Chancellor Rachel Reeves said in an exclusive interview with the BBC that any Labour leadership contest would “plunge the country into chaos”.

It comes as Angela Rayner, seen as a potential challenger to PM Keir Starmer, was cleared by HMRC of wrongdoing over her tax affairs after settling £40,000 in unpaid stamp duty, saying she had been “exonerated” of the accusation she had “deliberately sought to avoid tax”.

On Wednesday, allies of Health Secretary Wes Streeting said they expected him to launch a challenge as soon as today.

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China’s President Xi Jinping has told Donald Trump that his country wants a partnership with the US, not rivalry.

He was speaking at a state banquet in honour of the US President, who is on a two day visit to China.

The two leaders earlier held trade talks, with Trump saying the two countries had “the world’s most consequential economic relationship”.

The White House described the meeting as “highly productive”. Trump, speaking at the Great Hall of the People, called it potentially “the biggest summit ever”.

President Xi said previous trade negotiations between the two countries had delivered “progress”, according to China’s foreign ministry, but also delivered a stark warning on Taiwan, saying: “If mishandled, the two nations could collide or even come into conflict.”

Jane Hill presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Jane Hill and Sarah Smith.

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Cuba has completely run out of diesel and fuel oil, the country’s Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy has said.

In an interview with state-run media, de la O Levy said there were limited amounts of gas available, but that Cuba’s energy system was in a “critical” state as a US-led blockade of oil to the country squeezed supply.

Protests against power cuts broke out in the capital Havana on Wednesday, with roads blocked with piles of burning rubbish as well as banged pots and shouts of anti-government slogans.

It marks the biggest single night of demonstrations in Havana since the energy crisis took hold in January.

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President Trump has told Congress that US hostilities with Iran have “terminated” owing to an ongoing ceasefire as he argued that he did not need lawmakers’ authorisation for the conflict. That risks leading to a showdown with lawmakers who do not accept that interpretation of the law.

The president has written to congressional leaders stating: “There has been no exchange of fire between the United States Forces and Iran since April 7, 2026…. The hostilities that began on February 28, 2026 have terminated.”

It came 60 days after he formally notified Congress of strikes against Iran. US law requires the president to “terminate any use of United States Armed Forces” within 60 days of such a notification – unless Congress allows a continuation.

“I have and will continue to direct United States Armed Forces consistent with my responsibilities and pursuant to my constitutional authority to conduct United States foreign relations and as Commander in Chief and Chief Executive,” Trump wrote.

The relevant piece of US law, the decades-old War Powers Resolution, makes certain requirements of a president “within sixty calendar days” of their use of US armed forces in combat.

Trump has also repeated his claim that Iran wants to make a deal to end the war in the Middle East, but said he cannot accept their proposals. He also told reporters that Iranian leaders were “confused” and could not agree, because the US military attack on their country had been so successful.

Clive Myrie presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Sarah Smith in Washington.

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President Trump has been greeted in Beijing with pomp and pageantry on a two day visit to China.

He’s due to hold a high-stakes summit with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping. The leaders of the global superpowers are expected to discuss tariffs, competition over technology, the war in Iran, and America’s relationship with Taiwan.

The trip had originally been scheduled for March but was postponed because of the US and Israel’s war in Iran, a conflict that continues to unsettle the global economy.

Trump was greeted on the red carpet by Chinese Vice-President Han Zheng, one of China’s top leaders. The move is being read as a show of respect for the US president from Beijing, after a lower-level leader received Trump on his last visit.

A brass brand and flag wavers holding Chinese and American flags chanted “welcome welcome, a warm welcome”, as the president gave his signature fist pump to the large greeting party, standing by the dozen in tight, uniformed rows.

The US president was accompanied by his son Eric Trump and a slew of US tech industry titans, including Tesla’s Elon Musk and Nvidia’s Jensen Huang among them.

Trump wrote on a social media post ahead of his arrival: “I will be asking President Xi, a Leader of extraordinary distinction, to ‘open up’ China so that these brilliant people can work their magic, and help bring the People’s Republic to an even higher level”.

Clive Myrie presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Laura Bicker.

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