Internet-based fashion group Boohoo has bought the online businesses of fashion chains Karen Millen and Coast, leaving a question mark over the fate of the two retailers’ stores and concessions in Britain.

The Burmese government has signed a ceasefire agreement with ethnic Karen rebels, taking a major step towards ending one of the world’s longest-running insurgencies.

BURMESE troops are hunting down 2,000 civilians hiding in the jungle after being driven from their homes in a brutal offensive against the Karen ethnic minority, reports from Burma said yesterday.

Fashion chains Principles and Warehouse are on the brink of a sale that will land their owners a £130m (€187.8m) pay-day, it was reported today.