Author: News Desk

Thursday’s front pages feature a variety of topics – politics, is of course the focus. Several of the Conservative-supporting papers lead on the latest polling, which has suggested the Tories are on course for an electoral wipeout. Critics will say these papers are attempting to woo back disillusioned Tory voters by scaring them into voting Conservative otherwise expect an all-powerful Labour government. 

Several left-leaning newspapers also lead with the new polling data – but point to the fact the right-wing Reform Party – led by Nigel Farage – is picking up those disillusioned Tory voters. 

A few other politically charged stories also feature, with images of Just Stop Oil’s latest protest being the most popular this morning.

Interest rates expected to be held at 5.25% On Thursday, the Bank of England is expected to hold interest rates steady at 5.25% for the seventh consecutive time. Despite inflation reaching the central bank’s 2% target for the first time in three years, most economists do not foresee a rate cut. They predict the Bank will wait to confirm if inflation remains at 2% in the coming months, with a potential rate cut now more likely in the autumn rather than the summer. This decision comes ahead of the general election, where economic policies will be a crucial point of…

China car firms seek 25% tax on EU – state media Chinese car companies are urging Beijing to impose import taxes of up to 25% on European Union (EU) vehicles if the EU implements tariffs on cars from China. This demand was made at a private meeting organised by China’s Ministry of Commerce, which included representatives from European car firms. The proposed tariffs would specifically target EU cars with large petrol engines. This move comes after the EU threatened Chinese electric vehicle (EV) makers with tariffs up to 38% starting July 4. The meeting in Beijing included four Chinese and…

Ecuador hit by nationwide blackout, minister says Ecuador experienced a nationwide blackout on Wednesday, leaving approximately 18 million people without power for several hours. The outage caused significant disruptions, including halting the subway system in Quito and disabling traffic lights in the capital. Public Works Minister Roberto Luque said the blackout was due to a lack of investment in the electrical infrastructure. In a post on X, he stated, “For years we have stopped investing in these systems and today we are experiencing the consequences.” He highlighted that this incident is further proof of the ongoing energy crisis in the…

Israeli strikes on Gaza may have violated laws of war – UN report The UN Human Rights Office says Israeli air strikes in Gaza may have systematically violated laws designed to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure. This conclusion stems from a detailed report examining six “emblematic attacks” on residential buildings, a school, refugee camps, and a market between October 9 and December 2 2023. The report says that at least 218 people were killed in these incidents and noted the destruction of civilian objects. Israel’s mission in Geneva has rejected the UN’s findings, describing them as “factually, legally, and methodologically…

Louisiana orders every classroom to display 10 Commandments Louisiana has become the first US state to mandate that every public school classroom, from elementary to university level, display a poster of the Ten Commandments. The Republican-backed law, signed by Governor Jeff Landry, claims the commandments are “the foundational documents of our state and national government.” Civil rights groups are expected to challenge the law, arguing it violates the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause, which prohibits the government from establishing a religion or impeding its free exercise. The law specifies that the posters must be 11 inches by 14 inches, with the…

Boeing crash families demand record $25bn fine Families of victims from two Boeing 737 Max plane crashes are calling for prosecutions and a $24.8 billion fine, labelling it “the deadliest corporate crime in US history.” Paul Cassell, the families’ lawyer, argues that this amount is “justified and clearly appropriate” considering the “enormous human costs of Boeing’s crimes.” In a 32-page letter seen by the BBC, Cassell urged the US government to prosecute Boeing leaders responsible for the 2018 and 2019 crashes, which claimed 346 lives. During a recent Congressional hearing, Boeing’s CEO, Dave Calhoun, apologised for the grief caused by…

Ian Wright has lauded the consistency of Bukayo Saka and insists the Arsenal star must now be considered ‘undroppable’ by England manager Gareth Southgate. Saka ended the season nursing an injury that ruled him out of the Gunners’ final game of the campaign against Everton. The 22-year-old was back at his best, however, on Sunday as the Three Lions began their Euro 2024 campaign with a narrow 1-0 win over Serbia. It was Saka’s cross that created the only goal of a tight contest for Jude Bellingham and enhanced his already impressive goal involvement record for his country. Despite his…

Euro 2024 is now in full swing with the second round of group games now underway. England started their campaign with a narrow 1-0 win over Serbia, whilst Scotland have work to do against Switzerland if they are to qualify for the knockout stages of a major competition for the first time in their history. All 51 matches throughout the competition are on free-to-air television in the United Kingdom with a host of big-name presenters and pundits set to analyse all the talking points. Here’s a look at the BBC and ITV presenters, pundits and commentators who will front the…

William Saliba trained on his own on Wednesday due to ‘muscular pain’, as France were dealt more injury issues ahead of their next Euro 2024 match. France narrowly won their Euros opener 1-0 against Austria last Monday but they weren’t celebrating much after captain Kylian Mbappe left the pitch with a broken nose. While the star forward will not require an operation, he remains a huge doubt for Les Bleus’ next Group D clash against the Netherlands on Friday. The 25-year-old is set to wear a mask for the rest of the tournament and returned to light training away from…