Where others began by expressing regret over the Horizon scandal, Kemi said nothing. Because she feels nothing

Look on the bright side. Kemi Badenoch lasted two and a half hours in the witness stand at the Post Office inquiry without losing it. She didn’t get into an argument with Jason Beer, the counsel for the crown, though that could be because his questions were not unduly threatening. After all, we were there to hear Kemi’s version of events . Other versions of the truth may be available. Nor did she square up to any of those in the public gallery who laughed when Beer thanked her for answering “some” of his questions.

Not that Kemi nailed it. Like many narcissists, she is a curious mixture of the thick- and thin-skinned. She likes to present herself as a no-nonsense, tough woman. Someone who isn’t afraid to go toe-to-toe with her opponents. Who can tell it like it is. But beneath the surface there’s a vulnerability that she despises. It’s why she lashes out so readily. The person she dislikes the most is herself.

Taking the Lead by John Crace is published by Little, Brown (£18.99). To support the Guardian and Observer, order your copy at guardianbookshop.com . Delivery charges may apply.

Agreement on rules paving way for rich countries to pay for cheap climate action abroad breaks years-long deadlock

Diplomats have greenlit key rules that govern the trade of “carbon credits”, breaking a years-long deadlock and paving the way for rich countries to pay for cheap climate action abroad while delaying expensive emission cuts at home.

The agreement, reached late on the first day of Cop29 in Azerbaijan, was hailed by the hosts as an early win at climate talks that have been snubbed by prominent world leaders and clouded by the threat of a US retreat from climate diplomacy after Donald Trump’s victory in the presidential election.

Seven men are ordered back to Italy from migration hub in Albania which defies deal aimed at curbing their arrival

Italian judges have ordered seven men detained in a migration hub in Albania to be transferred to Italy, in another blow to a controversial deal between the far-right Rome government and Tirana aimed at curbing the arrival of migrants.

The individuals arrived at the Albanian port of Shëngjin aboard a military vessel on Saturday after being rescued in international waters while trying to make their way to Europe.

Miller worked in the first Trump administration as a senior adviser and is known for his extremist rhetoric

• US politics live – latest updates

President-elect Donald Trump is expected to announce that he will appoint immigration hardliner and close adviser, Stephen Miller, as his White House deputy chief of staff for policy.

Miller worked in the White House during Trump’s first administration, serving as a senior adviser to Trump and as director of speechwriting. He played a key role in developing several of Trump’s immigration policies, including the Muslim travel ban and the family separation policy.

Justin Welby didn’t do enough when told about John Smyth’s sadistic offending – and he knows it

For nearly half a century, John Smyth, who was a senior barrister and prominent evangelical Christian, sadistically abused boys and young men with impunity. At Christian summer camps in Dorset in the 1970s and 1980s, and later in Zimbabwe and South Africa, he groomed and preyed on victims whom he would beat savagely and repeatedly, leaving some of them with wounds that took weeks to heal.

Smyth, who died in 2018, never faced justice for crimes committed in England. A case against him in Zimbabwe after the unexplained death of a 16-year-old boy, Guide Nyachuru, at one of his camps, was dismissed. But calls for the Church of England to accept responsibility for gross failures in regard to Smyth and the Iwerne camps, where he filled leadership roles, are finally gaining the hearing that they should have had years ago.

US protectionism sparks concern, underscoring the need for balanced policies as wealthy nations’ tariffs can hurt developing economies

“To me, the most beautiful word in the dictionary is tariff,” Donald Trump told business leaders in October. “It’s my favourite word. It needs a public relations firm.” Now, with his election victory, Mr Trump’s words send a shiver through global capitals. Many fear he may pull a curtain across the US economy, locking them out of the world’s largest market and cutting off access to US technology. These fears are amplified by last year’s contraction in merchandise trade – which was the first such shrinkage at a time when the global economy was growing.

However, it’s wise to take Mr Trump seriously, not literally. During his last term, he imposed tariffs on more than $400bn in US-China trade and renegotiated the North American free trade agreement (Nafta) in a push to reshore blue-collar jobs. In many ways, Joe Biden continued – and even accelerated – these trends. Mr Trump averaged 144,000 reshored jobs a year; in 2022, Mr Biden reached 364,000 .

Aircraft heading from Florida to Port-au-Prince landed safely after flight attendant was reportedly grazed by bullet

A Spirit Airlines flight coming into the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince from the US state of Florida was struck by gunfire on Monday, forcing the airplane to be diverted to the Dominican Republic , the Miami Herald reported .

At least one person – a flight attendant – was grazed by a bullet, according to the Herald, which cited a source. The Herald report, citing multiple sources, said the aircraft landed safely.

Groups providing vital services say impact of tax and minimum wage rises will lead to cutbacks

Charities have warned of “life-changing consequences” for a million vulnerable children and adults as a result of cuts to state-funded disability services driven by tax changes and wage rises announced in the budget.

The Voluntary Organisations Disability Group (VODG), which represents 100 charities in England, said Rachel Reeves’s decision to raise employers’ national insurance contributions (NICs) had been “ill thought through” and would put many local charity services at risk.