VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and the country’s main opposition leader held hands Friday as they paid tribute to the victims of one of the worst mass shootings in the country’s history at a vigil in a devastated British Columbia town.

Carney and Opposition Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre joined hands as an Indigenous leader sang a prayer outside the town hall in Tumbler Ridge.

Carney and Poilievre also spoke. The prime minister named each of the six people killed at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and said the mother and brother of the shooter who were killed also “deserve to be mourned.”

Authorities said the 18-year-old alleged shooter, identified as Jesse Van Rootselaar, killed her 39-year-old mother, Jennifer Jacobs, and 11-year-old stepbrother, Emmett Jacobs, in their home on Tuesday before heading to the nearby Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and opening fire, killing five children and an educator before killing herself.

Carney said he sat with people who are “living through something no one should ever have to endure.”

“When you wake up tomorrow, and the world feels impossible, know that millions of Canadians are with you. When the cameras leave and the quiet sets in — know that we will still be here,” Carney said.

A crowd of hundreds attended the vigil. Some held photos of loved ones they lost.

Carney said the community has always been defined by people caring for each other.

“And when the unimaginable happened on Tuesday, you were there again. First responders at the school within two minutes. Teachers shielding their children,” he said.

Poilievre commended Carney for his “tremendous grace.” Canada’s political leaders flew from Ottawa together.

British Columbia Premier David Eby said the students of the school won’t ever have to return to the building if they don’t want to.

“I will promise that not one of you will ever be forced to go back to that school. We will provide a safe place for you to go back to school,” Eby said.

Authorities on Thursday identified those killed at the school as Kylie Smith, Abel Mwansa, Zoey Benoit and Ticaria Lampert, all age 12, as well as 13-year-old Ezekiel Schofield and assistant teacher Shannda Aviugana-Durand, 39.

Maya Gebala, 12, who was wounded in the head and neck, and Paige Hoekstra, 19, who also suffered bullet wounds, remain hospitalized in Vancouver.

Dwayne McDonald, the deputy commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in British Columbia, said earlier Friday that the alleged shooter did not appear to be searching for a specific target at the school.

“This suspect was, for lack of a better term, hunting,” McDonald said. “They were prepared and engaging anybody and everybody they could come in contact with.”

McDonald described a “chaotic” scene at the school when police arrived, with fire alarms sounding and a person yelling out a window that the suspect was upstairs.

“They entered the school, proceeded to go up the stairwell, and were met with gunfire,” he said. “It was a matter of seconds after that there was more gunfire, not as we know now, having reviewed video, directed at any persons. Then the suspect took their life.”

McDonald said from the time the suspect encountered police there were no further injuries to students at the school.

Four guns were seized, two from the family home and two from the school, he said.

The attack was Canada’s deadliest since 2020, when a gunman in Nova Scotia killed 13 people and set fires that left another nine dead.

School shootings are rare in Canada, which has strict gun-control laws. The government has responded to previous mass shootings with gun-control measures, including a recently broadened ban on all guns it considers assault weapons.

___

Gillies reported from Toronto.

Wagner Moura and Kleber Mendonca Filho, star and director of political thriller The Secret Agent, have been delayed, slightly, I’m told.

A few minutes turn into quite a few more minutes, which is not usually a promising sign when it comes to interviewing film stars and filmmakers, but it turns out there’s a good reason – an unexpected phone call from the president of Brazil. Not the kind of caller you send to voicemail.

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, known as Lula, wanted to congratulate them on the film’s success: a string of honours starting with major wins at the Cannes Film Festival back in May, which now includes a Critics Choice award, Golden Globe wins for best actor and best non-English language film, plus two BAFTA and four Oscar nominations.

As the first Brazilian ever to be nominated for best actor, Moura has made Academy Awards history.

“I think it’s meaning a lot to Brazilians, especially because we went through a very bad moment in our history where artists and culture were seen in a very negative way,” says Moura. “It’s a huge transformation, you know, and it’s a big change.”

Veteran leftist Da Silva returned as Brazil’s president after beating the far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro in 2022. In November last year, Bolsonaro began a 27-year prison sentence for plotting a coup after his election loss.

The former leader’s three-year tenure was marked by misogynistic and homophobic rhetoric, and a hostility towards culture and the arts; things have changed dramatically under Da Silva.

“We went from living in a country where we were seen, perceived by the power as enemies of the people to a moment where the president himself is calling us to say that, hey, we are proud of you,” says Moura. “The president saying that ‘I see the culture, I see films, I see books, I see this as an important tool to the development of the country’. It’s a reconnection.”

The Secret Agent is set in 1977, during the brutal military dictatorship in Brazil that lasted for more than 20 years, and Moura plays Armando, a professor forced into hiding after clashing with a regime official. While it started as a period thriller, the echoes of recent history are there.

‘It requires courage to stick to your values’

The Portuguese-language film is up there among the most celebrated of Hollywood’s awards season, particularly following Moura’s best actor win at the Globes, over favourite Michael B Jordan for his portrayal of twin brothers in Sinners.

Mendonca Filho says the part of Armando was “tailor-made” for Moura. After years of talk about making something together, “it only worked when I finally sat down to write a script thinking specifically about working with him”.

Moura, who is better known globally for his portrayal of notorious Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar in the hit series Narcos, says the film is about generational trauma and values, and he was able to draw from his own experiences.

“This film is about a man who is sticking with the values he has, during the dictatorship, which are obviously values that are opposite to [his],” he says.

“What Kleber and I went through during the Bolsonaro time in Brazil is a big example of that. It requires a lot of… courage to stick with your values when what’s established around you says the opposite, especially in this polarised world.

“I think that it’s getting harder and harder because the idea of truth is disappearing, you know… facts, they don’t matter anymore.”

There was once a time when the right and the left “would discuss and we would even fight over something, but we were both seeing the same thing”, he continues. “Nowadays, it’s not about facts anymore, it’s about versions, so we are not living in the same mental space, which is a very dangerous thing.”

Red carpet award controversy

But people are connecting with The Secret Agent. Since Cannes, Moura says, “this film has been receiving so much attention, steadily – it hasn’t dropped – which is very rare and kind of amazing, especially for a Brazilian film”.

Which is why a move to hand out the Critics Choice award for best international feature film on the red carpet, rather than during the ceremony itself, proved particularly controversial.

The awards hierarchy is nothing new, with the Oscars criticised in recent years over plans not to televise certain technical (read: not enough star-power) awards to tighten the broadcast time.

But Filho, who was clearly caught by surprise as he was unceremoniously handed his Critics Choice prize, says now – as Donald Trump’s controversial immigration crackdown continues in the US – is a particularly troubling time to make such a decision around international films.

Read more:
Oscars 2026: The full list of nominations
BAFTAs 2026: The full list of nominations

“I think politically, whoever made that decision doesn’t seem to have a pulse on what is taking place in the world now and in the United States,” he says. “I think once you invite someone to your party, just give him or her all the drink that he or she deserves, you know, don’t say, oh I don’t have the right to drink this like everybody else.”

Moura highlights the many brilliant non-English language films in the awards conversation this year, including Sentimental Value, submitted by Norway, Sirat (Spain) and It was Just An Accident (France).

“In a year where the international films are great… politically, it doesn’t feel right at all.”

Now is an important time for filmmakers, says Filho. “It does feel like the world is sliding back into a moment of conflict. And it’s happening in many different areas and authoritarians are also back in a big way.

“So as much as it feels so bad and we worry to death about what is taking place, it’s also a very fertile moment to develop stories and tell stories, because the irony of present-day use of power is something that is part of our lives.”

The scandal surrounding Peter Mandelson and his association with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has prompted questions about the process that led to Mandelson becoming the UK’s US ambassador.

Candidates are vetted for ambassadorial roles, but the decision to appoint is taken by the government.

The prime minister has indicated that the process needs to change in the wake of fresh claims about Mandelson, who was sacked from the post in September 2025.

Files released in the US contain emails which appear to suggest he forwarded on market-sensitive information to Epstein when he was business secretary under then PM Gordon Brown in 2009.

The Metropolitan Police has launched an investigation into allegations of misconduct in public office. The BBC understands Mandelson’s position is that he has not acted in any way criminally and that he was not motivated by financial gain.

He has previously expressed his regret at continuing his relationship with Epstein after his 2008 conviction and apologised to his victims.

The BBC’s Analysis Editor Ros Atkins has more.

Produced by Katerina Karelli. Graphics by Jacqueline Galvin.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A Russian drone strike on the Ukrainian city of Odesa killed one person, officials said Saturday, ahead of fresh talks next week aimed at ending the war.

The drone hit a residential building in the Black Sea port city, leaving an older woman dead, Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said Saturday.

On Friday, a Ukrainian missile strike killed two people and wounded five in the Russian border city of Belgorod, according to regional Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov.

Meanwhile, another round of U.S.-brokered talks between envoys from Russia and Ukraine will take place next week in Geneva, days ahead of the fourth anniversary of the all-out Russian invasion of its neighbor, officials in Moscow and Kyiv said on Friday.

The discussions will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said in a statement carried by Russian news agencies.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s communications adviser, Dmytro Lytvyn, confirmed the new round of negotiations.

The talks take place against a backdrop of continued fighting along the roughly 1,250-kilometer (750-mile) front line, relentless Russian bombardment of civilian areas of Ukraine and the country’s power grid, and Kyiv’s almost daily long-range drone attacks on war-related assets on Russian soil.

Previous U.S.-led efforts to find consensus on ending the war, most recently two rounds of talks in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, have failed to resolve difficult issues, such as the future of Ukraine’s Donbas industrial heartland that is largely occupied by Russian forces.

Zelenskyy said last week that the United States has given Ukraine and Russia a June deadline to reach a deal. Previous deadlines given by U.S. President Donald Trump have passed largely without consequence.

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Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

MUNICH (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio offered a friendly and reassuring assessment of America’s relations with Europe under President Donald Trump’s administration, saying Saturday that the blunt tone of previous criticisms was intended to spur a renaissance in trans-Atlantic ties.

Rubio addressed the Munich Security Conference a year after Vice President JD Vance stunned the same audience with a harsh critique of European values. On Friday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz opened this year’s gathering by calling for the United States and Europe to “repair and revive trans-Atlantic trust together,” saying that even the U.S. isn’t powerful enough to go it alone in an world whose old order has withered.

Rubio argued that the “euphoria” of the Western victory in the Cold War led to a “dangerous delusion that we had entered ‘the end of history,’ that every nation would now be a liberal democracy, that the ties formed by trade and by commerce alone would now replace nationhood … and that we would now live in a world without borders where everyone became a citizen of the world.”

Taking a much less confrontational approach than Vance last year, he acknowledged that the Trump administration has been pointedly direct in asserting its positions, but made clear that it won’t back off them.

“We made these mistakes together and now together we owe it to our people to face those facts and to move forward to rebuild,” Rubio said.

“Under President Trump, the United States of America will once again take on the task of renewal and restoration,” he said. “This is why we Americans may sometimes come off as a little direct and urgent in our counsel. This is why President Trump demands seriousness and reciprocity from our friends here in Europe.”

“In a time of headlines heralding the end of the trans-Atlantic era, let it be known and clear to all that this is neither our goal nor our wish,” Rubio said. “Because for us Americans, our home may be in the Western hemisphere, but we will always be a child of Europe.”

“We have fought against each other, then reconciled, then fought and reconciled again. And we have bled and died side-by-side on battlefields from Kapyong to Kandahar,” Rubio said. “And I’m here today to make it clear that America is charting the path for a new century of prosperity. and that once again, we want to do it together with you, our cherished allies and our oldest friends.”

Dr Vana Katsomitrou was boarding a flight to Spain on Christmas Eve but was told she wasn’t getting on after a baggage row – the doctor said she was only refunded £13

An NHS doctor has rowed with EasyJet and claimed the budget airline threw her off a flight over her baggage – despite her luggage fitting in the box.

Dr Vana Katsomitrou travelled to London Luton Airport for a four-night holiday in Alicante, Spain, with just hand luggage but her trip turned into chaos before it started. The doctor was due to fly on Christmas Eve and said she was asked to put her bag into the sizer. Vana claimed the worker thought the bag was too big but the flyer alleged it fit “comfortably” inside the box. The doctor said she tapped an employee’s shoulder to show her the bag in the sizer but claimed the staff member “loudly” warned Vana not to touch her.

The doctor claimed the EasyJet employee “shouted” at her and accused the traveller of harassment before saying the doctor could not board the flight to Spain.

Vana said she then apologised and offered to pay the £60 luggage charge but was still banned from getting on her £160 flight to Alicante, the day before Christmas.

EasyJet has since confirmed Vana removed items from her bag to enable it to fit in the measuring box. However they said she was then “disruptive” so not allowed to fly.

Vana, from Wembley Park, London, said: “I had booked a trip for a few days with some of my girlfriends to spend Christmas together in Spain. My friends were already there but I was working so I was going to find them in Spain. It was only for three days so I had a backpack with a few clothes.

“I went to the airport and there was this woman who was quite aggressive with the people boarding and she had an attitude. She was asking people to pay for their luggage because it was too big. She stopped me too and said my backpack was too big and didn’t fit in the box.

“I took out a denim jacket and put it on. The bag fit the box very comfortably. She turned her back on me and I touched her on her arm to show her the bag fits. At that moment she started shouting ‘don’t touch me.’ She told me that I harassed her.

“I begged them because it was Christmas Eve, I wanted to spend Christmas with friends. I said ‘if I did something that offended you, I apologise’, and she said she did not accept my apology. They didn’t let me on the plane.

“There were no more flights and I spent Christmas alone. They ruined my Christmas. She was so angry and annoyed at me. It’s like she was annoyed that she was working Christmas Eve and wanted to ruin everyone else’s time. I wasn’t aggressive at all.”

Vana complained to EasyJet and said they responded saying a member of staff had claimed to have “felt threatened”, so Vana was not allowed to board. They then said they were unable to disclose the outcome “for security reasons” – but told her to “rest assured” they took her feedback seriously. She was also given a £13 refund.

Vana has vowed to never fly with EasyJet again unless it is a matter of “life and death”. She said: “I’m really careful about how I speak to people, I work for the NHS and I’m always careful not to say something that will offend people. After that I complained online asking for compensation and they sent me an email explaining their policy.

“I said I would like to appeal and sent them photo evidence. There is no evidence I threatened a member of their team. Even the airport allocator said they didn’t see or hear me threaten anyone.

“They got back to me and refused. They said I was disruptive. I was in shock. I had paid for an Uber there and back. We had paid for the Airbnb, and I had booked a taxi from the airport. I felt awful and exhausted. I’d never fly with EasyJet again unless it is a matter of life and death.”

An EasyJet spokesperson said: “Our ground crew will check that bags are within the maximum dimensions to ensure they fit where they need to be stowed in the cabin and in fairness to customers who have booked to bring additional luggage. As Ms Katsomitrou behaved disruptively towards our team at the gate, she was refused travel. We do not tolerate abusive or threatening behaviour towards our staff.”

Gordon Ramsay has offered his version of events at Brooklyn Beckham’s infamous wedding, including whether Victoria ‘inappropriately’ danced.

Last month, Brooklyn Beckham launched a brutal takedown of his parents on social media, which came after over a year of reports there was tension in the family.

In his explosive 800-word statement, Brooklyn accused his parents of trying to ‘control’ him and ‘ruin’ his relationship with wife Nicola Peltz, 31.

He went on to write that he ‘did not want to reconcile’ with his family, with it emerging he’d also blocked his brothers Romeo, 23, and Cruz, 20, on social media.

Among these claims, Brooklyn also alleged that Victoria ‘hijacked’ his wedding and danced ‘inappropriately’ in front of everyone, ‘humiliating’ him.

However, discussing the wedding which he attended along with his family, Michelin-starred chef Gordon gave his version events.

Speaking to The Sun ahead of his new Netflix documentary Being Gordon Ramsay, Gordon said: ‘We were there at the wedding. There was nothing salacious. There was nothing inappropriate. Everyone was having fun, having a dance.’

Asked whether Victoria ‘grinded’ on Brooklyn, he added: ‘No! Nothing of the sort. It was fun.’

The chef went on to say that the former Spice Girl has a ‘great sense of humour’, but she would be ‘right to upset’ about the wedding.

The 59-year-old Kitchen Nightmares star also said that he is still in contact with the eldest Beckham child, Brooklyn.

Explaining how they have ‘messaged a little bit’ and have a ‘solid relationship’, Gordon said he loves Brooklyn and his ‘heart is incredible’ but warned that it’s hard ‘when you’re infatuated’.

‘I’ve seen first hand just how good parents they are. David as a dad is just incredible. They have both put so much energy into their kids, and I know just how many times they have got Brooklyn out of the s***.’

‘I think it’s going to be a matter of time before Brooklyn takes a good look at himself and understands just what his parents mean to him.

‘He’s desperate to forge his own way, and I respect that from Brooklyn. It’s such a good thing to do. But remember where you came from. And honestly, one day you’re not going to have your mum and dad, and you need to understand that. That penny will drop.’

‘I just want Brooklyn to take a moment to himself. And remember: You’re half mum, half dad. And you’re an amazing young man. But, boy, they’ve done more for you than anyone did in your entire life. Time’s going to be the best healer, and David will absolutely get that relationship back on track.’

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If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.

MORE: Brooklyn Beckham ‘still close’ with two family members after cutting off parents

MORE: Cruz Beckham shares sentimental photo of Brooklyn after brutal swipe at estranged brother

MORE: Gordon Ramsay admits ‘stealing’ wife Tana from his friend

All you need to know ahead of Ireland vs Italy in the Six Nations on Saturday – kick-off time, TV channel, live stream, team news, head-to-head, odds

Ireland are set to face Italy at the Aviva this afternoon, hoping to bounce back from a disappointing start against France in Paris last week.

Andy Farrell has made six changes to the team that lost to France, with Robert Baloucoune, James Lowe, James Ryan, Cormac Izuchukwu and Jack Conan joining the line-up, whilst Caelan Doris moves from no8 to no7.

In contrast, Italy arrive in Dublin on a high after defeating Scotland in Rome last Saturday.

Five of their starting XV play for clubs outside Italy – Monty Ioane (Lyon), Paolo Garbisi (Toulon), Danilo Fischetti (Northampton), Giacomo Notera (Stade Francais) and Andrea Zambonin (Exeter).

Here’s what you need to know about the match:, reports the Irish Mirror.

Who: Ireland vs Italy.

What: 2026 Six Nations Championship.

Where: Aviva Stadium, Dublin.

When: Saturday, Feb 14th.

Kick-off time? 2.10pm.

Referee: Hollie Davidson (Scotland), who is set to become the first woman to referee a men’s Six Nations game.

Did you know?

Ireland and Italy have faced off 73 times; Ireland have won 69 times, whilst Italy have claimed victory four times.

Other second round matches include: Scotland vs England at Murrayfield, and Wales vs France on Sunday at 3.10pm.

First round results were: France 36-14 Ireland; Italy 18-15 Scotland; England 48-7 Wales.

Quotes corner.

Andy Farrell (Ireland coach): “We just happen to have lost a lot of experience and people are coming in. We have a lot of new caps and certainly a lot of players under 10 caps particularly

“They have to go through this and they have to go through Paris to learn, along with the players that we have not got that are injured and the players who we are giving this experience to down the track. You always have to go through a little bit of pain to get to that point in all generations.”

Italy’s Coach, Gonzalo Quesada, commented on the victory over Scotland: “It’s yet another demonstration of our maturity. The players who had been used less often performed very well. We showed great character. We never let the expectations placed on us influence us.

“It’s nice to raise expectations ahead of Ireland, to make calculations, to think about future results. This happens when you sense that great results are possible, but we know where we still need to improve and we must keep our feet on the ground.”

Ireland’s number 8, Jack Conan, reflected: “I don’t know if fallout is the right word, but yeah, look, we weren’t at the level at all, were we? I think physically more than anything else with our intent, I think we allowed them 18 offloads or something like that. And with a team like that, when they get in behind you, they’re really hard to stop. So I think our probably physical intent was the area that let us down the most.”

Did you know?

The last three encounters saw Ireland triumph 22-17 in Rome 2025, 36-0 in Dublin 2024 and 33-17 in Rome in 2023.

Betting odds: Ireland 1/12. Draw 40/1.

Italy 15/2.

Handicap: Ireland -16 points.

Six Nations outright odds: France 1/2, England 21/10, Ireland 30/1, Scotland 35/1, Italy 75/1, Wales 500/1.

Popular Bets include: Dan Sheehan as first try-scorer at 6/1, anytime try-scorer at 4/6; Craig Casey as Man of the Match at 11/1; Tommaso Menoncello as Man of the Match at 33/1; Each team to score seven or more points in each half at 9/4.

The match on Saturday will be broadcast live on Virgin Media One and ITV. Live radio commentary will be available on RTE Radio 1.

Team Line-Ups:.

Ireland: Jamie Osborne; Robert Baloucoune, Garry Ringrose, Stuart McCloskey, James Lowe; Sam Prendergast, Craig Casey; Jeremy Loughman, Dan Sheehan, Thomas Clarkson, Joe McCarthy, James Ryan, Cormac Izuchukwu, Caelan Doris (capt), Jack Conan.

Replacements: Ronan Kelleher, Tom O’Toole, Tadhg Furlong, Edwin Edogbo, Tadhg Beirne, Nick Timoney, Jamison Gibson-Park, Jack Crowley.

Italy: Lorenzo Pani; Louis Lynagh, Tommaso Menoncello, Leonardo Marin, Monty Ioane; Paolo Garbisi, Alessandro Fusco; Danilo Fischetti, Giacomo Nicotera, Simone Ferrari, Niccolò Cannone, Andrea Zambonin, Michele Lamaro (capt), Manuel Zuliani, Lorenzo Cannone,.

Replacements: Tommaso Di Bartolomeo, Mirco Spagnolo, Muhamed Hasa, Federico Ruzza, Riccardo Favretto, David Odiase, Alessandro Garbisi, Paolo Odogwu.

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Because England’s winning streak started with some streaky wins.

Victory over France in round two of last year’s Six Nations was delivered, in part, by Gallic butterfingers.

The one-point win over Scotland a fortnight later would have been defeat had Russell nailed a final-play conversion shot.

After closing out that Six Nations campaign with wins over Italy and Wales, England, without 14 British and Irish Lions, impressed by beating Argentina twice on a two-Test tour.

But the Pumas, run ragged by the 12-month demands on their star players, were also at less than full strength.

Victory over New Zealand was the centrepiece of England’s autumn, but the subsequent sacking of Scott Robertson suggested that the All Blacks were not taking up tools with their usual gusto.

England’s current run has been built around Twickenham. Can they go on the road and break the hex that Scotland have held over them in recent years?

If not, back-to-back away trips to the Stade de France and Ellis Park to play France and South Africa in March and July respectively suddenly look a whole lot more daunting.

There are some relative Test rookies in their line-up. Henry Arundell is much improved in defence, but was barely tested against Wales last week. Tommy Freeman is learning on the job at centre, a potential opening that Sione Tuipulotu and Jones will attempt to exploit. Guy Pepper, eight caps deep, will be a target for wily opposite number Jamie Ritchie.

Elsewhere Luke Cowan-Dickie can wobble on the oche at line-out time, while England’s replacements did not accelerate away from Wales as Borthwick might have hoped, with the hosts shading the second half by a relatively narrow 19-7.

They are minor quibbles. Certainly in comparison to Scotland’s.

Gregor Townsend’s men were stung by a defeat by Italy that might signal the beginning of the end for both a coach and a generation of stellar players.

But, those happier, more distant memories are also still resident in their line-up.

Two names remain from the 23 who beat England eight years ago – Russell, who threw the pass, and Jones, who caught it.

England must break that link to the past.

Petrol prices recorded a new five year low last week

The price of petrol in Northern Ireland remains low after reaching its cheapest price in five years last week.

Forecourt fuel pumps were recording an average of 124.2p per litre for petrol last week, the lowest level since May 2021. Prices this week are up very slightly, but remain low at an average of 124.3p per litre.

Petrol prices vary depending on location around Northern Ireland and even between retailers. The price is made up of several factors, including when fuel was purchased by retailers and the volume bought at a given price.

READ MORE: Minister announces above-inflation rise in regional domestic rates as Cost of Living crisis continuesREAD MORE: How to find cheapest petrol near you as Northern Ireland prices reach new five year low

This week, the Consumer Council’s Fuel Price Checker shows Newtownabbey is the cheapest place to fill up at the pumps, for both petrol and diesel. Petrol prices here are an average of 122.4p per litre (1.9p below the regional average). Diesel prices in the area are an average of 128.4p per litre (3.6p below average).

The most expensive place in Northern Ireland for petrol this week is Strabane, where the average is 126.9p per litre (2.6p above the Northern Ireland average). For diesel, Newry has the most expensive prices, with the average price of one litre coming in at 135.9p (3.9p above average).

The highest recorded average prices for fuel were in June 2022, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, at 189.9 per litre for petrol and 197.5 per litre for diesel.

On February 2, the UK Government launched their Fuel Finder Scheme which means that forecourts across the UK must submit their pricing information and notify within 30 minutes of any price change at the pump.

Commenting on the Fuel Finder Scheme, Head of Transport Policy at the Consumer Council, Michelle Kelly, said: “We welcome this open data scheme which is a significant extension of the type of transparency the Consumer Council has sought to create for Northern Ireland consumers through our Fuel Price Checker.”

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