Friday’s front pages lead with various domestic and international stories. There is ongoing coverage of the latest across the Middle East as G7 nations prepare to hold a virtual meeting on Friday to discuss the fast-moving developments. For Syrians, many have taken to the streets in celebration, marking the end of the Assad regime. 

Amid ongoing war in the Middle East and Europe, as well as the return of Donald Trump to world politics, several front pages lead with stories regarding NATO. European members of the alliance are holding talks about increasing the spending target to 3% of GDP. There is also a warning from the new head of NATO, Mark Rutte, that European members need to spend more on defence. 

A little closer to home, Prince Andrew has found himself on the front pages again, this time regarding a close confidant to the Duke who has reportedly been banished from Britain over claims he is a Chinese spy. 

A handful of tabloids continue to cover the tragic death of 10-year-old Sara Sharif. 

‘Celebrations and sorrow in Syria’

‘ Funerals for Assad victims taking place as people search for the missing,’ reports The Guardian.

The Guardian leads with a report that funerals are now being carried out in Syria for the victims of the Assad regime. The paper says thousands took to the streets of Damasus for the funeral of Mazen al-Hamadah. 

The paper notes that the streets have been filled with people celebrating but Syrians are also now starting the search for the country’s missing people. The paper says as many as 130,000 people may be “lost forever.” 

The Independent speaks to the young man whose graffiti sparked Syrian revolution.

The Independent leads with an exclusive interview with Muawiyah Syasneh – the man who sparked the civil war in Syria. At the age of 16, his anti-Assad graffiti on a school wall led to his arrest, sparking protests that ended in civil war. Now he speaks to the paper about the years-long war and the role he plans to have in ending it. 

‘European Nato spending talks’

‘Increase in defence spending sends good signal to Trump,’ notes The FT.

The FT leads with reports that European NATO members are to meet to discuss increasing the defence spending target from 2% of GDP to 3%. The paper quotes a German official as saying the move would send a “good signal” to Donald Trump – who believes NATO’s European members should pay more towards their defence. 

‘Calls for the UK to push towards the 3% target – Starmer not in favour’ notes the i.

The i newspaper picks up on comments from former chief of the navy, Admiral Lord West, and former Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, who are calling on the UK to also push towards a 3% target by the end of the decade. PM Starmer favours a lower 2.5% target, the paper adds.

‘Prince Andrew spy link’

‘Andrew’s friend banned from Britain over claims he’s a Chinese spy,’ reports The Times.

The Times leads with reports that Prince Andrew has been linked to an alleged Chinese spy. The paper says the man became so close to Andrew that he was invited to his birthday party and even “authorised to act on [his] behalf to seek investors in China”. It also quotes a letter to him from one of the prince’s advisers saying: “You sit at the very top of a tree that many, many people would like to be on.”

‘H6 engaged in covert and deceptive activity for China,’ says The Telegraph.

The Telegraph says the Home Office has barred the man from the UK after MI5 concluded he had engaged in “covert and deceptive activity” on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party and was a national security threat. The paper says that the man – known as H6 – challenged the decision but that a special immigration commission has now ruled it was justified.

‘H6 was a close confidant” to Andrew,’ reports the Mail.

The Daily Mail also leads on the story by saying the “close confidant” to Andrew has been “banished from Britain” over claims he’s a spy. The paper says court documents have revealed that the man was barred from the country on “security grounds” following an investigation by MI5.