Business

President Cyril Ramaphosa said the government will fund geological mapping and exploration to develop South Africa's critical mineral reserves, and he described mining as a 'sunrise industry' to support jobs and growth.

Two Mexican-flagged ships carrying about 814 tons of food and hygiene supplies entered Havana Harbor on Feb. 12, Reuters reported, and Mexico said a second shipment will follow.

LogChain is relocating its global headquarters from Singapore to Liverpool and plans to invest up to £4m in the Liverpool City Region over the next three years.

Labour has proposed allowing regional mayors in England to introduce a visitor levy on overnight stays, and UKHospitality has led a letter signed by 200 businesses warning it may increase costs for families and strain small accommodation providers.

Reuters reports the U.S. Army deployed AeroVironment's LOCUST counter-drone laser near El Paso International Airport, prompting the FAA to halt inbound and outbound commercial flights for more than seven hours.

Venezuela's attorney general said an amnesty law under consideration aims to produce a "100% pacified" country and he insisted those in prison are not political detainees. The bill has passed an initial vote, its full text has not yet been read, and it is unclear whether it will be on the assembly's Thursday agenda.

Investigators say a double homicide in Fort Lauderdale was linked to a later shooting in Sarasota, and officials report seven people dead in total including the suspected shooter.

Francesca O'Brien told BBC Wales that Reform will not withdraw funding from Bangor University and she distanced herself from party policy head Zia Yusuf's suggestion that funding could be stripped after a debating society declined an invitation.

Saudi Aramco said its iktva program has reached 70% local content and has contributed more than $280 billion to Saudi Arabia's GDP; the company plans to increase local procurement to 75% by 2030.

McKillens, a long-running independent shoe shop in Ballymena, has announced it will close after citing online competition and the Covid pandemic, and the town has seen other recent shop closures including department store Wyse Byse.

The article reports Reform UK proposed a £3bn hospitality tax cut funded by reinstating the two‑child benefit cap, and HMRC figures suggest the plan would cost about £10bn more than accounted for.

PIP can support people with many health conditions and awards are based on how a condition affects daily living or mobility. Payments normally start from the date the claim is lodged and are usually paid every four weeks.

The Financial Conduct Authority has set new safeguards for buy now, pay later services, including clearer payment information and affordability checks, and the sector will be regulated from July 15.

A Community Security Trust report says 40 antisemitic incidents were recorded on the day of the October attack at Heaton Park synagogue and another 40 the following day, and that the charity logged 3,700 incidents across the UK in 2025.

China's consumer prices rose 0.2% year-on-year in January while the producer price index fell 1.4%, the National Bureau of Statistics reported.

Katie Milligan has been named chief executive of Openreach, joining other recent female leaders at BT and Vodafone; Openreach is advancing fibre roll-out to 25 million homes and awaits Ofcom deliberations on further expansion.

Yemen's Houthi group has mobilized fighters and relocated weapons and equipment as regional tensions rise, and its leaders have warned the United States against military action while invoking Gaza in their public rhetoric.

Sir Tim Martin said in a stock exchange filing that Reform UK proposes allocating £3 billion and a 10% cut to hospitality VAT, which he described as creating tax parity with supermarkets and potentially transforming pubs' competitiveness.

Anna Podedworna has been found guilty of murdering her girlfriend, Izabela Zablocka; officers later located Ms Zablocka's remains in the garden and Podedworna is due to be sentenced at Derby Crown Court on Wednesday.

Some savers are choosing ethical ISAs to avoid funding companies linked to human-rights abuses, and providers such as Triodos report growing deposits while ethical options can deliver lower returns and carry fees.

The government will create 13,000 apprenticeship and T Level placement opportunities linked to school rebuilding projects, and construction firms on those projects will be required to provide local training places for apprentices and T Level students.

Spain's main rail unions called off a planned three-day nationwide strike after the Transport Ministry, Adif and Renfe agreed to steps on investment, staffing and safety procedures; some smaller unions said they would continue strikes until Wednesday.

John 'Johnny Q' Quinesso Sr. marked his 100th birthday aboard the Battleship New Jersey, where he has volunteered as a tour guide for more than 20 years after serving in the South Pacific during World War II.

The ruling LDP won a landslide and campaigned to suspend the 8% food sales tax for two years; investors reacted with government bond selling and pressure on the yen.

Superdrug said it will open 30 new shops across UK high streets as part of an expansion from its network of more than 780 stores, and the company cited strong customer demand and investment in larger-format and retail park locations.

A Washington state woman, Mandie Miller, was sentenced to 32 years after pleading guilty in the 2022 death of her eight-year-old adopted daughter; prosecutors say the couple transported the child’s body across state lines and the woman's former partner faces an upcoming sentencing on February 10.

Octopus Energy founder Greg Jackson said the UK should work with China to access renewable technology, after Octopus agreed a joint venture with Chinese firm PCG Power and plans to import wind turbine technology that the company says could be cheaper and create jobs.

Ministers announced reforms to speed up apprenticeship approvals from about 18 months to as little as three months and pledged £725 million to support 50,000 more apprenticeships.

The government will pilot a university-style clearing system to redirect near-miss apprenticeship applicants to local vacancies and launch an online platform showing earnings and progression data, backed by the Growth and Skills Levy to expand apprenticeship places.

The Friends of the Ivy group in Heddington has bought the Grade II-listed Ivy Inn after raising £436,000, and aims to reopen by Christmas while seeking further funds for renovations.