Author: WTX News Editor

Several front pages feature images of King Charles expressing gratitude to the nation for its support following his cancer diagnosis.

Away from royal news, the upcoming by-elections next week also make the front pages. There are reports on internal fears over the Tory party suffering a massive loss. The fears come amid a tough time for the prime minister, who’s been involved in two contentious stories last week.

The Independent leads on Commons leader Penny Mordaunt who said Prime Minister Rishi Sunak ‘should reflect on’ gender jibe made in the House of Commons during Wednesday’s PMQs.

No 10 and the PM have rejected calls to apologise after Sunak made the jibe in front of Brianna Ghey’s mother – who was in the House during the session.

The Guardian reports that campaigners and unions are “furious” with Sir Keir Starmer for U-turning on his £28bn green investment plan. It calls the move “the most controversial U-turn of Keir Starmer’s leadership” and says it has prompted an angry response from environmental groups, trade unions and some in the energy sector.

The paper quotes the Unite union saying Labour risks “outsourcing their policy-making to the Conservatives”.

The Metro’s front page leads on a conspiracy theorist’s claim that the Manchester Arena bombing was faked. A high Court has described the claims as “absurd and fanatical”. Richard Hall is being sued by a father and daughter who were both badly injured in the 2017 attack.

Hall claimed the attack was part of a government exercise and that survivors lied about their injuries.

The Sun reports on plans to introduce a blue card into football that would see players sent to a 10-minute sin bin. The paper says football fans have reacted with fury over the sin-bin plans.

The paper says the move would add to the “confusion” caused by the video assistance referee system (VAR), which critics have said slows down the game and fails to improve the quality of the decisions made.

The prime minister is going to “come out fighting” against Labour’s “dirty politics”, according to the Daily Express. The paper reports Sir Keir Starmer has been accused of trying to divert attention away from dropping his flagship green policy by calling on Rishi Sunak to apologise to Brianna Ghey’s family over comments at PMQs.

A Tory source has accused Sir Keir of using the death of Brianna Ghey, a transgender teenager who was murdered in a park in February last year, to “distract from his party’s chaos”.

Zelensky sacks Ukraine’s commander-in-chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi Ukraine’s president has sacked Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the commander-in-chief of the country’s armed forces, amid speculation of a rift between them. Gen Zaluzhnyi had overseen Ukraine’s military efforts since the onset of the conflict. In a presidential decree, Battle-hardened Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi was named as his successor, marking the most significant change to Ukraine’s military leadership since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasised the need for…

Boat sinks off Tunisia with more than 40 Sudanese on board A Tunisian official has reported that at least 13 Sudanese migrants lost their lives and 27 others remain unaccounted for after their boat capsized off the coast of Tunisia. Only two individuals from the vessel managed to survive, with search operations ongoing to find those missing.  This tragic incident adds to a series of disasters affecting migrants attempting to make the dangerous journey across…

Votes are currently being counted following yesterday’s general election in Pakistan, which was marred by the suspension of mobile phone and internet services and violent unrest. Many analysts consider this to be among Pakistan’s least credible elections, and the release of results has been notably sluggish compared to previous votes.

Four dead in clashes over India mosque demolition Violence erupted in a northern Indian state, resulting in at least four deaths, following the demolition of a mosque by authorities who claimed it was constructed illegally. The unrest unfolded in Uttarakhand’s Haldwani town during what police described as an “anti-encroachment drive.” Officials stated that the initiative aimed to remove unauthorised constructions, including the mosque and an adjacent madrassa (religious school). However, Muslim worshippers at the mosque…

Pakistanis are heading to the polls today, in elections for the national and provincial assemblies will be taking place today. 

Has PM opened door to Boris Johnson come back? – asks the front page of the Daily Express newspaper.
Rishi Sunak today opens the door to Boris Johnson’s political comeback and tells of his pride in their time working together.

The Prime Minister admits there are “well-documented differences” between them but revealed he talked to his former boss just a few months ago.

Prince William returns to work – that’s the headline for the Sun.

Rishi Sunak is slammed for his tone-deaf transgender comments in the House of Commons – that’s the headline on the front page of the Mirror.

Prince William has made his first public appearance since the King’s cancer diagnosis, the Metro reports, while Prince Harry has flown home to the US following his short visit to the UK to see his father.

‘I’d like to take this opportunity to say thank you, also, for the kind messages of support for Catherine and for my father, especially in recent days,’ he said. ‘It means a great deal to us all.

The Financial Times reports on a £2.5bn deal by Barratt to purchase Redrow – a deal the paper says cements the company’s place as the UK’s largest house-building firm.

Ecuador top court decriminalises euthanasia Ecuador now allows doctors to help people die if they are suffering and want to end their lives peacefully. This decision comes after a vote by the country’s highest court, with seven out of nine judges in favour. The court said that doctors won’t be charged with murder if they assist in ending a patient’s life to uphold their right to die with dignity. The case was brought by a…

While calls and data services are suspended, WiFi appears to remain operational. The country remains on high alert and polling stations across Pakistan are being heavily guarded. 

“There is no other solution but a complete and final victory,” Netanyahu told a news conference on Wednesday.

“Brave face of the King” is the headline on the front page of the Daily Mirror, as the paper reports on the monarch’s cancer diagnosis and his 30-minute meeting with Prince Harry

King Charles delayed his trip to Sandringham to see Prince Harry, the Sun says. The paper reports that the King was “doing very well”, according to its sources.

The monarch had a meeting with his youngest son, Prince Harry, on Tuesday after the Duke of Sussex travelled from the US to the UK to visit his father.

The number of children referred for emergency mental healthcare in England has soared by more than 50% in three years.
The Guardian reports more than 32,000 emergency and urgent referrals were made to child and mental health services in 2022-23 – equivalent to more than 600 a week.

The number of children referred for emergency mental healthcare in England has soared by more than 50% in three years, it says, citing data by the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

Federal judges in the US have ruled that Donald Trump cannot use presidential immunity in his election interference case.

The paper says The Duke of Sussex flew on the first available scheduled British Airways flight.