With Brexit almost certain to happen next month - but little changing in practice as we enter a transition period - the government is trying to make it illegal for Parliament to extend that situation beyond the end of 2020. Until then, the UK will broadly follow EU rules while negotiators attempt to thrash out a future trade deal. Currently, the parties are able to extend that transition by up to two years. But the government says it intends to rule that out by amending the Withdrawal Agreement Bill the Commons is set to vote on this week. 

It is designed to underline to Leave voters who backed Boris Johnson's Conservatives for the first time that he is determined to deliver Brexit, says our political correspondent Iain Watson. "Government sources say having a hard deadline will also focus the minds of both sets of negotiators on achieving a deal," he adds. Critics argue this raises the chance of leaving the EU without a trade deal. Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer describes the move as "reckless and irresponsible", saying the prime minister is "prepared to put people's jobs at risk".

It's nine months since a 737 Max airliner last left a runway, in the wake of two crashes that killed more than 300 people in Indonesia and Ethiopia. Yet Seattle-based Boeing continued production of its troubled jet as it redesigned its automated control system. However, with US regulators making clear the grounded planes will not be certified to fly again before the new year, the manufacturer says it will temporarily halt production in January. Travel industry analyst Henry Harteveldt says this will cause "chaos" for airlines, Boeing and about 600 companies in the supply chain.

The year to March saw a record 58,657 allegations of rape, yet just 1,925 successful prosecutions. Now the Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate says "under-resourced" police investigations are causing a "damning" number of cases to be lost. Cuts have also left the justice system "close to breaking point", the watchdog adds. It rejected claims prosecutors are unfairly selective about cases they pursue, pointing out a 23% reduction in the number referred by police. However, Sarah Green, director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition, questions the report, saying it seeks to "leave many questions at the police front door".

Some papers lead on what the Times calls a "tough new line" from Boris Johnson on EU trade talks, which are set to begin once the UK has left in the EU at the end of January. However, in ruling out an extension to the transition period - which keeps UK-EU arrangements broadly as they are throughout 2020 to give businesses time to adjust - the prime minister "raises fears of a cliff-edge next year", says the Financial Times. Read the full review.

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