UK pay growth rose in December and unemployment remained unchanged despite warnings from business that Rachel Reeves’s autumn budget would lead to job losses. Figures from the Office for National Statistics show annual growth in total average weekly earnings rose by 6% in the three months to December, up from 5.6% in November and above…
European imports of seaborne gas shipments fell by a fifth last year to their lowest level since the pandemic, according to a new report, while the UK’s plunged by nearly a half, but governments are continuing to spend billions on new import terminals. The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) found that Europe’s…
Key events Show key events only Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature Opening summary Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the US-Russia talks in Riyadh – it’s approaching 8am in the Saudi capital. Today’s talks aim to pave the way for the first exchanges on a potential peace deal to end…
Hundreds of protesters have marched on Cook Islands’ parliament to oppose prime minister Mark Brown’s recent decisions, including a failure to properly consult its closest partner New Zealand over a deal to deepen ties with China. Roughly 400 protesters – led by opposition parties – gathered outside the capital city of Avarua on Tuesday, RNZ…
The apparent leader of a cultlike group known as the Zizians has been arrested in Maryland along with another member of the group, Maryland state police have said. Jack LaSota, 34, was arrested on Sunday along with Michelle Zajko, 33, of Media, Pennsylvania. They face multiple charges including trespassing, obstructing and hindering and possession of…
The US energy secretary, Chris Wright, has said he “would love to see Australia get in the game of supplying uranium and maybe going down the nuclear road themselves”. Australia is already the world’s fourth-largest producer of uranium, but nuclear power remains banned at national level. Wright was speaking at a major summit of international…
A house fire which killed a “completely innocent” woman is a case of mistaken identity linked to Melbourne’s tobacco wars, police say. Katie Tangey, 27, died after arsonists hit the wrong address while she was house-sitting her brother’s home in Truganina, in the city’s west, in the early hours of 16 January. Det Insp Chris…
An unverified video uploaded to YouTube appears to show Australian Oscar Jenkins alive in Russian captivity, though weak and with a serious injury. In January there were reports that Jenkins, a 32-year-old teacher from Melbourne, had died after his capture while serving alongside Ukraine’s armed forces. The video appears to be intended to counter those…
A Jewish man in Miami Beach is facing charges of attempted murder following accusations that he opened fire on two men he believed were Palestinians but reportedly turned out to be Israeli visitors. According to arrest documents, at 9.30pm on Saturday surveillance video appeared to show Mordechai Brafman, 27, getting out of his truck and…
An engineering student accused of drugging and raping women has said he took drugs and viewed pornography, with his favourite scenes involving sleeping women. Zhenhao Zou, 27, is accused of raping 10 women and filming his attacks. He denies all the charges. Giving evidence in his own defence, he said he was “in the habit”…
