In Short

A round-up of today's other stories in brief.

Murdoch son closer to CMH takeover

Lachlan Murdoch's attempt to resurrect his A$3.3 billion purchase of Australia's Consolidated Media Holdings (CMH) moved a step closer last night as his private company sought to sign up Providence Equity Partners as a new equity backer.

The planned media sector comeback of Rupert Murdoch's eldest son stumbled last month after Lachlan lost the support of SPO Partners.

The withdrawal of the private San Francisco firm meant that Lachlan Murdoch could no longer finance his half share of the CMH takeover.

In January, Mr Murdoch joined forces with James Packer in a 50-50 deal to buy Consolidated Media Holdings, an Australian-listed group containing the remnants of Kerry Packer's media empire. - (Financial Times service)

Grafton paydeals revealed

Grafton Group has disclosed in its 2007 annual report that its executive chairman Michael Chadwick received a remuneration package worth €964,000 last year, €1,000 less than in 2006.

Finance director Colm Ó Nualláin received €764,000, down from €769,000 and chief operating officer Leo Martin received €750,000, up from €730,000. The pay of executive director Fergus Malone was unchanged at €404,000.

Grafton is seeking sanction to create additional ordinary shares by way of a 10 for one share split "so that the company will retain flexibility in returning capital to shareholders".

Complaints by Ryanair to ASA

Ryanair has complained to the British Office of Fair Trading about the carrier's treatment by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). The ASA said it had already referred the carrier for allegedly flouting its rules.

Ryanair's complaint stems from what the airline calls the ASA's "unfair procedures, bias and factually untrue rulings", the Dublin-based company said yesterday in a statement. The advertising watchdog told Ryanair March 28th that it had referred the airline to Britain's consumer protection agency.

The ASA and Ryanair are in the midst of a dispute, with the watchdog ruling against the carrier seven times in the past two years. - (Bloomberg)

HemCom Technologies buys Alltracel

Shareholders in Dublin- based woundcare group Alltracel have approved a scheme of arrangement that will see the company acquired by US group HemCon Medical Technologies subsidiary Castlerise.

The cash offer of £20.8 million - of 14p a share - for the London Aim-listed company from HemCon, a privately owned group based in Oregon that provides bandages to US soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, was passed at an extraordinary general meeting held yesterday in Dublin.

Byrne says he will retire from IL&P

Irish Life & Permanent director David Byrne has said he will retire from the board following the bank's agm in May. The former attorney general and European Commissioner was appointed a non-executive director at IL&P in December 2004.

Kerviel to blame bank for negligence

Jérôme Kerviel will claim corporate negligence against Société Générale, the bank that has blamed him for €4.9bn of losses. His lawyer has accused France's second biggest bank of being fully aware of Mr Kerviel's activities and of accommodating them. - (Financial Times service)