By , LISBON (Reuters) - Portugal’s tourism sector reacted with fury and disbelief at Britain’s decision to maintain a quarantine regime for travellers coming from Portugal despite having a higher number of coronavirus cases and deaths.Slideshow Portugal was left off a list of more than 50 countries that Britain considers safe enough for travel without coronavirus-related restrictions, meaning holidaymakers returning from Portugal would have to quarantine for 14 days.That will be a major deterrent for British tourists, who accounted for 2.1 million of Portugal’s foreign visitors last year,...…By , LISBON (Reuters) - Portugal’s tourism sector reacted with fury and disbelief at Britain’s decision to maintain a quarantine regime for travellers coming from Portugal despite having a higher number of coronavirus cases and deaths.Slideshow Portugal was left off a list of more than 50 countries that Britain considers safe enough for travel without coronavirus-related restrictions, meaning holidaymakers returning from Portugal would have to quarantine for 14 days.That will be a major deterrent for British tourists, who accounted for 2.1 million of Portugal’s foreign visitors last year,...WW…

By , BOSTON/LISBON (Reuters) - A group of religious and socially conscious investors and other funds are ramping up pressure on Western companies over alleged human rights abuses in China’s Xinjiang region, highlighting the challenges for brands trying to maintain their business ties amid rising tensions.The group of more than 50 investors, backed by the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, said it is in the process of contacting more than 40 companies, including H&M, VF Corp, Hugo Boss and Zara-owner Inditex, requesting more information about their supply chains and urging...…By , BOSTON/LISBON (Reuters) - A group of religious and socially conscious investors and other funds are ramping up pressure on Western companies over alleged human rights abuses in China’s Xinjiang region, highlighting the challenges for brands trying to maintain their business ties amid rising tensions.The group of more than 50 investors, backed by the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, said it is in the process of contacting more than 40 companies, including H&M, VF Corp, Hugo Boss and Zara-owner Inditex, requesting more information about their supply chains and urging...WW…

By , , BEIJING (Reuters) -China’s top ride-hailing app dropped Swedish fashion retailer H&M from its listings as Chinese celebrities stopped endorsing foreign labels in a growing uproar over Western accusations of forced labour in Xinjiang.H&M faced a public backlash in China when social media users in the country circulated a statement the company made last year announcing it would no longer source cotton from Xinjiang after reports of the use of forced labour by Uighur Muslims.Western governments and rights groups have accused authorities in the farwestern region of detaining and...…By , , BEIJING (Reuters) -China’s top ride-hailing app dropped Swedish fashion retailer H&M from its listings as Chinese celebrities stopped endorsing foreign labels in a growing uproar over Western accusations of forced labour in Xinjiang.H&M faced a public backlash in China when social media users in the country circulated a statement the company made last year announcing it would no longer source cotton from Xinjiang after reports of the use of forced labour by Uighur Muslims.Western governments and rights groups have accused authorities in the farwestern region of detaining and...WW…

By , (Reuters) - The 15 largest listed fashion companies are lagging behind when it comes to meeting the social and environmental targets of the Paris climate agreement and UN Sustainable Development Goals, a new report by the Business of Fashion said on Monday.The Business of Fashion, an online publication about the fashion industry, analysed in its report publicly disclosed information from the five biggest companies by revenue in three categories - luxury, sportswear, and high street fashion, including Kering, Adidas, H&M and others.The fashion industry is under increasing pressure...…By , (Reuters) - The 15 largest listed fashion companies are lagging behind when it comes to meeting the social and environmental targets of the Paris climate agreement and UN Sustainable Development Goals, a new report by the Business of Fashion said on Monday.The Business of Fashion, an online publication about the fashion industry, analysed in its report publicly disclosed information from the five biggest companies by revenue in three categories - luxury, sportswear, and high street fashion, including Kering, Adidas, H&M and others.The fashion industry is under increasing pressure...WW…

By LISBON (Reuters) - The construction site outside Brazilian journalist Giuliana Miranda’s suburban Lisbon apartment didn’t bother her much - until remote working kicked in and the drilling noise drowned out her interviewees on Zoom. Soon, she moved house.Slideshow But luck was against her. Just before working from home became mandatory again last month, two of her eight neighbours in the new building began renovating their apartments. Two more have started since.“The construction site had council permission to start at 7 a.m., and work Saturdays too. I moved because of the noise,” she...…By LISBON (Reuters) - The construction site outside Brazilian journalist Giuliana Miranda’s suburban Lisbon apartment didn’t bother her much - until remote working kicked in and the drilling noise drowned out her interviewees on Zoom. Soon, she moved house.Slideshow But luck was against her. Just before working from home became mandatory again last month, two of her eight neighbours in the new building began renovating their apartments. Two more have started since.“The construction site had council permission to start at 7 a.m., and work Saturdays too. I moved because of the noise,” she...WW…

By LISBON (Reuters) - Portuguese voters - largely confined to their homes due to a strict COVID-19 lockdown - will pick a new president on Sunday, but many fear going to the polls could worsen a surge in coronavirus cases and low turnout is expected.The country of 10 million people, which fared better than others in the first wave of the pandemic, now has the world’s highest seven-day rolling average of new cases and deaths per capita.Authorities reported a record daily toll of 274 deaths and more than 15,300 new cases on Saturday.“It wouldn’t have been a problem to wait another month....…By LISBON (Reuters) - Portuguese voters - largely confined to their homes due to a strict COVID-19 lockdown - will pick a new president on Sunday, but many fear going to the polls could worsen a surge in coronavirus cases and low turnout is expected.The country of 10 million people, which fared better than others in the first wave of the pandemic, now has the world’s highest seven-day rolling average of new cases and deaths per capita.Authorities reported a record daily toll of 274 deaths and more than 15,300 new cases on Saturday.“It wouldn’t have been a problem to wait another month....WW…

By , LISBON/MADRID (Reuters) - In October, Michelle Jones and her husband Gary boarded a ferry in England for a new life in Spain. Had they left it beyond Britain’s period of transition out of the European Union, things would have been much more complicated.“We haven’t got a choice - it’s now or never,” the former housing association worker said at the hairdressing salon she has taken over in the resort town of Fuengirola in southern Spain.“Our family and friends in the UK think we’re mad for doing it” during a pandemic, Jones, 54, said, but “we are not going to go through the rigmarole of...…By , LISBON/MADRID (Reuters) - In October, Michelle Jones and her husband Gary boarded a ferry in England for a new life in Spain. Had they left it beyond Britain’s period of transition out of the European Union, things would have been much more complicated.“We haven’t got a choice - it’s now or never,” the former housing association worker said at the hairdressing salon she has taken over in the resort town of Fuengirola in southern Spain.“Our family and friends in the UK think we’re mad for doing it” during a pandemic, Jones, 54, said, but “we are not going to go through the rigmarole of...WW…

By LISBON (Reuters) - Retailers worldwide have never had more reason to pack warehouses to the brim and keep stock closer to shoppers who continue to buy a record number of items online.As well as stocking up for Christmas and any potential coronavirus-related lockdowns, Europe and the UK will soon have Brexit to deal with.British companies are bringing as much as possible into the country before potential disruptions in January, while their European counterparts are piling up goods in pan-European distribution hubs close to ports like Hamburg or Rotterdam.E-commerce management platforms...…By LISBON (Reuters) - Retailers worldwide have never had more reason to pack warehouses to the brim and keep stock closer to shoppers who continue to buy a record number of items online.As well as stocking up for Christmas and any potential coronavirus-related lockdowns, Europe and the UK will soon have Brexit to deal with.British companies are bringing as much as possible into the country before potential disruptions in January, while their European counterparts are piling up goods in pan-European distribution hubs close to ports like Hamburg or Rotterdam.E-commerce management platforms...WW…

By LISBON (Reuters) - Surfboards, beach buckets and picnic baskets in tow, Portuguese flocked to the ocean in droves on Saturday for their first state-sanctioned beach weekend of the year.Slideshow “It’s so great to see the sea and get some sun after two months,” said Catarina, who arrived to Carcavelos Beach, half an hour from Lisbon, at 9 a.m. with her husband and daughter.But despite her relief, Catarina wasn’t sure this newfound freedom could last long.“Most are behaving ... but there are a lot of groups, and that’s what causes contagion, isn’t it? I don’t know, by next month I think...…By LISBON (Reuters) - Surfboards, beach buckets and picnic baskets in tow, Portuguese flocked to the ocean in droves on Saturday for their first state-sanctioned beach weekend of the year.Slideshow “It’s so great to see the sea and get some sun after two months,” said Catarina, who arrived to Carcavelos Beach, half an hour from Lisbon, at 9 a.m. with her husband and daughter.But despite her relief, Catarina wasn’t sure this newfound freedom could last long.“Most are behaving ... but there are a lot of groups, and that’s what causes contagion, isn’t it? I don’t know, by next month I think...WW…