Monthly Archives: August 2014

How Cherie Blair earns £1000 an hour from the Kazakh taxpayer

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Nursultan Nazarbayev with Tony Blair in 2012 The deal with Omnia was agreed in February this year and work on the project is thought to have begun in March. The legal review is ongoing although Omnia is refusing to comment, citing client confidentiality. There is no evidence that Tony Blair had any influence in helping his wife to win the lucrative contract. But critics of the former prime minister will inevitably be concerned over his apparent influence in Kazakhstan, an oil Read more [...]

The thorny issue

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 The last few years have seen a heartening number of success for fiction published by small independent press and this is now being matched by the renewed interest in literary magazines. Gary Perry, Assistant Head of Fiction at our Charing Cross Road branch, picks out some of his essential reads and introduces his favourite new journal, Gorse. Few things make me happier than a restful morning spent in the company of a selection of literary journals. A good spot in a local coffee shop, Read more [...]

If you’re missing Game of Thrones or Breaking Bad, try these instead

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We’re deep into summer – and the annual television dead season. What better way to use those extra evening hours, freed up by the series breaks of Game of Thrones and House of Cards, by the wait for new episodes of Broadchurch and for Doctor Peter Capaldi, than to plunge into TV’s cloudier waters? Every week in the Observer New Review our home viewing critic, Guy Lodge, delves into the reaches of Netflix, Blinkbox and other streaming services to dredge up gems. This week, Read more [...]

Hirst’s new £34million masterpiece (shark tank not included): That’s an awful …

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Damien Hirst has used his millions to buy one of London's grandest housesFive-storey property was put on the market last year for £34millionThe 14-bedroom home was commissioned in 1811 and built by John NashGrand Grade I listed mansion also boasts an impressive half-acre gardenBy Martin Delgado for Mail On Sunday Published: 21:01 GMT, 16 August 2014 | Updated: 21:43 GMT, 16 August 2014 Read more [...]

Copeland listed buildings checked for risk of decline

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16 August 2014 Last updated at 17:04 The listed structures range from milestones to large buildings A survey of listed structures at risk of collapse or damage is being compiled by Cumbrian volunteers. They are assessing 99 buildings in the Copeland borough. Last year work was funded by English Heritage to check Grade II-listed buildings at risk in the Whitehaven area. The data from Read more [...]

Bert’s honours brave soldier at WWI event

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Fife was represented at a special Drumhead Service at Edinburgh Castle on Sunday to commemorate the centenary of World War One. The multi-faith ceremony on the castle esplanade marked the start of the five-year Scottish Commemorations Programme.Thousands of veterans, servicemen and women and relatives of heroes of World War One braved torrential rain to pay tribute to those who fought in the conflict.And among them was Kirkcaldy man Bert Hannah, who has been a driving Read more [...]

Listed status to protect memorial

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Daventry War Memorial has received listed status as part of a scheme to protect 500 sites across the country for the WW1 centenary. The memorial in Daventry Holy Cross Churchyard off Abbey Street holds the names of 114 local soldiers who lost their lives in the First World War, and 31 who lost their lives in the Second World War. Daventry’s memorial was put forward for protection by a volunteer for the War Memorials Trust. The organisation is working to list war Read more [...]

Get in the running with Leeds Abbey Dash

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KEEN fundraisers can go the extra mile in one of Leeds’ most popular charity runs. Supporters can get in the running for this year’s Age UK Leeds Abbey Dash, as registration is now open.The YEP-backed event sees thousands of runners pound the pavements through the city every year to help raise vital funds for vulnerable older people.Runners of all ages and abilities can make a Dash for it at the 10k race on Sunday, November 16.Now in its 29th year, the Dash is popular Read more [...]

Copia listed for sale — again

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If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.ACA Financial Guaranty, the owner of Copia’s $78 million debt, will try a second time to sell the key downtown property, located at 500 First St. in Napa. An asking price was not provided.ACA first attempted to sell the 17-acre Copia complex in 2010, without success.After that, New-York based ACA ran into roadblocks in trying to redevelop the site and lease space to short-term renters, with critics objecting Read more [...]