#friday-evening

#friday-evening

Leading congressional Republicans excoriated Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken on Friday for traveling to China this weekend, accusing him of undermining national security by attempting to normalize diplomatic relations with Beijing as they press for a more hard-line approach.Representative Michael McCaul, Republican of Texas and the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, threatened to subpoena Mr. Blinken if he failed to produce documents by Friday evening detailing the list of retaliatory actions the U.S. government has considered against China, and when they were applied.

The decision by Boris Johnson to quit as an MP ahead of publication of the Partygate report does not mean it is the end of his political career, an ex-adviser to the former PM has said.Will Walden said Mr Johnson "had seen the writing on the wall".The Commons Privileges Committee has looked at whether the ex-PM lied to Parliament over No 10 lockdown parties.

A meeting between public officials and community representatives after the deaths of two best friends in Cardiff sparked a riot has begun with a moment of reflection for the teenagers.Mark Drakeford, the First Minister of Wales, is chairing the meeting between local politicians, agencies, and community groups, including Ace (Action in Caerau and Ely).

A teenage boy is in a critical condition after three people sustained multiple serious injuries at a private school.Devon and Cornwall Police were called to Blundell's School in Tiverton, Devon, following reports of a serious assault at about 1am on Friday.The force said two teenage boys, who were pupils at the school, along with an adult male member of staff, had been assaulted and sustained serious injuries.

A teenager whose body was found in a Carlisle river has been formally identified as Lewis Michael Kirkpatrick, aged 15, Cumbria Police said.Lewis, who was from Carlisle, was found shortly after 1.30pm on Saturday after emergency services received reports that he and three other teenage boys had got into trouble in the River Eden on Friday evening.

Three police officers were injured in a knife attack in County Durham on Friday evening.Following a concern for welfare report, police attended an address on Corfe Crescent, Billingham, at around 10.15pm.At the incident they encountered a man with a knife who became aggressive towards them, leaving two Cleveland Police officers with puncture wounds and the third with slash wounds.