Thursday, October 3
UK weather today – 03/10/24 – A chilly start for many with patchy fog in the north gradually clearing. A bright day follows with patchy cloud developing which could develop into the odd isolated shower, mainly towards southeast England. Feeling pleasant
Editorial 03.10.24
Thursday’s front pages lead with two main stories – polar opposite stories. The ongoing crisis in the Middle East, as Israel has vowed to respond to Iran as fears of an all-out war continue to rise; and Princess Kate’s first public engagement since undergoing cancer treatment.
Most of the broadsheets lead on Israel’s vow to respond to the missile attack, and other stories related to the situation in the Middle East. The tabloids prefer the royal story.
The i newspaper – like many of this morning’s front pages- reports “Israel vows rapid revenge strike on Iran.” The paper offers up its assessment of the situation, saying the Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu knows “the US cannot restrain him now.”
The Metro quotes former Israeli PM Naftali Bennett saying “Now Iran must pay the price” as he “urges strikes on nuclear plants to avenge” Iran’s missile attack on Tuesday.
The FT features a striking image of a woman holding her cat against a background of smoking rubble after an Israeli air strike on Beirut. The paper says “Mideast pain” and reports “Israel vows to hit back at Iran.” Inside the paper, Gideon Rachman says Joe Biden’s efforts to contain the war are failing. Every call for restraint from the US president has been ignored and Washington has still come to Israel’s aid.
The Daily Telegraph’s takes a UK-focused approach to the latest in the Middle East. The paper says the UK’s armed forces are ‘not up to defending Israelis.’ The paper says the RAF “lacks weapons to hit Iranian missiles” and British destroyers are “ill-equipped” it says, quoting defence experts and former Defence Secretary Ben Wallace.
The Daily Express fears the latest in the Middle East conflict could see terror attacks in the UK rise. The “crisis could ‘galvanise’ extremists to target British Jews”, according to the paper.
The Guardian looks at the US warning that they won’t support Israel in attacking Iranian nuclear sites. The paper says Washington is attempting to contain the conflict and fears that US forces could end up being drawn in – if the Israelis attack Iran’s nuclear facilities.
The Times reports that eight soldiers died in a ground battle with Hezbollah. The paper features an image of Iranian missiles downed over the desert.
Although not front-page coverage, The Sun, offers up its assessment. It tells the US and UK not to be “squeamish” and back Israel all the way if “Tel Aviv opts to cut the head off the snake.”
The Daily Mirror favours diplomacy until “every avenue has been exhausted.”
‘Princess Kate back at work’
Princess Catherine is pictured on many front pages – and is the lead for a handful of tabloid newspapers as she returns to work following her cancer treatment.
The Sun features an image of Princess Kate embracing a young cancer patient – Liz Hatton, 16, who visited the royal at Windsor Castle. The princess recently completed chemotherapy.
The Daily Telegraph says Catherine “goes back to work with a hug.” The paper says it was the princess’s first day back at work since completing her cancer treatment.
An image of Princess Kate and Liz features on the side of the front page of the Express too. The paper calls her “caring Kate.” Whilst the Mail also notes “brave Kate’s hug for fellow cancer sufferer.” The Mirror calls it a “touching royal moment” at Windsor Castle.
Nigeria boat accident leaves dozens feared dead in River Niger A boat carrying more than 300 people capsized on Tuesday night on the River Niger in north-central Nigeria. Dozens are
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Although the government is telling everyone the economy is on the mend, the reality is the economy is still on the verge of a double dip recession.
The inflation figures don’t show the real picture. Yes, inflation has stopped rising as much as it did, but the metrics they share is a decline rate not a drop. To understand this imagine the economy as a plane, it would still be falling, just not as fast as it was before, but it’s still on its way down.
The reason for that is FTSE companies from insurance to netflix subscriptions has increased its price, in some cases without any real justification, yet wages for the average joe have not increased.
The interest rates are still higher than they should be, and they will have you believe you that it is inversely linked to inflation. But the government could have maintained a price freeze for everyday services. But boosting profits for corporates is costing the average taxpayer more.
It is true, big companies have a stranglehold around the government policies; not just with lobby groups, but as we saw with Liz Truss, by having the power to tank the stock market. This power comes from the amount of American companies that have taken over British companies; because they don’t really care about the Brits, they are just focussed on their bottom line.
With Christmas around the corner, they will need to be some changes, and the government will have to bring that ‘feel good factor’ back in the market to boost spending and confidence, in order to avoid this being labelled as the ‘winter of discontent 2′.
No winter fuel payments, fuel bills rising by £150 per household (today), higher credit cards payments and mortgages equals parents with no money for presents. This will make this winter, not only, one of the coldest but also a thrifty one.
Earlier this morning Israel launched its invasion of Lebanon, despite the calls and protests from world leaders. Netanyahu is determined to push forward his agenda for creating a greater Israel and gain more land.
Despite the conflicts with Starmer on the issue, this provides a political opportunity that politicians will exploit. First and foremost it will take the limelight away from domestic policies. So politicians will use every soundbite to talk about the issue.
Additionally, politicians will use this opportunity to drive home the cuts at home. Although they are determined not to use words like ‘austerity’ – Labour will be making big spending cuts starting with winter fuel payments.
On the surface this may seem like a natural appointment, but once you dig deeper you see the problem. Labour has appointed oil baron Rachel Kyte as the lead UK’s return to high-level environmental diplomacy.
Until this year, she worked with Hedge fund (which has £1.2 Billion) invested in oil and fossil fuels and arms. And there’s more her company, through their foundation paid a £4 Million donation to the Labour party just before the election.
Furthermore Starmer has been accused to Rosie Duffield, MP for Canterbury, said she claimed Starmer had “a woman problem”, claiming that Downing Street was run by a male clique. “It’s clear the lads are in charge,”.
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