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Theresa May prepares for further Brexit talks

Theresa May is preparing for further talks with European Union leaders after MPs backed a plan to renegotiate her Brexit deal.

On Tuesday evening parliament voted 317 to 301 in favour of changing the proposed position of last resort for the Northern Irish border, a plan more widely known as the backstop.

The proposed backstop, in its current form, mandates that Northern Ireland must stay in the EU customs union, large parts of the single market and the EU VAT system in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

The EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, rejected suggestions that the withdrawal agreement could be renegotiated. In a statement issued Wednesday, Barnier said: ‘The EU institutions remain united and we stand by the agreement we have negotiated with the UK.’

As it stands, the UK due to leave the EU at 23:00 GMT on March 29, 2019, with or without a deal.

Minor offences may be kept secret after Government loses Supreme Court appeal

Some offenders with minor, previous convictions may not be required to disclose them after the government lost a legal challenge at the UK Supreme Court on Wednesday morning.

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In a challenge to the current system of criminal record checks, those who were found guilty of lesser offences or cautions may not need to disclose these records when seeking employment.

The claims were originally brought by four applicants identified as Lorraine Gallagher, P, G, and W.

The offences in question included one claimant stealing a sandwich, and another driving without wearing a seatbelt.

Delivering the judgement, Lord Sumption, said the existing criminal records rules were disproportionate for requiring disclosure for multiple convictions even if they were minor; and for failing to distinguish between warnings and reprimands issued to juveniles as opposed to convictions.

Facebook begins halt to scheme which gathered ‘limitless’ personal data from teenagers

Facebook has agreed to halt a scheme which gathered personal data from teenagers and other volunteers after reporting from technology website, TechCrunch, exposed the practice late Tuesday evening.

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According to TechCrunch’s investigation, participants aged 13+ were paid $20 (£15.30) a month to to install a virtual private network (VPN) which would provide the social network with ‘nearly limitless access to a user’s device.

Data gathered as part of the scheme included the contents of private messages, emails, photos and videos; web browsing activity; logs of what apps were installed, and when they were used and a user’s location data.

Breaking: Facebook is shutting down its Research VPN on iOS in the wake of TechCrunch’s report that it paid people to use the app that collects their data https://t.co/uGqcQRAeSM

— Josh Constine (@JoshConstine) January 30, 2019

Following TechCrunch’s report, Facebook said it would end the programme on Apple devices. At time of publication, it has not, however, suspended similar efforts on Android.

Three teenagers arrested after teen stabbed to death

Three teenagers have been arrested after a 17-year-old boy was stabbed to death in Caledonian Road on Tuesday evening.

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Police were called at 19:00 but the victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

Following the earlier fatal stabbing in Caledonian Road, a Section 60 order is now in place until 3am on Wednesday covering postcode areas N1, N7, EC1, WC1 and NW1 #Islington / #Camden

— Islington Police (@MPSIslington) January 29, 2019

Two suspects, both male, aged 16 and 17, were arrested nearby on suspicion of murder. A third suspect, 18, was later arrested at an address in Islington Scotland Yard said. All three remain in custody.

Whilst formal identification has not yet taken place, the Metropolitan Police said officers were ‘confident they know the identity of the deceased.’

The teenage victim is the fifth person to be fatally stabbed in London so far this year.