Author: David Pike

Today’s news summary – Paper Talk Thursday’s front pages are dominated by two stories: Prince Harry confirming his attendance at the Coronation, whilst Meghan stays in the US with their children and Joe Biden’s visit to Ireland. Many of the papers lead with a picture of Prince Harry and Joe Biden. Harry to return for Coronation The Daily Mirror uses the headline “Spare will be there” to summarise the news. The Daily Telegraph reports that…

GP surgeries suspend routine appointments to cope with ‘most disruptive strike in NHS history’ The Sun says GP surgeries are suspending routine appointments to cope with this week’s strike by junior doctors, it is reported. More than 47,000 are expected to walk out for 96 hours from April 11 to 15 in a move which will “utterly overwhelm” the NHS, it is feared. While many trusts have insisted the public will receive care as normal,…

Today’s news summary – Paper Talk  Many of Tuesday’s front pages report on Tuesday’s four-day doctors’ strike in England that could see thousands of doctors strike and many patients having operations cancelled. Joe Biden is pictured on several of the newspapers this morning as he heads to the island of Ireland to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. Several of the tabloids lead with reports that the late Queen wanted both Prince…

Russian jets apparently launched a missile within 15ft of the British spy plane.

The trenches suggest Russian commanders fear they could lose much of southern Ukraine to a major counterattack.

‘If it’s God’s will, everything will turn out fine.’

BBC objects to Twitter’s ‘government funded media label’ The Metro says The BBC has contacted Twitter to object over a label on the platform describing it as ‘government funded media’. The label has only been applied to the corporation’s @BBC account, which is primarily used for promoting TV programmes, radio shows and podcasts. News-focused accounts such as @BBCNews, @BBCBreaking and @BBCWorld have not been labelled. In a statement, the corporation said: ‘The BBC is, and…

Wizz Air ranked the worst airline for flight delays Wizz Air has been named the worst major airline for flight delays from UK airports for the second year running, according to new figures. Civil Aviation Authority data analysed by PA news agency revealed that the Hungarian carrier’s UK departures were an average of 46 minutes and six seconds behind schedule in 2022. This was over three times longer than the previous year, when it was…

Rishi Sunak calls for Stormont return for Good Friday Agreement anniversary Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has praised the political leaders who shaped Northern Ireland’s Good Friday Agreement on its 25th anniversary, calling it “born of partnership between the British and Irish governments.”  The 1998 Good Friday Agreement ended Northern Ireland’s decades-long violent conflict known as the Troubles. Sunak called on Stormont politicians to “get on with the business of governance” and commended those who “took…

Today’s news summary – Paper Talk Monday’s newspapers feature a variety of headlines, with no one story dominating the papers. But one of the most popular being splashed includes updates on the contentious attack ad campaign launched by the Labour Party against Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Many of the front pages report on the royal family attending an Easter service and the King’s upcoming coronation. NHS chaos amid doctors’ Strikes   According to The Daily Telegraph,…

  A quarter of century since the signing of a peace deal that largely ended violence in Northern Ireland, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said efforts had to be intensified to restore the power-sharing government central to the accord. Advertising Signed in Belfast on April 10, 1998, the Good Friday agreement is considered one of the most significant peace deals of the late 20th Century, seeking to end three decades of sectarian strife that killed…

The Sunday Papers Sunday Papers – Doctors Strike, Coronation and Olivia’s mum Sunday’s front pages report on a variety of topics including King Charles III’s upcoming coronation suggesting that the event will help the Conservative party by “eclipsing a predicted Tory wipeout in town hall elections”. Millions of people across the country will go to the polls to vote in the council elections on 4 May, with the coronation taking place two days later on…

Sheffield woman hit and killed by car named after boy, 12, charged UPDATE: The 12-year-old boy has now been charged with murder of Marcia Grant, 60 – who died after being hit by a car in Sheffield. A 60-year-old woman, Marcia Grant, has been described as a “warm, loving” figure in her community after being hit by a car and killed in Sheffield. The incident occurred in the Greenhill area of the city on Wednesday…

Millions travelling for Easter weekend break facing massive delays Millions of people are preparing to travel for their Easter holiday weekend, but transport companies warn of possible delays. Around 15 million drivers are expected on the roads on Saturday, and those travelling via Dover have been warned of possible two-hour queues at border control. Extra measures have been implemented at Dover to cope with the increased demand, and port officials have warned of waiting times…

Warnings of dissident republican disorder during Easter Police in Northern Ireland have warned of potential public disorder during the Easter period linked to dissident Republicans, who may attempt to draw officers into gun or bomb attacks. The threat level for terrorism in Northern Ireland was raised to severe by MI5 recently, meaning that an attack is highly likely. Events are being held to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, which ended the…

How to save money on pet care as the cost of living rises The rising cost of living crisis in the UK is affecting every aspect of our lives, and many animal lovers across the country are worried about rising bills and looking after our four-legged friends. From pet insurance to food, toys, treats and more – it all adds up and can make pet ownership a major stress in such difficult financial times. Animal…

Cost of living crisis UK: Cutting energy and water costs – 5 major changes you can make today As the cost of living crisis continues to grip the UK, many are looking on ways to reduce household bills – the bathroom is an area of the house that can rack up massive energy costs. Water bills have risen from April 1 and the energy rebate scheme finishes at the end of April 2023. The bathroom…

Nicola Sturgeon pulls out of climate event as police search continue Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s former first minister, withdrew from the Climate of Change event after her husband, Peter Murrell, the former chief executive of the Scottish National Party (SNP), was questioned by police on Wednesday in relation to party finances. Murrell was released without charge pending further investigation, and a police search of the couple’s Glasgow home resumed on Thursday. Ms Sturgeon said that the…

King Charles supports study into royal family slavery links King Charles is supporting an independent study into the British monarchy’s links to the slave trade in the 17th and 18th centuries. Buckingham Palace is working with the University of Manchester and Historic Royal Palaces to grant full access to the Royal Archives and the Royal Collection for the PhD project, expected to be completed in 2026. The King and the Prince of Wales have both…

Dorset asylum seeker barge will not be like a prison, says minister The Guardian says A barge due to be used to house hundreds of asylum seekers in Dorset is not a prison but efforts will be made to avoid asylum seekers needing to leave the port to access services in the local community, a minister has said. As the government struggled to drum up support among local politicians for the plans, the transport minister…

Government reveals full details of plan to house 500 asylum seekers on a barge in Dorset The Metro says The government has laid out controversial plans to house around 500 asylum seekers on a barge off the coast of Dorset. The Home Office said the three-storey vessel, named Bibby Stockholm, would be berthed in Portland, where the local MP and council have threatened legal challenges. The 93-metre long barge, being leased from Liverpool-based Bibby Marine…

Inside the floating barge that’s set to hold 500 asylum seekers The Metro says A three-storey barracks barge will now be the temporary home for asylum seekers arriving on British shores, the Government has confirmed. The Home Office said today that the Bibby Stockholm, a large block of flats stacked atop a floating platform, has been leased for 18 months. The ‘basic and functional accommodation’ will have around-the-clock security on-board to ‘minimise the disruption to…

A new proposal to handle the refugees crisis in Dublin could resort to refugees could be housed in Dublin’s exclusive Blackrock suburb. A five-storey office building in the south Dublin suburb of Blackrock – the most expensive postcode in the country – could be used to accommodate refugees, the Irish Independent has learned. Refugees could be housed in Dublin’s exclusive Blackrock suburb The Department of Equality has said Frascati House, on Temple Road, has been…

Police moved from serious crime units to help clean up Met Police Around 90 Metropolitan Police officers have been diverted from fighting serious crime and terrorism to investigate wrongdoing within the force, according to the Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley. In an open letter to the Mayor of London and Home Secretary, Rowley stated that the officers were supporting the Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS), and that in the last decade, four in five of the…

Patients at risk during doctor strike – NHS bosses Hospital managers in England have expressed concerns that patient safety could be at risk during the upcoming four-day strike by junior doctors. The strike, which starts on Tuesday, will affect both emergency and planned care. Managers have warned that they will struggle to staff rotas during the action. The British Medical Association (BMA) has refused to exempt any services from the action but claims it will…