HONG KONG (AP) — World shares mostly advanced on Monday and gold declined. Japanese stocks dipped and several stock markets in Asia were closed or trading for a half-day ahead of Lunar New Year celebrations.

In early European trading, Germany’s DAX was up 0.2% to 24,958.01. Britain’s FTSE gained 0.3% to 10,479.47, while the CAC 40 in Paris also rose 0.3% to 8,333.81.

In Asia, Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 was down 0.2% to 56,806.41, after the government reported that Japan’s economy grew more slowly than economists had expected in the latest October-December quarter, at an annualized 0.2%.

The sluggish rate of growth increases the likelihood that Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will press ahead with plans to revive the economy by raising government spending and cutting taxes, Marcel Thieliant, head of Asia Pacific at Capital Economics, wrote in a note.

Trading was thin as stock markets in China, South Korea and Taiwan were closed. The first day of the Lunar New Year this year falls on Tuesday.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 0.5% in its half-day session, closing at 26,705.94.

In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 picked up 0.2% to 8,937.10. India’s Sensex was up 0.4%.

U.S. futures edged higher. The future for the S&P 500 rose 0.4%, while that for the Dow Jones Industrial Average was also up 0.4%. U.S. stock markets are also closed on Presidents Day, a holiday.

On Friday, U.S. stocks calmed after a sharp drop earlier driven by worries about artificial intelligence disruptions across various industries which particularly hit software companies hard.

A report showing inflation cooled last month also helped steady the markets. The data suggesting U.S. price pressures may be easing offered more room for another Federal Reserve interest rate cut.

The S&P 500 edged up less than 0.1% to 6,836.17. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.1% to 49,500.93. The Nasdaq composite edged down 0.2% to 22,546.67.

Computer chipmaker Nvidia, the heaviest weight company on the S&P 500, was down 2.2% Friday. Technology company AppLovin rose 6.4% after losing almost a fifth of its value on Thursday, as investors focused on how AI could disrupt businesses of software and technology-related firms.

In other dealings early Monday, gold and silver prices fell. The price of gold was down 0.3% to $5,030.30 per ounce and the price of silver fell 1.2% to $77.05 an ounce.

Oil prices fell. U.S. benchmark crude oil lost 34 cents to $62.55 per barrel, while Brent crude, the international standard, was also 34 cents lower at $67.41 per barrel.

The U.S. dollar was at 153.33 Japanese yen, up from 152.64 yen. The euro was trading at $1.1867, down from $1.1872.

The date and time has been revealed and where you can see the eclipse

This year’s first solar eclipse is set to take place this week with the rare phenomenon will only be visible from certain locations on Earth. The event, famously dubbed a “ring of fire,” occurs when the Earth, Sun, and Moon reach perfect alignment.

During this process, the Moon passes directly between the sun and our planet, casting a distinct shadow and leaving only the outer edge of the Sun visible as a glowing celestial ring.

This rare astronomical event is due to take place on Tuesday, February 17, marking a major highlight for the 2026 lunar calendar. However, for those hoping to catch a glimpse, visibility remains the primary concern.

Whether the “ring of fire” will be visible from the UK depends on specific geographic pathways of the Moon’s shadow, with experts noting that only those in certain places will witness the alignment in its full glory.

The first solar eclipse will take place at 7.10am on Tuesday, February 17. However, the spectacle in the sky will only be visible in a handful of locations, according to National World.

The path of annularity – the path the solar eclipse will take and be visible from – will rise across western Antarctica and set off across the Davis Sea coast and the Southern Ocean.

This means that the upcoming solar eclipse will not be visible in the UK. According to Space.com, the following list is the locations where a partial solar eclipse will be visible from and the percentage of the sun’s disk which will be covered in each location:

• Heard and McDonald Islands, Australia – 88%
• French Southern and Antarctic Lands, France – 88%
• Mascarene Islands, Mauritius/France – 35%
• Port Louis, Mauritius – 32%
• Saint-Denis, Reunion, France – 31%
• Antananarivo, Madagascar – 20%
• Durban, South Africa – 16%
• Maputo, Mozambique – 13%
• Maseru, Lesotho – 11%
• Gaborone, Botswana – 4%
• Harare, Zimbabwe – 3%
• Ushuaia, Argentina – 3%

After Tuesday’s solar eclipse, there will be lunar eclipse on March 3-4. This will turn the moon a red shade in the sky, with the Earth instead passing in between the Moon and Sun and casting its shadow onto the Moon. Due to the reddish hue of the Moon during this phenomenon, a lunar eclipse is sometime referred to as a “Blood Moon”.

SYDNEY (AP) — A man accused of killing 15 people in a mass shooting at a Jewish festival on Sydney’s Bondi Beach appeared in court Monday for the first time since his release from the hospital.

Naveed Akram appeared in Sydney’s Downing Center Local Court via a video link from the maximum security Goulburn Correctional Center 200 kilometers (120 miles) away.

He did not enter pleas to the charges against him, including murder and committing a terrorist act. The brief court appearance focused on extending a gag order that suppresses the identities of victims and survivors of the attack who have not chosen to identify themselves publicly.

Defense lawyer Ben Archbold told reporters outside court that Akram was doing as well as could be expected and it was too early to indicate any intention of pleas.

Akram, 24, was wounded and his father Sajid Akram, 50, was killed in a gunbattle with police after the attack on a Hanukkah celebration at the beach Dec. 14.

The younger Akram is next scheduled to appear in court April 9.

The police investigation is one of three official inquiries examining Australia’s worst alleged terrorist attack and the nation’s worst mass shooting in 29 years.

One involves the interactions between law enforcement and intelligence agencies before the attack that was allegedly inspired by the Islamic State group.

A royal commission, the highest form of public inquiry, will investigate the nature, prevalence and drivers of antisemitism generally as well as the circumstances of the Bondi shooting.

Videos from the scene show the car engulfed by flames

Firefighters were called to a huge car fire in a Cambridgeshire town on Sunday (February 15). Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service were called to Elm Road in Wisbech at around 9pm with reports of a car on fire.

A crew from Wisbech attended. The cause of the fire is believed to be deliberate.

A spokesperson for Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “At around 9pm on Sunday (15) a crew from Wisbech was called to a fire on Elm Road in Wisbech.

“Firefighters arrived to find a car on fire. Wearing breathing apparatus they extinguished the fire using a hose reel and returned to their station by 10pm. The cause of fire is believed to be deliberate.”

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A train carrying around 80 passengers has derailed in Switzerland following an avalanche this morning, authorities said as rescuers scrambled to reach survivors.

Several carriages were forced off the line near the village of Goppenstein, in the southwestern canton of Valais, around 7am this morning, police said.

Ambulances and rescue helicopters raced to the scene as police warned injuries were “likely”. They reported just after 10am local time that 30 people have so far been evacuated.

“The train derailed due to an avalanche that came down in the Stockgraben area,” a spokesperson for train company BLS told 20 Minuten.

Were you affected? Contact james.reynolds@independent.co.uk

It was unclear whether the train was struck directly by the avalanche. Other services on the Frutigen-Brig line will be suspended until at least tomorrow, BLS said in a statement.

The train left Spiez at 6.12am and was heading southbound towards Brig at the time, according to BLS.

More follows on this breaking news story…

Why isn’t Silent Witness on tonight and when will it next air? Release schedule explained

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Silent Witness will not air tonight as usual as it has been replaced with another popular BBC drama.

Season 29 kicked off earlier this month but has experienced a number of changes to its original planned schedule.

Last week, episodes 3 and 4, called The Enemy Within, which revolved around the forensics team investigating a fatal stabbing that seemed to be racially motivated were replaced with the following week’s storyline Creekwood, starring guest actors Lydia Wilson, Cat Simmons, Megan Cusack and Mark Stobbart. You can read more on this here.

The shake-up was believed to be because of a horrific incident that took place in Birmingham.

A BBC spokesman told TV Guide: “Due to the attack in Birmingham over the weekend, this week’s episodes of Silent Witness will not transmit as planned and instead they have been replaced with two episodes from later on in the series.”

And those hoping to catch up with the rescheduled episodes tonight will want to take note of another change. Silent Witness will air on Tuesday and Wednesday night this week, instead of its usual Monday and Tuesday slot.

Instead, the latest season of Death in Paradise will air on Monday, February 16 in the 9pm slot. It comes after Death in Paradise, episode 3, was removed from the schedules on Friday as the BBC made way for the FA Cup fixture between Hull City and Chelsea.

And it’s not the only sport causing disruptions as the BBC’s coverage of the Winter Olympics has also seen Father Brown removed from air for the next two weeks.

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The BBC is covering more than 450 hours of live action from Milan-Cortina, bringing audiences unmissable drama from the world’s top winter sport athletes, and the biggest and best moments of snow and ice sport.

Coverage is expected to last until February 22 when disruption to the usual schedules will end.

Silent Witness will return to BBC One on Tuesday, February 17 and Wednesday, February 18 at 9pm with part one and two of The Enemy Within, starring Chris Reilly (Slow Horses), Selin Hizli (Am I Being Unreasonable?), Gerard Kearns (Waiting For The Out), and Phaldut Sharma (EastEnders). You can read more about the cast here.

The guest stars will join the show’s much-loved familiar faces, including Emilia Fox as Dr Nikki Alexander, David Caves as Jack, Maggie Steed as Harriet and Fran Mills reprises her role as Kit.

Silent Witness is available to watch now on BBC iPlayer.

It was another bitterly disappointing day for Welsh rugby

It was another dark weekend in Welsh rugby as Wales suffered a heavy 54-12 defeat to France at the Principality Stadium.

It was one way traffic as Wales were yet again ruthlessly put to the sword by a France side who look well placed to win the Grand Slam. To make matters worse it felt like a home game for France with a crowd of just 57,744 in attendance.

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Winners

Aaron Wainwright

The Dragons No 8 was Wales’ best player yet again.

Wainwright made 14 carries and 11 tackles in a spirited display. The explosive No 8 was the only Wales backrower to consistently get over the gainline and is a high quality player operating in a weak team.

If Wales are to stand any chance against Scotland then Wainwright will be central to their efforts.

His move to Leicester Tigers for the 2026/27 season could take his game to a new level.

Eddie James

The 23-year-old had a tough time against England in round one but he was much better against France. James gave Wales some go forward in the second-half while he put in a strong defensive shift.

There was enough about the Scarlets centre to suggest he can kick on as an international centre. But his long-term position at Test level is arguably at inside centre.

There is an argument to suggest Wales currently cannot afford the luxury of a ball player at 12 and need someone to get them over the gainline in the same manner Jamie Roberts used to do in years gone by.

James could be that man.

Dewi Lake and Wales’ set-piece

You wouldn’t have thought it if you just went by the scoreline but Wales’ set-piece was actually pretty good against France.

The lineout malfunctioned badly eight days prior at Twickenham but it was faultless at the Principality Stadium.

Dewi Lake came in for some huge criticism for Wales’ lineout woes in the defeat to England but he was much better this time around.

The scrum was also solid enough.

Losers

WRU

It was a record low for Wales as far as the attendance, with the 57,744 crowd the lowest for a Six Nations match in Cardiff outside of the Covid pandemic.

A drop off in attendance will inevitably hit the WRU’s back pocket and the effects of that will be felt throughout the game, especially at professional level.

The current situation is the direct result of years of underinvestment into the pathway and the four professional teams.

Plans to cut the number of professional clubs from four to three are controversial but there does need to be radical change.

Huge investment needs to be put into the pathway.

Adam Beard

The 30-year-old has been a tremendous servant to the national side and is heavily respected by both players and coaches.

There is a reason Montpellier are paying the former Ospreys lock big money. But this was arguably his poorest performance in a Wales shirt.

Beard missed a tackle he should have made on Théo Attissogbe in the lead up to the first France try.

But after Dafydd Jenkins had done so well to win a turnover Beard inexplicably kicked directly into a French player, resulting in Matthieu Jalibert touching down on the stroke of half-time to take the game away from Wales.

He needs to bounce back quickly.

Wales’ half-backs

Wales lost the kicking game hands down, with both Tomos Williams and Dan Edwards not accurate enough in this regard.

Edwards has not had a good start to the Six Nations and while he is a talented player with a high ceiling he has been exposed defensively over the past couple of weeks.

Yes, it is very difficult playing behind a pack who are getting a tuning but Wales need more direction from their half-backs.

Wales coaching team

It was always going to be an extremely difficult task to improve performances after inheriting a team who were at such a low ebb, but things really aren’t going well.

Tandy has not been helped by the fact he has not got a specialist defence coach and he will have to wait until the summer to get one.

But Wales have conceded 42 tries so far under Tandy and 302 points in just six matches.

The harsh reality is Wales currently don’t have the same calibre of players that were present in the first Warren Gatland era, while the system underpinning the national side is no longer good enough.

Tandy and his backroom staff are lambs to the slaughter and the fact there are currently so many inexperienced temporary appointments is not helping.

It’s now 25% off, and can be used on everything from patios, roofs, bricks and paving stones, to artificial grass, tarmac and decking

It’s been a wet winter, but with spring on the horizon, now’s an ideal moment to get our outdoor areas ready for spending more time outside. If your paving slabs or patio are showing signs of green mould, lichen and algae, an effective cleaning product can help, and we’ve spotted one currently discounted on Amazon.

The Wet and Forget outdoor patio cleaner is a bleach-free solution described as “one of the best outdoor cleaners ever” by Nottinghamshire Live. It’s currently available on Amazon, reduced from £35.99 to £26.68 for a five-litre container, though if that’s too large, there’s also a two-litre bottle discounted from £21.99 to £14.99.

According to the manufacturer, users simply need to mix one part of Wet and Forget with five parts water, spray it onto the surface and leave it to work its magic, with no need to scrub, rinse or pressure wash.

The brand states that one 5L container can create up to 30 litres of cleaning solution and treat a surface area of 100-300 square metres. It’s also described as super versatile as it can be used on everything from patios, roofs, bricks and paving slabs, to artificial grass, tarmac and decking.

Customers have praised the outdoor cleaner, which boasts a 4.4-star rating from over 27,000 reviews. One buyer commented: “Wet and Forget is honestly one of the best outdoor cleaners I’ve ever used. I applied it to my patio, fencing, and the side of the house where mould and green algae always build up”, reports the Express.

Another was impressed with how quickly it worked, noting: “I just mixed this as per the directions and sprayed with a garden sprayer onto the surfaces affected. That was Sunday. By Friday, the green was completely gone! I had expected a far longer wait or to have to scrub the surfaces, but no. Very happy indeed.”

A third reviewer said: “This product is the best on the market and worth the cost. My fences have looked great for years with a treatment every five to seven years or so. Plus, unlike high-pressure cleaning, it doesn’t remove the pine wood treatment, meaning it is clean but not exposed to termite damage.”

However, some customers remained unconvinced. One wrote: “Did not find this sufficiently effective on removing algae from Indian stone flags.”

Elsewhere, the Wet & Forget Rapid Mould & Algae Remover Spray 2L is £49.99 at Lakeland. This is another product from the same brand, available in a two-litre bottle that claims to cover up to 200 square metres. It can be used on patios and garden paths and simply attached to your garden hose.

Another alternative is SCRUBB Exterior Liquid concentrate Algae & mould remover, £13 at B&Q. This five-litre bottle might be suitable if you need to cover a larger area, as it’s super concentrated and can be diluted up to a 1:10 ratio depending on the area to be cleaned.

It is said to work on any surface, from decks to tiles, plastic, glass and even roofs. The brand also says it’s fully biodegradable and surface safe.

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The title of the show is Turner & Constable, Rivals & Originals. But if Constable is judged, not for his big Academy pictures but for his outdoor oil sketches, his wonderful cloud studies and his late almost expressionist work in which oil is smeared in great thick sweeps, you get a different perspective. Indeed, if you were to start this exhibition backwards at the end of their careers, you would see the avant garde element in both men, though Turner did live 14 years longer. Turner’s astonishing impressionism is evident in all his late work, in the indistinct outlines inside his great washes of translucent paint, the vortices of colour that conjure up atmosphere rather than form.

The reckoning for America’s Next Top Model came just as it did for much of the cultural phenomena that populated the noughties. 

It was a brutal, toxic gold rush for reality TV, where the humiliation of women was often an easy punchline. ANTM arrived in 2003 to become a pop culture juggernaut of meltdowns and viral moments, all posing as a modelling competition.

Netflix has now given the Tyra Banks-created show the exposé treatment, with Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model, a three-parter promising to be ‘the definitive, must-watch chronicle’ of the show and its unique flavour of carnage across 24 so-called cycles.

I don’t quite have an encyclopaedic knowledge of the cycles and their contestants. I started tuning in after the show went co-ed, becoming a proto-Love Island. My abiding memories are of Banks demonstrating her come-hither ‘smize’ and chastising contestants about the dreaded ‘no neck monster’. 

But watching ANTM through the prism of this documentary makes me wonder how I ever enjoyed it at all.

Compiling one morally questionable scene after another tells a dire story, one of body-shaming weigh-ins, eating disorders going unchecked, tear-strewn makeover scenes and challenges ranging from the offensive to the disturbing.

‘We are actually going to switch your ethnicities!’ the stunned models were told on one shoot. Now, the production talking heads are sheepish at the decision, but they then did the same thing a few cycles later.

Elsewhere, models were styled as homeless people, a bulimic woman with fake vomit on her hands and violently killed crime scene victims.

One contestant recalls being told to pose as a woman shot in the head, when her own mother had been left paralysed by a bullet. This, at least, prompts remorse from producer Ken Mok in front of the Netflix cameras.

The docu-series access is notable, with former supermodel Banks in the hot seat, alongside several contestants, as well as show judges Nigel Barker, Miss J Alexander and Jay Manuel.

All three were culled ahead of cycle 19, which Banks said she cried herself to sleep over. None of them appears to have had much to do with her since.

As Banks tells it, her pitch for ANTM came from a boundary-pushing place to create racial and body diversity on screen and in fashion. That ethical underpinning was somehow lost along the way.

Many contestants did not see that ANTM was a reality show before it was a career launchpad. They clearly do now. Winnie Harlow – whose follower count is finger-wagged at us – is one of the handful that went on to genuine success. Most left Banks’ runway and returned to obscurity.

Shandi Sullivan’s story in cycle two is particularly devastating. It is a sequence of events she is still distraught over, but Banks needs to be reminded of the grotesque circumstances. 

Directors Mor Loushy and Daniel Sivan might have pressed Banks and co on certain moments, but if they squirmed, it is not evident here. The show’s host has an excuse for everything: narrow beauty standards, agents in her ear for a certain look, viewer demands and network pressure.

Those arriving with expectations of a mea culpa from Banks will likely be disappointed.

Perhaps fairly, the poorly-aged clips are often excused as a product of the time. But I can’t see how Banks has taken stock of the outpouring of grief and hurt from the models, because she says (with the excitement of someone devoid of the ability to read the room) that the show will be back for cycle 25.