London stories, and a few from further down the towpath.
Last updated
Thick fog set to slow the Monday commute in London
The Met Office has a yellow warning for fog across London and much of southern England this morning, with visibility forecast to drop below 50 metres in places, the Evening Standard reported. The BBC said the fog threatens rush-hour disruption on roads and at airports.
Fog was blamed for a crash involving more than 30 vehicles on the London-bound M20 in Kent on Saturday, in which two people were seriously injured, Sky News reported.
Why it matters
Visibility below 50 metres means slower roads, possible flight delays and a longer trip to work.
Ministers expected to cut electric car targets this week
The government is expected to water down its targets for sales of new electric vehicles this week, the BBC reported. Under current plans, new petrol and diesel cars are phased out from 2030 and all new cars must be zero emission by 2035.
The Guardian said a final decision is due after a Downing Street meeting on Wednesday. Carmakers have pressed for more flexibility, while some Labour MPs have warned that cutting the targets would weaken the government's climate commitments.
Why it matters
The rules decide how many electric cars dealers must sell, which shapes prices and choice on the forecourt.
The culture secretary, Lisa Nandy, said the government is "looking seriously" at adding online marketplaces such as Vinted and eBay to the list of platforms under-16s will be banned from next March, the BBC reported. Sky News said no final decision has been made.
Why it matters
Many teenagers buy and sell second-hand clothes and games on these sites, and families would need another route.
Schools told not to start GCSE teaching before Year 10
Secondary schools in England will be told to stop teaching GCSE courses before Year 10, so that pupils in Years 7 to 9 get what the government calls "richer, more engaging" lessons, the BBC reported. Sky News said the change is part of a wider curriculum overhaul.
Education Secretary Lucy Powell warned that starting exam content early risks turning schools into "early exam factories", the Guardian reported.
Why it matters
It changes what pupils aged 11 to 14 spend their lessons on in every state secondary in England.
Russell Brand is due back in court today to be sentenced for rape and sexual assault, Sky News reported.
Separately, the culture secretary told the BBC that "time is up" for the media industry to take abuse seriously, saying many people had come forward to her.
Why it matters
The case has prompted ministers to call for wider action on abuse in the media industry.
A British national was among at least six people killed when a gunman opened fire on Krakow's Main Market Square, the BBC reported. Polish police said the attacker drove into the square and fired at people at random, and a dozen more were injured.
The suspect has since died in hospital, police said.
Why it matters
A British citizen is among the dead in an attack in one of Europe's busiest tourist squares.
Voting opens to choose the Conservative candidate for London mayor
Conservative members have started voting to pick the party's candidate for London mayor. Former home secretary James Cleverly told the Evening Standard that beating Lord Khan is "definitely doable".
Why it matters
The winner will take on Sadiq Khan at the next mayoral election.
Spending on the pedestrianised stretch of Oxford Street was up on the same week last year, according to figures reported by the BBC. Cars and buses were removed from more than a kilometre of the street on 26 October. Shoppers have welcomed the calmer atmosphere, though concerns remain about bus journey times and cycling.
Kensington and Chelsea proposes a 70% council tax rise
The west London borough said it had "reluctantly" put forward the rise, which residents called "outrageous", the Evening Standard reported. Elsewhere in the capital, Hillingdon is facing a £45m gap despite a £175m government bailout.
Why it matters
If approved, it would be one of the steepest council tax increases in the country.
Ten years after seven people died when a tram came off the tracks on a sharp bend in Croydon, families of those killed told the BBC they feel justice was not done.
£100m spent on Brexit border posts that never opened
At least £100m of public money went on border inspection posts for checking goods from the EU, and five of seven planned sites in England and Wales never became operational, the Guardian reported.
Few stroke survivors get the therapy the NHS recommends
Only 6.4% of stroke survivors receive the amount of rehabilitation therapy the NHS should provide, according to a Stroke Association report covered by the Guardian. The charity called the finding "damning".
Starbucks plans 7,500 new jobs, mostly outside London
Starbucks says it will hire 7,500 baristas over five years and open 500 more UK shops, with a focus on the Midlands, the north of England, Wales and Scotland, the Guardian reported.
New figures suggest Britain's hazel dormice may be recovering after decades of decline, with warmer summers helping more of them survive, the BBC reported. A creature that sleeps for half the year has, once again, picked its moment well.
