Thing in the world of retail. Thats black friday of course the annual discounting spree thats come to mark the start of the Holiday Shopping season. But with many shops closed or subject to restrictions across europe and the us, today will be a black friday like no other. Online sales have been replacing those chaotic scenes in stores for a long time now but 2020 is seeing that trend turbocharged with online retailers expecting their biggest black friday ever. How much consumers will actually be prepared to spend though is another matter. From new york, heres michelle fleury. The black friday shopping many are still playing out in a. Millions of americans had the malls in a mad dash to get their hands on holiday deals that rock prices. The past two days everything you can imagine has been flying off the shelves. The friday after thanksgiving, typically the easier shopping day in america, synonymous with large crowds and chaotic scenes, it is the polar opposite of social distancing. And with Us Health Officials are urging people to skip this particular holiday tradition it will look different. Its crazy to see its. Despite the early bargains on offer, there was precious little festive chair among shoppers at this mall in brooklyn. I dont feel like its christmas, dont feel like its christmas, dont feel like its thanksgiving, because you can celebrate it with people you love. The coronavirus has spiked a little bit. So they have to be careful. Does that mean you just do everything online or are you just saving your money and not shopping . plan on shopping online for my granddaughters. Basically, i have no intention of going into the stores. The pandemic isnt just changing peoples shopping habits. It has devastated the economy. A number of well known retailers have closed their doors for good. Stimulus cash from the government last spring is exhausted and Many Americans are struggling to make ends meet. Like the big chains, many small retailers are changing how they operate to try to survive. When the pandemic first hit, robbie had to close his shop. To pull through he and his Business Partner, chris, went online. During the first pandemic round we were down 80 90 . So we were really struggling and floundering and what kept us alive was that little bit of e Commerce Business and that was great. Enough to make your business a sustainable . Gas and were seeing a lot of business during the week with customers looking to get out, take a break from work, and shopping during the days. Now wood group is back open and is doing great, but robbie is preparing for the unexpected this Holiday Shopping season. Covid had been kept at a sustainable level and with it coming back it makes us a little fearful we will be shot again. Despite the uncertainties, expect some familiar sites as retailers try to pull out all the stops to make sure this Holiday Season isnt the last. Michelle fleury, bbc news, new york. Lets delve into this a little more. Joining me now is lisa hooker, consumer markets lead at the consultants pwc. Hello, lisa, thank you for coming onto the programme. Tell us coming onto the programme. Tell usa coming onto the programme. Tell us a little bit a bout what this years black friday is going to look like. What kind of impact will the pandemic have . Is quite interesting. If we look at the uk, when we did oui we look at the uk, when we did our usual survey we look at the uk, when we did our usual survey asking people about black friday they said they were going to an 8 more, thats over eight million. Then we decided to rerun the survey once the new lockdown measures we re once the new lockdown measures were announced in november and, actually, the new survey suggested less people were interested and they were going to spend 20 less. So we saw a real dive in interest, as i think confidence went down, particularly amongst the Younger Age Group who had been the most interested. So there is interest, but it is going to be slightly less this year than it was last year. Well, that wont be good news for retailers, will it, who were probably looking to black friday to revive some of their sales. It does vary quite a lot. On the positive, as we came out of lockdown we saw growth in most categories in retail, as people had money to spend because they had been able to go on holiday and to go out. The real category that has still suffered because not going out as much has been fashion. So i think fashion are the ones that are really trying to engage and encourage customers back by doing discounting and communicating the good value. Now, over the yea rs the good value. Now, over the years there has been this growing awareness that sometimes those discounts you think you are getting may not be quite as big as some of the other ones you might get throughout the rest of the year. What you think is going to happen this year, are we going to see the discounts than we have ever seen before . It really does vary by category. Some categories, actually, a short of stock. A lot of the planning for this is done in january and february where asia was shot and also people were more cautious on their buying, retailers, over summer, not quite knowing what is happening. Some areas have actually got less stock so there will be less discounting. Those areas that have suffered more there will probably be more there will probably be more discounting. What i would say is shoppers are getting more and more savvy and they are telling us they are researching ahead of black friday to make sure they are getting good value and they are getting good value and they are getting discounts. All right, lisa hooker, thank you very much your time today. Thank you. Many of those retailers will be looking towards next week, as European Countries begin to emerge from this months lockdown. France will allow non essential shops to re open from saturday, with cinemas and theatres following in mid december. Much of england will allow shops to open on december 2nd, and italy is considering allowing stores to open in the run up to christmas. But with severe restrictions still in place on hospitality and tourism, business groups are warning majorjob losses are inevitable. Chris southworth, secretary general of the International Chamber of commerce here in the uk. Hejoins us now. Great to he joins us now. Great to see you, chris. And thanks for coming on. Lets talk about this tier system that is coming into force in england. What sort of impact will that have on businesses that, for a large part, are already struggling . think if we step back from what we have been informed yesterday, and i think there is a need for better quality evidence, isnt there, behind, just demonstrate to all of us whats behind these government decisions. You know, its very clear that this is notjust about medical decisions, albeit thats incredibly important. There is severe economic impact, that has an impact on jobs, both short term and long term. And it also has an impact on the economy in terms of how deep the scarring is short term and long term. And thatis short term and long term. And that is a whole bunch of social issues involved here as well, which we now know a lot more about than we did before. Sol think the first point is we are being presented with one sided information and we need a loss more transparency around the full Economic Impacts of the virus and where exactly it is and what the costs and benefits are of the different options that are available a lot of. At the moment, it looks and feels very heavy handed. We are trying to sort of, you know crack a problem with a hammer when we could be a loss more sophisticated and intelligent about the way were about dealing with the issue. When you say we could be a loss more sophisticated, tell us about what you are talking about, what you are talking about, what would you have liked to have seen . For the first point, we know a lot more about this virus in terms of which elements of society its impacting, we know a lot more about it in terms of the treatment and what is required. We have some basic capabilities in place in terms of test and phrasing. We could just be a loss more intelligent in terms of risk profiling, where exactly in the population is this impacting . Who is more at risk and who is less at risk. We have testing capability which could be dramatically scaled up, it has been scaled up scaled up, it has been scaled up buddy goode be scaled up a lot more. The efforts from medical services, support services, Government Services could be targeted a lot better. Could be scaled up a lot more. It could be villages and towns and industries either in one postcode or another. We could be a lot more intelligent about that. Then we could be using technology a lot better. It is absolutely possible to create safe spaces and its absolutely possible to be able to travel safely. The technology is there. The capability is there. But we need government to be really focused in these kind of areas so focused in these kind of areas so people can move around, particularly industry, and be able to operate, you know, at the same time as keeping on top of the virus. And just briefly, because you are talking about a lot of things that could have been done differently, europe has, there are different approaches in different countries, is there a country you think has done particularly well . I think everybody is struggling. Sol well . I think everybody is struggling. So i dont think its about pointing the finger of blame at anybody. I think this is incredibly complicated and incredibly difficult. But we do need a loss more international cooperation. I think thats been one of the biggest failures of the whole episode globally. We need government is really operating together because the solutions are actually pretty much the same for everybody and particularly when you are dealing with trade across borders. We need the same structures, same systems, same standards. As you say, there are no easy answers. Thats for sure. Thank you very much, chris southworth, for your time today. Face to face talks on a post brexit trade deal are set to resume in london this weekend, European Union sources have told the bbc. Eu chief negotiator Michel Barnier and other members of his team have been self isolating as a precaution, after a colleague tested positive for covid last week. The uk is due to leave the eus Single Market at the end of the year with or without a trade deal. Talks have been hung up over access to uk fishing waters a level Playing Field over regulations and how any agreement would be enforced. Joining me now is swetha ramachandran, investment manager at gam investments. Thank you very much for your time today. So just talk to us a little bit about whether a deal is looking more likely than not. I think certainly since press reports last weekend emerged with two sides again positive striking a deal the mood music deftly seems to have shifted much more in favour of a deal. We obviously are experiencing a current setback with certain members of the negotiating team prevented from continuing the negotiations in person due to having tested positive for covid i9, but it does seem we are inching closer towards the deal that weve been waiting for some time now and that markets as well, increasingly, our pricing in this possibility and oversee the expectation is nearly 80 that we finalise a deal imminently versus 20 that we exit without a deal. There we re we exit without a deal. There were some sticky issues, wont there, in particular that their competition guarantee, fisheries, has there been any movement on that . I think whats interesting is in the last two days the negotiating teams have actually not been briefing the eu on the status of the negotiations, which suggest they might actually be working on them rather than necessarily communicating them. So the updated status of those particular issues, which are quite key to the uk, particularly the state subsidy guarantees, liver condition rules, as well as the fishing rights remain very critical for us rights remain very critical for us to reach that, but i think comments by the chancellor yesterday suggest we are closer towards striking a negotiating compromise. I think the timeline, which is ever moving now, and it has been even suggested that this could come into effect injanuary suggested that this could come into effect in january without having been approved by the parliament, the eu parliament, which would then vote on it after, doesnt necessarily focus a lot of minds in terms of concluding the agreement, but that we are hopefully getting there soon. So there are still quite a bit of uncertainty. How are investors are markets responding to that . So the uk for the past four yea rs has so the uk for the past four years has been the most unloved Development Market equity region, valuations today and relative formants versus the Global Markets is at a 35 year low. So all of this for the last four years is really taken its toll on the uk equity market. As we saw recently with the vaccine at news, a little good news can spread a loss of cheer. I think the markets will very quickly price in the good news from a deal quite soon a lot of cheer. 0k, swetha, will leave it there. Thank you so much. Lets go to asia now, because theres been an escalation in the growing trade dispute between australia and its biggest Business Partner china. Beijing has slapped anti dumping measures on australian wine, meaning importers will have to pay a deposit of between 100 and 200 at customs. Sharanjit leyl in singapore has more on this. Sharanjit, explain what dumping is and whats the backdrop to this dispute. Imean, i mean, its extraordinary, isnt it, that wine of all things is now the centre of these worsening tension between beijing and canberra. China, as you mentioned, as australias largest trade partner. It is leveraging on that to put pressure on it, threatening economic retaliation really, ever since canberra called for an enquiry into the covid i9 pandemic. Wine has been the next product to suffer the consequences after china suspended some australian timberand suspended some australian timber and beef imports. These are temporary anti dumping measures we are told, the insinuation being that australia is dumping wine into china at unfair prices, the chinese are claiming that they subsidise many of the wine producers in australia stopping the rates being charged to import wine differ from company to company. From saturday importers will have to pay deposits from between 107 to 11296. Deposits from between 107 to 112 . Thats according to Chinas Commerce Ministry with australias biggest producer, treasury wine, the owner of penfold, subject to the highest rate stopping their shares fell more than 11 on this news before being placed on a trading hold. Australias wine exports to china is a big deal, they had a record 900 million last year according to the Australian Government so this will really hit them hard. That isa will really hit them hard. That is a huge amount of money. Thank you very much. Stay with us on bbc news, still to come to ski or not to ski . With billions of dollars at stake plans to close resorts until january get a frosty reception. President kennedy was shot down and died almost immediately. The murder ofjohn kennedy is a disaster for the whole free world. He caught the imagination of the world. The first of a new generation of leaders. Margaret thatcher is resigning as leader of the conservative party and Prime Minister. Before leaving number 10 to see the queen, she told her cabinet, its a funny old world. Angela merkel is germanys first woman chancellor, easily securing the majority she needed. Attempts to fly a hot air balloon had to be abandoned after a few minutes but nobody seemed to mind very much. As one local comic put it, its not hot air we need, its hard cash. Cuba has declared nine days of mourning following the death of fidel castro at the age of 90. Castro developed close ties with the soviet union in the 1960s. It was an alliance that brought the world to the brink of nuclear war, with the cuban missile crisis. This is bbc world news, the latest headlines President Trump says he will leave the white house if the Electoral College certifiesjoe bidens victory even as he continues to deny the reality of his defeat. Legendary argentine footballer Diego Maradona has been laid to rest alongside his parents at a cemetery on the outskirts of buenos aires. From planes to trains to taxis, the pandemic has spelled disasterfor much of the transport industry, as demand for work and Leisure Travel slumped. But it has begun to energize the market for electric bikes and e scooters. Theyre seen as covid safe transport, and empty streets have helped new users to overcome safety concerns. Lime is the worlds biggest micromobility firm, renting e bikes and e scooters in more than 120 countries. It has reported its first ever quarterly profit, overcoming doubts about the viability of the industry, as its ceo has been telling the bbc. It has been a tough year, certainly for lime but also for a lot of companies, but we were able to deliver a profitable quarterfor able to deliver a profitable quarter for three able to deliver a profitable quarterfor three big reasons. A revenue has actually come back much faster and broad based than we expected. At the beginning of covid we saw a 95 decline of revenues because people werent leaving but after people started to leave one of the key questions was how do i move around in a safeway. And we have a open air single passenger motor transportation. We spent a letter of the last year focusing on costs. We dramatically improve the length ofa dramatically improve the length of a scooter live, did a ton of work around labour productivity and we had to make some hard decisions around operational expenses. That was really critical at bringing our costs down. And we are geographically distributed which allows us to whether covid better than some of our competitors. And viewers on bbc world news can see more of that interview with wayne ting, chief executive of electric bike and scooter firm lime on talking business with Aaron Heslehurst this weekend. The times are on your screen now with the first airing at 2330 gmt on saturday. Lets head for the alps now where the arrival of the first winter snow would normally mean the start of the ski season. The pandemic has already taken a heavy toll on europes ski resorts bringing last season to an early end with the loss of billions of dollars in revenue. Now germany is pushing for an eu wide agreement to keep them closed until january to stop the virus spreading. The suggestion has been dismissed by austria, whose 250 alpine resorts rely on foreign tourism. Frances Prime Minister is among those that agree. Translation with regard to Winter Sports resorts, we have identified that the context of the epidemic as well as the situation hospitals in the concerned regions, especially in the alps region, does not allow us to plan for a reopening during the christmas period. I commend the position of the european commission, which aims for a harmonious decision in europe on this matter and with respect to prudence. Lets go live to the ski resort of meribel in the french alps and speak to Fabrice Bonnet who is president of the Hotel Owners Trade Association there the syndicat di otolyay d may ribel. Thank you very much for coming on, tell us a little bit about what impact french ski resort having to close until next year will have on your business . We closed on march 13, so two thirds of the season, and it was already big for us, we missed a lot of business. This year, it is likely we will not reopen until the end of january or Something Like that. We are very worried about our business. And you are expected to open for christmas, that is not going to happen anymore. A little bit about how much business you would usually do in this period. Business is usually 25 of the business, and the thing to say is not the entire truth, because the left will be closed but the rest will be closed but the rest will be closed but the rest will be open, shops, hotels, flower shops will be open, so we might have a chance, more than end of march last year where it was definitely closed. This time, maybe, some people will come. We have two say, we hope for the best but i dont know. And there is obviously some discussion within europe about whether ski resorts should remain closed, what is your view on that . Do you think it is absolutely necessary for your business to take this hit an order for health and safety to be maintained, or do you think that you could actually open your ski resorts and have the right measures in place to keep people safe . The thing is, if we are open, for the rest of europe, we dont know yet, it will be a good thing to have an a nswer will be a good thing to have an answer for will be a good thing to have an answerfor all of the will be a good thing to have an answer for all of the European Countries. If its too open for christmas and then to close again for february, because of the pandemic, its not a good idea either, so im not a doctor or something, but if we can definitely open end of january and do the rest of the season, that will be better than to open and close or to open and close again. That is no good to open and close, we definitely need to be open for a long period, so we will see. Thats right, well we certainly do wish you all the best. Thank you very much for your time today. And its goodbye to you for now, thank you very much for your company. Hello there. If you need to head out on the roads on friday morning, fog could cause one or two problems, certainly some Poor Visibility in places particularly across parts of england and wales. The fog slow to clear through the day and it will feel cold out there. Two weather fronts, one to the northwest, one to the south bringing some cloud and patchy rain. But in between, very light winds, temperatures have been dropping, its going to be a very cold start to friday morning. Widely around freezing, some spots below and we will also see some fog. Indeed, some freezing fog across parts of england into east wales as well. These are the areas most likely to be affected. Slightly different across the far southeast, here its more likely cloud bringing the odd spot of rain. Some early sunshine through wales, parts of northern england, and then for Northern Ireland and scotland, its a slightly different story again. This band of cloud and weather front bringing some outbreaks of very patchy rain, and that band of cloud with those bits and pieces of rain not moving far at all through the day. The fog struggling to shift as well across those parts of england and wales starting off so murky. I think in many places, it willjust linger as low cloud all day long. A bit of rain creeping in towards the English Channel coasts. Temperatures, if you stick with fog all day long, maybe just 3 4 degrees. Even in some brightness, 8 9 the best we can expect. And then through friday night, the fog will once again reform with a lot of low cloud and some spots of rain and drizzle working northwards across england and wales. Lowest temperatures likely to be across the far north of england, also southeast scotland some spots here will see a frost because of clear skies overhead. And there will be a slice of sunshine for some on saturday. Particularly across scotland, perhaps Northern Ireland as well. But for england and wales a lot of cloud, some misty, murky conditions. Temperatures just a little bit higher, though, down towards the south, ii i2, possibly 13 degrees. The milder airjust trying to sneak its way in. Now for the second half of the weekend, High Pressure remains in charge this frontal system up to the far north west might just bring a little bit of rain in northern and northwestern scotland. Otherwise a lot of drier weather, but again a lot of cloudy weather and any fog for the morning will struggle to clear during the day, and those temperatures for most of us in single digits, at best around ten degrees. Good morning. Welcome to breakfast, with Charlie Stayt and naga munchetty. Our headlines today. A call for a rethink as most people in england are told theyll enter the two toughest tiers after lockdown. The Prime Minister faces an angry reaction from some of his backbench mps. Amid chaotic scenes of passion and disorder, football legend maradona is laid to rest in buenos aires. Maradonas former side napoli also pay tribute, players and staff wearing his iconic number ten jersey before their Europa League match. Theyre set to re name their stadium in the argentines honour. A study led by the duchess of of cambridge suggests theres been a dramatic increase in feelings of loneliness among the parents