C of E bishops call for amelioration of Brexit rhetoric

Bishops sign joint letter lambasting ‘unacceptable’ language, and calling for respect of others’ opinions

The tone of the Brexit debate has become unacceptable, the Church of England’s bishops have warned, as the prime minister faced intense criticism over his provocative rhetoric.

The bishops released a joint statement on Friday, calling on people both inside and outside parliament to treat each other with greater respect. They spoke after a host of MPs complained of receiving threats and Boris Johnson’s senior aide suggested that only carrying out Brexit would calm the tensions.

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Cleveland police branded ‘failing’ in all areas by inspectors

Force effectively plunges into special measures after being rated inadequate overall

Scandal-hit Cleveland police has become the first force to be branded “failing” in all areas by inspectors.

It has been rated inadequate overall and in three key areas by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS), which scrutinised its ability to reduce crime and keep people safe, operate efficiently, as well as the way it treats the public and its workforce.

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Babies exposed to air pollution have greater risk of death – study

Infant mortality rate higher in babies exposed to pollutants such as sulphur dioxide

Babies living in areas with high levels of air pollution have a greater risk of death than those surrounded by cleaner air, a study has found.

It is not the first study to investigate the link between air pollution and infant mortality , but thestudydrew particular focus on different pollutants and its analysis at different points in babies’ lives.

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Johnson refuses to say sorry for remarks about murdered MP Jo Cox

PM’s adviser Dominic Cummings claims that only carrying out Brexit will calm tensions

Boris Johnson has refused to apologise in the face of criticism that he is inciting hatred against MPs, as he briefed his cabinet on preparations for a populist election campaign that will accuse his opponents of “surrender” to the EU.

In the face of widespread condemnation for his inflammatory rhetoric, the prime minister vowed to carry on referring to the Benn law against no-deal Brexit as the “surrender bill”.

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Brexit party MEPs are EU’s biggest earners in second jobs, study finds

Five of party’s members make top 10, as researchers raise conflict of interest concerns

Brexit party members earn more from second jobs than any other group in the European parliament, according to transparency campaigners who are warning about potential conflicts of interest.

An annual study by Transparency International showed that Nigel Farage is no longer the best-paid British MEP by second job. Now in seventh place among the 227 MEPs with outside earnings, Farage earns about €360,000 (£319,000) a year from his media company, Thorn in the Side.

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Brexit: Jess Phillips accuses Boris Johnson of using language ‘designed to inflate hatred’ – live news

Prime minister chooses not to attend Commons to answer urgent question on language he used last night

Here is more from what Boris Johnson told Conservative backbenchers at his private meeting with the 1922 Committee.

From my colleague Rowena Mason

Boris Johnson told MPs at 1922 that he would carry on using the phrase surrender bill but did say MPs must all be careful about using language of violence

Boris Johnson left the 1922 to shouts of “Will you apologise?” from journalists - he scuttled off with no comment

In 1922 meeting there was a sombre moment when @PennyMordaunt told MPs she was with @BorisJohnson in 2016 when news came through that Jo Cox had died. She said 'Boris's reaction was so human'.
"It was a moving moment in there," one Tory MP says.

Striking how few Tory MPs leaving 22 Committee with Boris after around 30 mins stopped to chat to reporters compared with the dying days of Theresa May’s premiership. Not many smiling faces either tbh.

Boris Johnson was described as ‘ebullient’ and ‘full of bonhomie’ by two walking out, others looked pretty sullen.

Jeremy Corbyn is speaking on this topic for Labour.

He says it is “extremely disappointing” that Boris Johnson is not here himself to answer the UQ.

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‘A very special place’: Lundy’s future secure for another 50 years

Lease extended on island off Devon – a haven for wildlife and seekers of the quiet life

The future of an island off the Devon coast that has been transformed from the haunt of pirates and chancers into a haven for wildlife and seekers of the quiet life has been secured for another half century.

A fresh 50-year agreement between the charities that own and run Lundy is being signed that will offer protection for the flora and fauna (and the hardy humans) who live on the weather-battered hunk of granite in the Bristol Channel.

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Vicious cycle: delicate wash releases more plastic microfibres

Study finds 800,000 extra fibres are shed than on standard washing machine setting

Delicate wash cycles should be avoided whenever possible, according to scientists who found they can release hundreds of thousands more plastic microfibres into the environment than standard wash cycles.

Researchers at Newcastle University ran tests with full-scale machines to show that a delicate wash, which uses up to twice as much water as a standard cycle, releases on average 800,000 more microfibres than less water-hungry cycles.

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Johnson offers words of praise to Egypt’s leader despite repression

Banning of BBC and crackdown on protests seemingly not on agenda at PM’s talks with Sisi

The prime minister, Boris Johnson, lavished praise on Egypt at a bilateral meeting with its president, Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, in New York, hours before the UK hosted a global media freedom conference with Amal Clooney, the UK’s special envoy on media freedom.

Sisi has just instigated a fresh massive crackdown on journalists following the outbreak of protests against corruption in Egypt.

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Worker dies after being injured at Tata Steel plant in Port Talbot

Police and Health and Safety Executive launch investigation into man’s death in south Wales

Police and health and safety experts are investigating after a worker died in an incident involving machinery at the Tata steelworks in Port Talbot.

Emergency services including a hazardous area response team were called to the site in south Wales shortly before 2pm on Wednesday.

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Iran’s president rejects nuclear talks before sanctions are lifted

Hopes of a deal with Trump quashed as Rouhani accuses US of ‘economic terrorism’

Iran’s president, Hassan Rouhani, has ruled out negotiations on its nuclear programme with the United States so long as sanctions remained in place and said he was not interested in a “memento photo” with Donald Trump.

“I would like to announce that our response to any negotiation under sanctions is negative,” Rouhani said in an address to the UN general assembly in New York.

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‘There was absolutely no pressure’: Trump on Ukraine controversy – video

Donald Trump has said he put ‘absolutely no pressure’ on Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden and his son Hunter. He told reporters after the White House released notes of the phone call he had with the president of Ukraine that the impeachment inquiry was a 'disgraceful thing’. He added: ‘The way you built up that call it was going to be the call from hell. It turned out to be a nothing call, other than a lot of people said I never knew you could be so nice’

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Transgender man loses court battle to be registered as father

Ruling in Freddy McConnell case is first legal definition of a mother in English common law

A transgender man from Kent who gave birth with the help of fertility treatment cannot be registered as his child’s father, the most senior family judge in England and Wales has ruled.

In the first legal definition of a mother in English common law, Sir Andrew McFarlane, the president of the high court’s family division, ruled on Wednesday that motherhood was about being pregnant and giving birth regardless of whether the person who does so was considered a man or a woman in law.

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Boris Johnson flies to UK as parliament returns after court ruling – Politics live

The prime minister has cut short his New York visit after suspension of parliament deemed unlawful

Good morning and welcome to the politics live blog.

Yesterday was a fairly extraordinary day on both sides of the Atlantic. Just hours after the supreme court handed down its ruling declaring Boris Johnson’s decision to suspend parliament was “unlawful, void and of no effect”, Nancy Pelosi announced an official impeachment inquiry into US president Donald Trump. Quite the day for brash, blonde world leaders.

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Family demands answers after British resident shot dead by police in Malaysia

During holiday, Janarthanan Vijayaratnam was killed with two other men and his wife is now missing

Relatives have demanded answers after a British resident was shot dead by police while on holiday in Malaysia, and his wife went missing at the same time.

Janarthanan Vijayaratnam, a 40-year-old Sri Lankan national and UK resident was fatally shot by police in an apparent car chase and shootout in the early hours of 14 September, alongside his Malaysian brother-in-law and a second Malaysian man. He was on holiday with his wife and three children, aged five, 10 and 17, at the time.

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Thomas Cook collapse: financial regulator may investigate – business live

Failure of world’s oldest travel company leaves bosses facing tough questions over their pay and performance

A lot of people face losses because of Thomas Cook’s collapse.

The companies suppliers could be left with unpaid bills, while employees need to submit claims to obtain the redundancy payments and wages they’re entitled to.

If you are an employee or creditor affected by #ThomasCook, we have useful information about how to make claims in the liquidation https://t.co/UpfHpctze5 pic.twitter.com/E8RfjuVpve

Here’s our news story about the accountancy watchdog sniffing around Thomas Cook’s collapse:

Related: Thomas Cook collapse: accounting watchdog weighs up investigation

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Uber granted two-month extension to London licence

Transport for London again rejects ride-hailing firm’s application for a full licence

Uber’s application to renew its private hire operating licence in London has been rebuffed again by regulators.

Transport for London has instead given the ride-hailing firm only a two-month extension to its licence, which is due to expire on Wednesday night.

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UK promises extra £600m for family planning in poorest countries

Majority of funding will go to UN population fund, which works across countries with highest maternal death rates

The UK government has pledged to spend an extra £600m to support family planning programmes in some of the world’s poorest countries.

Most of the money, which will be rolled out between 2020 and 2025, will be given to the UN population fund (UNFPA), which works in 150 countries, including the 46 with the highest rates of maternal deaths and lowest rates of modern contraceptive use.

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No evidence Leave. EU and Arron Banks broke law, says crime agency

NCA to take no further action over £8m funding claims against Brexit campaign group

The National Crime Agency says it has found no evidence of criminality after investigating a series of claims against the Brexit campaign group Leave.EU and the businessman Arron Banks.

Investigators interviewed Banks and the Leave.EU campaign’s chief executive, Liz Bilney, as they looked into potential offences concerning £8m of EU referendum campaign funding.

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