this is bbc news with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. former british prime ministers tony blair and sirjohn major call borisjohnson‘s brexit plans ‘shameful‘ — as the government continues to defend plans to override parts of the withdrawal agreement. this is a collective will on the part of the government not just to prepare for the worst but also to protect the internal workings of our united kingdom, that's responsible government. more than 30 people have died as wildfires burn in california, oregon, and washington causing widespread pollution. there's fresh concern in the uk over the growing spread of coronavirus after more than 3000 cases were recorded on consecutive days.

the afghan government calls for a ceasefire with the taliban — as the first—ever peace talks between the two sides get under way in qatar. hello and welcome if you re watching in the uk or around the world 7 and stay with us for the latest news and analysis from here and across the globe. i'm ben brown. two former british prime ministers have condemned plans by the government to override elements of the brexit withdrawal agreement using domestic law, something ministers have admitted will break an international treaty. boris johnson says the european union is threatening to impose a customs border in the irish sea, separating northern ireland from the rest of the uk. but writing in the sunday times, sirjohn major and tony blair say "what is being proposed now is shocking...is irresponsible, wrong in principle and dangerous in practice". they go on to say "this government's

action is shaming itself and embarrassing our nation." 0ur political correspondent, helen catt is here. they both have criticised boris johnson in the past but these are very strong words of criticism. these are two former prime ministers from different parties, one labour and one conservative so to striking they have at this point decided to come back together again and also in the letter they have attacked the justification boris johnson is given for taking this action. he says he needs to do to protect the integrity of the uk and the peace process in northern ireland. they say they disagree with that and the government action does not protect the good friday agreement, it puts it in peril. they have poured scorn on the idea of this difference of opinion has just come to light saying to claim no the

government has onlyjust discovered this consequence is a nonsense thought it was the prime minister himself who negotiated it. the justice secretary robert buckland has been saying with this morning with respect these prime ministers did not have to deal with the situation. it is very difficult to find a moment like we are in at the moment. none of my predecessors are no prime ministers our government have had to extricate itself from a situation it has been in for a0 years. this is difficult staff and right that we make vision for the contingency that if things do not go well we have a domestic basis on which to act. what is the latest reaction from the eu? there has been quite a strong reaction and quite a lot of anger. has been a bit about ratcheting up on the eu side as well. michel

barnier suggested perhaps the eu might not grant the uk the right to export food once you leave the customs union. the eu has said it could take legal action and the eu parliament has said it would refuse to ratify any trade deal if changes we re to ratify any trade deal if changes were made to the withdrawal agreement and that is a genuine sense of anger. simon coveney expressed those concerns about what this does to how britain is viewed and for those other negotiations. the british government in my view is behaving in an extraordinary way. british people need to know that.

because outside of britain where this issue is being discussed now the reputation of the uk and britain as a trusted negotiating partner on important issues like this is being damaged in a very serious way. the labour party has been accused of not been as strong on brexit as it could have been and today there has been an article from sir kier starmer saying that the government needs to get on with it and turn its attention to focusing on coronavirus in the uk. he also sets out what the labour party position would be on the bill going through parliament starting tomorrow. he said they will not vote for it if the government does not do something to fix these concerns and rachel reeves, a labour mp who speaks for the party on brexit issues reinforce that. i cannot go through and kier starmer cannot go through the division lobbies this evening knowing that we are deliberately and consciously

breaking international law. is the wrong thing to do for our moral standing in the world but it is also absolutely counter—productive achieving what we want to achieve and that is a free trade agreement with the european union. but indeed free trade agreements around the world. is any of this likely to change the position of downing street? this is government likes to take in and it is about to start its next stage in progress through parliament tomorrow so progress through parliament tomorrow soi progress through parliament tomorrow so i think it is unlikely we will see a change. more than 30 people have been killed by wildfires that are sweeping through us west coast states, officials say. dozens of people are missing in oregon alone, with one emergency official saying the state should be preparing for a mass fatality incident. kathryn armstrong reports. the city of portland, almost invisible under a thick layer of smoke — the result of deadly wildfires

that have been raging on the west coast for weeks. meteorologists on saturday said that the air quality here and in neighbouring states was the worst in the world, and warnings are in place in canada as the smoke travels north. so awfully kind of you guys. thank you so much. elsewhere in oregon, these residents are now relying on the kindness of strangers after having to flee their homes, unsure when they will be able to return and what they will find when they get there. to be honest, if we have to rebuild, we have to rebuild. if we don't have to rebuild, we still have so much clean—up to do because of the ash. because when we left, like i said, the last time we pulled out, there was almost two inches, so it is what it's going to be and i am just thankful that we are alive, we are together. oh, my god! and scenes like this are what they have escaped. this part ofjust one of the more than a dozen blazes in the state that firefighters are working to contain.

oh, my god, babe. more than 900,000 acres have burned in oregon this week alone — more than twice the average area burned over the last decade. officials are warning the death toll could rise significantly in the coming days. meanwhile in california, where some of the largest fires the state has ever seen have been burning, there has been some cause for optimism — a break in the hot, dry weather on saturday enabled firefighters to make important headway in containment efforts. the president is due to visit the state on monday to see first—hand the devastation the fires have caused. donald trump has said that western governors bear some of the blame for intense fire seasons in recent years, claiming that poor forest management has enabled the fires to spread. applause. his political opponentjoe biden, meanwhile, hasjoined some state officials, including california's governor, in linking the current

situation to climate change. he tweeted: while the cause of the fires remains open for debate, the arduous task of trying to contain them continues. it is hoped that in the coming days, parts of the west coast will see the first signs of rain in weeks, bringing some relief to a desperate situation. however, officials are warning that some fires are likely to continue burning until winter arrives. there's fresh concern over the growing spread of coronavirus after more than 3000 cases were recorded in the uk on consecutive days — for the first time since mid—may. it comes as the government sends an alert to care providers over growing concerns over an increase in covid—i9 cases in care homes. in towns and cities across the uk last night, many people took the opportunity to enjoy a night out, before new covid restrictions come into force tomorrow. here's simonjones.

a busy saturday night in liverpool. the last chance for large groups to meet before the so—called rule of six comes into force. in england only six people will be allowed to get together in most situations. this weekend everybody is just going wild, which makes zero sense, but i think everyone is going wild because they want to have the last party because everyone is terrified of going into another lockdown. there's four people in our house and there's four people in her house so there's been eight. the majority of people have got two kids. the majority of couples have two children so it's preventing families getting together. coronavirus is not going to stop this weekend, it's still going to be here so why wait till monday? if there's going to be a lockdown, do it now. in soho in central london there is concern at the rate coronavirus is spreading. the r number has gone over one now. i think we are approaching this second wave that everyone is talking about. i think it will be quite a good thing. when you go to places

like this you do see big, big groups of people. certain areas are not monitored like house parties and that is down to responsibility for the host of the house party. hopefully people listen. i don't know if they do, though. yeah, be sensible. from monday police in england will have the power to fine people who don't stick to the rule of six £100 for a first offence doubling each time to a maximum of £3200. the big question is whether police will initially try an approach of engagement or move straight to enforcement. in england the rule of six will apply indoors and outdoors and in scotland the six can only be from two households and young children aren't counted and in wales up to 30 can still meet outdoors. this is why the government is acting. there were 3a97 new coronavirus cases recorded in the latest 2a—hour period. that means the average number of new cases reported per day in the last week is just over 3000.

nine deaths were reported of people who died within 28 days of a positive covid—i9 test and that means on average in the last week 11 deaths were announced each day, taking the total number across the uk to ai,623. in scotland new cases diagnosed have hit a four—month high — the message from politicians — keeping coronavirus under control requires care and vigilance from all of us. the welsh government says nearly a third of people should still be working from home, even when coronavirus restrictions have eased. ministers say their ambition is to see about 30% of the workforce in wales staying at or near home in the long term. they argue the move could reduce congestion and pollution, and improve work—life balance. tomos morgan reports.

a sign of coronavirus times, workspaces across the uk near empty. but as prime minister borisjohnson aims to get the public back into the office, the welsh government says it is aiming for 30% of workers to keep working from home, even as the threat of covid—i9 decreases. it is a decision based on stopping the virus and reducing congestion into town centres and improving air quality. ministers are adamant that this is a proposal that can rejuvenate and not hinder town centre economy. we can breathe life back into town centres plus give people the option of continuing the flexibility they have had through the coronavirus. we don't want people to return to their offices, we think covid has shown us a better way of doing things. it does not work for everyone but for those it does work for, there could be multiple benefits for the whole of society. but some unions suggest local small businesses could suffer if this becomes a long—term reality. the people who are going to be potentially losing out in all of this are going to be the lowest paid workers,

more often than not, people who cannot work from home, theirjobs are somewhere else, they physically have to go to work so you're talking about cleaning, you're talking about people who work in maintenance and so forth, people who may work in the hospitality sector, and the retail sector as well. this is a bold announcement from a devolved government that has been cautious in its approach in easing lockdown but a decisive one in implementing what it feels is best for wales. tomas morgan, bbc news, cardiff. representatives of the afghan government and the taliban begin their first formal day of peace talks in qatar later, following an opening ceremony. the head of the government delegation, abdullah abdullah, said that one of the first issues to be discussed would be government calls for a reduction in violence and an eventual ceasefire. the taliban say afghanistan should be governed under stricter islamic law. 0ur chief international correspondent lyse doucet is in doha. she says the mood is positive, going into the first real day of talks. after the opening ceremony,

afghans on both sides of this divide and their allies all use the word hope. cautious hope, but hope nonetheless. then, when they had just said, right, now just afghans are going to sit in the room to discuss procedural issues. how are we going to proceed with the talks? what will be the framework? after that, they said it had gone better than expected. today's talks are expected to focus on what issues will be on the agenda. the afghan government wants ceasefire to be at the top of priorities. that is not so for the taliban, but this will be the first test of how they can find a way to move forward and they have a long way to go. a group of mps has written to nhs trusts asking them to allow pregnant women to have a partner with them during labour and scans. the government has given guidance saying this should be permitted, but mps are concerned that some nhs trusts are still making women go through labour alone. joining me now is conservative mp alicia kearns, who organised the campaign.

thank you very much for being with us. thank you very much for being with us. just describe the situation as it exists at the moment. when national lockdown ended medical guidance from the government said it could change so women across the country could have a partner with them for all their scans and every stage of labour. unfortunately even this week there has been a woman in the country who had to deliver a still born on their own and women going for scans finding out they have had miscarriages on their own and partners locked out of rooms when they want to be there protecting their loved ones so i'm calling for all nhs trust to immediately put in place government guidelines and make sure no woman goes through this alone. the problem some nhs trusts are not allowing women to have partners with them, is this a minority of trusts? how many are we talking about? it has been very difficult to establish but as

an mp that is why so many colleagues signed the letter and would have signed the letter and would have signed the letter because we are getting e—mails from constituents and a lot of time from partner saying i have not been able to be there to support my loved one and i desperately need to be in the room. the stories are horrendous so u nfortu nately the stories are horrendous so unfortunately it is very widespread and it is a necessary and needs to end now. is this happening in individual cases in individual hospitals within the country are individual trusts who are making these decisions? where do you think these decisions? where do you think the problem really lies if you can work that out? the decision sets with the nhs trust who make the decisions for all the hospital said in theirarea. decisions for all the hospital said in their area. imperial nhs trust is not allowing it and in liverpool and birmingham and newcastle and even yesterday someone in london had the same issue. it is the same in wales. so many colleagues have signed

because of this issue. nhs trusts have the permission from government and the authority so we urge them to please make this change. make this change because you are saying this is pretty traumatic for many women around the country who are facing this. i am pregnant at the moment, five months, the reason i'm fighting for this is my trust immediately let me have a partner so i have not had a scan on my own. women going to the scans with a partner is excited, terrified, real time of the unknown. you can walk away with the best use possible of the most devastating news when you could have been working to get pregnant four years. women are going into rooms where they have previously had a miscarriage not knowing what they will be told this time. a woman had to deliver a stillborn on her own. birth is dramatic. when i was in labour it seemed fine and then i was glued late into the emergency room.

birth changes at speed and women need to be given the support and to be part of that and not left out of the process. —— blue lit. hundreds of thousands of students are due to arrive at england's universities in the coming weeks, where they face a different experience than usual due to coroanvirus. but one student's journey to university has been harder than the majority of his peers. ahmad nawaz was ia when he was shot by a taliban gunman during a terror attack at his school in pakistan. he now lives in birmingham, where he is an anti—radicalisation campaigner. attack at his school in pakistan. he now lives in birmingham, where he is an anti—radicalisation campaigner. he's won a place at oxford university, and hejoins me now. tell us about your journey to a place at oxford university which is usually priced. thank you very much for inviting me on the show. i think for inviting me on the show. i think for many people the journey has been

quite interesting, especially the past two years of a—levels. i did the international baccalaureate. coming from pakistan to the uk about five years ago and settling into country where is so different and the culture and language and the way of life is so different in the education system is quite different. that was quite a huge transition. but nonetheless i was determined at that time to just keep going and get the best possible education. i really started to enjoy the system here as well. it has been quite a few tough years as well because i had to catch up with a lot of things. the languorous was the biggest area i believe because everything was in english and if your english was not top—notch i think you can't really excel at se kind of subjects. that was quite a ha rd kind of subjects. that was quite a hard transition. —— written se subjects. then i decided to do

international baccalaureate. —— essay. i received the offer and it is quite an incredible thing.|j think you survived the shooting attack with the taliban when you are 14 attack with the taliban when you are ia by pretending to be dead. quite an extra and experience from that to going to oxford university. an extra and experience from that to going to oxford universitylj an extra and experience from that to going to oxford university. i think so going to oxford university. i think so as well. at the time of that attack and before that time i could never have imagined being one of the best universities in the world. what had happened on that day, i thought it would prevent me from even getting the basic education offered because the experience you get in school is what you need in when you go through something like that in a school i think that discards you for life. it sometimes stops you in focusing on your education in the future. but i think it determined me to focus on it even more and try to

enjoy it even more now i have it in a safe environment. really good luck to you. fantastic achievement for you to get that place at oxford. i know it won't maybe be exactly the same because of coronavirus but i'm sure you same because of coronavirus but i'm sure you will enjoy it. thank you it's the biggest half marathon event in the uk, raising more than £25 million every year. this year's great north run is currently under way — although the race will look very different. the event was cancelled because of the coronavirus, so a virtual version is taking place today with 16,000 people all over the world taking part. one of those runners is colin plews, who has paused his race especially to talk to us this morning and hejoins us live tell us what you are up to. from south shields. tell us what you are up to.

i have loved every single minute of it and everybody still coming to the windows and waving. a smaller but still the same. how disappointed are you we cannot have a normal great north run? when i heard the news is absolutely gutted and a lot of the charities were hit hard. they have done the best they can so i am really appreciative of that. what exactly a re really appreciative of that. what exactly are you doing today?|j really appreciative of that. what exactly are you doing today? i am known as the guy in the big pink dress and i run half marathons. what happened there? a bit of wind hit south shields. it does happen. carry on. iam south shields. it does happen. carry on. i am in south shields and we are doing the run today for two great charities, sent benedict hospice run

by an amazing guy and the kayak association. it's not the same but we're still getting out and raising money. how important it that everybody gets out and raises money because charities need money from events like the great north run and are desperate to get that money and if they don't have it will suffer?‘ lot of the charities, small ones especially are really struggling. i am pleading with people. if you're thinking of raising money get out and do it because they really need it. it is notjust about getting out and about and running, it is about raising funds. exactly. a lot of these charities are really struggling at the moment. i understand people are short of money because of all the job cuts and things but if you can give, please do. really good luck to you. i hope it is good. i hope it goes very well. thank you so much for passing

and also for surviving the wind there and keeping the camera is the right way round. the coast road is pretty windy. i can tell. enjoy yourself. very good luck indeed. teenagers convicted of terrorism in england and wales could receive whole—life terms under sentencing reforms described by the government as the most radical in almost 20 yea rs. currently, a life tariff can only be given to those over the age of 21, but ministers plan to reduce this to 18 for exceptional cases, such as terrorism. the husband of nazanin zaghari—ratcliffe, who was expected to appear in court in tehran today, says she has not been taken to court. who was expected to appear in court in tehran today, says she has not been taken to court. her lawyer is currently at the prosecutors office trying to find out what is happening. last week the british iranian mother, who is serving a five—year sentence in iran, was told she would be tried today on a new charge.

she was arrested in 2016 after being accused of spying — which she vigorously denies. hello. temperatures are set to climb over the next few days and a burst of september heat on the way. and today is a little bit warmer than it was yesterday. the rain keeps falling over western and north—western scotland. there is met office yellow warning in force. eastern parts of scotland should brighten up with a bit of sunshine. the best sunshine today through east wales and the midlands and the east

and south of england. quite windy through this central slice through northern ireland and central scotla nd northern ireland and central scotland and northern england with gusts of around a5 mph and temperatures a little higher than yesterday. 21 in belfast and parts of eastern england likely to get to 25 or 26 degrees. this evening and tonight the rain will slowly peter out in the north—west of scotland. a lot of cloud around and some patches of fog in one or two spots down towards the south in what will be a mild lows of 11 to 1a degrees. some patchy rain tonight. for the start the week most of us wolf experience very warm weather ended with temperatures up to 30 degrees.

towards the south—east we will see values of 29 and may 30 degrees. a bit cooler north and west where we may experience cloud. 0n bit cooler north and west where we may experience cloud. on tuesday still reign to the north and west and extra cloud creeping across england and wales with the odd shower which mites suppress the was a bit but we still may get to 29 degrees and a bit warmer by the stage for parts of scotland and northern ireland. by the temperatures will fall away and start to feel cooler but still for many of us remain dry.

this is bbc news. the headlines. former british prime ministers tony blair and sirjohn major call borisjohnson's brexit plans ‘shameful‘ — as the government continues to defend plans to override parts

of the withdrawal agreement. more than 30 people have died as wildfires burn in california, oregon, and washington causing widespread pollution. there's fresh concern in the uk over the growing spread of coronavirus after more than 3000 cases were recorded on consecutive days. the afghan government calls for a ceasefire with the taliban, as the first—ever peace talks between the two sides get under way in qatar. now on bbc news, a month after lebanon's catastrophic explosion in the port of beirut, what next for the country's crisis—hit economy and broken political system? hello and welcome to this edition of global questions with me, zeinab badawi. this week we asked if lebanon's political system is broken.