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COVID impact:

Furniture and men's clothing spur UK retail recovery as Britain's shops reopen

2020 was a turbulent year in which much of retail bounced between being open and closed

Boris Johnson hits back at EU accusation that UK blocked COVID vaccine exports

Credit: Parliament Live TV

Latest stories

  • Home Alone's Macaulay Culkin welcomes baby with fellow former child star Brenda Song

    The 'Home Alone' star and former Disney channel star Brenda Song have become parents to a baby girl.

  • Woman and two men stole safe and piggy banks from her family

    In order to steal from her family, a 22-year-old woman turned to her boyfriend and his twin brother for help.

  • ‘It was just so fascinating’: behind a film exploring America’s small towns

    ‘It was just so fascinating’: behind a film exploring America’s small towns. The HBO documentary Our Towns, based on a magazine project and book, visits six US towns for a portrait of local resilience and regeneration before the pandemic

  • Fremantle Clinches Sales For Doc ‘Day Zero’, Which Narrator Chiwetel Ejiofor Says Is An “Urgent” Call To Arms On Water Crisis

    EXCLUSIVE: BBC Africa and Nat Geo (Latin America) are among a number of international broadcasters to board the Fremantle-distributed water crisis film Day Zero, which narrator Chiwetel Ejiofor says brings urgency to an environmental issue that is not fully understood. The Keo Films and OoS Pictures-produced documentary, which captures stories about communities hit by water […]

  • 'Better Days' director hopes Oscar-nominated film inspires Chinese peers to tackle hard topics

    HONG KONG (Reuters) - "Better Days" director Derek Tsang said his Oscar-nominated film could inspire other Chinese artists to pursue difficult topics despite the challenges in getting works past censors in China. The romantic crime film, shot in mainland China and the first by a Hong Kong-born director to receive an Oscar nomination, is shortlisted in the best international feature film category. Hong Kong TV audiences won't be able to watch a win in real time, though, because free-to-air broadcaster TVB won't air the Academy Awards for the first time in more than 50 years.

  • NHL roundup: Anthony Stolarz's 46 saves help Ducks dump Sharks

    Anthony Stolarz made a career-high 46 saves in his third start of the season as the visiting Anaheim Ducks defeated the San Jose Sharks 4-0 on Monday. The save total was the highest in franchise history during a shutout. The old mark of 45 saves was set by Dominic Roussel in a 1-0 road win over the Colorado Avalanche on Dec. 22, 1998.

  • Abu Dhabi’s IHC Adds Stake in Top UAE Builder With New Deal

    (Bloomberg) -- International Holding Co., which has transformed itself into the United Arab Emirates’ second most-valuable listed company, has become one of the biggest shareholders in Abu Dhabi’s largest property developer.Abu Dhabi-based IHC said on Monday it had bought a 45% stake in Alpha Dhabi Holding, but didn’t provide details of the transaction. With the deal, IHC will become a shareholder in Aldar Properties PJSC as Alpha Dhabi acquired a 12.2% stake in the developer last month.“The acquisition of a substantial stake in Alpha Dhabi Holding will add a significant scale to IHC,” Chief Executive Officer Syed Basar Shueb said in a statement. “The move will increase and diversify our investment vertical, as we continually seek strategic partnerships with local and international players.”IHC had started talks to buy Alpha Dhabi, then known as Trojan Holding, in March. The company has amassed a portfolio spanning real estate to utilities and health care to food services through a flurry of deals and its shares have soared more than 110% this year.Its market capitalization of about $43 billion is the second biggest in the UAE, only behind Emirates Telecommunications Group Co PJSC and higher even than the country’s biggest bank. IHC shares were up 3.4% as of 11 a.m. local time.IHC is ultimately controlled by the Royal Group, a conglomerate that lists Sheikh Tahnoon Bin Zayed Al Nahyan as chairman. Sheikh Tahnoon is the brother of Abu Dhabi’s crown prince, Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan, who is considered the emirate’s de facto ruler.About Alpha Dhabi:Established in 2008 with a focus in the real estate and construction sectorEmploys more than 22,000 peoplePortfolio manages entities within the construction, hospitality, industrial and capital verticals(Adds stock performance on Tuesday in 5th paragraph)For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2021 Bloomberg L.P.

  • Moderna coronavirus jab rolled out in England

    It is the third Covid-19 vaccine which has been deployed in the UK.

  • The Duke of Edinburgh and Princess Diana’s Warm Relationship

    The Duke of Edinburgh and Princess Diana had an affectionate yet rocky relationship. As an outsider who married into the royal family, Prince Philip was often a source of advice for the Princess of Wales, especially as her marriage with Prince Charles started to break down. The Duke corresponded with Diana and also took his grandsons, Prince William and Prince Harry, under his wing after her death in 1997.

  • The eye-scan app that detects COVID-19

    This eye scan can detect COVID-19 in three minutesThe app could usher in a new era of testingwith a hit rate of 95%Location: Munich, GermanyIt scans people's eyes to evaluate "pink eye"and identify disease carriers(SOUNDBITE) (German) SEMIC RF MANAGING DIRECTOR, WOLFGANG GRUBER, SAYING: "Specialists realized that there is a connection between COVID-19 and the so-called "pink eye syndrome". That is the pink coloring in the sclera - which is what we are investigating here. That is, the white around the pupil, not the iris - these are often mixed up - but the sclera. And we managed to isolate the pink color of COVID-19 from over two million different pink shades and put this in the app."Semic RF hopes for a U.S. roll out in May 2021pending regulatory approval

  • Blackhawks push for playoff spot after active trade deadline

    Mattias Janmark, Carl Soderberg, Matthew Highmore and Lucas Wallmark are out. Brett Connolly, Adam Gaudette, Riley Stillman and Vinnie Hinostroza are in, along with an assortment of prospects and draft picks. Balancing a surprising season with a focus on the future, the Chicago Blackhawks were one of the NHL's most active teams ahead of the league's trade deadline.

  • European shares pause near record high with eyes on U.S. inflation data

    The pan-European STOXX 600 was up 0.1% by 0703 GMT after hitting a record high last week. The export-heavy German stock index rose 0.2% as data showed China's exports grew at a robust pace in March and import growth surged to its highest in four years.

  • Pakistan anti-France protests disrupt Covid-19 oxygen, say officials

    Thousands of supporters of a Pakistan Islamist party who blocked major roads to protest the arrest of their leader also disrupted critical oxygen supplies for Covid-19 patients, health officials said Tuesday.

  • PSG vs Bayern Munich live stream: How to watch Champions League fixture online and on TV tonight

    Everything you need to know ahead of the decisive second leg

  • Police fine dozens at clandestine restaurants flouting Covid lockdown

    Paris police said they fined more than 100 diners at a clandestine restaurant flouting coronavirus restrictions last weekend. They arrested the event organiser. A further 62 participants were arrested having lunch at another illegal eatery in the up-market Paris suburb of Saint-Ouen. Officers were "called out to investigate an excessive noise complaint at a restaurant" late last Friday and "put an end to a gathering," the French capital's police force explained on Twitter."Guests were fined for failing to respect applicable health measures. Organiser and manager arrested," they added.The prosecutor's office said the two had since been released. The investigation continues.In a second incident in Saint-Ouen, just outside Paris, police fined 62 people at lunchtime on Friday.Police tweeted that they had arrested the manager of that restaurant as well.Clandestine restaurants offering a pre-coronavirus dining experience have recently made headlines in France.The M6 television channel last week broadcast a report based on footage recorded with a hidden camera purportedly from a clandestine restaurant in a wealthy area of Paris, where neither the staff nor the diners were wearing masks.Participants were shown enjoying caviar and champagne at the event, for a price of 220 euros per person.Restaurants still closedAll restaurants and cafés have been closed in France for the past five months. The country is now in a third nationwide lockdown in an effort to control surging Covid-19 infections.One of the organisers of the dinner shown by M6, businessman and collector Pierre-Jean Chalençon, was briefly detained for questioning by police Friday alongside chef Christophe Leroy.The former Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux told French news agency AFP he had attended a "professional lunch" with a journalist late last month, and that the event had been organised by Leroy.But he said he was informed it was completely legal because it was in a private and isolated apartment rather than in a restaurant."We were less than six, no rule was broken," Hortefeux said, adding "it was very disturbing" to be linked with the illegal dinners for which Leroy is under police investigation.(With AFP)

  • National Guard Presence Increases in Response to Protests in Brooklyn Center

    The Minnesota National Guard said it would double its presence in Brooklyn Center on April 12, in response to protests following the death of Daunte Wright.In a press conference on Monday, a spokesman for the National Guard said personnel would increase from 500 to more than 1,000 in the area.This footage, posted on Facebook by Jasmine Booker, shows a large National Guard presence gathered at a car park in Brooklyn Center.Police used tear gas as demonstrators gathered in large numbers in Brooklyn Center on Monday night, despite a 7 pm curfew.Demonstrations began after a police officer fatally shot Daunte Wright during a traffic stop on April 11. Police Chief Tim Gannon described the shooting as an “accidental discharge”, saying to reporters that the officer in question drew a hand gun instead of a Taser. Credit: Jasmine Booker via Storyful

  • Communiqué: Orange offers a final price of 22 euros per Orange Belgium share, a unique opportunity for all shareholders to immediately monetize their equity interest on attractive terms

    Press releaseParis, 13 April 2021 Orange offers a final price of 22 euros per Orange Belgium share, a unique opportunity for all shareholders to immediately monetize their equity interest on attractive terms Orange launched its public takeover bid on April 8 for the shares of Orange Belgium at a price of 22 euros per share. This price was determined on the basis of a multi-criteria valuation detailed in the prospectus relating to the offer approved by the Belgian Financial Services and Markets Authority (FSMA) on 31 March. The price reflects premiums of 36%, 48%, 49% and 38% respectively on the last closing price and volume weighted average prices over the last 3 months, 6 months and 12 months preceding the announcement of the transaction. In accordance with applicable regulations, Degroof Petercam Corporate Finance SA was mandated as independent expert and concluded that the offer price does not disregard the interests of minority shareholders. With regard to tower infrastructure assets, Orange reaffirms that there is no hidden value. In Belgium, all operators benefit from the regulatory framework which provides for an obligation to share antenna sites at a regulated price since 2008. This regulation sets the Belgian towers market apart from other European markets. In addition, Orange Belgium's priority remains the optimization of the management of its sites and the reduction of its tower fleet through the implementation of the agreement for the sharing of active and passive equipment (RAN sharing) signed in 2019 with Proximus. These considerations are already fully taken into account in the offer price. Under these conditions, a sale of towers would be assimilated to a simple financial sale-and-lease-back transaction which would reduce Orange Belgium's capacity to create value. For these specific reasons, Orange therefore neither considers the integration of the consolidated assets of Orange Belgium into its European TowerCo TOTEM nor a sale to a third party. Orange does not intend to change the price of its offer and considers that this transaction offers all shareholders of Orange Belgium a unique opportunity to monetize their equity interest on attractive terms. All of the information relating to the offer, in particular the prospectus and the response memorandum, is available on the website www.orange.com or clicking here. About Orange Orange is one of the world’s leading telecommunications operators with sales of 42.3 billion euros in 2020 and 142,000 employees worldwide at 31 December 2020, including 82,000 employees in France. The Group has a total customer base of 259 million customers worldwide at 31 December 2020, including 214 million mobile customers and 22 million fixed broadband customers. The Group is present in 26 countries. Orange is also a leading provider of global IT and telecommunication services to multinational companies, under the brand Orange Business Services. In December 2019, the Group presented its new "Engage 2025" strategic plan, which, guided by social and environmental accountability, aims to reinvent its operator model. While accelerating in growth areas and placing data and AI at the heart of its innovation model, the Group will be an attractive and responsible employer, adapted to emerging professions. Orange is listed on Euronext Paris (symbol ORA) and on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol ORAN).For more information on the internet and on your mobile: www.orange.com, www.orange-business.com or to follow us on Twitter: @orangegrouppr.Orange and any other Orange product or service names included in this material are trademarks of Orange or Orange Brand Services Limited. Press contacts: Tom Wright; tom.wright@orange.com; +33 6 78 91 35 11 Attachment PR_Orange_offer_Belgium_EN_130421

  • Proactive news headlines including Walkabout Resources, Peninsula Energy, Castillo Copper and Alto Metals

    Sydney, April 13, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Proactive, provider of real-time news and video interviews on growth companies listed in Australia, has covered the following companies: Walkabout Resources Ltd (ASX:WKT) (FRA:N6D) has secured a U$20 million debt funding facility with CRDB Bank PLC, achieving a major milestone in its progress towards construction of the Lindi Jumbo Graphite Mine in Tanzania. Click hereTechnology Metals Australia Ltd (ASX:TMT) (FRA:TN6) is trading higher after industry experts confirmed the scope to generate additional revenue by way of a high-value titanium by-product from the Yarrabubba Iron-Vanadium Project in Western Australia. Click herePeninsula Energy Ltd’s (ASX:PEN) (OTCMKTS:PENMF) (FRA:P1M) MU1A low-pH field demonstration test modifications for the flagship Lance Project in Wyoming, USA, have delivered favourable results including an increase in uranium recovery solution and improved response time in modified test patterns. Click hereCastillo Copper Ltd (ASX:CCZ) (LON:CCZ) (FRA:7OR) is gearing up to resume drilling at Mt Oxide Project in the Mt Isa Copper Belt of northwest Queensland off the back of a review of historical data that enhances the exploration potential of Arya prospect. Click hereAlto Metals Ltd (ASX:AME) has received highly encouraging first assay results from an ongoing extensive drilling program at its 100%-owned, 900 square kilometres Sandstone Gold Project in Western Australia. Click hereGreat Boulder Resources Ltd (ASX:GBR) has reverse circulation (RC) drilling underway at the Side Well Gold Project near Meekatharra in Western Australia’s Mid-West, designed to follow up shallow, high-grade gold mineralisation. Click herePolarX Ltd (ASX:PXX) (OTCMKTS:PXXXF) (FRA:PX0) has mobilised its field team to the Humboldt Range Gold-Silver Project in Nevada with fieldwork, including extensive geological mapping and rock-chip sampling, expected to begin this week aimed at establishing drilling targets. Click here About Proactive  With six offices on three continents and a team of experienced business journalists and broadcasters, Proactive works with innovative growth companies quoted on the world’s major stock exchanges, helping executives engage intelligently with investors. Proactive’ s platform delivers the right message to the right audience, digitally and in real time, leveraging a range of media, investment research, digital investor targeting and website development services to support over 1,000 fast-growing companies globally. Proactive’s network reaches over 12 million engaged private, professional and institutional investors looking for opportunities. • Our written and video content is published on Proactive sites that collectively attract up to 10 million views per month.• We syndicate our content to hundreds of mainstream and specialist news sites that expand our reach into networks that can be difficult for press releases to penetrate.• We custom build corporate websites from the ground up, empowering clients and their brands with a modern online presence and the latest insight on effective SEO strategy.• Our news coverage ranks high on the world’s most popular search platforms, and we can further amplify online presence and outreach with sophisticated digital investor targeting.• We help the world understand what makes companies stand out from the crowd with in-depth investment research from a team of experienced analysts. For more information on how Proactive can help you make a difference, email us at action@proactiveinvestors.com

  • Berlin Brands Group raises $240 million in debt for e-commerce deals

    German e-commerce company Berlin Brands Group (BBG) said on Tuesday it had raised $240 million in debt financing to support the expansion of its direct-to-consumer brand portfolio, which it markets via Amazon and other channels. Unicredit, Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank were part of the banking consortium that extended the loan.

  • Britain's JD Sports reinstates dividend as online boom lifts forecast

    JD Sports performed well during the pandemic and has embarked on at least three big acquisitions in the United States and Europe in the past few months. The online retailer, known for its sneakers and athleisure products, also said it has signed a letter of intent with Clipper Logistics for e-fulfilment and warehousing as it expects online sales to remain elevated for the foreseeable future. Britain's departure from the European Union, however, had caused some disruptions from customs checks on transfer of goods from the UK to EU countries, the sportswear retailer said.