Business

Brightly coloured kites filled Lahore's skies this weekend as the Basant festival returned after a 19-year ban and ran for three days under tighter safety measures.

A coalition of northern mayors launched 'The Great North' campaign asking the government to back future Olympic and Paralympic bids based in northern England and to work on feasibility studies and legacy planning.

Lidl will invest £29 million in staff pay and says the changes take effect on March 1, 2026.

Chesterfield, about half an hour from Sheffield and under 90 minutes from Manchester, is home to roughly 80 independent shops and a busy market; locals and business owners say recent town-centre improvements and cultural activity are reinvigorating the community.

British investors pulled a record £6.7bn from equity funds in 2025, a sum Calastone says was more than double the outflow recorded in 2016.

Eleven northern mayors and former athletes have written to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy requesting that any future UK Summer Olympic Games be hosted in the North of England, saying a northern Games could accelerate regeneration and rebalance the economy.

Meghan Markle attended a gala in a striking gown believed to be by Harbison Studio; Prince Harry is believed to have stayed at their Montecito home with their children.

Businesses and community groups have formed Manchester Village Pride CIC and contributed £120,000 to support this year’s event after Manchester Pride Events Ltd went into liquidation, and organisers say the CIC model will prioritise transparency and return profits to LGBTQ+ charities and grassroots groups.

Repeated Russian strikes on Ukraine's energy grid have forced many firms to rely on backup power and raised operating costs, and analysts say attacks on the energy system are a key short-term risk to GDP.

A funeral in Ireland remembered Capt Philip Gilbert Muldowney, 25, who died after an incident at Otterburn Training Area; the Army says the circumstances are being investigated.

Shaun Stephen wore his father's original 1995 tracksuit on BBC's Gladiators and said his father reached the semi-finals in 1995.

Officials said the agreements include a reported $1 billion SilkLink telecommunications project and a new low-cost Syrian‑Saudi airline, along with plans to develop Aleppo's international airport.

Sports tourism is among the fastest-growing travel sectors, and premium Super Bowl packages — which include hospitality and post-game field access — start at about $6,500 per person, with top-tier options selling out.

Cyclone Mitchell is offshore of Port Hedland and is forecast to strengthen to a category three system as it moves toward the Pilbara coast; watch-and-act warnings and an evacuation centre in Karratha have been announced.

The FDA approved beetroot red as a new food color and expanded permitted use of spirulina extract, part of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s initiative to reduce petroleum-based synthetic dyes in the food supply.

A Michelin‑star restaurateur was found guilty of attempting to administer GBL to a woman at Annabel's in January 2024; a further hearing is scheduled for 16 February.

The University of Michigan's Consumer Sentiment Index rose to 57.3 in February, the highest since last August, while concerns about high prices and job risk remained widespread.

The UK organic food and drink market grew nearly 8% in the year to 27 September 2025, with sales volumes up 2.5%, and organic poultry and salmon recorded double‑digit rises in value and volume.

Labor holds a large parliamentary majority and is reportedly weighing changes to the 50% capital gains tax discount ahead of the 12 May budget; defence land sales and a Greens-led inquiry are adding pressure to address housing issues.

Alton Towers is trialling a refined Ride Access Pass that removes the 'difficulty with crowds' category during a brief February half-term opening; the resort says it will review guest feedback and the new RAP app ahead of its main season in March.

Wizz Air will begin twice-weekly direct flights from London Gatwick to Santorini on 1 July 2026, with one-way fares starting at £45.99.

Marie said the couple will return to Denmark and are eager to resume their patronages. They moved to Washington in 2023 after the prince took a job at the Danish Embassy.

Lidl will raise entry-level pay to £13.45 nationwide from March 1 and will double paid paternity leave to four weeks, rising to eight weeks after five years of service.

The US and Iran are starting negotiations in Oman focused on Iran's nuclear programme, the first talks since strikes on Iranian nuclear sites in June. Iranian and US teams say the initial agenda will cover the nuclear dispute only.

Lebanon holds about 286 tons of central-bank gold, and some banking officials have proposed using a portion to help repay depositors; any use would require parliamentary approval and faces legal and political obstacles.

Halifax reports the average UK house price reached £300,077 in January, a 0.7% monthly rise and 1% annual increase. Halifax called the figure a milestone while noting affordability remains a challenge.

South Australia Police have declared the disappearance of four-year-old Gus Lamont a major crime and say a person who lived at the family's Oak Park station is now considered a suspect; two of his grandmothers have engaged lawyers and said they will not be giving interviews.

Authorities report 35 people have died and almost 400 were injured after record snowfall in northern Japan; officials warned that melting snow could increase avalanche and slip risks.

Investigators found 189 human remains at the Return to Nature facility and owners Jon and Carie Hallford pleaded guilty; Jon is due to be sentenced Friday and Carie is scheduled for sentencing in April, and relatives are preparing to testify.

U.S. President Donald Trump signed a one-year extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act through Dec. 31, 2026, restoring duty-free access that supports Lesotho’s garment exports; the brief extension leaves longer-term trade arrangements undetermined.