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Your morning briefing: What you should know for Monday, March 25

May faces battle as MPs plan to take over Brexit process

Theresa May is battling to stay in power as MPs seek to seize control of parliamentary business in a bid to secure a softer Brexit.

The Commons is due to vote today on an amendment which would force a series of indicative votes on alternatives to the Prime Minister's Withdrawal Agreement.

Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay warned the risk of a general election would increase if a proposal allowing MPs to take control of parliamentary proceedings was successful.

Mrs May held talks with prominent Brexiteer backbenchers including Boris Johnson, Jacob Rees-Mogg and David Davis yesterday to gauge if there was sufficient support among MPs for another vote on her deal.

Trump jubilant over Russia probe findings

Donald Trump has reacted jubilantly after special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation failed to find any evidence his presidential campaign conspired with Russia.

The President tweeted the finding was "complete and total exoneration", while he also told reporters the investigation was an illegal takedown that failed.

However, Attorney General William Barr did say in a letter to Congress summarising Mr Mueller's report it did not provide a definitive answer whether Mr Trump had obstructed justice.

Mr Barr added there was not enough evidence to proceed, thus bringing to a close a probe that has shadowed Mr Trump for nearly two years.

RAF flying aid to Cyclone Idai victims

Up to 20 tonnes of UK aid is on its way to help those caught up in the devastation caused by Cyclone Idai in south-east Africa.

It is estimated that 1.8 million people have been affected by the cyclone, which has ravaged parts of Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe.

Aid being delivered by an RAF aircraft includes shelter kits, solar lanterns and water purifiers, the Ministry of Defence said.

The cargo will help provide relief for the 37,500 people in need of urgent shelter, amid reports that at least 17,400 homes have been destroyed by the cyclone and subsequent flooding.

New Zealand upgrades investigation into Christchurch massacre

New Zealand will hold a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the massacre of 50 people at two Christchurch mosques.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said what is New Zealand’s highest form of investigation will look into what roles semi-automatic guns, social media and intelligence agencies had preceding the attacks earlier this month.

A royal commission is run independently from the government and is chaired by a high court judge.

Hillsborough trial jury to begin deciding verdicts

The jury in the trial of Hillsborough match commander David Duckenfield is due to retire to consider its verdicts today.

The 74-year-old denies the gross negligence manslaughter of 95 Liverpool fans who died in the disaster at the FA Cup semi-final in April 1989.

Also on trial is former Sheffield Wednesday club secretary Graham Mackrell, who denies failing to discharge his duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act.

Summing up last Friday after nine weeks of evidence, Judge Sir Peter Openshaw told the jury to be dispassionate and objective when considering its verdicts.

Valuable Churchill find in a dump

Sir Winston's Churchill's top hat and cigar were featured on Antiques Roadshow after being discovered in a rubbish tip.

The items, along with a cigar case and letters from a cook to her son giving details of the prime minister's daily life, appeared on the BBC One programme yesterday and were valued at £10,000.

The man who found them has declined to give the location of the dump, but said he had three sheds full of items discovered there.

On this day…

1306: Robert Bruce was crowned King of Scots at Scone.

1655: Titan, Saturn's largest moon, was discovered by Dutch astronomer Christian Huygens.

1807: The Slave Trade Act became law. The act abolished the slave trade in Britain and Ireland.

1843: The Thames Tunnel, designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, opened to pedestrians between Rotherhithe and Wapping in London.

1957: Six nations (West Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg) signed the Treaty of Rome to create the European Economic Community.

1989: The Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race crews both had women coxes for the first time. Oxford won by two-and-a-half lengths.

1996: The EU's Veterinarian Committee banned the export of British beef and its by-products due to fears over mad cow disease (BSE).