Royal Mint Court, near London’s financial district, is the proposed site for the new Chinese Embassy. Britain’s government on Tuesday approved a huge new Chinese Embassy in central London despite strong criticism from lawmakers across the political spectrum that it could become a base for espionage and intimidation of opponents. AdvertisementThe heads of two U.K. spy agencies said that although it’s not realistic to eliminate all risks, appropriate “security mitigations” were in place. They said there were “clear security advantages” to consolidating China’s current seven diplomatic premises in London onto one site. The approval is widely expected to pave the way for a long-anticipated trip by Starmer to China, and an expansion of the U.K. Embassy in Beijing.

Social media ban for under-16s considered by UK governmentThe Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has announced immediate steps to address children’s social media use, including directing Ofsted to review how effectively schools implement their mobile phone policies. Ms Kendall said: "We are determined to ensure technology enriches children’s lives, not harms them – and to give every child the childhood they deserve." 'Ban announcement offers nothing for parents'Lord Nash, a former schools minister, said the consultation is a further delay in addressing the issue. Ian Russell set up the Molly Rose Foundation after his 14-year-old daughter Molly took her own life, having viewed harmful content on social media. He argued that simply banning social media may create "a false sense of security."

Steele took a step forward in his rehab process Friday when he threw off a mound for the first time since he underwent season-ending elbow surgery in April. Steele said Saturday he is feeling really good and hasn’t suffered any setbacks. “There hasn’t really been any hiccups at all through this process,” Steele said. If anything, we’re ahead of schedule. Kind of been pushing the envelope the entire time, wanting to get off the mound, push the footage back as far as the throwing progression goes.

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SCHOOL CHOICES: Applications open today for families to choose schools outside of their zone or neighborhood through the Metro Nashville Public Schools options process and close on Feb. 6. Families can apply online and rank seven schools of their choice from highest to lowest priority. Some optional schools have special admissions requirements; Early College High School, Hume-Fogg High School, Martin Luther King Jr. School and Meigs Middle School consider a student’s grade average and standardized test scores, while MNPS Virtual School, Isaiah T. Creswell Middle School of the Arts, Nashville Big Picture High School and Nashville School of the Arts require students to audition or interview. Credit: Martin B. Cherry/Nashville Banner Credit: Martin B. Cherry / Nashville BannerAIRPORT POLICE CHIEF: Beth Kreppein was sworn in Friday as the Metro Nashville Airport Authority’s new chief of police for the Department of Public Safety. She will “oversee public safety, emergency response, security strategy and partnerships with local, state and federal agencies” at Nashville International Airport and John C. Tune Airport.

Northern Lights Shine Over U.K. and EuropeOne of the largest solar radiation storms in decades produced an aurora borealis that illuminated rare hues like red and purple over Britain and parts of continental Europe. By Axel BoadaJanuary 20, 2026

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The US House speaker, Mike Johnson, said on Tuesday he was confident that Britain and the US would work through differences on Greenland that threaten to upend bilateral ties. Johnson's visit to mark the 250th anniversary of US independence from British rule comes at an awkward time for transatlantic relations, days after President Donald Trump threatened Britain and other European countries with tariffs unless they agreed to the US acquiring Greenland

The double-sided note, written in green ink on torn paper, read: “Hi, I don’t know if you are aware; your voice, volume of, has been overwhelming to us. However, we have heard every word of your conversation – we now know the names of your cats. Something to think about.”Paulina said: “I was, of course, mortified, as everyone would be, I think. “Maybe they were afraid to approach me, but I don’t think I’m a threatening person. “I really don’t subscribe to the ‘rude Londoner’ experience, I think people are really, really lovely and we do feel welcome in the city.”

The Cubs had a 3-0 lead going into the bottom of the second. The Cubs trailed 15-5 going into the bottom of the eighth and so David Ross summoned infielder Andrelton Simmons to throw that inning. In 34 games for the Cubs Simmons batted .173/.244/.187 (13-for-75). First eight batters he faced: single, single, walk, single, sacrifice fly, single, double, sacrifice fly. If you’ve lost count, that’s five runs before Simmons got Alejo López to pop up to end the inning.

Some economists are expecting the rate of Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation to have risen in December after falling sharply the previous month. The price of plane tickets and hotels are also expected to have soared amid stronger demand for Christmas travel. If it was collected later in the month, travel prices could have been much higher in line with the school holidays, pushing up the overall rate of inflation. On the other hand, analysts for Barclays said they thought inflation would remain unchanged at 3.2% in December. But experts said they thought inflation was still heading downwards this year.

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Security footage from Greenacres Library shows a man dumping four kittens in the after-hours library box. The kittens, which are believed to be around six weeks old, were discovered by a library staff member on the morning of 12 January. The kittens were unharmed. According to RSPCA South Australia, this is the third time kittens have been dumped in the after-hours book slot at the library. RSPCA South Australia is appealing for public help to identify the person responsible

Saudi Arabia Darts Masters LIVE: Players, draw, schedule, UK times and where to watchThe 2026 Saudi Arabia Darts Masters takes place this week as Michael van Gerwen looks to continue his strong start to 2026. The Dutch legend claimed victory at the Bahrain Darts Masters last week, and he wants more success here. Saudi Arabia Darts Masters: Date and start timesThis World Series event is being held over two days on Monday, February 19, and Tuesday, February 20. Paolo Nebrida was set to take on Van Gerwen, but he has been forced to withdraw from the tournament. This was confirmed in a statement from the PDC, which said: "Nitin Kumar will replace Paolo Nebrida in the field for the 2026 Riyadh Season Darts Masters following Nebrida's withdrawal from the event due to illness.

A Jewish family in a supposedly progressive neighborhood of Bristol, England, is seeking to relocate to a new area after facing rising antisemitism, especially since Hamas's October 7 massacre and the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas War, British outlet The Sunday Times reported last week. A family in their neighborhood found out that they were Jewish and asked, "Well, you're not Zionists, are you?" This development led the family to worry about their child attending this school, and to search for a home in a more "neutral neighborhood." It was "perfectly normal" for people to talk about their racial heritage and which protests they had participated in, he commented. UK Jewish family says they were 'tested' to see if they were Zionists"People are regularly testing you.