News Daily: Brexit offer and North Korea missile launch

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Brexit: UK divorce bill offer 'worth up to 50bn euros'

Has Theresa May made Brussels an offer it can't refuse? One that finally gets talks on future trade with the EU under way? BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg reports that the UK government has said it's willing to pay the a Brexit "divorce bill" worth between 40bn and 50bn euros (£35bn-£44bn). That's up from the 20bn euros the prime minister said the country was prepared to commit to in September. But the government is playing down some reports that the figure could be as high as 55bn euros.

The EU - which has repeatedly said the earlier offer wasn't enough - is reported to have given a "broad welcome" to the increase. The UK wants to move on to talking about trade but the EU will only do this when it feels "sufficient progress" has been made on the divorce bill, the rights of EU citizens in the UK after Brexit and the Irish border.

With EU leaders holding a summit in mid-December, there's pressure to get on with things. So, what's the latest state of play in Brexit negotiations?

North Korea says new missile can hit entire US

The UN Security Council is to hold an emergency meeting, after North Korea announced it had tested an intercontinental ballistic missile which could hit any part of the mainland US. The Hwasong-15 missile landed in Japanese waters, with Kim Jong-un's government saying it had now achieved its ambition of making North Korea a nuclear state - but adding that it wanted peace.

A group of US scientists agreed that the Hwasong-15 did have the range Pyongyang spoke of, but doubted whether it could carry a heavy nuclear payload. According to the White House, US President Donald Trump - when informed of the launch - told officials: "We will take care of it." We'll have the latest updates throughout the day. Meanwhile, here's a look at North Korea's missile programme.

Lost rail routes 'may be restored'

Thousands of miles of the UK's railway were closed in the 1960s and 1970s, leaving commuters on the country's more crowded routes to bemoan the decisions for decades. But Transport Secretary Chris Grayling will announce later that some of what was lost could reopen, in an effort to help the economy. Launching a rail strategy, he will also set out ways that private operating companies can work more efficiently with the publicly run Network Rail, which looks after tracks. But Labour calls Mr Grayling's ideas "unfunded" and "unambitious".

Analysis: Why we love to hate despots' wives

By Rebecca Seales, BBC News

Zimbabwe's newly ousted first lady Grace Mugabe is probably Africa's most-hated woman. Her husband enjoyed 37 years of authoritarian rule, but was finally undone by her bid to succeed him - which the powerful army could not accept. Many Zimbabweans have grievances with Robert Mugabe's record, but still respect his part in the country's independence struggle. And so Grace is widely blamed for "corrupting" her husband.

What the papers say

The front pages offer contrasting tales of marriage and "divorce". The forthcoming nuptials of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will be "magical", the Daily Express informs its readers, while the Sun and the Daily Mirror headline on the fact that Ms Markle will become a UK citizen. Elsewhere, the focus is on Brexit, and how much the UK is prepared to offer to pay Brussels to leave in order to get talks on future trade going. The Guardian says the government is "bowing" to EU demands, and the Daily Telegraph reports that a divorce deal has already been agreed, as does Metro.

Daily digest

Royal wedding Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to marry at Windsor Castle in May

Password bug Apple works to fix flaw in Mac operating system

'Gaslighting' Why it can be hard to recognise abuse

Cash costs Free ATMs must be available across UK, says influential MP

Orbiting rubbish How to solve the problem of space junk

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Lookahead

12:00 First Secretary of State Damian Green fills in for Theresa May at Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons.

13:30 A two-day African Union-European Union summit opens in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

On this day

1975 Two-times Formula 1 champion Graham Hill died when a plane he was piloting crashed into a golf course in Hertfordshire.

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