Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Wednesday 31 Jan 2018

1. Embattled May insists: ‘I’m not a quitter’

Arriving in China this morning, the Prime Minister insisted she is “not a quitter” and will fight the next election for the Tories in 2022. Theresa May has been under pressure from MPs within her own party, with many calling for a no-confidence vote over her handling of Brexit. May admitted she needed to communicate better with them and with the public.

2. Democrats greet Trump speech with silence

Donald Trump delivered his first State of the Union address yesterday, boasting to Congress of the “extraordinary success” of his first year as US president. The speech delighted Republicans but was greeted with near-silence by Democrats. Trump was criticised over his use of the phrase “our new American moment” - which was used by Hillary Clinton in 2010.

3. Car production falls for first time since 2009

Fewer cars were produced in the UK last year than in 2016 - the first time production has fallen since the global crisis in 2009. Sales have faltered following the Brexit vote, and motor manufacturers also blame “confusion” over the Government’s policy on diesel vehicles. Some 130,000 fewer cars were sold last year than had been forecast.

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4. Killer whale recorded copying human words

Orcas, also known as killer whales, can imitate simple human words, including “hello”, “bye bye” and the name “Amy”, according to a study by researchers at the University of St Andrews. The experiment on a captive orca in France also found that the whale could imitate recorded orca sounds she had not heard before, including a “raspberry” noise.

5. Glee actor Mark Salling found dead at 35

US actor Mark Salling, who starred in the hit TV series Glee, was found dead near his Los Angeles home yesterday. The 35-year-old was awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to possessing child sex abuse images. He was expected to be serve a sentence of between four and seven years in prison.

6. Men who ‘harboured’ Paris attackers weep in court

Two men accused of harbouring the attackers who carried out the 2015 Paris atrocities wept in court yesterday as they heard evidence from parents of those killed. Jawad Bendaoud and Mohamed Soumah say they did not know that their tenants - alleged to have killed a total of 130 people in near-simultaneous attacks on a Paris nightclub, football stadium and restaurants - were terrorists.

7. Seaplane was off course before fatal crash

The seaplane which crashed on New Year’s Eve near Sydney, killing five Britons and the pilot, was miles off course when it went down, the Australian Safety Bureau says. Richard Cousins, the 58-year-old chief executive of the world’s biggest catering firm, died in the crash, along with his two adult sons, his fiancee and her 11-year-old daughter.

8. Drunk tourists warned over holiday insurance

The financial ombudsman is warning tourists that their holiday insurance policies may not pay out if they are drunk when they have an accident. A man who fell and hit his head after “drinking all night”, and another who slipped in a nightclub toilet after a drink on holiday, were both recently turned down by their insurers, according to the watchdog.

9. Get ready for the ‘super blue blood moon’

An unusual celestial concurrence takes place today – although it will not be visible from the UK. For the first time since 1866, a lunar eclipse, supermoon and blood moon will all happen at once. Weather permitting, the phenomena should be visible from the US, Russia, Australia and New Zealand. Video will be streamed online.

10. Briefing: why Trump’s FBI ‘punching bag’ finally resigned

Andrew McCabe has quit as FBI deputy director, ending a tumultuous final year in office that saw him clash repeatedly with President Donald Trump.

McCabe became a “punching bag” for the commander-in-chief’s frustrations over the FBI investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the US election, CNN reports.

Why Trump’s FBI ‘punching bag’ Andrew McCabe finally resigned