Author: WTX News Editor

Europe migrant crisis: Italy attempts to save 1,200 people on overcrowded boats off coast of Sicily Two large-scale operations are being conducted by the Italian coastguard to rescue approximately 1,200 migrants from overcrowded boats off the coast of Sicily. One boat is carrying around 800 people, while the other has around 400 passengers.  Since Friday, the coastguard has already saved about 2,000 individuals from other operations. Despite the right-wing coalition government’s efforts to curb irregular…

The Guardian – UK is not close to being racially just society, finds two-year study Summary of the front page The Guardian reports on a study that finds the UK is not close to being a racially just society. The paper reports that more than a third of people from ethnic and religious minorities have experienced racially-motivated physical or verbal abuse in their lifetime. It says the two-year study concludes that the UK “is not…

The i – Pharmacists drafted in to offset hospital strike chaos Summary of the front page The i reports on the four-day strike by junior doctors in England that will begin on Tuesday Morning. The i newspaper reports on contingency planning. The paper says that “GPs, pharmacists and matrons are being drafted in” to help cope with the disruption. The front of the paper also previews a story about ‘Operation Coronation’, with details of the…

Financial Times – Global economy dodges big slowdown as growth outlook outpaces forecasts Summary of the front page The Financial Times says the world’s leading economies are showing surprising resilience. Research for the paper suggests the US, the eurozone, China, India and the UK were all growing faster than expected late last year, although it cautions that the threat of inflation persists. Today’s top stories Like this article? Leave a comment UK National newspapers Previous…

Daily Express – Millions demand keep our banks open Summary of the front page The Daily Express reports on a survey showing that many customers prefer to do their banking in person, despite banks continuing to close branches. It accuses banks of betraying loyal customers – and says the survey has found that “millions” prefer dealing with someone in person rather than an online service. It adds that it is not just older account holders who…

Daily Mirror – Hospital trek scandal Summary of the front page The Daily Mirror says one in three patients has made their own way to A&E due to long waits for ambulances. Headlined “Hospital Trek Scandal”, the paper reports “one in three 999 patients have made their own way to the hospital due to record waits for ambulances”. Today’s top stories Like this article? Leave a comment UK National newspapers Previous Next

The Sun – Aircon to the throne Summary of the front page The Sun leads with the latest on plans for the King’s coronation. The Sun goes in big on details of the coronation, with the headline “Air Con to the Throne”, over an article about the modes of transport King Charles will be taking on the day. “Buckingham Palace said the modern Diamond Jubilee State Coach will carry Charles and Camilla to Westminster Abbey…

Elon Musk calls BBC ‘among least biased’ in Twitter row The Independent says Twitter owner Elon Musk has described the BBC as “among the least biased” organisations after the broadcaster objected to being labelled as “government-funded media” on the social media site. The BBC contacted Twitter after the designation was attached to the main @BBC account. Responding to the complaint, Mr Musk asked: “Is the Twitter label accurate?”. He later emailed the BBC, writing: “We…

Musk admits BBC ‘among least biased’ in row over Twitter ‘government-funded media’ tag The Guardian says Elon Musk has described the BBC as “among the least biased” media organisations after the broadcaster objected to being labelled as “government-funded media” on Twitter. The BBC contacted Twitter after the designation was attached to the main @BBC account. The label links through to a page on Twitter’s help centre that says “state-affiliated media” are outlets where the government…

Elon Musk emails BBC amid ‘government-funded’ Twitter label row The Telegraph says Elon Musk has been exchanging emails with the BBC after sparking a row with the broadcaster by describing it as a “government funded media” organisation on Twitter. The national broadcaster, which is funded principally by UK households through the licence fee, is one of several news outlets to receive the label from the social media network over the last week. When the BBC…

French Alps avalanche: 5 killed at Armancette glacier Five people have died and one remains missing following an avalanche in the French Alps. The incident occurred at the Armancette glacier near Mont Blanc in south-eastern France on Sunday, and it has since been confirmed that the deceased include two local tour guides. Others were injured and have been taken to a hospital. The avalanche was triggered by a slab of snow that detached from the…

2 bodies found after Marseille building destroyed in explosion Two bodies have been found after an explosion destroyed a four-storey apartment building in the La Plaine neighbourhood of Marseille, France. Six people remain unaccounted for, while five from neighbouring buildings sustained minor injuries.  Approximately 200 people were evacuated from their homes, and a local gymnasium and two schools have been opened to accommodate them. The cause of the explosion is unclear, but investigators are considering…

British-Israeli sisters shot dead in West Bank named Two British-Israeli sisters, Maia and Rina Dee, were shot and killed in the occupied West Bank as they were travelling to Tiberias, while their mother, Leah, was critically injured in the same attack. The sisters were 20 and 15 respectively. Their father, Rabbi Leo Dee, said they were “wonderful, beautiful, smart and popular.” The family lives in the West Bank settlement of Efrat, and the sisters were…

China jails prominent legal activists Xu Zhiyong and Ding Jiaxi Two prominent Chinese activists, lawyer Ding Jiaxi and legal scholar Xu Zhiyong, have been jailed for 12 and 14 years in prison respectively for subversion, after being held in detention for more than three years. Ding Jiaxi and Xu Zhiyong were both detained separately in 2019 and 2020 as part of a government crackdown on legal activists. In 2010, the activists co-founded the New Citizens’…

  Emmanuel Macron, accompanied by top French business executives, concluded his trip to China on Friday with a visit to the southern city of Canton, where he met with more Chinese investors. With trade talks on the agenda, several deals between companies from both countries have already been sealed during the French president’s first visit to China since the Covid-19 pandemic. A French economist shares with FRANCE 24 her insight on the concerns surrounding trade…

The Observer – Hospitals in frantic bid to fill gaps left by Doctors’ strike Summary of the front page The Observer has looked ahead to next week and the disruption likely to be caused by the junior doctors’ strike. “Hospital trusts are taking desperate measures to limit the predicted loss of life from this week’s NHS strikes,” it reports. The paper claims this includes “threatening consultants who refuse to do extra work, and tempting junior doctors…

The Sunday Telegraph – Tories at war over pact with Labour in Scotland Summary of the front page Internal party politics also makes the front of the Sunday Telegraph, focusing on Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross saying “supporters should vote for Labour at the next election to oust the SNP” something which is “prompting fury in the Tory party’s London headquarters”. In an interview with the paper, Mr Ross said voters should support “the strongest…

The Sun on Sunday – I’m going to smash it on tour Summary of the front page The Sun on Sunday reports on the death of S Club 7 singer Paul Cattermole. The paper reports that the singer was upbeat about the upcoming reunion tour to mark the 25th anniversary of the band a day before his death. The paper also reports that the high-security Frankland jail in County Durham is installing phones in the…

Sunday Mirror – I’ll fight guns and gangs for my Liv Summary of the front page The Sunday Mirror leads its coverage on an exclusive interview with Olivia Pratt-Korbel’s mother, speaking for the first time since her daughter’s killer was jailed. On Monday, Thomas Cashman was sentenced to serve at least 42 years in prison for the murder of the nine-year-old in August last year. Speaking to the paper, grieving Cheryl Korbel vows “to fight…

Today’s news summary – Paper Talk Sunday’s front pages report on a variety of topics including King Charles III’s upcoming coronation suggesting that the event will help the Conservative party by “eclipsing a predicted Tory wipeout in town hall elections”. Millions of people across the country will go to the polls to vote in the council elections on 4 May, with the coronation taking place two days later on 6 May. Other coronation news reports…

The i – Smart motorways ban: pressure grows to scrap entire network across Britian Summary of the front page The i reports on the growing pressure to scrap smart motorways amid rising deaths linked to the roads and concerns over their cost. For a second day running, the i newspaper’s lead story is about the reported ban on new smart motorways, and the mounting pressure to scrap the entire network across Britain amid safety concerns. The…

The Times – Strike to overwhelm A&E Summary of the front page The Times says up to half of doctors in England will be absent during the four days of junior doctors’ strikes next week. There are concerns that patient safety is at risk and that A&E departments could be overwhelmed. The four-day walkout will begin on Tuesday after the bank holiday weekend and involve up to half of doctors in England. The British Medical…

The Guardian – Lords needs more experts, says Speaker as former PMs line up allies Summary of the front page The Guardian leads with comments made by the House of Lords Speaker who is calling for more independent, expert peers in Parliament’s second chamber. John McFall tells the Guardian the upper house is in danger of becoming “out of sync” with its balance of legislators. The front page also reports on Macron’s calls on XI to…

Daily Mirror – Easter getaway chaos: Standstill Summary of the front page The Mirror says the Easter getaway has begun at a “snail’s pace”, with the RAC warning of traffic jams and more problems for those trying to get to France. There is good news, however, as the paper says temperatures will reach highs of 18C in parts of the country this Bank Holiday weekend. Today’s top stories Like this article? Leave a comment UK…

The Sun – Bad Friday Summary of the front page The Sun warns that Good Friday will be “Bad Friday” for people hoping to get away on holiday – predicting gridlock in the UK and “travel hell” for families. It says those going to France will be met by rioting and strikes once they finally get there. The front page also reports on Gwyneth Paltrow launching Goop Sex. Today’s top stories Like this article? Leave a…