The Canadian-American comedy star, who won her second career Emmy, for Lead Actress, in Schitt's Creek in 2020, was 71.

She died on Friday at her home in Los Angeles "following a brief illness," her agency, Creative Artists Agency (CAA), said in a statement. No further details were available.

In an entertainment career spanning more than 50 years, she also appeared in several hit comedy movies, including Beetlejuice and its sequel, and delivered a memorable turn as Kate, Macaulay Culkin's stressed mother in the first two Home Alone films.

She frequently collaborated with mockumentary pioneer Christopher Guest, becoming a key player in his ensemble and starring in Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show and A Mighty Wind.

Her popularity surged after the success of Schitt's Creek, which dominated the Emmys in its sixth and final season, bringing O'Hara a new generation of fans.

She enjoyed a late career renaissance that led to a serious role in HBO's post-apocalypse drama, The Last Of Us and as a Hollywood producer in the Seth Rogen comedy, The Studio, both of which earned her Emmy nominations.

O'Hara's career was launched at the Second City Theatre in Toronto, where she was born, in the 1970s.

It was there that she first worked with Eugene Levy, who would become a lifelong collaborator - and her Schitt's Creek costar.

While at Second City, she helped create the sketch comedy show SCTV - in which both she and Levy appeared - and which helped launch the careers of other top Canadian comedians, including John Candy, Andrea Martin, Rick Moranis and Martin Short.

She is survived by her husband, Bo Welch, and sons Matthew and Luke.

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That has been the entire tenor of his three-day visit to China as the former human rights lawyer-turned prime minister seeks tor reset Britain's relationship with China.

Ask him about Donald Trump's warning that it's "very dangerous" for the UK to seek closer ties with China, and Starmer swerves.

Ask him about the plight of the pro-democracy campaigner Jimmy Lai, imprisoned in Hong Kong, and he says the issues has been raised, but he doesn't want to go into it.

Ask him whether he agrees with Mark Carney critique that the middle powers need to work together to counter the rise of great powers - the US and China, he distances.

He is, if you like, making pragmatic choices to find favour with the big beast nations - be it on Jimmy Lai, or the building of a super embassy for China, or allowing Trump to troll him on a variety of subjects according to his fancy. Starmer keeps his head down and ploughs on.

His supporters say this pragmatism delivers results, be it a better trade deal with the US, or the prospect of great investment and trade with the world's second-biggest economy China.

His detractors argue that the UK is supine and the prime minister is leaving his country to the mercy of much bigger powers.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney sees a third way.

"Great powers can afford, for now, to go it alone. They have the market size, the military capacity and the leverage to dictate terms. Middle powers do not. The middle powers must act together, because if we're not at the table, we're on the menu," he told the annual Davos summit earlier this month.

As Trump comes for Carney - his recent visit to China and narrow trade deals prompted Trump to threaten 100% tariffs - Starmer ducks for cover.

When I asked him in Shanghai whether he agreed with Carney's critique of the shifting global order, well he does not.

"I've talked to Mark Carney a lot, but we're living in a very volatile world.

"My compass is always the national interest of the United Kingdom, and I'm very clear that that means that we maintain and build on our close relationship with the US; that we build a stronger and closer relationship with Europe, but that we also are confident and engaging outwardly and that means with China."

"I take the view that it's in the UK's national interest to maintain our relationship with the US.

"It's close on defence, security, intelligence, actually on trade and prosperity as well.

"On Europe, I want to do more on defence and security and one trade. But on the outgoing world, I mean China as well. We need to be outward, engaging. And that's been the stance of the government since the beginning."

As Starmer tows a line, Trump is rattled by the behaviour of allies.

"I think its very dangerous for them to do that," he said when asked about the UK seeking closer ties with China.

But he reserved most of his ire for Canada: "It's even more dangerous, I think, for Canada to get into business with China. Canada is not doing well. They're doing very poorly, and you can't look at China as the answer."

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But the UK is looking to China as part of the answer as it deepens trade ties, and the three-day tour was an exercise in trying to put differences aside as Starmer seeks a reset that the UK needs more than Beijing.

Starmer comes away from China with sanctions on six parliamentarians, barred from visiting China for speaking out on human rights issues, lifted. There is a tariff cut on whiskey imports from 10% to 5%, and the deal in principle for visa-free travel for up to 30 days - a big win for business.

It is, the No 10 delegation says, "not a one-and-done trip", but the beginning of a deeper reset.

The prime minister told me that he hoped President Xi would visit in the UK in 2027 when it hosts the G20. It will be the first time in over 10 years that the Chinese leader has set foot on British soil.

But the reasons for freezing relations remain.

For all the warm handshakes and words, there are deep differences and areas of discomfort between Britain's democracy and China's autocracy.

Rifts between the two nations were in part caused in response to China's crackdown in Hong Kong.

The imprisonment of British pro-democracy campaigner Jimmy Lai remains a contentious issue. Keir Starmer says he raised the matter with President Xi.

When I asked if he specifically raised Lai's name, he said yes. But as for Lai's release, the PM said he wouldn't get into the deals.

"I am absolutely clear about, the raising, the manner in which we raised it and the importance of raising it. What you can't do is sit back at home with your head in the sand saying, I'm not going to talk to you…if you're just sitting outside the room, refuse to engage, you can't even have the conversation."

But there are plenty of opponents back home who disagree with the engagement.

Nusrat Ghani, one of the five MPs sanctioned in 2021, posted on X: "MPs agreed that the Chinese Communist Party was orchestrating a genocide against the Uyghur people. The sanctions were meant to intimidate us MPs and prevent us from doing our jobs without fear or favour. Bartering our MP sanctions doesn't change those facts nor help others in the UK targeted by CCP and sanctioned by them."

Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, has also been highly critical, concerned about national security, the crackdown on political freedoms in Hong Kong and Chinese "undermining" of the UK economy - be it through cheap Chinese goods that undermine British manufacturing, overreliance on Chinese technology or Chinese influence in critical infrastructure.

So when the UK hailed a $15bn (£12bn) investment in AstraZeneca on the trip over, having paused a £200m investment at a Cambridge research site last September which was due to create 1,000 jobs, shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith was blunt in his assessment.

"AstraZeneca's a great British company but under this government it's investing everywhere in the world other than its UK home. When we are losing investment to communist China, alarm bells should be ringing in No 10 Downing Street."

Others ask what has he actually come back with? He has not secured the scale of trade deals struck by PM Carney, and I am told by one person in the UK delegation that after Britain's snub of President Xi, it will take some time to rebuild ties.

But for Starmer, the prize is deepening economic ties, more investment and trade.

For a British prime minister struggling to grow this economy, drumming up more business with the world's second largest economy - even if you don't much like its political system, or choice of allies such as Russia - can be chalked up as a win.

You can perhaps swallow some of that if you can agree, as Starmer did on Thursday, to launch a "feasibility study" on a bilateral services pact.

The UK had a £10bn surplus in services with China in the year to last June. It is a market ripe for growth.

For this former human rights lawyer turned self-avowed pragmatist, drumming up business will both take priority over obvious differences around human rights, espionage and China's continued support of Russia during the years of war in Ukraine.

Carney argues that middle powers need to push back the superpowers, but Starmer seems happy to try to comply. It matters less to him if he is at the mercy of the US or China, if it means he can help deliver back home.

The Chinese will next month welcome in the year of the horse in 2026, a creature which in their zodiac represents action, speed and breakthrough.

Starmer is going to need all of that in spades if he is to usher in a year that will cut the cost of living back home.

He will leave Shanghai with the hope that this visit might help - but it's going to require a lot more work, not just with Beijing, but with his other superpower too.

The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) has said it found cereulide, a toxin that can cause vomiting and diarrhoea, in batches of formula produced by food and drink giant Nestle.

FSA investigators, along with the UK Health Security Agency (HSA), have been looking into more than 60 batches of Nestle SMA formula since they were recalled earlier this month.

At the time of recall, Nestle said it was due to the "potential presence" of the heat-resistant toxin and that the move was out of an "abundance of caution".

The FSA, when asked by Sky News, did not confirm how many batches their tests had revealed to be affected.

To date, there have been no confirmed links of illness to the recalled batches.

Rhys Edwards' five-month-old son fell ill soon after the New Year.

Mr Edwards, who works in construction, said the boy "started vomiting and we were obviously a little bit concerned, but we didn't think it was anything, just general kids' stuff.

"And then the next day he started vomiting, full on, all day."

Mr Edwards took his son to the GP, who sent them to hospital because of concerns about the baby's blood glucose levels and dehydration.

While at hospital, a relative sent Mr Edwards information about the Nestle recall.

After checking their tins of SMA formula, the family discovered they'd been giving their son one of the affected batches.

Mr Edwards said: "You feel guilty in a way that you've given them this stuff that's potentially got [the toxin] in. It's horrible.

"As parents, it is bewildering, the massive range of formulas on the shelves. So you pick a brand, and you think, 'Okay, this brand is going to be great. It's Nestle.'

"So, you kind of place your faith and your trust in them that all these checks are carried out and that they've got quality control procedures in place to prevent things like this from happening."

The family, who live in Jersey, immediately switched formula, but Mr Edwards says his son's symptoms continued for several days and he received further hospital treatment again after "struggling to feed".

Mr Edwards, who has reported his case to Nestle, said his child has "actually slipped a weight percentile" and he wants "answers" and "lessons learnt".

In a statement, the FSA said that the problem is down to an ingredient in the formula, an oil, provided by a third-party supplier.

It's a supplier Nestle shares with Danone, which has also recalled one batch of its Aptamil baby formula.

Following the FSA testing, a Nestle spokesperson said the company "moved quickly and decisively to voluntarily issue a recall notice on 5th January 2026.

"This was due to the possible presence of cereulide in certain products because of an ingredient used in specific batches.

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"We want to reassure everyone that there has been no change to the scope or nature of this recall, and we thank everyone who has got in touch with us for their patience and apologise again that we have had to take this action."

Earlier this week, Danone said in a statement that its priority "is to ensure that parents and healthcare professionals can continue to place their trust in the safety and quality of our infant formula products.

"Parents can contact Danone's careline if they have any questions or concerns."

Deng Chol Majek stabbed Rhiannon Skye Whyte in the head 19 times with a screwdriver, and 23 times in total, in October 2024.

He was caught on CCTV following her from the Park Inn hotel, in Walsall - where he lived and she worked - to Bescot Stadium station.

Majek was handed a life sentence on Friday at Coventry Crown Court.

Ms Whyte's family described Majek as "demonic and inhuman" in a statement to the court.

"The pain and suffering we have experienced since the horrific attack is something we still have to address every day, and I cannot see a time when this will not be the case," her family said.

Ms Whyte's sister told the court that Majek had carried out a "vicious and pitiless assault on a terrified and defenceless young woman who he claims never to have spoken to or noticed".

"Her name will not be forgotten, she will not be a distant memory. We will keep her alive in our memory," she said.

"You, however, are an evil nightmare that will be put aside, known only for your cruel and malicious act."

Majek showed no emotion as Ms Whyte's sister addressed him directly, referring to footage showing him partying and dancing hours later.

"You brutalised Rhiannon and then partied as if nothing had happened," she said.

Ms Whyte's mother Donna also gave a statement in court, telling Majek "let me see you dancing now".

A court heard Majek, who is from Sudan and claimed to be 19 years old, had previously been reported to hotel security after "spookily" staring at three female staff for prolonged periods.

Ms Whyte, 27, died three days after the attack, having been found by the driver and guard of a train which pulled in about five minutes later.

High Court judge Michael Soole said: "You have provided the court with no explanation for your conduct, nor any reliable basis to consider any suggested mitigating factors.

"I see no basis for this statutory mitigating factor which arises where the intent was to cause serious bodily harm rather than to kill.

"Having regard to every aspect of your conduct, before, during and after the assault on Rhiannon, I am sure that your intent was to kill."

Justice Soole concluded Majek was actually aged between 25 and 28 based on a date of birth provided as part of a German asylum application, despite his claim to have been 18 at the time of the murder.

"I therefore sentence you on the basis that you were aged 26 at the date of Rhiannon's murder," he said.

"For the offence of murder, the law imposes a sentence of imprisonment for life."

Majek, who is about 10 inches taller than Ms Whyte, walked to the Caldmore Green area of Walsall after the attack to buy beer and was recorded apparently wiping blood from his trousers.

He returned to the hotel at 12.13am, changed his bloodstained flip-flops for trainers, and was seen laughing and dancing.

Carla Harris, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: "Rhiannon Whyte should have been able to go to work and come home safely - but Deng Chol Majek robbed her of her life and future.

"He attacked her for no reason, and callously left her bleeding on a station platform. He then appeared to rejoice in his actions, having been caught laughing and dancing on footage an hour later.

"Although the stabbing itself was not captured on CCTV, the prosecution case against Chol Majek included DNA evidence, witness testimony and CCTV showing him stalking Rhiannon to the station and returning to the hotel in his distinctive bloodied clothing."

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Ms Whyte's family members arrived at Coventry Crown Court wearing white t-shirts with her picture on them, while groups of people waved England flags outside the building.

Majek was originally found guilty in October of murdering the mother of a six-year-old son, and police at the time said he had shown no remorse.

The jury deliberated for two hours and five minutes before unanimously convicting him of murder and possessing a screwdriver as an offensive weapon.

Majek is believed to have entered the UK by small boat less than three months before the attack.

Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said: "Crimes like this are the consequence of mass illegal immigration."

US District Judge Margaret Garnett dismissed a federal murder charge against Mangione, finding it was technically flawed.

She also dismissed a gun charge, but left in place stalking charges that carry a maximum punishment of life in prison. The 27-year-old has pleaded not guilty.

Mangione also faces nine counts in a case brought by New York state prosecutors, including second-degree murder and various weapons charges.

He has pleaded not guilty in that case too.

In order to seek the death penalty, prosecutors were required to show Mangione killed Mr Thompson while committing another "crime of violence".

Judge Garnett said stalking did not fit that definition, citing case law and legal precedents.

She noted her decision to dismiss the federal murder charge was to "foreclose the death penalty as an available punishment to be considered by the jury".

The ruling was a setback for the Trump administration, which had called Mr Thompson's death a "premeditated, cold-blooded assassination".

Prosecutors have 30 days to appeal the ruling.

Judge Garnett also ruled that prosecutors would be able to use evidence collected from Mangione's backpack during his arrest, which included a 9mm handgun and a notebook in which authorities said Mangione described his intent to "wack" an insurance executive.

Mangione's lawyers had sought to dismiss that evidence from trial, arguing the search was illegal because police had not yet obtained a warrant.

Mr Thompson was killed on 4 December 2024 as he walked to a New York City hotel for his company's annual investor conference.

Video footage showed a masked gunman shooting the 50-year-old from behind.

Police said the words "delay", "deny" and "depose" were written on the ammunition, an apparent reference to a phrase used to describe how insurers avoid paying claims.

Mangione, an Ivy League graduate, was arrested five days later in Pennsylvania.

After several days of court proceedings there, Mangione was transferred to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where he is currently being held.

Jury selection in the federal case is scheduled to begin on 8 September.

The state trial has not been scheduled yet.

However, the Manhattan district attorney's office sent a letter on Wednesday urging the judge in that case to set a trial date of 1 July.

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The ruling comes a day after a 36-year-old man was charged with impersonating an FBI agent in an apparent bid to free Mangione from jail.

Authorities said Mark Anderson, from Minnesota, was arrested after claiming he was an FBI agent in possession of paperwork "signed by a judge" authorising the release of a specific inmate, whom a law enforcement source identified as Mangione.

After searching his bag, officers found a barbecue fork and a circular steel blade that resembled a pizza cutter, according to a complaint filed against Anderson.