Storm Ciara: Flights cancelled as UK braces for gales - BBC News

Airlines have cancelled dozens of domestic and international flights as Storm Ciara approaches the UK.

Severe weather warnings have been issued for the weekend, with strong winds of up to 80mph and widespread heavy rain expected.

Several rail firms have urged passengers not to travel and say they will operate reduced timetables and speed restrictions on Sunday.

Ferry passengers also face disruption, as operators cancel some services.

Heathrow Airport announced it had taken the joint decision with its airline partners to "consolidate" Sunday's flight schedule in a bid to minimise the number of flights cancelled.

British Airways said it is offering flexible rebooking options for all customers on domestic and European flights flying to and from London Heathrow, London Gatwick and London City on Sunday.

Virgin Atlantic has posted a number of cancelled flights on its website.

High winds with gusts of up to 70mph have already caused travel disruption in Scotland and several bridges have been closed to high-sided vehicles.

Gusts of up to 70mph and hail have already hit the west coast of Scotland.

The Met Office said the current wet and windy weather is "the prelude" to Storm Ciara.

An amber warning for wind is in place across much of England and Wales from 08:00 until 21:00 GMT on Sunday. The Met Office advises wind-blown debris and large waves could pose a danger to life.

Yellow weather warnings now cover the whole UK and an amber warning for rain is in place in parts of Scotland, meaning homes and businesses are likely to be flooded and some communities could be cut off by impassable roads..

The heaviest rain expected over high ground where 50-70mm is expected, with as much as 100mm in a few locations.

Paul Knightley, senior meteorologist at MeteoGroup, said 70mph gusts had been recorded on the west coast of Scotland, with hail and wet snow falling on the Western Isles.

Wind speeds were expected to increase across Northern Ireland, Scotland, northern England and Wales during Saturday, before high winds reach the rest of the UK in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Gusts of 50-60mph are expected quite widely across inland areas as the storm passes over the UK, reaching 80mph in coastal areas - particularly in south-east England and northern Scotland.

The Met Office's yellow weather warning for wind - meaning travel disruption is likely - came into place at midday on Saturday.

It means people across the UK should expect travel delays and power cuts, as well as large waves along coastal roads and sea fronts.

At 00:00 GMT on Sunday, the yellow warning for wind extends to all of the UK for 24 hours, with warnings for rain in Northern Ireland, south-west Scotland, the north of England and much of Wales.

Getty Images

Weather warnings guide

• YellowSevere weather possible, plan ahead, travel may be disrupted

• AmberIncreased likelihood of impact, eg travel delays, power cuts

Source: Met Office

Network Rail has imposed a blanket speed restriction of 50mph across the network on Sunday, warning passengers to only travel by train that day "if absolutely necessary".

It said there was the potential for damage to overhead lines and tracks caused by debris or fallen trees.

Avanti West Coast, London North Eastern Railway and South Western Railway were among the train companies which said customers with tickets for Sunday would also be able to use them on some services on Saturday or Monday.

Grand Central cancelled all its services on the East Coast Main Line on Sunday.

Other effects of the storm include:

• The London Winter Run 10k - due to be attended by 25,000 runners - was cancelled
• London's eight Royal Parks, which include Hyde Park and Regent's Park, will close on Sunday
• RHS Garden Wisley will close on Sunday
• Humber Bridge warning of possible closure to all traffic on Sunday
• P&O has cancelled seven ferries because of conditions in the Irish Sea

In January, Storm Brendan swept into the UK, leading to power cuts and travel disruption in parts of the UK.

This year's storm names have already been chosen, with Dennis due to be the name for the next storm.

---

Have you been affected by Storm Ciara? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways:

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2020-02-08 22:13:44Z
52780594341523

Storm Ciara: Flights cancelled as UK braces for gales - BBC News

Airlines have cancelled dozens of domestic and international flights as Storm Ciara approaches the UK.

Severe weather warnings have been issued for the weekend, with strong winds of up to 80mph and widespread heavy rain expected.

Several rail firms have urged passengers not to travel and say they will operate reduced timetables and speed restrictions on Sunday.

Ferry passengers also face disruption, as operators cancel some services.

Heathrow Airport announced it had taken the joint decision with its airline partners to "consolidate" Sunday's flight schedule in a bid to minimise the number of flights cancelled.

British Airways said it is offering flexible rebooking options for all customers on domestic and European flights flying to and from London Heathrow, London Gatwick and London City on Sunday.

Virgin Atlantic has posted a number of cancelled flights on its website.

High winds with gusts of up to 70mph have already caused travel disruption in Scotland and several bridges have been closed to high-sided vehicles.

Gusts of up to 70mph and hail have already hit the west coast of Scotland.

The Met Office said the current wet and windy weather is "the prelude" to Storm Ciara.

An amber warning for wind is in place across much of England and Wales from 08:00 until 21:00 GMT on Sunday. The Met Office advises wind-blown debris and large waves could pose a danger to life.

Yellow weather warnings now cover the whole UK and an amber warning for rain is in place in parts of Scotland, meaning homes and businesses are likely to be flooded and some communities could be cut off by impassable roads..

The heaviest rain expected over high ground where 50-70mm is expected, with as much as 100mm in a few locations.

Paul Knightley, senior meteorologist at MeteoGroup, said 70mph gusts had been recorded on the west coast of Scotland, with hail and wet snow falling on the Western Isles.

Wind speeds were expected to increase across Northern Ireland, Scotland, northern England and Wales during Saturday, before high winds reach the rest of the UK in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Gusts of 50-60mph are expected quite widely across inland areas as the storm passes over the UK, reaching 80mph in coastal areas - particularly in south-east England and northern Scotland.

The Met Office's yellow weather warning for wind - meaning travel disruption is likely - came into place at midday on Saturday.

It means people across the UK should expect travel delays and power cuts, as well as large waves along coastal roads and sea fronts.

At 00:00 GMT on Sunday, the yellow warning for wind extends to all of the UK for 24 hours, with warnings for rain in Northern Ireland, south-west Scotland, the north of England and much of Wales.

Getty Images

Weather warnings guide

• YellowSevere weather possible, plan ahead, travel may be disrupted

• AmberIncreased likelihood of impact, eg travel delays, power cuts

Source: Met Office

Network Rail has imposed a blanket speed restriction of 50mph across the network on Sunday, warning passengers to only travel by train that day "if absolutely necessary".

It said there was the potential for damage to overhead lines and tracks caused by debris or fallen trees.

Avanti West Coast, London North Eastern Railway and South Western Railway were among the train companies which said customers with tickets for Sunday would also be able to use them on some services on Saturday or Monday.

Grand Central cancelled all its services on the East Coast Main Line on Sunday.

Other effects of the storm include:

• The London Winter Run 10k - due to be attended by 25,000 runners - was cancelled
• London's eight Royal Parks, which include Hyde Park and Regent's Park, will close on Sunday
• RHS Garden Wisley will close on Sunday
• Humber Bridge warning of possible closure to all traffic on Sunday
• P&O has cancelled seven ferries because of conditions in the Irish Sea

In January, Storm Brendan swept into the UK, leading to power cuts and travel disruption in parts of the UK.

This year's storm names have already been chosen, with Dennis due to be the name for the next storm.

---

Have you been affected by Storm Ciara? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways:

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2020-02-08 21:13:37Z
52780594341523

Storm Ciara: Flights cancelled as UK braces for gales - BBC News

Airlines have cancelled dozens of domestic and international flights as Storm Ciara approaches the UK.

Severe weather warnings have been issued for the weekend, with strong winds of up to 80mph and widespread heavy rain expected.

Several rail firms have urged passengers not to travel and say they will operate reduced timetables and speed restrictions on Sunday.

Ferry passengers also face disruption, as operators cancel some services.

Heathrow Airport announced it had taken the joint decision with its airline partners to "consolidate" Sunday's flight schedule in a bid to minimise the number of flights cancelled.

British Airways said it is offering flexible rebooking options for all customers on domestic and European flights flying to and from London Heathrow, London Gatwick and London City on Sunday.

Virgin Atlantic has posted a number of cancelled flights on its website.

High winds with gusts of up to 70mph have already caused travel disruption in Scotland and several bridges have been closed to high-sided vehicles.

Gusts of up to 70mph and hail have already hit the west coast of Scotland.

The Met Office said the current wet and windy weather is "the prelude" to Storm Ciara.

An amber warning for wind is in place across much of England and Wales from 08:00 until 21:00 GMT on Sunday. The Met Office advises wind-blown debris and large waves could pose a danger to life.

Yellow weather warnings now cover the whole UK and an amber warning for rain is in place in parts of Scotland, meaning homes and businesses are likely to be flooded and some communities could be cut off by impassable roads..

The heaviest rain expected over high ground where 50-70mm is expected, with as much as 100mm in a few locations.

Paul Knightley, senior meteorologist at MeteoGroup, said 70mph gusts had been recorded on the west coast of Scotland, with hail and wet snow falling on the Western Isles.

Wind speeds were expected to increase across Northern Ireland, Scotland, northern England and Wales during Saturday, before high winds reach the rest of the UK in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Gusts of 50-60mph are expected quite widely across inland areas as the storm passes over the UK, reaching 80mph in coastal areas - particularly in south-east England and northern Scotland.

The Met Office's yellow weather warning for wind - meaning travel disruption is likely - came into place at midday on Saturday.

It means people across the UK should expect travel delays and power cuts, as well as large waves along coastal roads and sea fronts.

At 00:00 GMT on Sunday, the yellow warning for wind extends to all of the UK for 24 hours, with warnings for rain in Northern Ireland, south-west Scotland, the north of England and much of Wales.

Getty Images

Weather warnings guide

• YellowSevere weather possible, plan ahead, travel may be disrupted

• AmberIncreased likelihood of impact, eg travel delays, power cuts

Source: Met Office

Network Rail has imposed a blanket speed restriction of 50mph across the network on Sunday, warning passengers to only travel by train that day "if absolutely necessary".

It said there was the potential for damage to overhead lines and tracks caused by debris or fallen trees.

Avanti West Coast, London North Eastern Railway and South Western Railway were among the train companies which said customers with tickets for Sunday would also be able to use them on some services on Saturday or Monday.

Grand Central cancelled all its services on the East Coast Main Line on Sunday.

Other effects of the storm include:

• The London Winter Run 10k - due to be attended by 25,000 runners - was cancelled
• London's eight Royal Parks, which include Hyde Park and Regent's Park, will close on Sunday
• RHS Garden Wisley will close on Sunday
• Humber Bridge warning of possible closure to all traffic on Sunday
• P&O has cancelled seven ferries because of conditions in the Irish Sea

In January, Storm Brendan swept into the UK, leading to power cuts and travel disruption in parts of the UK.

This year's storm names have already been chosen, with Dennis due to be the name for the next storm.

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2020-02-08 21:00:00Z
52780594341523

Coronavirus: Five Britons in French ski chalet catch virus - BBC News

Five Britons have tested positive for coronavirus in eastern France, the French health minister has confirmed.

Four adults and a child were diagnosed with the virus after coming into contact with a British national who recently returned from Singapore.

The man returned to the UK on 28 January before being diagnosed with the virus himself on Thursday.

Meanwhile a final repatriation flight with over 200 British passengers has left Wuhan, the centre of the outbreak.

The flight is due to land in the UK in the early hours of Sunday morning.

In France, the five Britons with the coronavirus - who were staying in the same ski chalet - are not in a serious condition, French officials said.

But the authorities are closing two schools next week, both of which are attended by the child with the virus, a nine-year-old boy who lives in the ski resort of Contamines-Montjoie with his family.

There have been almost 35,000 cases of the coronavirus globally, mostly in China. The latest infection is thought to stem from a man who became the UK's third confirmed case when he tested positive on his return to Brighton.

The Briton had stayed in Singapore on a business trip from 20 to 23 January, the French health ministry said.

He arrived at Contamines-Montjoie, in Haute-Savoie, on 24 January for a four-day stay, before returning to England on 28 January.

On his return to the UK, he is thought to have isolated himself at his Brighton home and called the NHS 111 number. After a positive test, he was taken to St Thomas' Hospital in London where he is being treated.

Public Health England also advised a student at Portslade Aldridge Community Academy in Brighton to self-isolate for 14 days, as part of their investigation into the same case of coronavirus. The school said it had been advised by health authorities that there was no need to close.

Where had the UK coronavirus patient been?

• 20 to 23 January: In Singapore on business
• 24 to 28 January: Stays in a chalet in Contamines-Montjoie, France
• 28 January: Returns to the UK
• 6 February: The Department of Health confirms he is the UK's third case of the virus, after testing positive in Brighton
• 7 February: A student at Portslade Aldridge Community Academy self-isolates on the advice of Public Health England, as a result of the investigation into this case

The Brighton man told UK authorities that he had visited a chalet in Contamines-Montjoie, prompting French officials to take the 11 Britons staying there to hospitals in Lyon, Saint-Etienne and Grenoble on Friday night.

The chalet has two apartments where two families were staying. A British couple and their three children, who are now resident in France, lived in one. The mother is in the UK at the moment and has been contacted.

Seven of their friends were staying in the other apartment.

Those with the virus are the father of the family resident in France and his nine-year-old son, as well as three members of the visiting family.

The nine-year-old boy attends the local school and has French classes at another school in St-Gervais. Both schools will be shut next week, and parents are being asked to keep their children under observation.

A crisis unit has been set up as a result of the new cases.

It comes as four members of the same British family were admitted to hospital in Majorca after contact with a coronavirus carrier.

They are being tested at the University Hospital of Son Espases in Palma.

The British family said they had been in contact with a person who recently tested positive for the virus in France, the government in Spain's Balearic Islands said.

Meanwhile, a British man transferred from a cruise ship off the coast of Japan on Friday after testing positive for the virus is said to be feeling well and in good spirits.

Alan Steele, from Wolverhampton, on his honeymoon with his wife Wendy, was among 61 people to be taken off the ship for hospital treatment.

She has been in telephone contact with her husband, and said in a Facebook post on Saturday that he was still feeling healthy.

What's happening globally?

The majority of confirmed cases worldwide are in mainland China, where the total stands at 34,598.

On Saturday, the death toll rose to 723 in China, including one American in Wuhan. A Japanese man also died in Wuhan with symptoms consistent with the virus.

Outside China, 288 cases have been confirmed in 24 countries, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), with one fatality in the Philippines.

The five new cases in France brings the total in the country to 11.

Elsewhere, Hong Kong has begun a mandatory two-week quarantine for anyone arriving from mainland China after 26 cases were recorded in the territory.

On Saturday WHO warned that "trolls and conspiracy theories" are undermining their response to the virus.

Media playback is unsupported on your device

The Department of Health and Social Care said that 686 people in the UK have been tested for coronavirus as of Saturday afternoon, with three cases confirmed.

The two other UK cases - both Chinese nationals - are being treated at the Royal Victoria Infirmary infectious diseases centre in Newcastle.

UK citizens who travelled on two previous repatriation flights from Wuhan, the Chinese city at the centre of the coronavirus, are in quarantine at Arrowe Park Hospital in Wirral.

The Foreign Office said the number on board included staff, medics and people of other nationalities alongside UK citizens.

What's the latest UK travel advice?

The Foreign & Commonwealth Office is advising against all but essential travel to mainland China and all travel to Hubei Province.

UK nationals have also been advised to leave China where possible.

• Diary of a life in locked-down Wuhan
• Coronavirus: Your questions answered

However, the government is not advising against travel to any other country or territory as a result of the virus.

Some airlines, including British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, have suspended flights to and from China or revised their schedules.

What should I do if I suspect I have the virus?

The coronavirus causes severe acute respiratory infection and symptoms usually start with a fever, followed by a dry cough.

Most people infected are likely to fully recover - just as they would from a flu.

Anyone who has travelled to the UK from mainland China, Thailand, Japan, Republic of Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia or Macau in the last 14 days and is experiencing cough or fever or shortness of breath, is advised to stay indoors and call NHS 111, even if symptoms are mild.

In Scotland, you can phone your GP or NHS 24 on 111 out of hours. If you are in Northern Ireland, call 0300 200 7885.

---

Are you in Contamines-Montjoie? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways:

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2020-02-08 21:00:00Z
52780596645075

Coronavirus: Five Brits in French ski chalet catch virus - BBC News

Five Britons have tested positive for coronavirus in eastern France, the French health minister confirmed.

Four adults and a child were diagnosed with the virus after coming into contact with a British national who recently returned from Singapore.

It is thought this man returned to the UK on 28 January before being diagnosed with the virus himself on Thursday.

The five Britons, who stayed in the same ski chalet, were not in a serious condition, French officials said.

The man who is believed to have infected them became the third case of coronavirus in the UK when he tested positive on his return to Brighton. There have been almost 35,000 cases globally, mostly in China.

UK citizens who travelled on two repatriation flights from Wuhan, the Chinese city at the centre of the coronavirus, are in quarantine at Arrowe Park Hospital on the Wirral.

A third flight to the UK will depart on Sunday with around 150 Britons, who will be taken to a conference centre in Milton Keynes for a 14-day quarantine.

The new cases all stem from a British national who arrived at Contamines-Montjoie ski resort, in Haute-Savoie, on 24 January for a four-day trip, before returning to England on 28 January.

The Briton had stayed in Singapore on a business trip from 20 to 23 January, the French health ministry said.

On his return to the UK, he is thought to have isolated himself at home and called NHS 111. After a positive test, he was taken to St Thomas' Hospital in London where he is being treated.

Public Health England also advised a student at Portslade Aldridge Community Academy in Brighton to self-isolate for 14 days, as part of their investigation into this case of coronavirus. The school said it had been advised by health authorities that there was no need to close.

Where had the UK coronavirus patient been?

• 20 to 23 January: In Singapore on business
• 24 to 28 January: Stays in a chalet in Contamines-Montjoie, France
• 28 January: Returns to the UK
• 6 February: The Department of Health confirms he is the UK's third case of the virus, after testing positive in Brighton
• 7 February: A student at Portslade Aldridge Community Academy self-isolates on the advice of Public Health England, as a result of the investigation into this case

The Brighton man told UK authorities that he had visited a chalet in Contamines-Montjoie, prompting French officials to take the 11 Britons staying there to hospitals in Lyon, Saint-Etienne and Grenoble on Friday night.

The chalet has two apartments where two families were staying, French authorities said in a news conference. A British couple and their three children, who are now resident in France, lived in one. The mother is in the UK at the moment and has been contacted.

Seven of their friends were staying in the other apartment.

Those with the virus are the father of the family resident in France and his nine-year-old son, as well as three members of the visiting family.

The nine-year-old boy attends the local school and has French classes at another school in St-Gervais. Both schools will be shut next week, and parents are being asked to keep their children under observation.

A crisis unit has been set up as a result of the new cases.

It comes as four members of the same British family were admitted to hospital in Majorca after contact with a coronavirus carrier.

They are being tested at the University Hospital of Son Espases in Palma.

The British family said they had been in contact with a person who recently tested positive for the virus in France, the government in Spain's Balearic Islands said.

Meanwhile, a British man transferred from a cruise ship off the coast of Japan on Friday after testing positive for the virus is said to be feeling well and in good spirits.

Alan Steele, from Wolverhampton, on his honeymoon with his wife Wendy, was among 61 people to be taken off the ship for hospital treatment.

She has been in telephone contact with her husband, and said in a Facebook post on Saturday that he was still feeling healthy.

What's happening globally?

The majority of confirmed cases worldwide are in mainland China, where the total stands at 34,546.

On Saturday, the death toll rose to 722 in mainland China, including one American in Wuhan. A Japanese man also died in Wuhan with symptoms consistent with the virus.

Outside China, 270 cases have been confirmed in 25 countries, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), with two fatalities - one in Hong Kong and another in the Philippines.

The five new cases in France brings the total in the country to 11.

Elsewhere, Hong Kong has begun a mandatory two-week quarantine for anyone arriving from mainland China after 26 cases were recorded in the territory.

Media playback is unsupported on your device

The Department of Health and Social Care said that 686 people in the UK have been tested for coronavirus as of Saturday afternoon, with three cases confirmed.

The two other UK cases - both Chinese nationals - are being treated at the Royal Victoria Infirmary infectious diseases centre in Newcastle.

The latest British nationals to be flown out of Wuhan on Sunday will be taken to Kents Hill Park, a training and conference venue on the outskirts of Milton Keynes.

What's the latest UK travel advice?

The Foreign & Commonwealth Office is advising against all but essential travel to mainland China and all travel to Hubei Province.

UK nationals have also been advised to leave China where possible.

• Diary of a life in locked-down Wuhan
• Coronavirus: Your questions answered

However, the government is not advising against travel to any other country or territory as a result of the virus.

Some airlines, including British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, have suspended flights to and from China or revised their schedules.

What should I do if I suspect I have the virus?

The coronavirus causes severe acute respiratory infection and symptoms usually start with a fever, followed by a dry cough.

Most people infected are likely to fully recover - just as they would from a flu.

Anyone who has travelled to the UK from mainland China, Thailand, Japan, Republic of Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia or Macau in the last 14 days and is experiencing cough or fever or shortness of breath, is advised to stay indoors and call NHS 111, even if symptoms are mild.

In Scotland, you can phone your GP or NHS 24 on 111 out of hours. If you are in Northern Ireland, call 0300 200 7885.

---

Are you in Contamines-Montjoie? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways:

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2020-02-08 10:10:18Z
52780596645075

Karen Pierce, new UK ambassador to US, seeks to improve Britain's 'single most important relationship' - Fox News

The United Kingdom has named its first-ever female ambassador to the U.S.

Dame Karen Pierce is taking over the position after her predecessor resigned last year following the leak of documents that quoted him calling the Trump administration "diplomatically clumsy and inept."

Pierce, who currently is the UK's permanent representative to the United Nations, has held posts around the world, including in Japan and Switzerland, having also served as the British ambassador to Afghanistan.

UK AMBASSADOR TO US WHO CRITICIZED TRUMP RESIGNS, BRITISH FOREIGN OFFICE SAYS

Pierce had reportedly caught the attention of President Trump for her appearances on U.S. television, so much so that when she was being introduced to the president by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson at a meeting at last year’s UN General Assembly in New York, the president told Johnson that his ambassador was a great asset for the UK.

Karen Pierce, the British ambassador to the United Nations, arrives at the U.S. mission to the United Nations to attend a luncheon for members of the Security Council on Thursday. (AP)

Pierce will arrive in Washington at a pivotal time for the special relationship following the implementation of Brexit and will be faced with one immediate challenge and that is the UK’s decision to allow China’s Huawei to build part of the new 5G network, which was seen as a big setback to the U.S.

Nile Gardiner, director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at the Heritage Foundation in D.C., warned of the problems of the Huawei deal.

“An immediate challenge for the new British ambassador will be the Huawei issue, which has become a public diplomacy disaster for the UK government. There is overwhelming U.S. opposition to the Huawei decision and rightly so, and it will dominate the in-tray of Ambassador Pierce from day one," he said.

BORIS JOHNSON: 5 SURPRISING QUOTES FROM THE BRITISH PRIME MINISTER

Gardiner told Fox News that Ambassador Pierce must play a key role in advancing Brexit and the US-UK free trade deal, “This is a crucial time for the special relationship and ambassador is at the heart of that relationship and will be pivotal to its success.”

Gardiner, who advised former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, said Pierce played an important role in confronting Russian aggression at the UN and, “will be an important ally for the United States on several fronts.”

Pierce’s sparring with her Russian counterpart at the UN has often been over Russia’s continued defense of the Syrian regime’s crimes against its own people, including the use of chemical weapons in Syria and in the UK. The debate has often involved a battle of literary wits, with the Russian ambassador quoting British classics and Pierce responding with her own literary zingers.

UK AMBASSADOR TO UN ECHOES TRUMP'S WARNING TO IRAN: 'EVERYONE IS WATCHING'

In a debate on Syria in 2018, she said, “Turning to the risk of the use of chemical weapons over Idlib, and taking account of what the Russian representative said: ‘Agatha Christie is a fiction writer.’ What's fact … is that the Syrian authorities have been found to have used chemical weapons against their own people.”

Pierce has gained respect during her time at the UN by journalists and diplomats alike. She was known to be friendly with former US UN ambassador Nikki Haley.

Benny Avni, a UN-based columnist on world affairs, first encountered Pierce during her time as deputy UK ambassador in 2005.

“Karen Pierce is a skilled diplomat, but also has a knack for politics and communication. At Turtle Bay, where many still dream the UN will counterbalance American power — and even more so at the age of Trump — she helped maintain Britain’s position as the US’s closest ally. Good for Britain, good for America and in a way good for the UN, too,” he said.

Pierce recently was recently honored for her long-term service for her contribution to British foreign policy by being made a Dame Commander of St. Michael and St. George. The honor was given to her by the Queen’s daughter Princess Anne.

Also known for her style that sometimes include colorful boas, Pierce told Pass Blue, a publication that specializes in UN issues, that her favorite pair of shoes were a pair of navy and blue silk Pradas, which she told the publication were the, “most beautiful shoes in the history of the world.”

In that same interview, she was asked whether there was an icon who influenced her style. Her response was punk rock star Debbie Harry of Blondie.

BODYGUARD FOR EX-BRITISH PM DAVID CAMERON REPORTEDLY LEAVES GUN INSIDE PLANE BATHROOM

In a statement released by Britain’s foreign office, Pierce said, “I am honored to have been asked to represent the UK in the US. I think it is the UK’s single most important relationship. There is a deep bond between Britain and the US, built on many pillars.”

Johnson praised Pierce saying she is an "outstanding and accomplished diplomat."

"I can think of no better person to drive forward our hugely important relation with the United States at this time," he said in a statement.

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Former ambassador Kim Darroch resigned in July. President Donald Trump expressed fury when Darroch's forthright, unfiltered views on the U.S. administration appeared in leaked diplomatic documents that were published in Britain’s Mail on Sunday newspaper.

Trump was outraged and responded by firing off a series of less than flattering tweets.

“The wacky Ambassador that the U.K. foisted upon the United States is not someone we are thrilled with, a very stupid guy,” Trump wrote in one tweet.

Pierce is expected to take up her new position in the coming weeks.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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2020-02-07 19:20:34Z
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Karen Pierce named Britain's first-ever female ambassador to US - Fox News

The United Kingdom has named its first-ever female ambassador to the U.S.

Karen Pierce is taking over the position after her predecessor resigned last year following the leak of documents that quoted him calling the Trump administration "diplomatically clumsy and inept."

"I’m delighted she’ll be representing us in Washington," Prime Minister Boris Johnson said. “Karen Pierce is an outstanding and accomplished diplomat and I can think of no better person to drive forward our hugely important relationship with the United States at this time.”

Karen Pierce, the British ambassador to the United Nations, arrives at the U.S. mission to the United Nations to attend a luncheon for members of the Security Council on Thursday. (AP)

UK AMBASSADOR TO US WHO CRITICIZED TRUMP RESIGNS, BRITISH FOREIGN OFFICE SAYS

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab also lauded Pierce as an “outstanding” and “formidable” diplomat.

“It is a time of huge opportunity for the friendship between the U.K. and U.S. and I am delighted that Karen Pierce will take forward this exciting new chapter in our relationship,” Raab said Friday.

Pierce, who currently is the UK's permanent representative to the United Nations, has held posts around the world, including in Japan and Switzerland, the BBC reports. She once was the British ambassador in Afghanistan.

"I am honored to have been asked to represent the U.K. in the U.S.,” Pierce said Friday after her new position was announced. “I think it is the U.K.'s single most important relationship. There is a deep bond between Britain and the U.S., built on many pillars.”

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Former ambassador Kim Darroch resigned in July. President Donald Trump expressed fury when Darroch's forthright, unfiltered views on the U.S. administration appeared in leaked diplomatic documents that were published in Britain’s Mail on Sunday newspaper.

Trump was outraged and responded by firing off a series of less than flattering tweets.

“The wacky Ambassador that the U.K. foisted upon the United States is not someone we are thrilled with, a very stupid guy,” Trump wrote in one tweet.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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2020-02-07 13:48:08Z
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