UK Watchdog Clears £16.5B Vodafone-Three Deal After Fixes

By Dawood Fakhir

The Competition and Markets Authority approved the £16.5 billion ($21.3 billion) merger between Vodafone Group PLC and Three UK on Friday after the companies agreed to invest in network infrastructure and protecting customers.

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Retail Investor To Buy WH Smith's High Street Biz For £76M

By Tom Fish

Modella Capital said Friday that it has agreed to acquire approximately 480 retail stores from WH Smith PLC for £76 million ($98 million), a deal that means the "iconic" 233-year-old brand will soon vanish from Britain's high streets.

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Toothpaste Maker Haleon Starts First Part Of £330M Buyback

By Irene Madongo

Haleon PLC, an oral health and pain relief products firm, on Friday began the initial phase of its wider share repurchase program worth up to £330 million ($427 million) after recently agreeing to buy back a chunk of stock from pharmaceutical giant Pfizer.

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VistaJet Escapes VC Fund's Claim Over Investment Deal

By Eddie Beaver

A private jet company owner escaped allegations from a Guernsey venture capital fund that he secretly set up companies to leverage the resources of a business it had invested in, when a London court ruled Friday that the claim came too late.

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Roundup

UK Litigation Roundup: Here's What You Missed In London

By Max Austin

This past week in London has seen sparkling winemaker Nyetimber hit a rival distillery with an intellectual property claim, Newcastle United's former owner Mike Ashley target the club's ex-vice president for damages tied to a fraudulent investment, and a real estate agency file a legal claim against law firm Winston & Strawn LLP. Here, Law360 looks at these and other new claims in the U.K.

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Woodside Sells Oil, Gas Assets In Trinidad, Tobago For $206M

By Jade Martinez-Pogue

Australian energy company Woodside on Friday unveiled plans to sell its Greater Angostura assets in Trinidad and Tobago to British independent hydrocarbon producer Perenco for $206 million.

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Pension Partners Guides £2M Benefits Deal For Housing Co.

By Tom Fish

A U.K. housing scheme operator's pension plan has agreed to a £2 million ($2.6 million) full scheme buy-in with financial services group Just, securing the benefits of 15 retirees and eight deferred members, consultant K3 said Friday.

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Logistics Investor To Return Up To £21M To Shareholders

By Irene Madongo

Logistics Development Group PLC on Friday said it will return up to £21 million ($27 million) to investors by repurchasing shares as it looks to lower its outstanding capital.

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UK's CMA Floats Revised Fixes For Atlantic Air Travel Deal

By Bryan Koenig

The United Kingdom's Competition and Markets Authority took an important step Friday toward updating antitrust fixes for a partnership covering trans-Atlantic air routes among American Airlines, British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus and Finnair, putting the revised commitments out for public comment.

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O'Melveny Rehires Antitrust Partner From Gibson Dunn

By Max Austin

O'Melveny & Myers LLP has rehired Stephane Frank as a partner in its antitrust and competition group after he served a five-year stint at Gibson Dunn LLP, as the firm continues to attract what it describes as "boomerang laterals" back to its practice.

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Taxation With Representation: Norton Rose, Latham, Ashurst

By Zak Kostro

In this week's Taxation With Representation, Dollar Tree sells its Family Dollar business to private equity firms, eye care company Alcon buys medical technology company Lensar and Ithaca Energy PLC buys the U.K. subsidiary of Japan Petroleum Exploration Co. Ltd.

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