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Britain’s prime minister stays at the helm, the U.S. State of the Union address is in doubt and the death toll rises in a terrorist attack in Kenya. Here’s the latest:

Theresa May survives leadership challenge over Brexit

Parliament voted 325 to 306 against a motion of no-confidence in Prime Minister Theresa May, a day after it rejected her plan to withdraw from the E.U.

Many lawmakers from her own party, who just a day earlier opposed her plan, leapt to her defense and voted to support her government, demonstrating the complex politics around Brexit and Mrs. May’s almost surreal durability.

What’s next? She has to present a Plan B for Brexit. She promised to consult with Parliament and somehow craft a deal that could get approved. But E.U. officials have already said they’re unwilling to reopen negotiations, leaving Mrs. May with little new to offer. There is growing speculation she could ask to postpone Britain’s divorce from the bloc.

Go deeper: The no-confidence vote added pressure on the opposition leader, Jeremy Corbyn, too. He now faces mounting calls for a second referendum on Britain’s split from the E.U.

In Opinion: Paul Krugman breaks down the economics of Brexit.

Pelosi calls for postponing the State of the Union address

Speaker Nancy Pelosi asked President Trump to reschedule the annual speech — typically an occasion for the president to make a case for his policy agenda — citing security concerns from the government shutdown.

Context: The State of the Union address is one of the highest-stakes events for federal law enforcement each year, with the leadership of all three branches of government gathering in one place. The Secret Service, which leads security at the speech, has been affected by the shutdown. The speech is scheduled for Jan. 29, and the invitation to deliver the address is traditionally at the speaker’s discretion.

Behind the scenes: Mr. Trump has shrugged off Ms. Pelosi’s request, and advisers have suggested that he use the address to try to dramatically move public opinion on the shutdown. Polls show him taking the brunt of the blame. “We are getting crushed!” Mr. Trump lashed out at his acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, after watching recent critical news coverage. “Why can’t we get a deal?”

Go deeper: The shutdown is now in its fourth week and has had wide-ranging effects around the country. Here’s a breakdown of our latest reporting.

Death toll climbs to 21 in Nairobi terrorist attack

A day after Shabab militants attacked a hotel and shopping complex in Nairobi with guns and bombs, the scale of loss came into focus.

President Uhuru Kenyatta said in a speech to the nation that 700 civilians had been evacuated during the response to the assault. Distraught relatives were left to scramble for more information at morgues and hospitals, as the Red Cross set up teams to help deal with the casualties and to provide counseling. An American and a Briton were among the dead.

Confusion: Gunfire could be heard in the complex earlier on Wednesday, even after the authorities said all the buildings in the area had been secured.

Melting glaciers threaten the water supply for millions

On a typical summer day, high above the city of Almaty in Kazakhstan, rivulets of melted ice stream down the edge of the Tuyuksu glacier.

Melting is a normal process in the constant evolution of glaciers. But in a warming climate, snow in winter can’t make up the difference, resulting in a net loss of ice.

Last year, scientists found that the Tuyuksu glacier was melting at a mad pace — parts of it were three feet thinner than they were the year before. The glacier is getting shorter, too: In six decades, it has retreated more than half a mile.

Why it matters: Melting glaciers contribute to rising sea levels, can lead to disastrous floods and alter river ecosystems. Glaciers also feed rivers, which in turn provide water for cities and farmers. Flows will eventually decline, affecting hundreds of millions of people in countries like India, Pakistan and China.

Here’s what else is happening

Syria: Four Americans were among 19 people killed in a suicide bombing claimed by the Islamic State in the northern city of Manbij, and the news prompted calls from Republicans and Democrats for President Trump to reconsider his plans to withdraw troops from the country.

Greece: By a wisp, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras prevailed in a confidence vote, but analysts say he is likely to call early elections.

Carlos Ghosn: The French government, the largest shareholder in Renault, called on the automaker to replace Mr. Ghosn, its chairman and chief executive, in the coming days. Jailed without bail in Tokyo on charges of financial impropriety, he now faces being entirely separated from the auto empire he created.

Spain: Under a national media spotlight, about 100 rescuers have been working to rescue a 2-year-old boy who fell down a well that’s 300 feet deep.

Goldman Sachs: The bank has gone on the warpath against a former star banker to minimize its role in the looting of a vast Malaysian investment fund.

Afghanistan: The police are focused on dismantling what they call a “pyramid of crime” in the capital, Kabul, and say they have identified about 1,500 people suspected of criminal activity who own a total of nearly 30,000 illegal arms.

Thailand: A Belarusian escort who has spent nearly a year behind bars in Thailand after claiming to have audio recordings linking Russia with President Trump’s election (but never proving it) will be deported after pleading guilty to charges of solicitation and conspiracy.

‘Rail delay scarf’: A commuter in Germany decided to knit a scarf representing a year of transit headaches, and the four-foot multicolored result turned into a social media sensation, fetching about $8,650 on eBay.

In memoriam: Jean Bourgain, 64, a prolific mathematician who, among other strides, cracked a problem that had been intractable for 80 years, died in Belgium.

Smarter Living

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Back Story

The Colorado Cowboy Poetry Gathering celebrates its 30th anniversary this weekend.

It’s followed by the 35th National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Nevada later this month.

So what defines cowboy poetry?

“If it talks about agriculture or the Western way of life, horses, cattle — it counts,” said Bob Welch, a former editor of American Cowboy magazine.

He added: “If the author has a mustache, that certainly helps.”

(Women do participate, though the field remains male-dominated.)

The tradition dates to cattle-drive days after the Civil War, when cowhands passed time inventing ballads about their work.

It entered the modern era through people like Baxter Black, a former large-animal veterinarian who wrote lyrics on long drives between ranches — and went on to sell over a million books.

“I would say the people who participate, 90 percent of them have some connection to livestock,” Mr. Black said.

That wouldn’t surprise Mr. Welch: “Since the beginning,” he said, “cowboys have been romantics.”

Gregory Cowles, the Book Review’s poetry editor, wrote today’s Back Story.

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