Author: News Desk

The Daily Telegraph shifts the blame to the “bloated state,” arguing that the expansion of the public sector since the pandemic has not been matched by productivity gains. The paper highlights comments from Andrew Bailey, who pointed out that the addition of half a million public sector workers has failed to deliver the economic boost many had hoped for. Prince Harry is pictured at the top of the paper amid reports Trump could release his visa application. Harry has faced accusations he lied about not taking class-A drugs to get a US visa.

Meanwhile, The Times highlights the Bank’s warning of a new squeeze on living standards, calling it a setback for Reeves. The paper notes that the Bank has described growth as weak and productivity as “tepid,” painting a grim picture for the months ahead. US actress Angelina Jolie is pictured on the front page.

The Aga Khans claim to be part of the lineage of the Egyptian Fatimid dynasty [Getty]The late Prince Karim Al-Hussaini Aga Khan IV, who died on Tuesday in Lisbon after nearly seven decades as the spiritual leader of the global Ismaili Muslim community, will be buried in Egypt on Sunday, according to the Ismaili Imamat. After a funeral ceremony at the Ismaili Centre in the Portuguese capital on Saturday – to be attended by leaders of the community, Portuguese government members and foreign dignitaries – Aga Khan IV will be laid to rest at a private burial ceremony in Aswan,…

The Guardian echoes these concerns, noting that fears of stagflation are growing. The paper reports that Reeves’ growth plan has suffered a “double blow,” but it also quotes Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who insists that turning the economy around was never going to happen overnight. Starmer claims the challenging outlook only strengthens his resolve to push forward with the government’s agenda.   British actress Cynthia Erivo is pictured on the front splash. She is nominated for an Oscar for her role in the movie Wicked.

Friday’s front pages report on the Bank of England’s bleak forecast for the UK economy sparked widespread concern, with growth now expected to be just 0.75% this year.

Rachel Reeves is under fire with some of the papers speculating on her future in the role of chancellor and the fears of stagflation – a combination of stagnant growth and rising inflation—are dominating the narrative.

While the interest rate cut to 4.5% offers some relief, the overall economic outlook remains challenging. The papers say the government faces tough choices including potential tax hikes or spending cuts, to stabilise the economy.

Elsewhere, there’s some showbiz news dominating tabloids, including reviews of the new BBC TV series Amandaland, an exclusive interview with the former girlfriend of Liam Payne and coverage of recent allegations made against a TV star.

The back pages are dominated by Liverpool’s 4-0 win over Spurs to book their place in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley.

Israeli forces said late Thursday it had struck two sites that allegedly contained weapons belonging to the Hezbollah group, a Hamas ally, despite a separate ceasefire deal in that country. Israel’s forces “conducted a precise strike in Lebanese territory on two military sites that contained Hezbollah weapons, which were in violation of the ceasefire agreement,” the Israeli army said in a statement on social media platform X. Previously-sporadic fighting between Israel and Hezbollah escalated on 8 October 2023, following Hamas’ unprecedented attack on Israel. Ceasefire agreement extended until mid-February Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a truce in November 2024, after 13 months of conflict between Israeli…

Rachel Reeves has been dealt a further blow in her bid to fulfil Labour’s primary mission of reigniting economic growth, as a downgraded forecast overshadowed news of an interest rate cut. The Bank of England has halved its projections for growth this year because of the impact of the chancellor’s autumn Budget, and inflation is now expected to rise higher than previously estimated, to 3.7 per cent. The Bank also warned that more people will be out of work, as firms swallow higher taxes and an increase to the minimum wage. Ms Reeves, whose future as chancellor is being questioned…

UK weather: Britain braces for cold snap – but is snow forecast for the UK? Several yellow cold health alerts have been issued across the UK as Britons prepare for a cold snap which could bring snow and sub-zero temperatures. The alerts are in place across the northeast, southwest Yorkshire and the Humber, and the southeast from 9am on Friday until 9am on Tuesday. The warnings, issued by the UK Health Security Agency, mean the colder weather could lead to an increased use of healthcare services by vulnerable people and there will be a greater risk to their lives. As a cold easterly wind drifts in from Scandinavia, the south of England…

The National Transportation and Safety Board (NTSB) chair said Thursday that, based on “preliminary information,” it appears crew members of a Black Hawk helicopter were wearing night-vision goggles before a fatal collision with an American Airlines jet last week near Washington, D.C. NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy spoke with reporters on Capitol Hill after briefing members of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on the crash that killed all 67 people on board the two aircraft. Homendy was asked if the pilots of the Black Hawk were wearing night-vision goggles. “We do believe, given the mission and given what we’ve…

Kosovo goes to the polls Sunday in a parliamentary election expected to be a key test for Prime Minister Albin Kurti after his governing party won in a landslide four years ago. Eligible voters, including those of the diaspora, will cast ballots to elect 120 lawmakers among 26 political groupings and one independent candidate in a vote held from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. The Serb minority has 10 secured seats while 10 more are for other minorities. This is the first time since independence in 2008 that Kosovo’s parliament has completed a full four-year mandate. It is the ninth…