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US-based investment firm Castlelake confirmed it is in the ‘early stages’ of weighing up a potential takeover offer for budget airline easyJet following recent speculation

A major investment firm has issued a statement and said it is considering a possible takeover bid for easyJet.

US-based Castlelake confirmed it is in the “early stages” of weighing up a potential offer for the budget airline following recent speculation.

The company stressed that “no approach has been made to the Board of easyJet” and warned there was “no certainty” that a bid would actually happen. Under takeover rules, Castlelake now has until June 26 to either announce a firm intention to make an offer or walk away.

The development comes just days after easyJet insisted it still plans to operate its full summer schedule despite fears over aviation fuel supplies linked to the Iran war.

EasyJet chief executive Kenton Jarvis said the airline had seen “absolutely no issues with fuel supply” at airports across the UK and Europe.

He told the BBC Today programme: “We’ve seen absolutely no issues with fuel supply at any of our airports in the UK, across Europe, or indeed beyond. We stay in very close contact with our fuel suppliers, airports, governments, and they are equally raising no issues looking forward.

“What is true is obviously there’s a lot less oil coming from the Gulf region, but fuel suppliers have successfully diversified with production increased in Norway, in West Africa, in the Americas. Refining capacity for jet fuel has also increased substantially outside of the Gulf region.”

The airline recently reported losses of £552 million for the first half of its financial year – a 40% increase compared with the previous year. Despite the losses, easyJet said demand for the summer holidays remains strong, with travellers continuing to book trips closer to departure dates.

Mr Jarvis said: “Demand seems to be very strong in what we call the late market. As we ran through April, demand was very strong for the month of April. We’re seeing it again in May.

“But as you look further out, people are more cautious. People are waiting and watching, but they are booking as as you approach, and I expect that strong late booking market to run through the summer.”

The airline has also faced disruption linked to the EU’s new biometric border checks. Mr Jarvis described delays caused by the entry-exit system as “completely unacceptable”.

“I’d encourage all the European countries is to use the flexibility that’s been given to them by the European Commission, that they can phase the introduction of this if they see queues in peak times,” he said.

“They can go back to normal border force control with stamping of passports, so they should use this.”

SEOUL, May 12 (UPI) — Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, or KHNP, said Tuesday it partnered with Southern Nuclear Operating Co. of the United States to enhance nuclear engineering.

The state-backed enterprise signed a memorandum of understanding at its head office in Gyeongju, around 180 miles southeast of Seoul, with the U.S. nuclear company.

Under the agreement, KHNP said, the two would expand technical exchange programs and share best practices in operating nuclear facilities.

The South Korean company noted the partnership aligns with the efforts over the past few years to shift its operations toward an engineering-based system.

“This agreement is expected to help our engineers broaden their global perspective and provide an opportunity for our engineering system to advance further,” KHNP senior executive Kim Young-seung said in a statement.

“Down the road, we will do our utmost to perfect the Korean-style engineering system through close cooperation with overseas operators and international organizations,” he added.

Last June, KHNP signed a deal worth at least $18 billion to build two nuclear reactors in the Czech Republic. To support the project, the company plans to collaborate with various partners both at home and abroad.

As of the end of last year, KHNP ran a total of 26 nuclear reactors in South Korea. It is also constructing four new reactors in the country. KHNP is not publicly traded.

POP star Dua Lipa is suing Samsung for £11million after the tech giant allegedly used her face to sell £300 televisions without her permission.

A picture of the Levitating singer was on the packaging of Crystal 43in ultra-high- definition sets to promote its XITE Hits music channel.

In legal paperwork obtained by The Sun, Dua’s attorneys say she owns the copyright to the photo — taken backstage at a 2024 festival.

She claims it appeared on a “significant portion” of the tellies sold in the US — and her fans even flocked to buy them in the belief she had endorsed them.

The filing, made in the Central District of California Federal Court, reveals that Grammy- winner Dua is demanding a minimum $15million (£11million) in damages — but a jury could decide to award far more.

South Korean firm Samsung is said to have ignored several legal warnings from her team.

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Her lawyer Christine Lepera wrote: “Samsung used a copyrighted image of Ms. Lipa without authority or licence and prominently featured it on the front of boxes containing Samsung-manufactured televisions for retail sale.”

She added “The substantial revenue made on the sale is inextricably tied to the false message conveyed to consumers that Ms. Lipa has endorsed the Infringing Products when she has not.”

One fan is said to have put a photo of the box online with the caption: “I wasn’t even planning on buying a TV, but I saw the box so I decided to get it.”

Another in Miami who spotted it in a store wrote on Instagram: “I’d get that TV just because Dua is on it. That’s how obsessed I am.”

A third said: “I’ve always said if you need anything selling, just put a picture of Dua Lipa on it.”

Ms Lepera added that Dua would not have agreed a Samsung deal anyway as she is “highly selective in her commercial partnerships”.

The London-born star, 30, is one of the world’s biggest pop stars, cracking America and winning three Grammy Awards.

She has signed a number of advertising deals to take her net worth in excess of £100million.

Dua is the face of Nespresso, alongside George Clooney, and also the frontwoman for Yves Saint-Laurent’s beauty products.

In 2023, she signed a seven- figure package to become the face of sports car brand Porsche, and she is in a multi-year partnership with sportswear giant Puma.

Samsung had yet to file a defence to the court. Both Samsung and Dua Lipa’s legal firm, MSK, were asked to comment.

Members of the now-banned Palestine Action group raided Elbit Systems’ facility in Bristol 10 months into Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.

Four of six British pro-Palestinian activists have been convicted of criminal damage relating to a 2024 raid on a factory operated by Israeli defence firm Elbit, with one of the defendants found guilty of striking a police officer with a sledgehammer.

London’s Woolwich Crown Court on Tuesday found Charlotte Head, 30, Samuel Corner, 23, Leona Kamio, 30, Fatema Zainab Rajwani, 21, guilty. Zoe Rogers, 22, and Jordan Devlin, 31, were found not guilty.

Prosecutors said that the six defendants were members of the banned group Palestine Action, which organised the assault on the Elbit Systems UK facility in Bristol, southwest England, in August 2024.

The raid, which prosecutors said caused about one million pounds ($1.36m) of damage, took place about 10 months into Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza that began in October 2023.

Palestine Action was later proscribed under “terrorism” law, a decision which was ruled unlawful by London’s High Court, though the group remains banned pending the government’s appeal, which was heard last week.

Acquitted of aggravated burglary

Corner, who prosecutors said struck a police officer with a sledgehammer, was convicted of inflicting grievous bodily harm.

Each of the defendants gave evidence in front of the jury, admitting that they damaged Israeli military drones and equipment inside Elbit’s research and development facility in Filton, Bristol – in order to “save lives in Palestine”, according to a statement by their lawyers.

The defence team of the defendants said in a statement: “The defendants already defeated the most serious charges” and “they went into this trial with their heads held high and with the knowledge that no matter the verdict, by destroying Israeli military drones, their action likely saved lives in Palestine”.

Tuesday’s verdicts follow an earlier trial, after which all six defendants were acquitted of aggravated burglary, and the previous jury could not reach verdicts on the criminal damage charges.

Prosecutors later dropped charges of violent disorder against all six defendants.

The UK government proscribed Palestine Action in July, days after its activists sneaked into an air force base in southern England.

Elbit Systems is a defence technology company with about 20,000 staff and revenues of $2bn, according to the firm’s website.

VICTORIA Beckham has lost a row with US luxury handbag brand Vera Bradley over using the initials VB.

The fashion designer’s Victoria Beckham Ltd team hired intellectual property lawyers in a bid to stop the company registering the letters.

They argued that Posh Spice Victoria was now known globally for her initials — the basis of her beauty firm logo.

But they have now backed down and the application, first published in the Trademark Journal in the US last year, has been registered.

Vera Bradley rakes in more than £200million a year, with customers including Taylor Swift and Sarah Jessica Parker.

Victoria Beckham Ltd — represented by top LA attorney Eleanor Lackman from law firm Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp — asked for more time to put together their case before finally dropping it.

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The US Patent and Trademark Office said: “The Board notes the request, filed by Potential Opposer, Victoria Beckham Limited, to relinquish its extension of time to file a notice of opposition.

“In view thereof, the relinquishment releases the record of application for further processing.”

Last October, Victoria, 52, lost a similar battle with the Norwegian firm Vendela Beauty, with the company successfully arguing she was not famous enough in their country.

And in 2020, the former Spice Girl settled with Australian-based VB Skinland after they successfully registered the trademarks VB Salon and VB Skinlab.

Nic kick a Vic shtick

ACTRESS Nicola Peltz gets her kicks by poking fun at her mother-in-law’s trademark pose.

Brooklyn Beckham’s wife, 31, plays a ballerina in upcoming film Prima — and posted a picture online showing her leg pointed high in the air.

But one comment said: “This is Victoria Beckham’s signature move — stop trolling your mother-in-law.”

Nicola and Brooklyn, 27, are embroiled in a feud with his parents Victoria and David.

By Olivia Monk