSA JOWELL, the Culture, Media and Sport Secretary, is rumoured to be in the running for the [pounds sterling]200,000-a-year post of chair of the Olympic Delivery Authority, succeeding acting head Sir Roy McNulty who is due to step...

Aussie Stockland wins Halladale for [pounds sterling]170m.
February 7, 2007... Feb. 7--British property group Halladale is being taken over by Australian developer Stockland in a [pounds sterling]170 million deal. Halladale is the latest in a string of British builders and property firms being taken over or bid for,...

Texas Pacific joins the party for Sainsbury's bid.
February 7, 2007... Feb. 7--Texas Pacific Group has joined forces with the private-equity team mulling over a [pounds sterling]10 billion bid for Sainsbury's. The US group, which was thought to be considering putting together its own consortium to approach...

Evening Standard, London, Anthony Hilton column.(Column)
February 7, 2007... Byline: Anthony Hilton Feb. 7--The clerks who face you across the counter of your local branch of Barclays are probably not as bright or as knowledgeable about banking as chief executive John Varley, nor would you expect them to be. It is...

Smallbone to fit more units into kitchen plan.
February 7, 2007... Feb. 7--Charlie Smallbone, head of the exclusive West London kitchen company that bears his name, is hunting for acquisitions as he prepares to announce the first dividend of his AIM-traded company. The one-time Liverpool University...

Standard Life sales soar to [pounds sterling]14.3 billion.
February 7, 2007... Byline: Simon English Feb. 7--Standard Life today firmly threw off the shackles of its mutual past as it revealed a leap in sales in its first year as a public company. Chief executive Sandy Crombie admitted the business had to go...

Battle as the glossies lose their shine.
February 7, 2007... Feb. 7--All eyes will be on the glossy monthly magazines when the twice-yearly ABC circulation figures are released next Wednesday. Once again the supermarket glossies and Sky's listing guide will top the league, but the devil will be in...

Evening Standard, London, market report column.(Column)
February 7, 2007... Byline: Mickey Clark Feb. 7--Heavy weather as divis and rate worries take toll City investors almost found themselves frozen out today -- and it wasn't just the weather that made them wish they had stayed tucked up in bed. A welter of...

Microsoft 'not behind Russia piracy charge'.
February 7, 2007... Byline: Bill Condie Feb. 7--In a bid to stem a PR disaster in Russia, Microsoft today told former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev that it is not responsible for the prosecution of a poor headmaster for buying pirated Windows software. ...

Surprise as BHP boss decides to step down.
February 7, 2007... Byline: Bill Condie Feb. 7--Chip Goodyear, chief executive of mining behemoth BHP Billiton, today delivered another set of record half-year profits and promised shareholders a further [pounds sterling]5.1 billion cashback -- then announced...