News Daily: Olivia Colman's Oscars triumph, and talk of Brexit delay

By Rob Corp BBC News

If you want to get this briefing by email, sign-up here

Image copyright AFP

Colman triumphs and Black Panther makes history at Oscars

The 2019 Academy Awards were handed out overnight in Los Angeles, with Briton Olivia Colman named Best Actress for her role as Queen Anne in The Favourite. Ironically, she was not considered the favourite for the Oscar, and her win brought "a huge gasp of surprise in the press room" according to BBC reporters watching the ceremony, as Glenn Close was widely tipped to take home the statuette. Green Book also sprung a surprise, winning Best Film - which was expected to have gone to Alfonso Cuaron's Roma. Green Book took two other awards, while Cuaron was named Best Director. Rami Malek was named Best Actor for his portrayal of Queen singer Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody. You can check out the full list of winners here.

Marvel's super-hero film Black Panther made Oscars history as two members of the crew became the first black winners in their categories. Ruth Carter took home the costume design award, and Hannah Beachler shared the production design prize with Jay Hart.

If you want to know what the stars wore to the ceremony, click here, and we have pictures from the red carpet too.

PM faces pressure to delay Brexit

Theresa May is under renewed pressure to agree to a delay in the UK leaving the EU rather than quit the bloc without a deal. Moderate Tory MPs believe ministers could postpone Brexit until 23 May "to conclude negotiations" if a withdrawal agreement with Brussels has not passed the Commons by the end of March. BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg says two cabinet ministers have said they believe Mrs May will this week grant some kind of concession to allow for a possible delay. The prime minister is expected to hold meetings with EU leaders on Monday at a summit in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. On Sunday, Mrs May confirmed that the next "meaningful vote" in the Commons on her tweaked deal with the EU will not take place until 12 March, 17 days before Brexit day. This move sparked anger from Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who accused the prime minister of "running down the clock". You can read our really simple guide to Brexit here, and Laura Kuenssberg's latest blog is here.

Get news from the BBC in your inbox, each weekday morning

Venezuela soldiers tell of family fears

A group of soldiers once loyal to Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro have said they fear for their families' safety after crossing the border into Colombia and defecting on Saturday. One woman told the BBC's Orla Guerin that her daughter was still in Venezuela and she did not know "what they might do to her". Around 100 soldiers are thought to have defected following clashes over aid deliveries at the Colombian border on Saturday. Regional powers and the US will meet later on Monday in Bogota to discuss the Venezuela crisis, with American Vice-President Mike Pence set to announce "concrete steps" and "actions". Want to know how Venezuela got to this point? These nine charts explain the background to the crisis.

What role should Britain play in the world after Brexit?

By BBC diplomatic correspondent James Landale

How do UK politicians and policymakers see Britain's foreign policy after it leaves the EU? For three years, Brexit has drained the intellectual life force out of Whitehall and Westminster, leaving little time and space for thinking about the future. Yet now, as we close on the projected 29 March date of departure, there are signs at last that some policymakers are lifting their eyes from the immediate negotiations and trying to look beyond the horizon.

Read the full article

What the papers say

The papers have a Brexit focus on Monday morning, with the Times leading on Theresa May's decision not to hold the meaningful vote on leaving the EU until 17 days before the UK's expected departure date. Other papers report that the date could move, with the Daily Telegraph saying the prime minister is working on plans to postpone Brexit day by two months. The Guardian goes even further, as it reports that the EU is looking at the date the UK leaves being pushed back until 2021. Elsewhere, the Daily Express says that a move to scrap short prison sentences could lead to a "crimewave", citing a think tank report. You can read our full paper review here.