Woo Won-sik says president Yoon Suk Yeol should lift declaration immediately after vote to block it; troops reportedly starting withdrawal from parliament

• South Korean president declares martial law over threat from ‘anti-state forces’

The White House has said it is “closely” monitoring the situation in South Korea.

“The administration is in contact with the ROK government and is monitoring the situation closely,” a spokesperson for the national security council said, using the official acronym for the Republic of Korea, where thousands of US troops are based as parts of efforts to deter nuclear-armed North Korea.

All political activities are banned in South Korea following the imposition of martial law on Tuesday and all media will be subject to government monitoring.

All political activities, including those of the national assembly, local councils, political parties, and political associations, as well as assemblies and demonstrations, are strictly prohibited.

Change in festive schedule comes after Wallace stepped away from hosting cookery show amid allegations about his behaviour

Two MasterChef celebrity Christmas specials have been pulled from the BBC’s schedule after Gregg Wallace stepped away from hosting the cookery show, a BBC spokesperson said.

The broadcaster had previously announced a Celebrity MasterChef Cook-Off and a Strictly Festive Extravaganza as part of its festive schedule, both billed as hour-long programmes for BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

MPs vote to give leave to bring in private members’ bill on PR but it will have no practical effect

Lord Robertson, the former Labour defence secretary and former Nato secretary who is leading the government’s strategic defence review, is giving evidence to the Commons defence committee. He has told MPs that the Americans are being fully consulted about the review. This is from Shashank Joshi, the Economist’s defence editor.

Listening to George Robertson & Richard Barrons, who are writing the UK’s defence review alongside Fiona Hill, giving evidence to the Commons defence committee. They’re in “constant contact” with allies, Robertson says, and have a US officer on the review team.

Tommy Banks says £25,000 of stock, which included 2,500 pies bearing his name, was ‘not really very saleable’

A van that which was stolen containing 2,500 pies has been found abandoned, although inquiries are continuing into the fate of its contents.

The Michelin-starred chef Tommy Banks had appealed to thieves to “do the right thing” and give the van’s contents, which also included custard and gravy, to people in need.

As part of a comprehensive programme of renationalisation, the service will come under public ownership in May

South Western Railway will be the first train operator nationalised under the Labour government, ministers are expected to announce this week.

One of the UK’s biggest commuter services, which operates out of London Waterloo, it will be taken into public hands in May.

Coalition of Michel Barnier likely to fall, with Germany in election mode and Trump about to re-enter White House

• Europe live – latest updates

France is staring into the unknown as the minority government of the prime minister, Michel Barnier, faces near-certain defeat in a no-confidence vote that could dramatically intensify the political crisis in one of the EU’s key member states.

If the vote on Wednesday is carried, Barnier’s administration, which took office only in September, would be the first in France to be ousted with a motion of no confidence since 1962. Its fall, at the hands of the far-right and leftwing parties, would be a significant blow to Europe weeks before Donald Trump returns to the White House.

James Howells seeking go-ahead to search for hard drive that was accidentally thrown into landfill in 2013

For more than a decade, a computer expert from Newport in south Wales has doggedly fought to recover £500m of bitcoin he says was accidentally thrown into a council tip.

James Howells’ bid to become extremely rich reached a judge on Tuesday with a team of lawyers arguing that it was still possible to launch a hunt for his missing hard drive containing the bitcoin.

Brutal killing of Giulia Cecchettin, 22, triggered protests across country and cast grim spotlight on femicide in Italy

Filippo Turetta has been sentenced to life in jail for the murder of Giulia Cecchettin, a university student whose brutal killing cast a grim spotlight on femicide in Italy.

Cecchettin, 22, was stabbed more than 70 times before her body was wrapped in black plastic bags and dumped in a ditch close to a lake north of Venice in November last year. Her murder triggered protests across the country.

Name was mistakenly flagged and prevented from appearing in responses, says chatbot’s developer

Last weekend the name was all over the internet – just not on ChatGPT.

David Mayer became famous for a moment on social media because the popular chatbot appeared to want nothing to do with him.

Retailer removes £5 hats from website after mangling Welsh spelling of country, Cymru as ‘Cyrmu’

There are undoubtedly some Welsh names that can be difficult for someone who does not speak the language to negotiate, but the country itself – Cymru – is surely not too tricky.

So there has been a degree of frustration in Wales that the retailer Sports Direct has managed to mangle it as “Cyrmu” on a range of bobble hats.