Prime Minister reveals deadline for starting Brexit process

Theresa May has revealed the formal process for Britain to leave the EU will be triggered by the end of March. 

Activating Article 50 paves the way for official Brexit talks to get under way and starts the two-year countdown for the UK's departure.

It puts Britain on course to leave the EU by summer 2019. 

The Prime Minister made the announcement at the start of the Tory party conference in Birmingham, where the break from Brussels is set to dominate the agenda.

Mrs May could be hoping in setting a date she will take the sting out of the Brexit debate, but arguments are set to continue over the kind of relationship the UK will have with the bloc in future.

It comes as the PM revealed she was to introduce a "Great Repeal Bill" in the next Queen's Speech to scrap the legislation that took Britain into Europe 44 years ago.

Sky News understands that moves will be made to remove the European Communities Act from the statute book next year.

EU law and regulations will then be converted into domestic law and subsequently removed, kept or changed, depending on what the UK Parliament decides.

This process could take years - meaning many EU laws could be in force long after the day Britain formally leaves the union.

Ahead of her speech on Brexit to activists in Birmingham, Mrs May told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show: "As you know, I have been saying that we wouldn't trigger it before the end of this year so that we get some preparation in place.

"But yes, I will be saying in my speech today that we will trigger (Article 50) before the end of March next year."

Mrs May has also ruled out holding a general election before 2020 - warning an early vote would cause "instability".

Brexit Secretary David Davis has said the Government will "take a simple approach" over changes to legislation.

He said: "EU law will be transposed into domestic law, wherever practical, on exit day.

"It will be for elected politicians here to make the changes to reflect the outcome of our negotiation and our exit."

The "Great Repeal Bill" will end the supremacy of EU law, meaning rulings by the European Court of Justice will stop applying to the UK once the legislation takes effect.

Mr Davis added: "That is what people voted for: power and authority residing once again with the sovereign institutions of our own country."

The move comes as former Cabinet ministers ramped up pressure on Theresa May by presenting her with a "Brexit Blueprint" to take the country out the EU in less than two years.

But some Conservatives have expressed concerns.

Former attorney general Dominic Grieve said: "The key issue is that this proposal if adopted will not provide a solution for long as divergence between our law and EU law will begin immediately.

"This will not provide reassurance to business wanting a level playing field with the EU. It is not clear if we would mirror EU law thereafter."

It is also understood former Education Secretary Nicky Morgan warn at the conference that a "hard Brexit" - in which the UK rejects the EU single market and closes its borders to European citizens - could lead to bigotry.

According to The Observer, she will say in her speech: "There are those for whom the referendum result is not enough - they want use to have a 'hard Brexit' that cuts us off from the EU... and allows people to say things about their fellow citizens that promote intolerance and bigotry."

Donald Trump could have avoided paying income tax, report says

Donald Trump declared a $916m (£706m) loss on his 1995 income tax returns, which may have allowed him to avoid paying federal income taxes for up to 18 years, according to a report.

The New York Times said it had obtained the Republican presidential nominee's 1995 tax records and that they showed he received the large tax benefits from financial deals that went wrong in the early 1990s.

Tax experts hired by the newspaper to analyse the records said tax rules which are advantageous to wealthy filers would have let Mr Trump use his $916m loss to cancel out an equivalent amount of taxable income over an 18-year period.

The Times said that although Mr Trump's taxable income in subsequent years is as yet unknown, the loss would have been large enough to wipe out more than $50m (£38m) a year in taxable income over 18 years.

Responding to the story, the Trump campaign said the tax document was illegally obtained and claimed the paper was operating as an extension of Democratic rival Hillary Clinton's campaign.

"Mr Trump is a highly-skilled businessman who has a fiduciary responsibility to his business, his family and his employees to pay no more tax than legally required," the Trump campaign statement said.

"That being said, Mr Trump has paid hundreds of millions of dollars in property taxes, sales and excise taxes, real estate taxes, city taxes, state taxes, employee taxes and federal taxes, along with very substantial charitable contributions."Hillary for America Campaign Manager Robby Mook said: "There it is. This bombshell report reveals the colossal nature of Donald Trump's past business failures and just how long he may have avoided paying any federal income taxes whatsoever.

"In one year, Donald Trump lost nearly a billion dollars. A billion. He stiffed small businesses, laid off workers, and walked away from hardworking communities.

"And how did it work out for him? He apparently got to avoid paying taxes for nearly two decades - while tens of millions of working families paid theirs.

"He calls that 'smart.' Now that the gig is up, why doesn't he go ahead and release his returns to show us all how 'smart' he really is?"

Mr Trump has so far declined to release his tax records, saying his taxes are under a federal audit.

Despite this, experts say he could still release them publicly if he wanted to.

France calls Aleppo hospital barrel bombing a 'war crime'

France has described the latest attack on an Aleppo hospital as "war crimes" and says the "perpetrators will be held accountable".

At least two barrel bombs hit the largest hospital in a rebel-held part of the Syrian city, an organisation that supports it said.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the conflict, said at least one person had died.

It comes three days after the hospital, called M10, was one of two struck by a heavy bombardment which left them badly damaged - an attack that UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also described as a war crime.

Image Caption:A picture on the Civil Defense Directorate's Facebook site purports to show the aftermath of a strike in Al Sakho

Nearby, Russian jets struck targets in rebel-held areas north of Aleppo amid a major offensive by Syria and its allies to capture the city.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault released a statement condemning the attack on the M10.

He said: "In the flood of violence that overwhelms Aleppo for several days, the systematic targeting of structures and health workers is particularly unjustifiable.

"As recalled by the Secretary General of the UN, these attacks constitute war crimes. The perpetrators will be held accountable.

"This new attack only confirms the absolute urgency of a cessation of hostilities in Aleppo and access of civilian populations to humanitarian assistance they desperately need.

"In this very moment... France is mobilising to put a stop to this unacceptable crisis."

The bombardment of Aleppo over the last few days has been among the worst of Syria's five-year civil war.

More than 200 people have died, scores more left injured and numerous residential buildings have been turned into rubble.

Barrel bombing has been criticised for the particularly indiscriminate nature of the strikes.

France calls Aleppo hospital barrel bombing a 'war crime'

France has described the latest attack on an Aleppo hospital as "war crimes" and says the "perpetrators will be held accountable".

At least two barrel bombs hit the largest hospital in a rebel-held part of the Syrian city, an organisation that supports it said.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the conflict, said at least one person had died.

It comes three days after the hospital, called M10, was one of two struck by a heavy bombardment which left them badly damaged - an attack that UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also described as a war crime.

Image Caption:A picture on the Civil Defense Directorate's Facebook site purports to show the aftermath of a strike in Al Sakho

Nearby, Russian jets struck targets in rebel-held areas north of Aleppo amid a major offensive by Syria and its allies to capture the city.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault released a statement condemning the attack on the M10.

He said: "In the flood of violence that overwhelms Aleppo for several days, the systematic targeting of structures and health workers is particularly unjustifiable.

"As recalled by the Secretary General of the UN, these attacks constitute war crimes. The perpetrators will be held accountable.

"This new attack only confirms the absolute urgency of a cessation of hostilities in Aleppo and access of civilian populations to humanitarian assistance they desperately need.

"In this very moment... France is mobilising to put a stop to this unacceptable crisis."

The bombardment of Aleppo over the last few days has been among the worst of Syria's five-year civil war.

More than 200 people have died, scores more left injured and numerous residential buildings have been turned into rubble.

Barrel bombing has been criticised for the particularly indiscriminate nature of the strikes.

France calls Aleppo hospital barrel bombing a 'war crime'

France has described the latest attack on an Aleppo hospital as "war crimes" and says the "perpetrators will be held accountable".

At least two barrel bombs hit the largest hospital in a rebel-held part of the Syrian city, an organisation that supports it said.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the conflict, said at least one person had died.

It comes three days after the hospital, called M10, was one of two struck by a heavy bombardment which left them badly damaged - an attack that UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also described as a war crime.

Image Caption:A picture on the Civil Defense Directorate's Facebook site purports to show the aftermath of a strike in Al Sakho

Nearby, Russian jets struck targets in rebel-held areas north of Aleppo amid a major offensive by Syria and its allies to capture the city.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault released a statement condemning the attack on the M10.

He said: "In the flood of violence that overwhelms Aleppo for several days, the systematic targeting of structures and health workers is particularly unjustifiable.

"As recalled by the Secretary General of the UN, these attacks constitute war crimes. The perpetrators will be held accountable.

"This new attack only confirms the absolute urgency of a cessation of hostilities in Aleppo and access of civilian populations to humanitarian assistance they desperately need.

"In this very moment... France is mobilising to put a stop to this unacceptable crisis."

The bombardment of Aleppo over the last few days has been among the worst of Syria's five-year civil war.

More than 200 people have died, scores more left injured and numerous residential buildings have been turned into rubble.

Barrel bombing has been criticised for the particularly indiscriminate nature of the strikes.

France calls Aleppo hospital barrel bombing a 'war crime'

France has described the latest attack on an Aleppo hospital as "war crimes" and says the "perpetrators will be held accountable".

At least two barrel bombs hit the largest hospital in a rebel-held part of the Syrian city, an organisation that supports it said.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the conflict, said at least one person had died.

It comes three days after the hospital, called M10, was one of two struck by a heavy bombardment which left them badly damaged - an attack that UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also described as a war crime.

Image Caption:A picture on the Civil Defense Directorate's Facebook site purports to show the aftermath of a strike in Al Sakho

Nearby, Russian jets struck targets in rebel-held areas north of Aleppo amid a major offensive by Syria and its allies to capture the city.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault released a statement condemning the attack on the M10.

He said: "In the flood of violence that overwhelms Aleppo for several days, the systematic targeting of structures and health workers is particularly unjustifiable.

"As recalled by the Secretary General of the UN, these attacks constitute war crimes. The perpetrators will be held accountable.

"This new attack only confirms the absolute urgency of a cessation of hostilities in Aleppo and access of civilian populations to humanitarian assistance they desperately need.

"In this very moment... France is mobilising to put a stop to this unacceptable crisis."

The bombardment of Aleppo over the last few days has been among the worst of Syria's five-year civil war.

More than 200 people have died, scores more left injured and numerous residential buildings have been turned into rubble.

Barrel bombing has been criticised for the particularly indiscriminate nature of the strikes.

Jamaicans take shelter ready for 155mph Hurricane Matthew

More than 2,000 people have been moved to shelters in Jamaica as Hurricane Matthew heads toward the island.

The country's government says it is on "high alert" and has held an emergency meeting to prepare for the storm's arrival.

The hurricane is currently off the northern coast of Colombia and Venezuela but is forecast to move northwest, say monitors in the US.

Its winds are gusting up to 155mph (250kph), making it one of the most powerful in recent years.