Thursday morning news briefing: German shooting spree

Police forensics officers search a Mercedes at one of the crime scenes - Michael Probst /AP
Police forensics officers search a Mercedes at one of the crime scenes - Michael Probst /AP

If you want to receive twice-daily briefings like this by email, sign up to the Front Page newsletter here. For two-minute audio updates, try The Briefing - on podcasts, smart speakers and WhatsApp.

Germany shootings: 10 killed in town centre attacks

At least 10 people have been killed and four injured in multiple shootings in the German town of Hanau. The attacker opened fire in a shisha bar in the town centre at about 10pm on Wednesday (9pm GMT). He then drove to another bar and carried out a second attack. Nine were left dead. After a major manhunt in the town, near Frankfurt, police found the suspect dead at his father's home - and also found another body. The motive for the shooting is unclear, but local media is reporting that the attacker was a German citizen who had a firearms hunting licence. A stash of ammunition and gun magazines was reportedly found in his car. View the latest pictures from the scene and rolling updates in our liveblog.

Ofsted fears schools will 'squander' extra cash

A £14billion boost in education spending due to be outlined in next month's Budget risks being "squandered" by poorly managed schools, the head of Ofsted has warned. Amanda Spielman, the chief inspector of schools, said that there was "clearly" room for improvement when it came to school budgeting and that bad financial decisions could be "harmful" to children's education as well as a waste of taxpayer funds. Her commentary was due to be published early next month alongside a piece of research by Ofsted on school funding. But it was put online by accident before being quickly removed. Read what Ms Spielman wrote.

Meanwhile, Priti Patel is at the centre of allegations she attempted to oust her most senior civil servant. The Home Secretary was said to have demanded the removal of Sir Philip Rutnam after he raised concerns about her behaviour with the Cabinet Office. The conflict is said to have flared following last week's row over the deportation of criminals to Jamaica, when an official working on the case collapsed after a fractious meeting with Ms Patel. Home Affairs Editor Charles Hymas reports that Ms Patel's allies reject claims of bullying behaviour.

PS: Matt looks to history for inspiration for his latest cartoon on Britain's proposed new immigration policy unveiled yesterday.

Meghan and Harry sign off - but door left ajar for Duke

The Queen is to leave the door open for the Duke of Sussex to return to his honorary military roles after a year, it has emerged. Buckingham Palace last night announced that the Sussexes will undertake a final flurry of engagements before stepping down as full-time working members of the Royal family on March 31. The Duke and Duchess will close their Palace office and abandon the "Sussex Royal" branding to set up a new non-profit foundation. But Hannah Furness explains that they will be welcomed back at key points throughout the coming year.

News digest

Gallery: The big picture

Pilgrim's progress | Gucci combined Puritan-style "pilgrim hats" with voluminous baby doll dresses for its Milan Fashion Week show. Read Lisa Armstrong's report and view a gallery of more catwalk looks.

A model on the catwalk at Gucci's show at Milan Fashion Week - WWD/REX
A model on the catwalk at Gucci's show at Milan Fashion Week - WWD/REX

Comment

Editor's choice

  1. New £20 note | Simple trick reveals hidden tributes on bank notes

  2. Losing a twin | 'Like Caroline Flack's sister, I know what it’s like'

  3. The real Rich List | Are you above or below the 'wealth line'?

Business and money briefing

Scandal | Barclays chairman Nigel Higgins has been urged by shareholders to back under-fire chief executive Jes Staley as regulators investigate his links with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Three major investors warned against making kneejerk decisions until an investigation has been completed by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Sport briefing

Man City 2 West Ham 0 | Manchester City can only hope their upcoming fight with UEFA proves as straightforward as their win over relegation-threatened West Ham that was far more dominant than the scoreline suggested. Luke Edwards reports from the Etihad on how the brilliant show took minds off the club's two-year European ban.

And finally...

Robin's return | Robin Hood is set to stalk the glades of Sherwood Forest again as part of a government-funded project to bring 5G to rural areas. The legendary outlaw will be virtually reincarnated for visitors via augmented reality headsets allowing them to watch the Merry Men swordfighting while touring the historic forest.