Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Sunday 20 Nov 2016

1. Europe's leaders 'agree to force UK into hard Brexit'

European leaders will force Britain into a hard Brexit, reports The Observer. The leaders have come to a 27-nation consensus that such a move is their only hope of preventing future populist insurgencies, which could lead to the break-up of the European Union. One top EU diplomat said: "Otherwise we would be seen to be giving in to a country that is leaving. That would be fatal."

2. 'Secret weapon' Queen will invite Trump to Windsor

US president-elect Donald Trump will be invited to meet the Queen as the government deploys what it sees as a "secret weapon" to strengthen ties with him. Plans to invite Trump for a state visit in 2017 are being drawn up in Whitehall. Theresa May hopes it will help her steal a march on Nigel Farage, who was the first British politician to meet Trump after the election.

3. Train derailment in India kills at least 90

At least 90 people have died and dozens were injured after a train in northern India derailed. Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the express train travelling between the cities of Patna and Indore came off the tracks near Kanpur city. Fourteen carriages of the train derailed, railway officials added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter to express his condolences.

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4. Chaos as Storm Angus batters southern England

Storm Angus is pounding the south coast of England, with winds of up to 80mph forecast to sweep through some areas. The first named storm of winter has produced gusts reaching 68mph at Berry Head, Devon, and two inches of rain in Exeter. The Met Office has issued more than 25 flood warnings, mainly in the south west, including one severe warning in Devon.

5. Comeback kid Blair sees Corbyn as a 'nutter'

Tony Blair is trying to take a pivotal position in Britain’s Brexit deal, reports The Sunday Times. The former PM is setting up an institute close to Whitehall and has held talks with senior ministers and officials as he bids to make a comeback in British politics. A source says Blair sees Theresa May as a "lightweight" and Jeremy Corbyn as a "nutter".

6. Last hospital in Aleppo destroyed by bombing

The final working hospital in east Aleppo has been destroyed by airstrikes, leaving up to 250,000 residents without access to surgery or specialist care. Four other hospitals were hit and forced to close on Friday, before the Omar bin Abdul Aziz facility was struck just after 8.30pm. Médecins Sans Frontières said east Aleppo’s hospitals had been hit by bombs in more than 30 separate attacks

7. Angela Merkel to reveal plan for fourth term

German chancellor Angela Merkel is expected to announce today that she will run for a fourth term that could keep her in power until 2021. Merkel, 62, who celebrates 11 years as leader on Tuesday, has previously declined to confirm she will stand in next autumn’s elections, saying merely that she would reveal her decision "at the appropriate time".

8. Philip Hammond to splash £1.3bn more on UK roads

An extra £1.3bn will be spent on improving Britain's roads, Philip Hammond will say in his first Autumn Statement. The Chancellor will say that most of the money will be spent on cutting congestion and on upgrades to local roads and public transport networks. The Treasury says that investment in infrastructure and innovation to boost long-term economic growth will be "at the heart" of Wednesday's statement.

9. Donald Trump reaches out to Mitt Romney

Donald Trump has met with one of his bitterest critics, Mitt Romney, with reports suggesting he may be considered for secretary of state. During the White House election campaign, Romney called Trump a "fraud", while Trump said Romney's unsuccessful presidential bid in 2012 had been "the worst ever". Neither man revealed details of their 80-minute meeting on Saturday.

10. Nigel Farage signals eighth attempt to become an MP

Nigel Farage has signalled he may return to frontline politics with an eighth bid to become an MP. He said he would stand for Parliament if corruption claims against the Conservatives over his general election defeat in South Thanet lead to a re-run. He joked that Donald Trump could come to the UK to campaign for him, saying the Kent constituency had "the best golf courses in Britain".