Top Stories

F1 thought the Mercedes dynasty was over. Toto Wolff was plotting to bring it back

Five years since it last won a constructors’ title, the team has won the first three Grands Prix of the season, writes Josuha Robinson, The Wall Street Journal.

The other side of a property mogul: Assault conviction shocks industry

Cathal O’Connor had it all. A black Porsche, and stakes in companies with assets of €40m. A “despicable and disgraceful” assault of children now sends him to prison

Lululemon’s new CEO is already in the hot seat—and she hasn’t even started

Longtime Nike executive Heidi O’Neill is set to take over in September, and investors aren’t happy, write Lauren Thomas and Suzanne Kapner, The Wall Street Journal.

As Mercosur (sort of) kicks off, the EU is trying to drive more trade deals over the line

The controversial Mercosur trade deal now applies provisionally and has caused fierce splits but Irish MEPs are finding more common ground on new deals with India and Australia.

What now for DCC after private-equity takeover bid rebuffed?

The Irish powerhouse "unequivocally rejected" a £58-a-share takeover bid this week. Analysts expect a revised, higher offer come June, potentially validating the strategic focus on its energy business.

EirGrid’s injunction: “Solicitors sending irritated letters was never going to solve this”

Justice David Holland urged the grid operator to attend mediation with fishers. Survey work for a Dublin Bay subsea electrical cable "must be done in the national interest" – but minimise fishing inconvenience.

Logix Aero spurned in hacking appeal against sanctioned Thailand firm

The Louth-based company was pursuing a case against Siam Aero over $820,000 stolen by hackers who intercepted its email exchanges with the Thai dealer.

The UAE’s OPEC bombshell signals a new Middle East order

After bearing the brunt of Iran’s counterattack, the financial powerhouse is strengthening security cooperation with Israel and widening a rift with Saudi Arabia, write Summer Sai, Jared Malsin and Dov Lieber, The Wall Street Journal.

Top Voices

602 minutes: The numbers behind Leinster’s most radical European preparation

Leinster have the strongest squad remaining in this competition. With an international in every position, this is a group of players that should be targeting a club double. With the talent available to Cullen and Nienaber, that is a realistic ambition, not a fanciful one.

Dan O’Brien: Why it is past time to cut income tax

Personal taxes set at their current levels during the financial crisis are unfair – particularly when we examine what has been done with the resulting State revenues.

Colm McCarthy: It is surely time to abolish DPER and stop the pretence

If things go pear-shaped internationally, the Government’s lack of seriousness in the last few weeks has diminished future fiscal capacity. The failure will, on past form, trigger a budget adjustment consisting of another pro-cyclical assault on the capital programme.

Britain’s fiscal tightrope: Rising yields, political drift and the return of 1970s economics

The real verdict on the UK isn’t at the ballot box but in the bond market, where higher yields are testing debt sustainability. In fact, the UK’s current malaise is not wholly dissimilar to the 1970s.

John Looby’s pilgrimage to Omaha: The prelude

On the eve of a first visit to Berkshire Hathaway’s AGM, John Looby reflects on Buffett’s wisdom, Munger’s influence, and the principles that have guided generations of investors.

In a country at war with itself, what does a fractured US mean for the rest of the world?

As America grapples with political fracture and foreign conflict, the question is no longer just what the US becomes – but what its instability means beyond its borders.

Dion Fanning: When private equity and big data take on football

Many attempted to find fault with the managerial style of Liam Rosenior when he left Chelsea this week. But was what happened at the club a feature, not a bug, when private equity takes control of sport?

Five lessons from Clinch Wealth’s €700m journey: Rewinding the week that was

Tom Clinch’s restructuring of the family business into a €700 million wealth manager reveals a clear philosophy: concentrate on high-value relationships, invest in people, and treat brand as a core competitive advantage.