27/01/2017 World News Today

Theresa May becomes the first overseas leader to hold face-to-face

PC leaders appear to be in step on major issues, including Nato and the

deep bond between our countries. A free and independent Britain is a

blessing to the world and relationship has never been

stronger. We are united in our recognition of Nato as the Bill work

of defence and today we have reaffirmed our unshakeable

commitment to this alliance. Detox also focused on trade and relations

with Russia. We will have all the details.

At the end of his first week as US president, Donald Trump has held his

first meeting with a foreign leader, hosting the British Prime Minister

Theresa May at the White House. The two talked for around an hour before

emerging to take questions from journalists, covering terrorism,

trade, Nato and Mexico. Theresa May was greeted by Donald Trump as she

arrived at the White House. The president then gave the Prime

Minister a tour of the White House. At one stage, Mr Trump took her hand

as they walked. Theresa May confirmed that the president has

accepted an invitation from the Queen free State visit to the UK

later this year. Their joint news conference was a chance for

journalists talk about wives been described both sides of the Atlantic

as a special relationship. The BBC's political editor was among the

journalists to ask a question. Prime Minister, you've talked

about where you agree, but you've also said you would be

frank where you disagree Can you tell us where in our talks

you did disagree, and do you think the president listened

to what you have to say? You have said before

that torture works. You have said you want to ban some

Muslims from coming to America. You have suggested there should be

punishment for abortion. For many people in Britain,

those sound like alarming beliefs. What do you say to our viewers

at home who are worried about some of your views and worried

about you becoming the leader On the issue you raised with me,

Laura, can I confirm that I have been listening to the president

and the president has That is the point of

having a conversation. We have been discussing

a number of topics. We will carry on meeting

after this press conference There will be issues

on which we disagree. The point of the special

relationship is that we are able to have that open and frank

discussion so that we can make that But I am clear also

that there are many issues on which the United Kingdom

and the United States stand alongside one another,

many issues on which we agree. As I said in my speech,

I think we are at a moment when we can build an even stronger

special relationship which will be in the interests not just of the UK

and the United States, but in the interests

of the wider world as well. We have a great general who has just

been appointed secretary of defence, He has stated publicly that he does

not necessarily believe in torture, or waterboarding or however

you want to define it, enhanced interrogation, I guess,

would be the words a lot of people I don't necessarily agree,

but I would tell you that he will override because I am

giving him that power. He is the generals' general,

got through the Senate very quickly, which in this country is not

easy, I will tell you. I have been open about that

for a long period of time, but I am going with our leaders

and we are going to Some of what happened just a short

time ago. Our correspondent is at the White House for us. Just on a

couple of specifics on the question of torture. Very interesting there.

He seems to be ceding authority over this to the person who's going to

take charge. Is that a surprise? Well, he has been very much

supportive of the general who is the secretary of defence. He has always

spoken very positively about him and the general has made it pity clear

that he thinks torture or enhancement derogation techniques

are not the way to go. But as you heard there, Mr Trump still believes

it could work, but he will defer to the general. I have to say, I think

that will be a great relief to people here, as well as to people in

the UK that he is taking the journal so seriously, because the secretary

of defence is seen as a safe pair of hands, somebody very experienced who

has a lot of experience in terms of relationships with other armies and

other defence departments. Not only on the issue of torture, which was

important that Theresa May said something like that, given the

criticism of comments back home, but also in terms of the general

conversation he will have with the secretary of defence. To be talking

to Russian, German and French leaders tomorrow by only told. His

tone on Russia seemed a little different from what we have heard in

the past. Hugh was noncommittal. He said he wanted to have a good

relationship with valid Amir Putin. He put that into the context of

other countries. He said, I hope the get along. He said that sometimes he

thinks we will get along very well with somebody and when I meet them,

I don't make them at all and sometimes it is the verse. He was

also noncommittal about sanctions on Russia over Ukraine. You was asked

about reports circulating that he might sign the report lifting the

sanctions and he said it was very early to talk about that. He said he

might consider it, which is something that Theresa May will have

taken a tough, because Britain's position is that sanctions should

only be lifted when Russia needs his obligations in terms of the conflict

in Ukraine. What was the reaction to seeing the spread of images together

in this press conference? Have conferred legitimacy on each other?

They are both very new readers. -- leaders. The press conference went

there as far as can be expected from that point of view. There was a lot

of speculation about possibly awkward moments, but Mr Trump and

his reputation for being unpredictable and erratic. He might

embarrass her or say something and statesman-like. Was his first news

conference and visit with a foreign leader and it turns out that they

both seemed to handle it pretty well. He made a concerted effort to

rein in some of those instincts, to present himself in a more

professional way. It wasn't Bill Clinton and Tony Blair in terms of

US and British leaders having a conversation. They seem to hold

their own and that will have been noticed. Look I guess, he held her

hand. One of the major points that came out of this of course is Nato,

something that has been worrying many countries. Donald Trump has

previously questioned the role of the US in this organisation. Theresa

May seem to make it clear that she is confident of their commitment.

You said your 100% behind Nato, but we are also discussing the

importance of Nato continuing to fight terrorism and cyber warfare as

it is to fight more conventional forms of work. I've agreed to

continue my efforts to encourage fellow European leaders to deliver

on defence of the bridge and is more friendly shed. It is only by

investing properly in defence we can ensure we are properly equipped to

face our shared challenges together. Theresa May speaking for the

president there. The camera we had was not on his face, so I can see

whether he was not deny shaking his head. He didn't deny wishy stated

there. How crucial is that? Think I was pretty important. Britain and

its partners in the two are quite worried about his statements about

the alliance, that it is obsolete, that America might not be as

committed to it as it had been and is over how to state in that way"

him that he was 100% behind it, you are right, he didn't say the words

himself, but he did not refute her. It is an important signal. He said a

need to become more nimble in terms of more modern challenges like cyber

warfare and making sure people pay their bills and their defence

requirements for the alliance. Something he has stopped about a

lot. I would also say that if he's going to defer to the general in the

wake defer to him on the torture question, the general has been very

clear that America is completely committed to Nato and two of the

first three calls he made were to be head of Nato and the secretary of

Britain where he made that point. Perhaps it will be reassuring for

Britain. Because this is a slightly different Donald Trump that we have

seen, do you think you will be more presidential in a way? Think he was

making an effort to come across as more statesman-like, yes. The new US

president at his inauguration spoke just one week ago of putting America

first. Theresa May looking at Brexit, getting a good trade with

the US is a priority. Trade between our countries is

already worth ?150 billion a year. The US is the single biggest source

of the inward investment to the UK and together,

we have around $1 trillion invested The UK-US defence relationship

is the broadest, deepest and most advanced of any two countries

sharing military The president and I are ambitious

to build on this relationship in order to grow our respective

economies, provide the high-skilled, high-paid jobs

of the future for working people Are North American business

correspondent has been looking at the reaction to this. She is in New

York for us. We didn't get a huge amount of detail from either the

Prime Minister or the president. What has the reaction been? The kind

of line which used there is what people want here. -- language. The

UK still has to deal with Brexit, they have to disentangle themselves

from that. No real concrete action can be taken. The fact that we heard

Theresa May said the groundwork has started, is encouraging. You had

that same positive language coming from President Trump as well,

reiterating how important have a partner that the UK is and how

important they are in terms of establishing bilateral trade

agreements. Not like is in the conflict in the US position and

President Trump has taken a very protectionist line? Theresa May

needs a fast deal politically here. There is going to be very difficult,

because traders are notoriously complex. In some ways, it does work

in the way that President Trump has been talking about. He's very

against these big, multi-country trade deals. Things they'd TPP which

involve a dozen companiess countries, which is an agreement

with Canada, the United States and Mexico. What he wants to put forward

our bilateral trade deals. Trade deals with one individual country.

He believes that is a better way for the United States to get a trade

deal that is more beneficial with them, because really that is what

Donald Trump has set with these trade agreements, the United States

has not been able to get a very fair deal in his opinion. They have now

parted ways, but the US president has continued with my engagements

today. A short while ago, he arrived at the Pentagon, where he is

introducing his new secretary of defence, here we have been hearing

quite a lot about. The commander-in-chief police

interrogation techniques like water boarding can be effective. He has

said that he will allow the general to overwrite that view. That has

been a big change, because has been a big political row over his

statements on torture. Much more ahead on BBC world News. We will go

to Pennsylvania, with the tradition of welcoming refugees, to see what

the impact of his Executive order will be. The shuttle exploded soon

after that tough, there were seven astronauts on board. All of them are

believed to have been killed. By the evening, the heart of official Cairo

was in the hands of the demonstrators. They were using the

word revolution. Tonight the search for it survivors

has an increasing desperation about it as the hours pass. The new

Government is firmly in control of the Republic of Uganda. Moscow got

his first taste of Western Ferries food as McDonald's opened the

biggest restaurant. Hundreds of people queueing up today will not

find a cheap, with a big Mack costing half a day 's wages for the

average Russian. This is BBC world News today. The British by Minister

Theresa May has become the first world leader to visit the new US

President Donald Trump at the White House. The two leaders pay tribute

to the special relationship between our countries and reaffirmed their

commitment to the Nato alliance. Relations between Britain and the US

are comparatively easy perhaps compared with those of US and

Mexico. There could be progress there, too.

We had a talk that lasted for about an hour this morning,

and we are going to be working on a fair and new relationship.

But the United States cannot continue to lose vast

amounts of business, vast amounts of companies

and millions and millions of people losing their jobs.

We're no longer going to be the country that doesn't

So we are going to renegotiate our trade deals and we're

going to renegotiate other aspects of our relationship with Mexico.

In the end, I think it will be good for both countries.

There have been a number of developments since then. Talk

through the last couple of hours if you can, because after that press

conference, we had a statement from the Mexican Government. That is

correct. The past 48 hours have been a blur. They don't know where to

begin. I suppose the thing is that what stood out to me from the joint

statement from both sides were but they have agreed to at least not

publicly discuss the border issue, which is so controversial. At least

that is to one side and of the two diplomatic teams can begin to find

more common ground on these areas of trade, a cross-border migration,

security. Some of the other key issues they need to talk about in

which the wall has muddied the waters so much, the two men could

not sit down and hold a summit, which was scheduled for Tuesday.

That border tax question will carry through for many weeks and months

and we wait and see if the White House comes up with a more concrete

proposal. I gather you were there with a very interesting development.

Yes, I came dashing back from that just now and it was interesting. He

talked about Mexican unity a lot and about how he is not the Mexicans

unified around a single class in the 1985 earthquake that left many dead.

It's very interesting to have him compare this political and economic

earthquake on a similar scale. In terms of Donald Trump, you could

hear a degree of sympathy towards him. He was seen by Mexican

conditions in the United States are very favourable at the moment, which

echoes this line from Donald Trump and Mexico is taking advantage

somehow the United States. Nevertheless, Mr Slim and his basic

line was that he is there to support the Mexican people when it comes to

the relationship of the United States. But there's anyone who

outranks financially Donald Trump it is Carlos Slim. We'll have to leave

it there. Let's catch up with some other newsletter. The US vice

president has sold an anti-abortion rally in Washington that the tide is

no turning with the president. Both houses of Congress opposed to the

practice. Turkey has agreed to cancel you do with the European

Union on taking back migrants who cross over to Greece. The policy

decision by the Greek supreme court not to extra to date a group of

Turkish soldiers who fled to Greece. More international help as arrived

to help to refight the worst wildfire in modern history. Russia

has sent a supertanker aircraft capable of carrying tonnes of water.

One town has been destroyed by the police. Hundreds of millions of

people across Asia and around the world are celebrating the start of

the lunar New Year. The year of the Rooster officially began in China

several hours ago the celebrations running into the evening. Fireworks,

flowers, line dancing and lots of food are part of the celebrations

for many. This extraordinary week has seen Donald Trump breaking his

way to many of his campaign promises and is thought that another imminent

one is a crackdown on immigration. He is expected to sign an Executive

order restricting migrants from a number of countries in Africa and

the Middle East, where Islamist militants have sparked violent

conflict. He's also but be preparing to announce tighter limits on the

number of refugees that US taken. For more insight into what it is

like for it migrants in the years, we're been to Lancaster,

Pennsylvania. We were initially tied to welcome

refugees, because it is our heritage, that is how we started

this state. Consider Lancaster to be the best place in the world.

Mohammed and his wife and his four children arrived to Lancaster

Pennsylvania last July. We left Syria because it was unbearable and

we were not able to stay there. For long months we were not able to

sleep. Not than four months, he found a job in a supporting his

family and wife. A family of six can be self-sufficient within four to

six months. We're really happy about that. Refugees are like any other

human, looking for a better life friends and children. Education,

looking for jobs, just like any other person. How does it make you

feel that family, relatives, friends might not be able to come here?

Disappointed. We had hoped that we would reunite

again with the people that we know. Think a lot of people are nervous

with the aspect of terrorism and we have to be extremely careful and

that American citizens first and safety. That is the number one role

of the Government. With any problem, we have to stop the bleeding. Cut

off any refugees coming into this point, get a solution very quickly

and reinstate refugees coming back the country. From a faith

perspective, there is a moral obligation. Particularly talking

about women and children, to try to bring people out of harms way.

Well, there is much more on our website that the John presidency,

including a look back at the events of his first week in power. Just

time to bring you one last moment from his first news conference since

becoming president, one journalist took advantage of the opportunity to

ask him about the way his character comes over in public. Just listen to

this. Have you found anything in common

personally yet? We are not as brash as you might think. We're going to

get along very well. I'm a people person. I think you are also, to

reason. I can often tell how I'm going to get on with somebody very

early and I think we're going to have a fantastic relationship.

Donald Trump with Theresa May. Lots of pressure on many relationship.

Let me just bring you one development on the last few minutes

on all this. Donald Trump has been hosting his first foreign leader at

the White House, Theresa May. He is due to hold talks tomorrow on

Saturday, with other world leaders including Putin and speculation that

he plans to recent sanctions against Marks boot Moscow. He has said that

he opposes lifting any sanctions on Russia. Things are much for

watching. Thanks for joining me. We'll give

you a flavour of the weekends by the prospect in