Germany wants UK’s banks to come

Business correspondent(es/wp):
Come to Frankfurt and sack your bankers, appears to be the latest blandishment from Germany’s financial centre trying to attract London-based banks looking to move after Brexit.
In the battle for banks who might either move their headquarters or open branch offices in the EU following the referendum, Germany is ready to water down strict European employment laws to make it easier for them to fire highly paid executives.
“The British say: ‘If we hire top earners when it’s booming, we have to be able to quickly reduce our high-wage staff when a boom… stops,’” Thomas Schaefer, Hesse’s finance minister told Bloomberg.
“You can surely waive strict dismissal rules for those who earn a significant amount of money.”
Frankfurt, the capital of Hesse, is vying with Paris, Dublin and Amsterdam to attract banks who want access to the EU after Britain leaves.
“We’ve got to get ahead of the situation on Brexit before other cities like Paris and Milan do,” said Uwe Becker, Frankfurt’s deputy mayor.

David Cameron quits as MP for Witney

political correspondent(wp/es):
 David Cameron quits as MP for Witney.
David Cameron announced he is standing down as an MP in the following statement:

"I spoke this morning to the chairman of the West Oxfordshire Conservative Association and I have just come from a meeting with my constituency agent and other members of staff.
"Having fully considered my position over the summer, I have decided that I am going to stand down as the Member of Parliament for Witney.
"There will now be a by-election and I will do everything that I can to help the Conservative candidate win that election.
"In my view, the circumstances of my resignation as prime minister and the realities of modern politics make it very difficult to continue on the backbenches without the risk of becoming a diversion to the important decisions that lie ahead for my successor in Downing Street and the Government.

"I fully support Theresa May and have every confidence that Britain will thrive under her strong leadership.
"It has been an honour to serve the people of Witney and West Oxfordshire for the last 15 years. I want to thank them for making the job of representing them such a pleasure and a privilege.
"I would like to thank the party workers, volunteers, councillors and supporters for all they have done to help me.
"Our house in Dean is the place Samantha, my children and I call home, and that will not change. I will continue to support the local causes and charities that mean so much to me and many others in this beautiful and enterprising part of our country.
"I now look forward to a life outside of Westminster, but hope to continue to play a part in public service and to make a real and useful contribution to the country I love."

After passengers trapped British Airways i360 in Brighton tower closes

Brighton correspondent(wp/es):
A 450ft-high vertical cable car in Brighton has been closed after passengers became trapped in observation pod twice in a matter of days.
Two hundred customers were locked into the British Airways i360 for over an hour yesterday after the doors broke and would not open.
It was the second time in less than a week that passengers have been stuck after a "technical hitch" caused 180 customers to be suspended in the air for two hours on Thursday.
East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service was called and two fire engines were sent to rescue passengers, including a heavily pregnant woman, who were stuck on board for about two hours.

The ride was due to open as normal on Monday after engineers attended to the fault, but now customers are being turned away as “specialist technicians” conduct further checks on the 360 degree viewing platform.
A statement in the i360 website said: “British Airways i360 will close today while specialist technicians conduct further checks on site.
“We apologise for any inconvenience caused. Customers who have booked tickets for flights today will be offered alternative visits or refunds.”
The structure, designed by London Eye architects, opened on August 4 and is the thinnest of its kind on the planet.

east London school gives three days notice for Muslim festival Eid-al-Adha

staff reporter(wp/es):
Parents at an east London school were given just three days notice that it would be closed today so staff could mark the Muslim festival Eid-al-Adha.
Chobham Academy in Newham said the closure of its primary school was due to “a high number of staff requesting leave for religious observance”.
Children were sent home with a letter last week warning their parents.
One mother criticised the short notice, claiming it made finding childcare difficult.

She told the Sun: “People have jobs and lives and will find it difficult to get childcare at such short notice.
“I got a text out of the blue at about 11am on Friday saying the school would be closed on Monday but it didn’t explain why.
“Then they sent the kids home with a letter from the head saying it was because a lot of teachers had suddenly asked for the day off.”
Head teacher Mark Elms wrote to parents to say the nursery, reception, year 1 and year 2 pupils would not be able to come in.

He said: “Please accept my sincere apologies for the short notice which could not be helped and for the disruption to the beginning of the new academic year.”
Eid-al-Adha is the holiest day in the Muslim calendar and – like Easter – its date changes every year as it’s based on the lunar cycle.

It was predicted to occur yesterday on September 11, causing controversy as that was also the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks.
But religious leaders in Saudi Arabia announced last Friday that it would actually take place today.