Author: News Desk

Wednesday’s front pages are heavily dominated by international news, with the latest from the Middle East featured as many of the leads. At least 9 people have died, and around 3000 people injured after pages belonging to Hezbollah members exploded across the country. Hezbollah blames Israel for the attack and says they will enact revenge.

Several front pages lead on domestic stories, with the backlash to the sentencing of Huw Edwards a popular topic. The former BBC presenter was handed a suspended sentence despite being found guilty of child sex images.

Canada’s Liberal Party loses long-held seat Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party has suffered a significant blow after losing a key parliamentary seat in a special election in Montreal, raising more pressure on Trudeau to step down as leader. The narrow defeat in LaSalle-Émard-Verdun marks the second loss in three months for Trudeau’s minority government. With all votes counted, Liberal candidate Laura Palestini fell short to Bloc Quebecois’ Louis-Philippe Sauvé. Trudeau, now in his ninth year as prime minister, has seen his approval ratings plummet from 63% when first elected to just 28% in June, according to polls. Many suggest…

Russia region orders evacuation after Ukraine drone attack A partial evacuation has been ordered in Russia’s Tver region following a “massive” Ukrainian drone attack that sparked a fire, according to the local governor. Igor Rudenya, the region’s governor, stated that emergency services in the town of Toropets are working to contain the blaze, which was caused by the wreckage of drones. No information on casualties has been provided. Unverified footage circulating online appears to show a large explosion in the town, with unconfirmed reports suggesting that a weapons depot may have been hit overnight. Toropets, a town of around 13,000…

Ecuador leader proposes lifting ban on foreign military bases Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa has proposed amending the constitution to allow foreign military bases in the country, 15 years after the last US troops left the Manta base on Ecuador’s Pacific coast. The base, once a hub for US anti-drug operations, was returned to Ecuador’s military in 2008. Noboa, 36, argues that Ecuador needs foreign military assistance to combat powerful transnational crime gangs using the country as a key drug trafficking route between South America, Europe, and the US. Despite declaring war on these gangs in January, violence continues to plague…

Israel planted explosives in thousands of Hezbollah pagers – reports At least nine people have been killed and thousands injured after a series of handheld pager explosions rocked Lebanon on Tuesday afternoon. According to Lebanon’s health ministry, around 3,000 people were wounded, with 200 in critical condition, overwhelming local hospitals. Hezbollah, the powerful Lebanese group backed by Iran, has blamed Israel for what it called a “sinful aggression” and warned that Israel will face “fair punishment.” Israel has yet to respond to the accusation but earlier announced that one of its key goals in the Gaza conflict is to return…

P Diddy denied bail in sex-trafficking case Hip-hop icon Sean “Diddy” Combs has been denied bail after pleading not guilty to charges in a sex-trafficking case. A New York federal judge ordered Combs to remain in custody, with prosecutors labelling him a “serious flight risk.” The 54-year-old music mogul was arrested on Monday night and is accused of operating a criminal enterprise since at least 2008. Prosecutors allege that the operation involved drugs and violence to coerce women into satisfying his sexual demands. The 14-page indictment against Combs includes charges of racketeering, sex trafficking by force, and transporting individuals for…

Suspicious packages sent to election officials across US Federal authorities, including the FBI and the US Postal Service, are investigating suspicious packages sent to election officials in 17 states. The packages, which in some cases contained an unidentified substance, are under review. There have been no injuries reported so far. These packages were addressed to secretaries of state and election officials from coast to coast, reaching states like New York and Alaska. The situation arises amid growing concerns over threats against election workers and warnings of potential political violence as the upcoming presidential election in November approaches. Investigators are working…

Superyacht and private jet tax could raise £2bn a year, say campaigners Oxfam says ‘commonsense solution’ would reduce emissions and raise urgently needed climate financeFair taxes on superyachts and private jets in the UK could have brought in £2bn last year to provide vital funds for communities suffering the worst effects of climate breakdown, campaigners say. Private jet use in the UK is soaring. It was home to the second-highest number of private flights in Europe last year, behind only France, according to figures from the European Business Aviation Association. Continue reading… https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/sep/18/superyacht-private-jet-oxfam-climate-finance

UK overseas aid spend will reach 17-year low without urgent action, NGOs warn Humanitarian sector says UK will lack credibility at world summits owing to ‘devastating’ impact of budget cuts. UK aid spending will fall to its lowest level since 2007 unless the government takes urgent remedial action in the autumn budget, a group of more than 100 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the aid and humanitarian sector jointly warn on Wednesday. The budget dedicated to providing aid overseas will be just 0.36% of gross national income (GNI) in 2024 largely owing to huge sums in the budget being diverted to…

Exodus from workforce costs UK ‘£16bn a year’ in lost tax receipts Institute for Employment Studies says UK has 800,000 fewer people in work or looking for work since before Covid. The UK has suffered the biggest contraction in its workforce since the 1980s, costing the public finances at least £16bn a year in lost tax receipts, according to a study. Hundreds of thousands of people have quit the labour market since the pandemic and never returned, undermining the strength of the economy and leaving the government out of pocket, according to the Institute for Employment Studies. The UK is…