US stock markets dip for fourth straight week over US-Israel war on Iran

US stock markets dropped again on Friday, capping off a fourth week of market turbulence as investors worried about the US-Israel war on Iran and its widespread impact on global oil prices.The Dow lost over 400 points on Friday, with the S&P 500 slipping 1.5% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq down 2%.The biggest losses of the week were seen in the Russell 2000, which tracks the performance of small-cap companies. The Russell 2000 entered correction territory on Friday after dipping 2

Lowering speed limits among contingency plans to curb UK oil demand

Lowering speed limits to minimise fuel consumption is among potential contingency plans being drawn up by the UK government as the crisis in the Middle East threatens global oil supplies.Sources stressed that there is no shortage of fuel in the UK, but said that officials in the Department for Transport were working with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) on an analysis of what measures could be taken to curb oil demand.The world’s energy watchdog has advised its government member states, including the UK, to consider lowering road speeds and limiting when cars can drive.The International Energy Agency (IEA) recommended a raft of Covid-style emergency measures, including working from home, to cope with soaring oil prices and looming supply problems triggered by the US-Israel strikes on Iran.The agency said governments should encourage shared transport, whether public or car-pooling, and efficient driving, and tell citizens to avoid air travel where possible

First came the AI ‘teammates’, then the layoffs: the new reality for Atlassian staff now looking for work

Sacked from his “dream job” at software giant Atlassian, Rubio* wants just one thing – closure.“We were probably exceeding expectations and there’s no explanation from the company as a whole as to why any of this happened,” he says.“The only desire that I have, outside of receiving my severance package, is closure as to why I was selected.”On Thursday morning last week, Atlassian laid off 1,600 workers – about 10% of its total workforce. Nearly 500 Australian staff were among them

Fire experts ‘kept awake’ over growing hazard of lithium-ion batteries

Lithium-ion batteries represent a new technological hazard that one fire science expert has said keeps him awake at night, as fire service chiefs warn the ubiquity of the batteries in everyday products is outpacing public understanding and safety regulations.The blaze that devastated a historic building in Glasgow and resulted in the closure of Central Station, Scotland’s largest rail interchange, is believed to have started in a shop selling vapes, which are powered by lithium-ion batteries. Glasgow’s Central Station has since reopened.The latest data reveals a sharp increase in battery-related fires across Scotland, while firefighters in London attend an e-bike or e-scooter fire every other day.Paul Christensen, a professor of pure and applied electrochemistry at the University of Newcastle, underlined that, while the probability of a fire from a lithium-ion battery is very low, the hazard is “very, very high, as we’ve seen with this fire in Glasgow”

USA’s Jordan Anthony wins 60m world gold after his blood clot ‘the size of a soccer ball’

On a night of dizzying speed and freakish drama, track and field found itself a new sprint sensation. It came in the form of Jordan Anthony, a 21-year-old American with one heck of a story, along with the first global gold medal around his neck.“The devil is always going to try, but I will never let him stop me from getting a gold medal,” he said after winning one of the great world indoor championships 60m races of all time in 6.41secs, the fourth-fastest time in history.And then it all came gushing out

Coroner ‘cannot be satisfied’ that Ricky Hatton intended to take his own life

A coroner has said she “cannot be satisfied” that British former boxing world champion Ricky Hatton intended to take his own life.Hatton, 46, was found dead in his home on 14 September, with the inquest concluding that the official cause of his death was hanging.But the veteran boxer “was the best he had been in years” in the lead-up to his death, his family told Stockport coroner’s court.Hatton’s body was found in his home in Hyde, Greater Manchester, after police received a call from a concerned neighbour, later revealed to have been his manager, Paul Speak.Hatton was last seen by family members on Friday 12 September, when he took his daughters and granddaughter to a pub for a meal, the court heard