Author: WTX News

The Independent – The day that Britain turned into the (empty) basket of Europe Summary of the front page The Independent says Britain’s biggest supermarket has begun rationing fresh fruit and vegetables as a row erupted over shortages that have left shelves bare. Tesco has followed Aldi, Asda and Morrisons in introducing limits on items customers can buy. A shortage of tomatoes has widened to other fruit and vegetables due to a combination of bad weather and transport problems in Africa and Europe. The front page features an image of a famous painting – Portrait of Omai. Today’s top stories…

The Guardian – Alarm of rising tide of toxic ‘forever chemicals’ Summary of the front page The Guardian says pollutants known as “forever chemicals” have been found at high levels across the UK and Europe. These chemicals do not break down in the environment, accumulate in the body, and may be toxic. They are commonly found in consumer products, firefighting foams, waste, and industrial processes. In the UK, the highest level was detected in a discharge from a chemicals plant on the River Wyre near Blackpool. The front page pictures an image of the late musician David Bowie – a collection…

FT says the multinational tobacco company Philip Morris International says it would rather keep its business in Russia than sell it on stringent Kremlin terms. The paper says it highlights the challenges for companies trying to leave the country without taking a huge financial hit. The front page pictures an image of the late musician David Bowie – a collection of his handwritten lyrics, letters, sheet music, costumes, photography, music videos, album artwork and awards have been gifted to the Victoria and Albert Museum. The Financial Times – Philip Morris sees ‘no hope’ of deal to see Russian assets Summary…

Daily Mirror – Facing Vlad’s killers Summary of the front page The Daily Mirror has an exclusive report on Wagner Group mercenaries who have been captured by Ukraine. The paper has been given access to interview members of the Wagner Group – a Russian mercenary organisation – who have been captured by Ukrainian forces. The Mirror says it believes it is the first time a British newspaper has interviewed captured prisoners from the Wagner Group. The front page leads with an unseen image of Princess Diana with Prince William when he was a toddler. Today’s top stories Like this article?…

Daily Express – Rishi launches crackdown on asylum seeker backlog Summary of the front page The Daily Express leads with news of the PM’s “crackdown” on the backlog of asylum seeker applications. Some 12,000 people from five nations – Afghanistan, Eritrea, Libya, Syria and Yemen – who applied before last July will now be considered for refugee status without face-to-face interviews. Instead, decisions will be made after they have filled out a 10-page Home Office questionnaire. The Daily Express reports that they are among 92,000 cases the Home Office aims to process by the end of the year in an…

Today’s news summary – Paper Talk Thursday’s front pages are dominated by news IS bride Shamima Begum is denied return to the UK after a court rejects her claim she was unlawfully stripped of her British citizenship. Elsewhere: David Bowie’s archive is donated to V&A to inspire the next generation and prime minister Rishi Sunak launches crackdown on the asylum seeker backlog, fast-tracking thousands of cases. Govt plan to reduce backlog of asylum seekers Several newspapers today report on the government’s plan to reduce the backlog of asylum seekers by eliminating interviews for migrants from Afghanistan, Eritrea, Syria, Yemen, and…

High profile detective shot by masked men in Northern Ireland named Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell, who was shot by masked men in Northern Ireland while off-duty, has been identified by the police. The attack occurred in Omagh, Co Tyrone, on Wednesday evening, in front of a group of young people he had been coaching at a sports centre. Mr Caldwell, a prominent officer who has led several high-profile investigations, including the Natalie McNally murder case, remains in critical but stable condition in hospital. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has launched an attempted murder investigation, with the New…

Thousands of asylum claims to be considered without in-person interviews The UK government has announced that it will consider the asylum claims of around 12,000 applicants from Afghanistan, Eritrea, Libya, Syria, and Yemen without face-to-face interviews. Instead, a 10-page questionnaire will be used to decide the cases, in an attempt to reduce the backlog of asylum claims. Applicants will need to complete the form and answer up to 40 questions in English, which must be returned within 20 working days. The Home Office has stated that criminal and security checks will still be conducted, and biometrics will be taken, but…

App to block abuse images gets £1.8m EU funding The EU has granted £1.8m in funding to a project developing a new app designed to reduce the viewing of child sexual abuse material online. The app, called Salus, uses artificial intelligence to identify and block harmful images and videos from being displayed on devices such as phones. It will be tested with volunteers who have sought help because they are drawn to illegal images and want to ensure they cannot act on their desires. The Protech project, a collaboration between EU and UK organisations, hopes that the app will combat…

Ukraine war: UN chief condemns Russian invasion ahead of anniversary Ahead of the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has denounced the incursion as a violation of international law and the United Nations Charter, calling it an “affront” to the global conscience. During a General Assembly meeting, Ukraine and its allies put forward a resolution calling for Russia’s immediate and unconditional withdrawal from Ukraine, which Guterres supported. The Kremlin, however, accused the West of seeking to defeat Russia at any cost, with its ambassador to the UN, Vasily Nebenzya, claiming that the US and its…

Winter storm causing US chaos with blizzards and heat wave A severe winter storm is causing chaos across North America, with blizzards hitting several states and a heat wave affecting the southeastern parts of the US. Over 75 million people in 28 states have been issued with winter weather warnings as the storm spans across 1,300 miles from Nebraska to New Hampshire. Blizzards have resulted in the closure of schools and businesses in the Dakotas, Minnesota and Wisconsin, and residents in these areas are bracing themselves for up to 2ft (60cm) of snowfall, the most significant in 30 years. The…

Mine collapse in China leaves four dead, many missing A mine collapse in China’s northern Inner Mongolia region on Wednesday resulted in the deaths of at least four people and left 49 others missing. Chinese leader Xi Jinping has ordered a search and rescue operation, which has found six survivors in the open-pit mine at Alxa League. However, rescue efforts have been hindered by a landslide that occurred on Wednesday evening. Wei Zhiguo, leader of the rescue mission, told state broadcaster CCTV, “the rescue work is being carried out in an orderly and tense manner.” CCTV reported the shaft had…

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An Orlando TV news employee and a 9-year-old girl were shot dead in Florida on Wednesday afternoon.

Personal trainer Lisa Fearns, 49 – tried to filla Lidl trolley to make detox drinks for her business.

Shamima Begum loses latest legal battle to be allowed to return to the UK The Metro says Shamima Begum has lost a legal battle over the decision to deprive her of her British citizenship. The 23-year-old had been at the centre of a dispute over whether she should be allowed to return to the UK. Ms Begum and two other east London schoolgirls travelled to Syria to join the so-called Islamic State (IS) in 2015. As a result, her British citizenship was revoked on national security grounds after she was found nine months pregnant in a Syrian refugee camp in…

What happened to the two teenage girls who fled UK with Shamima Begum to join ISIS? Daily Mirror says ISIS poster girl Shamima Begum left her east London school eight years ago this week for the half term break. Along with two friends, Amira Abase and Kadiza Sultana they left their families, headed to Gatwick Airport and travelled through Turkey to join Islamic State in Syria, never to come back to Britain. Today, Begum lost her battle to return to the UK after appealing the British government’s decision to deprive her of her citizenship. Mr Justice Jay, at a Special…

Shamima Begum cannot return to UK after losing appeal against citizenship removal The Independent says The decision to remove Shamima Begum’s British citizenship was lawful, a court has ruled despite finding that she may have been trafficked for sexual exploitation by Isis. In the latest stage of the former Isis bride’s legal battle against the British government, the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) had considered arguments that she was made “de facto stateless”. A summary of the judgment said there was “credible suspicion” that Begum had been trafficked to Syria for sexual exploitation as a child, and “arguable breaches of…

Shamima Begum loses appeal against removal of British citizenship The Guardian says Shamima Begum, who left Britain as a schoolgirl to join Islamic State (IS), has lost an appeal against the decision to remove her British citizenship. Describing it as a case of “great concern and difficulty”, the special immigration appeals commission (Siac) ruled that although there was “credible suspicion” that Begum was trafficked for sexual exploitation, the decision was ultimately one for the home secretary. Begum was 15 when in 2015 she left her home in east London with two schoolfriends to travel to Syria. In February 2019, the…

The i sport – Red-faced As well as the requisite picture of dejected Liverpool players, The i also has a banner headline on a piece on the Manchester United takeover by Daniel Storey entitled “Seven arguments in favour of Qatari takeover of United (and why they are all wrong)”. The Liverpool loss at home to Real Madrid is described as the team ‘throwing away’ their 2-0 lead – which they had within 15 minutes of the game. By half time it was 2-2 and the second half saw Real bag 3 more goals and dominate the rest of the game. 

Metro – Ring of hatred inside the Met Summary of the front page The Metro reports on the disciplinary hearing regarding a WhatsApp group where a police sergeant led his officers in a two-year torrent of abuse against women, gay people, ethnic minorities, and the disabled. Three former officers have admitted gross misconduct after being part of the group which shared sexist, racist and homophobic messages. The paper says that one of the officers, Sgt Luke Thomas, repeatedly mocked Harvey Price, the disabled son of Katie Price. The front page also features an image of Princess Kate on royal duties. …

The Guardian – Nurses pause strike action to enter ‘intensive’ pay talks Summary of the front page The Guardian says nurses’ strike action has been paused so they can enter “intensive” talks with the government over pay. More on the suspension of the nurses’ strike from the Guardian, which describes the negotiations between the government and unions as unexpected. Both sides have made it clear that the first detailed pay negotiations since nurses began striking in December offer a real prospect that the growing campaign of industrial action by the RCN, and the disruption it is bringing for NHS services,…

The Independent – Biden taunts Putin: You thought we’d roll over Summary of the front page The Independent says Joe Biden proclaimed “unwavering” support for the defence of Ukraine and Nato on Tuesday, telling Vladimir Putin there would “never be a victory for Russia” in the conflict. The front page features a large image of Biden and Putin as both gave speeches yesterday. Today’s top stories Like this article? Leave a comment UK National newspapers Previous Next

Daily Express – Rationing of fruit and veg to last weeks Summary of the front page Fruit and vegetables could be rationed for weeks, according to the Daily Express, which leads with the latest on the shortage. Asda and Morrisons have introduced rationing on some fresh fruit and vegetables, including tomatoes and peppers. Shortages are being blamed on adverse weather and transport difficulties in Spain and north Africa, where a significant proportion of food at this time of year hails from. The Express reports that rationing of some goods could last for weeks. The front page also reports on the…