Black given say on 'Telegraph'

A Delaware judge last night said he would continue until the end of October an injunction barring Lord Black, the former chief executive and chairman of Hollinger International, from interfering with the newspaper company's plans to sell assets including The Daily Telegraph.

A Delaware judge last night said he would continue until the end of October an injunction barring Lord Black, the former chief executive and chairman of Hollinger International, from interfering with the newspaper company's plans to sell assets including The Daily Telegraph.

However, the injunction will not bar Lord Black from commenting publicly on the Telegraph deal, Judge Leo Strine said, particularly since Lord Black, through the Canadian company Hollinger Inc, owns a 72.4 per cent voting interest and 30 per cent equity interest in Hollinger International.

The question of whether Hollinger International can close a deal for the Telegraph without the consent of its controlling shareholder is one a court may have to decide, Judge Strine added.

Judge Strine extended the ban that blocked Lord Black's attempt to sell a controlling stake in Hollinger International to David and Frederick Barclay.

In public statements, Hollinger International said it has backed away from plans to sell all of its assets, which include the Chicago Sun-Times, although the Telegraph titles remains on the block. The bidders include The Daily Mail and General Trust and the Barclay brothers.