Illegal immigrants 

Express
MORE than 800 migrants attempted to cross the English Channel on Saturday – a new daily record.
A total of 828 people were intercepted, the Home Office said, marking a dramatic increase on the previous daily record of 592 on August 12. There were 30 incidents involving successful and attempted crossings – including rescues.
French border controls stopped a further 193 people from crossing in ten attempted migrations.
The number of attempts for the following days – Sunday and Monday – are yet to be confirmed.
Dan O’Mahoney, the clandestine Channel threat commander for the Government, told Sky News: “These dangerous crossings from safe EU countries are completely unnecessary and we are determined to take down the evil criminal gangs behind them.
“We’re working across government as well as with French and international partners to tackle this issue. 

Similar stories may be read in Mail, Independent, BBC News, Order-order 

Express
FRANCE has blocked an EU decision to use a British company for controlling migrants crossings in the Channel.
According to Le Journal du Dimanche, France has vetoed a decision by EU border agency Frontex to contract a British company for the managing of migrants crossings in the English Channel. The French newspaper claimed DEA Aviation, based at Retford Airport, Nottinghamshire, was to be granted the contract by Frontex but Emmanuel Macron’s government allegedly blocked the move because of Brexit.
They wrote: “With the background of Brexit, Paris does not want to hear any talk of such an option.
“Off the record, France has imposed an outright refusal on Frontex.”
A senior interior ministry official said: “We are waiting for Frontex to put into action resources from inside the European Union.”
The newspaper claimed the French government was furious over Frontex’s decision to choose a British company over Dutch and Austrian contenders. 

EU 

Breitbart
Belarus continues to weaponise migrants, forcing them over its frontiers with European Union member states at gunpoint in what is seen as a “hybrid warfare” attack by the client state  against its democratic neighbours, reports claim.
While the latest wave of Belarus clashes with the European Union date back to its rigged election in 2020, and EU sanctions that followed the Belarusian government diverting an EU plane to kidnap a passenger, the situation on the EU’s borders is intensifying, with reports of forced migration at gunpoint.
In a new development to the months-long phenomenon of Belarus engineering a migrant crisis on its EU frontier, London’s The Times reports Belarusian “officers” were using “large guns” to force migrants into Poland and Lithuania, including firing those weapons.
A report of eyewitnesses from the paper states that: “[Allegedly forced migrants] said they could not resist the guards, who always carried large guns” and “Locals say migrants were given planks to help them cross the small Swislocz river. Belarusians fired shots into the air behind them to hurry them along.”
The European Union’s response to this artificial migrant crisis has predominantly been talking to this point, however member state Poland — which borders Belarus, and which historically lost significant territory to Belarus amid the shifting borders of Second World War-era Europe — has now said it will replace the 250-mile razorwire border fence with an eight-foot wall. 

Trade 

Express
BRITAIN is set for a multi-million boost with India after trade chiefs said they would negotiate mini trade deals ahead of a major Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
Indian Trade Minister Piyush Goyal said negotiations on a £23bn FTA with the UK were “progressing well” with both sides “talking to each other.”But he made clear they were working to “identify areas where we can close the deal in terms of an early harvest if possible.
Mr Goyal’s “early harvest” plan would be a precursor to an FTA which would see tariff barriers lowered on a limited set of goods.
Under an early harvest deal, backed by UK trade officials, tariffs could be slashed on products like Scotch whisky before a full agreement is in place.
For Indian producers, items like rice could get greater access to the UK market. 

Express
LIZ TRUSS has sparked delight as she closes in on a post-Brexit free trade deal with New Zealand.
Express.co.uk readers praised the Trade Secretary as she works to finalise an agreement with the Commonwealth country “in the coming weeks”. Trade between the UK and New Zealand was worth £2.3billion last year, according to Government data, with the potential to rise following a bilateral concord, officials said.
The deal could see lower prices on products from New Zealand including wine.
Commenting on this website, one reader said: “Keep em coming Liz. Cheaper New Zealand wine means there’s no need to buy that EU muck.”
Another wrote: “Liz Truss is delivering the promise of Brexit and Global Britain. It scares the EU and their supporters.”’
A third posted: “Excellent news well done Liz Brexit winning.” 

Education 

Independent
Education secretary Gavin Williamson has been accused of “chaotic” decision-making after it emerged that the full return of England’s secondary schools would be delayed by a week.
Schools will be allowed to stagger the starting date of the new academic year to allow for on-site Covid testing to take place, the Department for Education (DfE) has said.
Labour said the plan showed a “staggering disregard” for families, claiming that delays in the restarting of lessons would mean more disruption for pupils and parents in September.
The shadow education secretary, Kate Green, has written to Mr Williamson urging him to immediately clarify his “last-minute” decision-making – just 10 days before the start of term.
In her letter to Mr Williamson, the shadow education secretary wrote: “Once again, your delayed planning and chaotic decision-making risks creating havoc for families and will put additional pressure on school staff planning for the start of the new year.
“The Conservatives’ chaotic, last-minute approach is damaging children’s education. Parents would rightly expect ministers to have learnt from their mistakes over the last year, but once again families are being treated as an afterthought,” said Ms Green. 

Scotland 

Order-order
It only took one weekend in bed together for the SNP and Greens to butt heads. Despite Sturgeon’s insistence today that both parties’ members will “enthusiastically” embrace their power-sharing arrangement, Ian Blackford has already suggested there’s trouble in the tartan paradise, with controversial plans for the A9 and A96 roads to be turned into dual carriageways still scheduled to move ahead – ignoring the Greens’ fierce opposition on the grounds of car use and pollution. The arrangement claims the two parties will ‘maintain distinct positions’ on roadbuilding which, in practice, means the Greens will just have to tolerate whatever the SNP decides…
Given that dualling the A9 and A96 were SNP manifesto pledges, it’s hardly a surprise. Asked whether the power-sharing agreement meant undermining such promises, Blackford claimed:
“Most people are congratulating what is a far-sighted arrangement between the SNP and the Greens… what is important is that we take account of safety and that will be key, both when it comes to the A9, the tremendous improvements that have been made, and indeed the requirement that we have to make sure that we deliver safety over the course of the A96 as well. These things will still happen.”
Sturgeon also confirmed today that whilst would be “engagement” with SNP members on the power-sharing deal, they won’t (unlike Green members) get a vote on it… 

Extinction Rebellion 

Mail
Police finally began making mass arrests on Monday evening after London’s West End was paralysed for hours by Extinction Rebellion protesters who had erected a giant pink table in the middle of the road.
Officers moved in after demonstrators ignored repeated demands – made by loudspeaker – for them to leave the area. 
Until they began making mass arrests at 8pm, the Metropolitan police had detained just eight people, despite the fact that the protest began at midday today.  By 10.15pm on Monday, the police said the number of arrests had increased to 52. 
Officers responded after protesters erected a huge piece of pink furniture – which had the words ‘Change is Now’ and ‘Come to the table’ written on it – on the junction of Long Acre, St Martins Lane and Garrick Street. 
It forced police to close off several roads around the area which would normally be thronged with tourists and families sightseeing. 
Several protesters were seen being carried into police vans as crowds chanted ‘shame on you.’ A small crowd was continuing to remain under the giant table, which was put up near Leicester Square tube station.  Officers have said that they will be confiscating the table when the protesters are finally cleared.  
The group blindsided officers by converging on Trafalgar Square this morning to begin two weeks of what they described as ‘impossible rebellion’. 

Similar stories may be read in Telegraph, Mirror, Times, Evening Standard, Order-order 

PCR tests 

Mail
Around a quarter of the Covid tests carried out on travellers arriving from overseas fail to record where they have come from, figures revealed yesterday.
Critics of the costly tests last night questioned how officials could make decisions about which destinations should be listed as green, amber and red when such a large chunk of crucial information was missing.
They also claimed the figures meant many travellers were paying for the costly post-holiday PCR checks unnecessarily.
The figures came as it was revealed the average cost of a single Covid traveller test remained above £90 – despite a vow two weeks ago by Health Secretary Sajid Javid to drive down prices.
A Daily Mail analysis of NHS Test and Trace figures shows that, of more than 742,650 tests booked by travellers, the country they arrived from is known for around 558,640.
For the remaining 184,000 swabs, the words ‘unknown’ or ‘multiple-unknown’ appear where the place they arrived from is supposed to be listed. 

Covid 

Mail
Britain has ordered 35million more doses of Pfizer‘s Covid jab to dish out as boosters next year.
The injections will arrive in the second half of 2022 and ‘future proof’ the country against the virus and variants, the Department of Health announced today.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the additional doses — enough to give top-ups to more than half of the population — are to ensure the country ‘remains ahead of the virus for years to come’.  
Some 89.3million jabs have been administered in the UK so far, which has seen 77 per cent of over-16s double-jabbed and 88 per cent given at least one dose. 
The NHS is prepared for its first Covid vaccine booster rollout from next month, which will run alongside a national flu immunisation programme.
Vulnerable adults with suppressed immune systems are expected to be offered boosters first, but exactly who else will be eligible hasn’t been finalised yet. 
A decision from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation is due in the coming weeks.   

Similar stories may be read in, Times, Mail, Telegraph, ITV News, Guardian, iNews 

Care homes 

Telegraph
Six in 10 care homes say they will be forced to sack members of staff who are refusing to get vaccinated ahead of the government deadline, The Telegraph understands.
The Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) has ordered all care home staff to receive their first dose of a Covid vaccine by Sep 16 so they are fully vaccinated by the time regulations come into force on Nov 11. 
This means staff – apart from those who are exempt for medical reasons – will be banned from working in care homes if they are not double-jabbed by the deadline. 
The Government has previously estimated that its mandatory vaccination policy will result in around 40,000 care home staff –seven per cent – either quitting or being sacked, costing the embattled sector £100 million to replace.
However, new data seen by The Telegraph suggest that 60 per cent of care home managers believe they will be forced to sack staff based on current vaccination rates, with some seeing up to 20 carers already quitting. 

Health checks 

Mail
Pharmacists will save thousands of lives and help prevent heart attacks and strokes by offering free NHS blood pressure checks.
The high street chemists will offer the life-saving readings to people aged 40 and over from October, under a new NHS contract.
Health bosses say the deal could prevent 2,500 heart attacks and 3,700 strokes, and save 2,000 lives over the next five years. 
They believe 2.5million people could take up the offer of a check, with 250,000 being told they need treatment for high blood pressure, or hypertension.
Failing to treat the condition, through lifestyle changes or medication, can leave patients at increased risk of potentially fatal cardiovascular disease. 
The checks will be available at more than 11,300 pharmacies that dispense NHS prescriptions, including Boots and Lloyds. 

Similar stories may be read in Guardian, Sun, Times 

Climate change 

Independent
The extreme rainfall that triggered devastating and deadly flooding across western Europe  last month was made between 1.2 and nine times more likely by the climate crisis, a rapid analysis finds.
Severe downpours similar to those suffered in countries including Germany, Belgium and Switzerland last month are now 3 to 19 per cent heavier because of human-driven global heating, the research says.
Previous rainfall records were smashed in parts of Germany and Belgium last month, causing rivers to burst their banks and unleash deadly waters.
The unprecedented flooding killed at least 220 people in Germany and Belgium, and caused £4.9bn (€5.5bn) worth of damage in Germany alone.
“Climate change is hitting us everywhere now,” said Maarten van Aalst, one of the research authors and director of the international Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre.
“I hope it’s a wake-up call to not just people that have been affected, but people elsewhere [too].
“We are facing more extreme events of many kinds, and the only thing we can do is to close the tap of increasing greenhouse gas emissions … and to prepare for the more extreme climate that we live in.” 

Russia 

Express
VLADIMIR PUTIN ordered the construction of new nuclear submarines and other warships in a fearsome step forward for Russia’s military.
The President spoke in a video call on Monday, ordering the construction of two subs. Mr Putin said: “We will continue to boost the potential of the Russian navy, develop its bases and infrastructure, arm it with state-of-the-art weapons.
“A strong and sovereign Russia needs a powerful and well-balanced navy.”
The submarines will be armed with intercontinental ballistic missiles.
Other new additions include two diesel-powered submarines and two corvettes.
They will be based at shipyards in Severodvinsk, St. Petersburg and Komsomolsk-on-Amur. 

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