Plus, the British girl who met her death row pen pal
   
  Having trouble reading this email? View it in your browser. You can unsubscribe here.  
   
 

By Justin Parkinson

 
 

Brexit talks continue on day of Queen's Speech

 
 
Queen's Speech

Talks between UK and EU officials will continue later, with both sides looking to make progress towards a Brexit deal ahead of the Brussels summit on Thursday and Friday. Boris Johnson's government insists it is willing to make concessions to resolve the ongoing difficulties over the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. But EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier says a "big gap" remains over what to do about customs arrangements.

 

The government wants a deal in place before Saturday, when there's a special session of Parliament. If MPs don't agree to one by then - or they back no-deal - Mr Johnson will be legally bound to ask the EU to delay Brexit beyond the 31 October deadline.

 

The schedule is tight. And if that wasn't enough to preoccupy ministers this week, the State Opening of Parliament takes places today. The Queen's Speech, which outlines the government's priorities, will contain 22 bills, relating to Brexit, crime prevention and immigration among other subjects. Here's what's likely to be in it.

 

"Strap yourself in - it could be a bumpy few days," writes BBC political correspondent Nick Eardley. For the bigger picture, why not try our Brexit guide?

 
 
 

Kurds reach deal with Syrian army

 
 

Dozens of fighters on both sides have reportedly been killed during Turkey's offensive against Kurdish forces in northern Syria - which began after the US announced it was removing its troops from the area. Now the Syrian government has announced it is deploying forces there, having made a deal with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces.

 

In a separate development, nearly 800 relatives of Islamic State members have reportedly escaped from a camp. 

 

Despite threats of economic sanctions by the US, Turkey says the operation - which it argues is needed to prevent terrorism - will go on. We explain the offensive in four maps.

 
 
 

'Oval Four': Men 'framed' by corrupt detective get Court of Appeal hearing

 
 

Four black men were arrested at London's Oval tube station in 1972 and spent time in jail for assaulting a police officer and attempted theft. Known as the "Oval Four", it is claimed they were framed by a detective. Forty-seven years after the arrests, two of the men have had their cases referred to the Court of Appeal. Here's the story.

 
 
 
 

The people power activists who toppled East Germany

 

Nobody had a mobile phone or social media to mobilise supporters back in 1989. But East Germans fed up with communism poured into the streets of Leipzig, despite extraordinary restrictions on their personal freedom.

 

"We didn't have a phone at home - we weren't allowed, and they would have been listening in any case," recalls Katrin Hattenhauer, one of the organisers of the demonstrations.

 

A candle-lit mass protest on 9 October became the turning point: a crowd of 70,000 thronged the city centre and for the first time dared to march past the feared headquarters of the Stasi secret police. "We are the people!" they chanted. "Wir sind das Volk!"

 
 
 
 
 
  Read full article >   
 
 
 
 

Laurence Peter

 

What the papers say

 
 
Papers

The Financial Times says Boris Johnson's Brexit plan is "baffling" the EU, while the Daily Telegraph reports that EU negotiators are demanding more concessions from the PM before a deal can be reached. Meanwhile, the Daily Mail leads on plans, to be laid out in the Queen's Speech, to bring in tougher sentences for foreign criminals and child abusers. Elsewhere, the Daily Star reports that TV fitness guru Mr Motivator wants his ashes fed to mourners at his funeral.

 
 
 

Daily digest

 
 
   

Labour Nationalisation plan would cost at least £196bn, CBI says

 
   

Typhoon Hagibis Japan deploys 110,000 rescuers

 
   

Catalan separatists Spain braced for verdict in leaders' trial

 
   

Hong Kong protests China's president warns of "bodies smashed"

 
 
 

If you watch one thing today

pink_dolphin
The pink dolphins giving people their lives back
 
 
 
 

If you listen to one thing today

helic
Desert Island Discs: Baroness Arminka Helić
 
 
 
 

If you read one thing today

penpals_prison
The British girl who went to meet her death row pen pal
 
 
 
 

Today's lookahead

 
 
   

Today The 65th annual session of the Nato Parliamentary Assembly begins in London.

 
   

21:45 The winner of the Booker Prize is announced, with Margaret Atwood and Salman Rushdie among the authors in contention. Here are the details.

 
 
 

On this day

   

1969 The seven-sided 50-pence piece comes into circulation, replacing the 10-shilling note. It was the third decimal coin to be produced, two years ahead of full decimalisation.

 
 
 

From elsewhere

 
 
 

Two years after Hurricane Harvey, renters say they've been overlooked (New York Times)

 
 
 
 

Ancient Aztec records reveal hidden earthquake risk (National Geographic)

 
 
 
 
 
 

Mont Blanc climate change impact revealed in photos 100 years apart (Independent)

 
 
 

Celebrating the chaos of Soho (Creative Review)

 
 
 
 

Let us know what you think of this newsletter by emailing [email protected]. If you’d like to recommend it to a friend, forward this email. New subscribers can sign up here.

 
 
 
 
UK News World News Politics Magazine Reporters Video & Audio
 
 
 
 
News Sport Weather iPlayer Sounds Arts
 
 
 
 
BBC logo
Terms of use    |    Privacy and Cookies    |    Unsubscribe
 
 
 
.
 
Please note that some features and content in this newsletter are only available to people in the UK.
You can update your personal details including your postcode and email address in your account settings.

Find out everything you need to know about using your BBC account, all in one place.

BBC Broadcasting House, Portland Place, London W1A 1AA
Copyright © 2‌019 BBC
 
.