Author: WTX News

Iran buries late president at shrine in home city of Mashhad Iran’s late President, Ebrahim Raisi, has been interred in his hometown of Mashhad, four days following his death in a helicopter crash. The 63-year-old hard-line cleric was laid to rest at the holy shrine of Imam Reza, a venerated figure in Shia Islam. Television broadcasts showed large crowds assembling in one of the northeastern city’s main streets prior to the ceremony. The crash, which occurred on Sunday amid adverse weather conditions in Iran’s mountainous northwest, also claimed the lives of seven other individuals. Among the deceased was Raisi’s foreign…

On Thursday, the governor called for a rare special session of the Legislature to enact a law permitting Biden’s inclusion on the ballot.

Australian in intensive care with severe spinal injury after ‘horrifying’ Singapore flight, husband says Kerry Davis was flung to ceiling when flight SQ321 hit turbulence before falling motionless to floor of plane Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast An Australian woman suffered a spinal injury and has no sensation from her waist down after her flight to Singapore hit extreme turbulence earlier this week, as others onboard are treated for skull and brain injuries. The Boeing 777-300ER hit what an airline official described as “sudden…

Haiti health system on verge of collapse, UN says Haiti’s health system is “on the verge of collapse,” according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef), which reports that six out of ten hospitals in the country are barely operational. “The combination of violence, mass displacement, dangerous epidemics, and increasing malnutrition has strained Haiti’s health system,” stated Bruno Maes, Unicef’s representative in the Caribbean nation. He emphasised, however, that “the strangling of supply chains may be what breaks it.” Armed gangs continue to control much of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and Unicef warns that millions of children are at risk of…

During his visit to police headquarters in the capital, Nouméa, on Thursday, President Macron acknowledged the challenging days and weeks ahead but assured that Paris would “go until the end” to restore order.

The incident took place in San Pedro Garza García, near Monterrey, as centre-left presidential candidate Jorge Alvarez Maynez was delivering a speech.

Tech tycoon Mike Lynch, accused of ‘massive’ fraud, set to testify at US trial Lawyers for founder of software firm Autonomy, charged over $11bn Hewlett-Packard deal, suggest they may move for mistrial The British entrepreneur Mike Lynch is expected to take the stand in a San Francisco federal courthouse on Thursday as a key witness in his own criminal fraud trial, which began in March. US authorities have charged the former software tycoon with 16 counts of wire fraud, securities fraud and conspiracy relating to his company’s acquisition deal with Hewlett-Packard in 2011. If convicted, Lynch faces up to 25…

Front page summary The National – UK government to be probed by regulator The National says An adviser to the Conservative Party has issued a stark warning, stating that the UK Government is veering into territory where it bans individuals based on disagreeing political views. This caution comes amid concerns about the government’s handling of protests and the implications for free speech and political expression.The UK Government is set to be investigated by a regulator over its treatment of disabled benefits claimants. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is suspected of potentially violating equality laws in its handling of these…

Front page summary The Herald – CalMac hit by record finesThe Scottish Herald says State-owned ferry operator CalMac has been fined a record £316,000 per month for poor performance in maintaining reliable ferry services. The total fines have reached nearly £5 million since October 2022, due to recurring reliability issues. The penalties were imposed as part of the Scottish Government’s oversight of the ferry contract, which has been plagued by issues with the aging fleet. The fines, which have accumulated significantly over the past year, aim to address the delays and disruptions that have affected island ferry services.An interactive sculpture…

Front page summary Western Mail – Labour will not be taking Gerthing’s unspent donations Western Mail says Money donated to Vaughan Gething’s leadership campaign, totalling £130,000, will not be taken by the Labour Party. Instead, it will be used for “progressive causes.” This decision follows calls from opposition groups for the return of a £200,000 donation from the Dawson Environmental Group, linked to David Neal, who has past environmental offence convictions. Party rules usually dictate that unspent leadership campaign funds go to the central party, but this case has been treated as an exception.In other news, Wylfa has been chosen as…

Front page summary The Guardian – Alarm over big increase in under-40s with diabetes A 39% rise in the number of people under 40 being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes is the top story in The Guardian.The number of people under 40 being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in the UK has risen 39% in six years, fuelled by soaring obesity levels and cheap junk food.Britain has one of the highest obesity rates in Europe. Two in three adults are overweight or obese and the NHS spends £6bn a year treating obesity-related ill-health. That is forecast to rise to £10bn a…

Front page summary Metro – Brit dies in jet plunge at 38,000ft The Metro leads on the news that a British man has died after a plane he was on from London to Singapore hit severe turbulence. The 73-year-old was on his ‘last big holiday’ with his wife who remains in hospital.Grandfather Geoffrey Kitchen is believed to have suffered a heart attack when the Singapore Airlines flight plunged 7,000ft in just six minutes after hitting severe turbulence. Mr Kitchen, from Thornbury, Gloucestershire was pronounced dead at the scene after the plane made an emergency landing in Thailand.Elsewhere, Marcus Rashford’s exclusion from…

Front page summary The Independent – Gove: Protesters must pay for right to marchThe Independent says Michael Gove has been accused of a ‘witch hunt’ after saying he wanted pro-Palestinian marchers to pay for the massive weekly protests.The secretary of state for levelling up labelled pro-Palestine university encampments as ‘antisemitism repurposed for the Instagram age’ and he accused activists of hostility towards Jewish students.Elsewhere, the front page features a large image of the plane from London to Singapore that was hit by severe turbulence – one person died of a suspected heart attack.  The Independent – Betrayal, lies and a…

Most of Wednesday’s front pages lead on the mid-air turbulence that struck the Singapore Airlines flight on Tuesday. British grandfather Geoffrey Kitchen, 73, died during the flight, suspected to have had a heart attack during the turbulence. 

Away from the lead, there’s a mix of domestic topics on the front pages – with little unity across the papers. 

The back pages lead on Gareth Southgate’s provisional England squad – ahead of this summer’s Euros. A few of the front pages feature the news as well – with Marcus Rashford and Jordan Henderson dropped from the squad.

Albares described the incident as unique in diplomatic history. “There is no precedent for a head of state who goes to another country’s capital to insult its institutions and flagrantly interfere in its internal affairs,” he said.

Ireland, Norway, and Spain to recognise Palestinian state next week The leaders of Norway, Ireland, and Spain have announced that their countries will formally recognise Palestine as a state next week to promote “peace in the Middle East.” In response, Israel has recalled its envoys. Norway’s Prime Minister, Jonas Gahr Store, stated on Wednesday that a two-state solution is in Israel’s best interest, and the recognition will take effect on May 28. He emphasised the importance of recognition for peace in the region, especially amidst the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Following Norway’s announcement, Ireland’s Prime Minister, Simon Harris, confirmed that…

Approximately 810,000 of the more than a million people seeking refuge in Rafah have fled since the Israeli operation began on May 6.

Raisi died along with Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and six others in a helicopter crash on Sunday near the Azerbaijan border.

Politically motivated crimes in Germany reached their highest level in 2023 since tracking began Politically motivated crime in Germany last year reached its highest level since the government started tracking it more than 20 years ago, with the greatest threat coming from people with far-right motivations, the country’s top security official said Tuesday. Overall, Germany registered 60,028 politically motivated crimes in 2023. The government considers numerous acts as political including intent to hinder democracy and crimes aimed at members of certain ethnic, religious or other groups. Right-wing politically motivated crimes increased by 23% in 2023 to 28,945 cases, of which…

Front page summary Western Mail – Boy died of sepsis days after hospital discharge with flu WalesOnline says a nine-year-old boy was sent home with suspected flu just days before he died after being diagnosed with a ruptured appendix, an inquest has heard. Dylan Cope died on December 14, 2022, a week after he was taken to A&E by his parents when he complained of abdominal pain.An inquest at Gwent Coroner’s Court on Monday, May 20 heard that Dylan, from Newport, was a “fit and healthy” young boy before he fell ill in early December 2022 with abdominal pain and vomiting.Catch…

Front page summary The National – International arrest warrants sought over GazaThe National Scot newspaper leads on the ICC’s arrest warrant for Israeli PM Netanayhu – as well as Hamas leaders. Netanyahu has been accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity including using starvation of civilians as a method of warfare. Elsewhere, online the paper says KEIR Starmer has been called out for remaining silent after the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) requested an arrest warrant for Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The National – Brexit doing untold damage to Scotland’s economyBy WTX NewsMay 20, 2024 The main…

Front page summary The Herald – Report on infected blood lays bare ‘gross failures’ say lawyersThe Herald says The report on the infected blood scandal lays bare “decades of gross and culpable failures”, according to a law firm which represented hundreds of Scots affected by contaminated blood.Thompsons Solicitors, which represented 300 individuals and two charities in the Infected Blood Inquiry, said the “hard-hitting” report set out a number of Scotland-specific failures that led to “so much suffering and death”.These included, the firm said, failures in Scottish blood transfusion services in the 1980s and numerous “missed opportunities” to remedy the injustices…

Front page summary Metro – ‘Chilling’ Verdict on NHS Catastrophe: 40 years of bloody cover upThe Metro leads on the report into the infected blood scandal which found there was a “pervasive” cover-up to hide the truth. The report found the scandal – which claimed 3,000 lives and affected 30,000 – could have been avoided and was covered up for decades, the paper writes. It pictures people embracing after the release of the report following a five-year inquiry.The paper describes it as “forty years of bloody cover-up” and notes that it could have been avoided and was covered up for…

Front page summary The Independent – Betrayal, lies and a chilling cover-upThe Independent dedicates its entire front splash to the contaminated blood scandal, saying: “Betrayal, lies and a chilling cover-up.”   The paper says the final report of the Infected Blood Inquiry, pointed the finger at politicians, doctors and civil servants for a chilling cover-up of a scandal that led to the deaths and suffering that continue to this day. The final report of the Infected Blood Inquiry, pointed the finger at politicians, doctors and civil servants for a chilling cover-up of a scandal that led to the deaths and suffering that…

Front page summary The Guardian – ‘Day of shame’: deadly cover-up of blood scandal finally exposed Leading on the infected blood scandal, The Guardian says the inquiry found deaths and infections could have been “largely, though not entirely, avoided”. The paper says an estimated multibillion-pound scheme to compensate UK victims of the contaminated blood scandal and their families by the end of the year has been announced, the day after a damning report found the NHS and government to be culpable for the tragedy.Elsewhere, the chief prosecutor of the ICC has said he is seeking arrest warrants for senior Hamas and…