A BUSINESS summit today will look at ways of boosting job and enterprise opportunities across minority and ethnic communities in the North-East.

The event, organised by Becon, a North-East network for black, minority and ethnic community groups, will host sessions by Northern TUC and business enterprise organisation SES.

The event takes place at Sunderland Bangladeshi Community Centre, in Tatham Street, from 10am to 3pm.

PROFITS PLUNGE: Sportswear company Adidas – owner of Reebok and golf brand TaylorMade – yesterday revealed a 97 per cent slide in profits for the first three months of this year. The German firm posted net profits of only five million euros (£4.5m) after sales decreased by six per cent in the first quarter and the company faced higher raw material and wage costs.

It warned margins and earnings per share were expected to decline this year, before gaining impetus ahead of next year’s World Cup.

MINISTERIAL VISIT: Housing Minister Margaret Beckett has visited a housing estate in South Shields, South Tyneside, to promote the Government’s newly expanded HomeBuy Direct shared equity scheme. Mrs Beckett saw the Cleadon Park estate, which has a mixture of rented homes owned by NomadE5, part of Isos Group, and owner occupied properties. A total of 21 homes on the Cleadon Park estate are available to buy using HomeBuy Direct – a scheme which received an £80m boost in Chancellor Alistair Darling’s Budget.

CLEAR-OUT CONTINUES: Part-nationalised Royal Bank of Scotland’s (RBS) clear-out of Sir Fred Goodwin’s former regime continued yesterday after finance director Guy Whittaker agreed to step down. Mr Whittaker was part of the board which agreed the bank’s disastrous bid for ABN Amro in 2007. As finance director he has also presided over the biggest loss in UK corporate history – the £24.bn posted by RBS in February. RBS is keen to avoid a repeat of accusations over ‘‘rewards for failure’’ after details of Sir Fred’s hugely controversial £703,000 pension emerged.