Prime Minister Theresa May will meet US President Donald Trump in Washington DC on Friday, the White House has said.
Mrs May will be the first foreign leader to meet the new president after his inauguration.
A post-Brexit free trade deal is thought likely to be high on her agenda as she travels to the US for talks.
Confirmation of the meeting came as hundreds of thousands of people around the world joined women's marches to protest Mr Trump's presidency.
Mr Trump's press secretary Sean Spicer gave details of Mrs May's visit in his first briefing to journalists at the White House on Saturday.
Earlier, while visiting the CIA's headquarters, President Trump said the PM "is coming over to our country very shortly".
Donald Trump protests: Washington leads global rallies
Women's March: UK protesters join anti-Donald Trump marches
Nato, the European Union, defence and Russia are all likely to be discussed in the meeting.
The BBC's political correspondent Iain Watson said the "symbolism will be very important" and with Brexit negotiations about to get under way, the fact Mrs May will be meeting the new president so soon will be "politically significant".
Our correspondent said there had been a lot of effort to make sure Mrs May was one of the first leaders President Trump would meet.
In December the PM's joint chiefs of staff, Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill, travelled to the US to build links with the incoming president's team ahead of his inauguration on 20 January.
Theresa May congratulates Trump on taking office
In a statement issued after the inauguration, Mrs May said: "From our conversations to date, I know we are both committed to advancing the special relationship between our two countries and working together for the prosperity and security of people on both sides of the Atlantic.
"I look forward to discussing these issues and more when we meet in Washington."
Mrs May has promised to hold "very frank" discussions with Mr Trump.
She told the Financial Times she believed the new president recognised the importance and significance of Nato and the "importance of the co-operation we have in Europe to ensure our collective defence and collective security".
On the day after his inauguration, at least 500,000 people gathered for a rally outside the US Capitol building in Washington while organisers said an estimated 100,000 descended on central London on Saturday as similar events were staged in major cities across the US and around the world.
Sunday, January 22, 2017
Netanyahu plans to discuss 'Iran threat' with Trump
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he wants to talk soon to the new US president to "counter the threat" from Iran's government, which he accused of threatening its citizens' freedom.
"I plan to speak soon with President [Donald] Trump about how to counter the threat of Iranian regime which calls for Israel's destruction," Netanyahu said in a video message posted on his Facebook page on Saturday.
In the video, Netanyahu also addressed the people of Iran in English, with Persian subtitles.
"We are your friend, not your enemy," he said.
"The regime is cruel - the people are not; the regime is aggressive - the people are warm ... You have a proud history. You have a rich culture. Tragically, you are shackled by a theocratic tyranny," he said.
"I plan to speak soon with President [Donald] Trump about how to counter the threat of Iranian regime which calls for Israel's destruction," Netanyahu said in a video message posted on his Facebook page on Saturday.
In the video, Netanyahu also addressed the people of Iran in English, with Persian subtitles.
"We are your friend, not your enemy," he said.
"The regime is cruel - the people are not; the regime is aggressive - the people are warm ... You have a proud history. You have a rich culture. Tragically, you are shackled by a theocratic tyranny," he said.
Dozens killed after train derails in eastern India
At least 32 people have been killed after nine coaches of a passenger train derailed in eastern India, police have said.
The express train from Jagdalpur to Bhubaneswar came off the track near Kuneri station, in the state of Andhra Pradesh, around 18 miles (30km) outside the town of Raigarh.
"Nine bogies [coaches] were derailed of which three have turned and fallen off the track," said local Superintendent of Police LKV Ranga Rao. "Most of the casualties and deaths are from the three sleeper-class compartments."
Around 50 people are said to have been injured.
The derailment is thought to have been caused by a technical fault, Mr Rao said.
India's railway system is the world's third largest, but is severely hampered by a lack of modern signalling and communication systems as well as poor maintenance of tracks and equipment.
Manual signalling is still used at several places, raising the risk of human error.
According to a government report in 2012, about 15,000 people are killed every year in train accidents. The worst occurred in 1981, when a train fell into the Baghmati River in northern India, killing nearly 800 people.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged last year to invest $137bn over the next five years to modernise the railway network, which is used by about 23 million passengers a day.
The express train from Jagdalpur to Bhubaneswar came off the track near Kuneri station, in the state of Andhra Pradesh, around 18 miles (30km) outside the town of Raigarh.
"Nine bogies [coaches] were derailed of which three have turned and fallen off the track," said local Superintendent of Police LKV Ranga Rao. "Most of the casualties and deaths are from the three sleeper-class compartments."
Around 50 people are said to have been injured.
The derailment is thought to have been caused by a technical fault, Mr Rao said.
India's railway system is the world's third largest, but is severely hampered by a lack of modern signalling and communication systems as well as poor maintenance of tracks and equipment.
Manual signalling is still used at several places, raising the risk of human error.
According to a government report in 2012, about 15,000 people are killed every year in train accidents. The worst occurred in 1981, when a train fell into the Baghmati River in northern India, killing nearly 800 people.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged last year to invest $137bn over the next five years to modernise the railway network, which is used by about 23 million passengers a day.
Prince Charles hopes Ladybird book will win over sceptics
The Prince of Wales has spoken exclusively to Sky News about his new book on climate change, warning that too many people are still unsure about "how urgently we need to take action" and "what might be the consequences if we don't act right away".
Prince Charles hopes the new Ladybird book, which will be available from Thursday, will act as a simple guide to the topic and win over climate change sceptics.
Charles has spoken on environmental issues for over 40 years, making his first speech on the issue in December 1968.
Speaking at Clarence House, the Prince said: "There is still a great deal to do on this very pressing issue, including in relation to public awareness.
"It does rather seem to me that many people are still unsure about climate change in terms of what is really causing it, how urgent it is that we take action, why we must do that and what might be the consequences if we don't act right away."
In the foreword Charles explains how he came up with the idea for the book after the COP21 conference in Paris in 2015, when his friends suggested he should write a "simple plain English guide to the subject".
The 48-page book is in the same style as the iconic children's Ladybird series from the 1960s and '70s. The front cover shows an illustrated picture of flooding in the town of Uckfield in East Sussex, replicating a photo of flooding there in October 2000.
Referring to his own family Charles added: "I suppose in the end the main message is about the need to act to avoid potentially devastating consequences later on, not only for our sakes but those of our children and grandchildren, they after all will in the end pay the biggest price and I hope this little book will enable a few more people to see the troubling situation that we find ourselves in."
The Prince's involvement in the climate change debate has faced criticism in the past with claims it is verging on the political.
The publishers point out that the book was peer reviewed by a group of academics, coordinated by the Royal Meteorological Society, to make sure it was scientifically robust.
It was written in conjunction with Tony Juniper, an environmental campaigner and advisor to Prince Charles, and Dr Emily Shuckburgh, a climate scientist from the British Antarctic Survey.
Mr Juniper told Sky News that the inauguration of President Trump, who has been labelled a climate change denier, has increased the need to make the public aware of the issues.
He said: "I do wonder whether President Trump when he gets the proper briefing, the security briefing, he will see that actually the United States is as vulnerable as everywhere else, in terms of the effects of storms, forest fires, the impact on agriculture and will see that it's in the national interest of the United States, irrespective of his particular views, to take action on this and I do hope that's what he'll be saying come February."
Co-author Emily Shuckburgh said: "I don't think there has ever been a Ladybird book before in the history of ladybird books to have been subject to multiple rounds of peer review, but now we have one, and given the nature of the topic area it was incredibly important to us that we could assure that robustness of the scientific evidence."
Prince Charles hopes the new Ladybird book, which will be available from Thursday, will act as a simple guide to the topic and win over climate change sceptics.
Charles has spoken on environmental issues for over 40 years, making his first speech on the issue in December 1968.
Speaking at Clarence House, the Prince said: "There is still a great deal to do on this very pressing issue, including in relation to public awareness.
"It does rather seem to me that many people are still unsure about climate change in terms of what is really causing it, how urgent it is that we take action, why we must do that and what might be the consequences if we don't act right away."
In the foreword Charles explains how he came up with the idea for the book after the COP21 conference in Paris in 2015, when his friends suggested he should write a "simple plain English guide to the subject".
The 48-page book is in the same style as the iconic children's Ladybird series from the 1960s and '70s. The front cover shows an illustrated picture of flooding in the town of Uckfield in East Sussex, replicating a photo of flooding there in October 2000.
Referring to his own family Charles added: "I suppose in the end the main message is about the need to act to avoid potentially devastating consequences later on, not only for our sakes but those of our children and grandchildren, they after all will in the end pay the biggest price and I hope this little book will enable a few more people to see the troubling situation that we find ourselves in."
The Prince's involvement in the climate change debate has faced criticism in the past with claims it is verging on the political.
The publishers point out that the book was peer reviewed by a group of academics, coordinated by the Royal Meteorological Society, to make sure it was scientifically robust.
It was written in conjunction with Tony Juniper, an environmental campaigner and advisor to Prince Charles, and Dr Emily Shuckburgh, a climate scientist from the British Antarctic Survey.
Mr Juniper told Sky News that the inauguration of President Trump, who has been labelled a climate change denier, has increased the need to make the public aware of the issues.
He said: "I do wonder whether President Trump when he gets the proper briefing, the security briefing, he will see that actually the United States is as vulnerable as everywhere else, in terms of the effects of storms, forest fires, the impact on agriculture and will see that it's in the national interest of the United States, irrespective of his particular views, to take action on this and I do hope that's what he'll be saying come February."
Co-author Emily Shuckburgh said: "I don't think there has ever been a Ladybird book before in the history of ladybird books to have been subject to multiple rounds of peer review, but now we have one, and given the nature of the topic area it was incredibly important to us that we could assure that robustness of the scientific evidence."
Saturday, January 21, 2017
No 10 'covered up' botched missile test weeks before Trident vote
Downing Street is being accused of a cover-up after a malfunction in Britain's Trident nuclear weapons deterrent in a test just weeks before a crucial House of Commons vote.
The Sunday Times reports that a Trident II D5 missile experienced a failure after being launched from the British submarine HMS Vengeance off the coast of Florida in June last year.
MPs are now demanding an inquiry and are calling for a Commons statement from Defence Secretary Michael Fallon on Monday.
The cause of the failure remains secret, but a naval source told The Sunday Times that the missile - which was unarmed for the test - may have veered off in the wrong direction towards America.
"There was a major panic at the highest level of government and the military after the first test of our nuclear deterrent in four years ended in disastrous failure," the source told the paper.
"Ultimately Downing Street decided to cover up the failed test. If the information was made public, they knew how damaging it would be to the credibility of our nuclear deterrent. The upcoming Trident vote made it all the more sensitive."
The incident happened shortly before Theresa May became Prime Minister, but she made no mention of the failed test when she persuaded Parliament to spend £40bn on new Trident submarines in her first big Commons speech in a lengthy debate on 18 July.
After five hours of debate, MPs voted in favour of Trident renewal by 472 votes to 117, a majority of 355, on a motion backed by almost the entire Conservative Party and more than half of Labour MPs.
It was opposed by all Scottish National Party MPs, the Lib Dems and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn - a lifelong unilateralist who spoke out strongly against the plans during the debate.
Speaking to The Sunday Times, the Labour MP Kevan Jones, a former defence minister and strong supporter of Trident, has called for an inquiry into the failed missile test.
"The UK's independent nuclear deterrent is a vital cornerstone for the nation's defence," he said. "If there are problems, they should not have been covered up in this ham-fisted way.
"Ministers should come clean if there are problems and there should be an urgent inquiry into what happened."
But a Ministry of Defence spokesperson told Sky News: "The capability and effectiveness of the Trident missile, should we ever need to employ it, is unquestionable.
"In June the Royal Navy conducted a routine unarmed Trident missile test launch from HMS Vengeance, as part of an operation which is designed to certify the submarine and its crew.
"Vengeance and her crew were successfully tested and certified, allowing Vengeance to return into service. We have absolute confidence in our independent nuclear deterrent."
According to The Sunday Times, the Trident missiles have been test-fired only five times by UK submarines this century because they each cost £17m.
The previous tests - in 2000, 2005, 2009 and 2012 - have all been widely publicised by the Ministry of Defence and Lockheed Martin, the weapon's US manufacturer, as demonstrations to the world of Trident's reliability.
The 2012 test was attended by VIPs, and a film of the launch both inside and outside the submarine was released on the internet.
But the failed Vengeance test last June was followed by a complete news silence by the British government and the missile's manufacturer.
In December 2015, HMS Vengeance returned to sea for the first time in four years after an extensive refit including the installation of a new missile launch system.
It undertook months of tests culminating in the test-firing of a Trident missile.
The Sunday Times source said the test took place about the time of the Brexit vote on 23 June.
Three days earlier, a warning was issued to pilots to avoid "hazard areas" over the Atlantic due to "a missile launch/splash down".
It appears that HMS Vengeance's missile was intended to be fired 5,600 miles to a sea target off the west coast of Africa.
But the Sunday Times source claimed the missile suffered an in-flight malfunction after launching out of the water. The source believes this led to it veering off target.
The failure means it is 16 years since Vengeance has successfully fired a missile but it has, nonetheless, returned to active service.
The Sunday Times reports that a Trident II D5 missile experienced a failure after being launched from the British submarine HMS Vengeance off the coast of Florida in June last year.
MPs are now demanding an inquiry and are calling for a Commons statement from Defence Secretary Michael Fallon on Monday.
The cause of the failure remains secret, but a naval source told The Sunday Times that the missile - which was unarmed for the test - may have veered off in the wrong direction towards America.
"There was a major panic at the highest level of government and the military after the first test of our nuclear deterrent in four years ended in disastrous failure," the source told the paper.
"Ultimately Downing Street decided to cover up the failed test. If the information was made public, they knew how damaging it would be to the credibility of our nuclear deterrent. The upcoming Trident vote made it all the more sensitive."
The incident happened shortly before Theresa May became Prime Minister, but she made no mention of the failed test when she persuaded Parliament to spend £40bn on new Trident submarines in her first big Commons speech in a lengthy debate on 18 July.
After five hours of debate, MPs voted in favour of Trident renewal by 472 votes to 117, a majority of 355, on a motion backed by almost the entire Conservative Party and more than half of Labour MPs.
It was opposed by all Scottish National Party MPs, the Lib Dems and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn - a lifelong unilateralist who spoke out strongly against the plans during the debate.
Speaking to The Sunday Times, the Labour MP Kevan Jones, a former defence minister and strong supporter of Trident, has called for an inquiry into the failed missile test.
"The UK's independent nuclear deterrent is a vital cornerstone for the nation's defence," he said. "If there are problems, they should not have been covered up in this ham-fisted way.
"Ministers should come clean if there are problems and there should be an urgent inquiry into what happened."
But a Ministry of Defence spokesperson told Sky News: "The capability and effectiveness of the Trident missile, should we ever need to employ it, is unquestionable.
"In June the Royal Navy conducted a routine unarmed Trident missile test launch from HMS Vengeance, as part of an operation which is designed to certify the submarine and its crew.
"Vengeance and her crew were successfully tested and certified, allowing Vengeance to return into service. We have absolute confidence in our independent nuclear deterrent."
According to The Sunday Times, the Trident missiles have been test-fired only five times by UK submarines this century because they each cost £17m.
The previous tests - in 2000, 2005, 2009 and 2012 - have all been widely publicised by the Ministry of Defence and Lockheed Martin, the weapon's US manufacturer, as demonstrations to the world of Trident's reliability.
The 2012 test was attended by VIPs, and a film of the launch both inside and outside the submarine was released on the internet.
But the failed Vengeance test last June was followed by a complete news silence by the British government and the missile's manufacturer.
In December 2015, HMS Vengeance returned to sea for the first time in four years after an extensive refit including the installation of a new missile launch system.
It undertook months of tests culminating in the test-firing of a Trident missile.
The Sunday Times source said the test took place about the time of the Brexit vote on 23 June.
Three days earlier, a warning was issued to pilots to avoid "hazard areas" over the Atlantic due to "a missile launch/splash down".
It appears that HMS Vengeance's missile was intended to be fired 5,600 miles to a sea target off the west coast of Africa.
But the Sunday Times source claimed the missile suffered an in-flight malfunction after launching out of the water. The source believes this led to it veering off target.
The failure means it is 16 years since Vengeance has successfully fired a missile but it has, nonetheless, returned to active service.
Thousands of women march against Trump around the UK and the world
Thousands of women are marching in protest against Donald Trump's presidency in cities across the UK, and around the world.
The London march began at the American Embassy in Grosvenor Square, taking in Park Lane, Piccadilly and Pall Mall, ahead of a rally in its final destination - Trafalgar Square.
Walking along Piccadilly, the marchers chanted: "Build bridges not walls."
Slogans on placards included "dump Trump", "reject hate, reclaim politics" and "no to racism, no to Trump".
Organisers say it is "part of an international day of action in solidarity" on President Trump's first full day in office.
One protester, 32-year-old Kim McInally, held a sign saying: "My p**** is not up for grabs."
"Yesterday was seen as the official start of fascism coming back," she said.
"Human rights and human equality is getting pushed further and further down the list."
Iron Man 3 actress Rebecca Hall was also among the marchers, saying: "Yesterday was a confusing day and a sad day. I was sad to see Obama leave... We do not know what the Government is going to be like."
Other British cities hosting protests include Manchester, Edinburgh, Belfast, Liverpool and Cardiff.
Just 72 hours after an event was organised in Bristol, more than 1,000 people marched from Queen Square to College Green.
One of the signs there read: "We Reject The Comb-Over Con".
The London march began at the American Embassy in Grosvenor Square, taking in Park Lane, Piccadilly and Pall Mall, ahead of a rally in its final destination - Trafalgar Square.
Walking along Piccadilly, the marchers chanted: "Build bridges not walls."
Slogans on placards included "dump Trump", "reject hate, reclaim politics" and "no to racism, no to Trump".
Organisers say it is "part of an international day of action in solidarity" on President Trump's first full day in office.
One protester, 32-year-old Kim McInally, held a sign saying: "My p**** is not up for grabs."
"Yesterday was seen as the official start of fascism coming back," she said.
"Human rights and human equality is getting pushed further and further down the list."
Iron Man 3 actress Rebecca Hall was also among the marchers, saying: "Yesterday was a confusing day and a sad day. I was sad to see Obama leave... We do not know what the Government is going to be like."
Other British cities hosting protests include Manchester, Edinburgh, Belfast, Liverpool and Cardiff.
Just 72 hours after an event was organised in Bristol, more than 1,000 people marched from Queen Square to College Green.
One of the signs there read: "We Reject The Comb-Over Con".
Le Pen: Brexit domino effect 'will bring down Europe'
The leader of the French far-right Front National, Marine Le Pen, has said Brexit set off a domino effect that "will bring down all of Europe".
She said the British and Americans had pulled off "coups" in 2016 and predicted that 2017 would be the "year the people of continental Europe woke up".
Speaking at a meeting of nationalist leaders from major European countries in the German city of Koblenz, Ms Le Pen said the EU was "system of oppression" and added: "We are experiencing the end of one world and the birth of another."
Ms Le Pen is seen as highly likely to make the run-off for the French presidency in May, the right-wing nationalist party, Alternative for Germany, is expected to make significant gains at the election in September.
She said: "The first real blow struck against the old order, the thing that will set off the domino effect that will bring down all of Europe is Brexit, a sovereign people has decided to leave an agreement of the powerful, to decide its own destiny.
"The second blow came shortly afterwards and that was the election of Mr Trump to the presidency of the United States, putting the friends of neo-liberalism in an even more difficult situation."
Also attending the meeting were leader of the Alternative for Germany Frauke Petry, Dutch far-right Freedom Party, Geert Wilders and Matteo Salvini, of Italy's anti-EU Northern League.
In an interview with The Times newspaper earlier this week, Donald Trump said the EU had become "a vehicle for Germany".
He was sharply critical of Chancellor Angela Merkel's immigration policy, saying she had let too many "illegals" into continental Europe.
Speaking on Saturday following Mr Trump's inauguration, Mrs Merkel has said she will work on preserving the relationship between Europe and the US.
She said: "… the trans-Atlantic relationship will not be less important in the coming years that it was in past years and I will work on that.
"Event when there are different opinions, compromises and solutions can be best found when we exchange ideas with respect."
She said the British and Americans had pulled off "coups" in 2016 and predicted that 2017 would be the "year the people of continental Europe woke up".
Speaking at a meeting of nationalist leaders from major European countries in the German city of Koblenz, Ms Le Pen said the EU was "system of oppression" and added: "We are experiencing the end of one world and the birth of another."
Ms Le Pen is seen as highly likely to make the run-off for the French presidency in May, the right-wing nationalist party, Alternative for Germany, is expected to make significant gains at the election in September.
She said: "The first real blow struck against the old order, the thing that will set off the domino effect that will bring down all of Europe is Brexit, a sovereign people has decided to leave an agreement of the powerful, to decide its own destiny.
"The second blow came shortly afterwards and that was the election of Mr Trump to the presidency of the United States, putting the friends of neo-liberalism in an even more difficult situation."
Also attending the meeting were leader of the Alternative for Germany Frauke Petry, Dutch far-right Freedom Party, Geert Wilders and Matteo Salvini, of Italy's anti-EU Northern League.
In an interview with The Times newspaper earlier this week, Donald Trump said the EU had become "a vehicle for Germany".
He was sharply critical of Chancellor Angela Merkel's immigration policy, saying she had let too many "illegals" into continental Europe.
Speaking on Saturday following Mr Trump's inauguration, Mrs Merkel has said she will work on preserving the relationship between Europe and the US.
She said: "… the trans-Atlantic relationship will not be less important in the coming years that it was in past years and I will work on that.
"Event when there are different opinions, compromises and solutions can be best found when we exchange ideas with respect."
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