Ukraine struggles to restore power after Russian strikes As much as 50% of Ukraine’s electricity needs are not being met following Russian missile strikes this week. The Ukrenergo power operator said the priority was to fix key infrastructure but repairs were now taking more time. President Zelensky said “the most difficult situation” with power as well as water supply was in 15 regions, including the capital Kyiv. Winter is setting in across Ukraine, with snow…
The Independent – Coastguard failings in Channel migrant death Summary of the front page The Independent says an overworked coastguard team worked up to 20 hours a day ahead of a tragedy that killed 27 people. A source tells the paper that the team “made mistakes” during the mass drowning of migrants. The paper’s front page features an image of Lord Lebedev distributing food to those in need as the paper notes £500,000 had been…
Metro – Referendum indy bin Summary of the front page The Metro says Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon cannot hold a new independence referendum without the government’s permission, the Supreme Court has ruled. The paper says the decision was made on the grounds that Scots are not an “oppressed people”, but quotes SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon vowing that “democracy won’t be denied”. The front page features a large image of the German football team who…
The Guardian – Conservative peer Michelle Mone secretly received £29m from VIP lane PPE firm Summary of the front page The Guardian reports that Conservative peer Michelle Mone and her children secretly received £29m from the profits of a PPE business awarded large government contracts after she recommended it to ministers. The front page leaves room to report on the “silent protest” from the German football team and says they made a stand against Fifa…
Daily Express – New dementia drug could be ready next year Summary of the front page The Express reports that the first drug proven to slow Alzheimer’s disease could be available in the UK next year. The front page reports on Matt Hancock’s stint in the I’m A Celebrity jungle suggesting viewers are now defending Matt Hancock who is being “bullied.” Suella Braverman admits the government has failed in protecting its borders is also splashed on…
The Sun – Place in the Sun axed me after I got cancer Summary of the front page The Sun says TV presenter Jonnie Irwin has accused the bosses of A Place In The Sun of dumping him after he told them he was dying of cancer. The 49-year-old says he was paid off mid-series and that his contract was not renewed, adding: “That broke my heart.” The front page also reports on World Cup…
Daily Mirror – 70,000 Brits scammed Summary of the front page The Daily Mirror reports around 70,000 people may have fallen victim to the biggest-ever phone fraud. Some 120 people have been arrested in what police call the “biggest fraud operation ever run in this country”, after as many as 70,000 people had funds totalling tens of millions of pounds stolen in phone scams. The front page reports the latest from I’m A Celebrity and…
Scottish schools shut as teachers strike over pay Scotland will have its first national schools strike since the 1980s with a one-day walkout by teaching staff. The walkout will affect primary and secondary schools and many council nurseries. The industrial action is over pay. On Tuesday, a revised pay offer was rejected and called “insulting” by unions. But the education secretary says the 10% pay rise that the unions want is “unaffordable.” A new pay…
Police to text 70,000 victims in UK’s biggest anti-fraud operation More than 70,000 people will receive a text from police to warn them they have been victims of a banking scam in the UK’s biggest anti-fraud operation. The Met Police have arrested an east London man accused of running an international service enabling fake phone calls to victims. Victims lost thousands of pounds and in one case £3m. Cops have the phone numbers and will…
French rescuers failed to help sinking boat French rescue services apparently failed to respond properly to a migrant boat that sank in the Channel last November, evidence is beginning to show. There were at least 33 people on board and only two survived the disaster. The BBC has seen transcripts of emergency calls made to the French coastguard, which suggests that passengers were repeatedly told to call UK emergency services, despite being in French water…
China records highest number of Covid-19 cases as virus surges China has recorded its highest number of daily Covid-19 cases since the start of the pandemic. The news comes despite the strict measures in place designed to eliminate the virus. Major cities across China have suffered outbreaks – including the capital Beijing and the southern trade hub Guangzhou. The country recorded 31,527 cases on Wednesday – higher than the about 28,000 peak recorded in April…
Ukraine war: Zelensky denounces Russian ‘terror’ in UN address Ukraine’s president Zelenksy has accused Russia of “crimes against humanity.” He said that the Russian “formula of terror” had forced “millions of people to stay without energy supplies, without heating, without water” in sub-zero cold. The strikes have killed at least seven people, and nuclear power plants went off-line, Ukraine said. The three plants were disconnected from the grid and the Zaporizhzhia plant was forced again…
US Walmart shooting: Manager kills 6 at supermarket A longtime manager at a Walmart store in Virginia has shot dead six people and injured six others. The gunman opened fire on colleagues in a staff room. He then turned the gun on himself and died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, officials said. At present, there is still no clear motive for the shooting. Police say they are not searching for anyone else in connection with…
Romania was a constitutional monarchy from 1881 until 1947.
De Bruyne was not happy after Belgium edge past Canada in their World Cup opener.
The Rocket Man shut down NYC.
The remote archipelago is a British overseas colony – but Buenos Aires has never relinquished its claim.
Princess Charlene married Prince Albert II of Monaco in 2011. The couple share the twins Princess Gabriella and Prince Jacques.
The Independent – On the breadline Summary of the front page The Independent leads with its Christmas appeal to raise money to help people tackle the cost of living crisis. The paper says Comic Relief has given the paper £1m to kick start their appeal. The front page features a picture from the Argentine vs Saudi Arabia game – a stunned-looking Lionel Messi makes the front page following the shock loss. Today’s top stories Like this…
The Guardian – Doctors’ warning: poverty forcing sick people to keep going to work Summary of the front page The Guardian splashes on a story about how patients are refusing sick notes from their GPs because they cannot afford time off work, according to doctors. The paper quotes Dr Kamila Hawthorne saying that greater numbers of patients are experiencing asthma attacks because they cannot heat their homes, as well as mental health issues brought on…
The Greyhound Inn was wrapped in a giant red ribbon for the festive period, but it looks suspiciously like a St George’s Cross.
Metro – It’s Mick Grinch Summary of the front page It’s Mick Grinch – that’s the Metro’s take on the Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) union’s announcement of more strikes for rail passengers in the run-up to Christmas. The front page carries a picture of union boss Mick Lynch and says the impact on the rail network will be made worse by an overtime ban and engineering works scheduled for the same period. Today’s top…
Vladimir Putin is set to face more pressure from the West after MEPs voted in favour of the resolution.
Daily Express – Unions inflict Christmas strike misery Summary of the front page Britain faces a nightmare before Christmas, the Daily Express writes in its lead story about strikes due to take place across a range of industries in the festive period. The paper says the RMT’s announcement has “piled further misery” on top of strikes by civil servants, HGV drivers, postal workers, nurses, and security staff already planned over the next two months. Today’s…
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross said the ruling was ‘clear and unequivocal’.
