In the US, the second day of former President Donald Trump’s Senate impeachment trial was dominated by a detailed and damning documentation of the events leading up to the January 6 riot at the Capitol by the House impeachment managers. Several Democrat members like Colorado’s Joe Neguse to Texas’ Joaquin Castro laid out the tweets and public comments from Mr.Trump that laid the foundation for the Big Lie that culminated in the violent overrunning of the Capitol. Using Mr. Trump’s own words and tweets against him, Democrats argued he had acted as inciter-in-chief on the day and its run-up.

Police inside were shown desperately ushering politicians to safety and rioters breaking their way into the building’s chambers.

Mr Trump’s lawyers will present the case for the defence later this week, but have already argued the trial against him is politically motivated and unconstitutional.

A two-thirds majority is required to convict Mr Trump in the evenly split 100-seat Senate, but an acquittal looks likely as the vast majority of Republican senators have remained loyal to him so far.