Ethiopian Airlines crash and Brexit talks deadlock

A day after an Ethiopian Airlines flight crashed leaving 157 people dead, stories are emerging about some of the lives lost. Passengers came from more than 30 countries, and Joanna Toole, from Devon, was one of at least seven Britons killed. Her father said it was “tragic” she wouldn’t be able to achieve more in her career with the UN. Tributes have also been paid to Kenyan and British dual national and father-of-three Joseph Waithaka.

Sunday’s crash occurred just six minutes after the Nairobi-bound service left Addis Ababa. The pilot reported difficulties in the moments before, but experts warn it’s too early to speculate on the cause. Nevertheless, China’s aviation regulator has ordered all local airlines to suspend flights using the 737 Max 8. Several North American airlines also say they’re monitoring the situation closely. Boeing said it was “deeply saddened” at Sunday’s incident.

Theresa May’s Brexit deal comes back before MPs on Tuesday for a crucial vote, but at this late stage, talks between the UK and the EU remain deadlocked. The UK is pushing for changes to the Irish backstop – designed as a safety net to maintain an open border on the island of Ireland, but hated by many who fear it may leave the UK tied to the EU indefinitely.

Talks resume on Monday, but BBC political correspondent Chris Mason says without some last-minute breakthrough, the deal will return to the Commons without being substantially changed so the prospect of another big loss looms for the prime minister. In January, she lost by 230 votes – a record defeat.

The UK government spends £49bn with outside companies every year and in future, it says, it will spend that money more carefully. Businesses are being told they must do more to tackle issues such as modern slavery and climate change if they want to win public sector contracts. Small firms and those who employ staff from diverse backgrounds, including people with disabilities, will also be looked on more favourably. However, ministers insist the changes won’t end up costing the taxpayer more.

“Times have changed. Kids are getting things out of their parents’ cabinets. They don’t have to go out on the street, and they don’t know what they are taking,” says Jan Cibulski, school nursing supervisor in rural Shelby County. Until the start of the year, the state, like most others, recommended school nurses administer the treatment, but now they are widening the training to other teaching staff – including teachers, coaches and administrators – as the opioid epidemic spirals nationwide. For US teaching staff, the training could become another standard procedure, like shooting drills.

The Ethiopian Airlines crash makes the lead for some. The Daily Mirror hears from an ex-pilot who says Boeing will have to answer some questions very quickly. Brexit leads most papers though, and according to the Daily Telegraph the EU is planning to charge Britain a billion pounds a month in return for agreeing a delay. The Times reports that Theresa May has been urged by senior Conservative MPs to pull Tuesday’s meaningful vote if she fails to secure significant concessions from Brussels. The Sun feels that whatever the outcome, nothing can conceal the “humiliation” the UK has suffered under her “lock-jawed leadership”. Elsewhere, there’s widespread coverage of the assault by a spectator on Aston Villa’s captain during a game. “Could football sink any lower?” the Daily Mail asks. The Guardian says it’s the latest in a rash of troubling crowd-related incidents in recent weeks.

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