Putin dealt bitter blow as blast cripples key bridge to Crimea

The Guardian says An explosion has crippled the heavily guarded bridge connecting Crimea to the Russian mainland, a hated symbol of Russian occupation and key logistics link for Russian troops in southern Ukraine, in the latest heavy blow to Vladimir Putin after weeks of military humiliation.

The Kerch bridge was a personal prestige project for the Russian president, and the hit came the day after his 70th birthday. The blast destroyed the road into Crimea and left the railway link in flames.

Ukraine did not directly claim responsibility for the attack, which Russia said was carried out by a truck bomb. But one senior Ukrainian official posted a “happy birthday” message with images of destruction, and the country’s post office revealed – within hours – designs for a commemorative stamp, showing the bridge ablaze, raising questions about whether the explosion had been anticipated.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/08/putin-dealt-bitter-blow-as-blast-cripples-key-bridge-to-crimea

Liz Truss facing rural rebellion over anti-nature ‘growth’ push

The Guardian says Liz Truss is facing a rural revolt against her plans to prioritise a “dash for economic growth” over nature protection and the environment.

Senior party figures, including ministers under Boris Johnson’s premiership and former Tory leader William Hague, have joined the National Trust, the RSPB, the Angling Trust and Wildlife Trusts in criticising what they see as environmental vandalism.

It follows concerns Truss is treating the leading nature charities as part of a so-called “anti-growth coalition” that she claims to be confronting.

As MPs return to parliament, Truss is facing Tory revolts on several fronts in the wake of a chaotic party conference. Senior MPs believe she is now a “prisoner of the parliamentary party”, unable to force through controversial policies on tax, welfare and immigration. The environment has become the latest flashpoint.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/oct/08/liz-truss-facing-rural-rebellion-over-anti-nature-growth-push

Truss and Kwarteng made ‘worst first impression’ in UK political history, SNP conference told

The Guardian says Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng’s mini-budget “will go down as one of the worst financial interventions in modern history”, the Scottish National party’s Westminster leader has said.

Speaking on the first day of the party’s conference in Aberdeen, Ian Blackford took aim at the pair over the economic consequences of their “fiscal event”. “Only a matter of weeks into their new roles, the disastrous duo of Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng have crashed the economy, sent the pound plummeting, put pension funds at risk and caused mayhem for mortgage holders,” Blackford said.

He told his party’s conference that Scotland should not be “shackled to the Westminster shambles”. “What was once ‘fairytale economics’ – used to bribe votes from Tory members in the summer – has become everyone else’s nightmare this autumn and winter.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/oct/08/truss-and-kwarteng-made-worst-first-impression-in-uk-political-history-snp-conference-told

Poorest families would lose £400 a year under Liz Truss benefits plan

The Guardian says Low-income households will be almost £400 a year worse off under No 10’s plans to increase benefits at a lower rate than inflation, new analysis for the Observer has revealed.

Liz Truss and her government are considering uprating welfare in line with earnings rather than inflation. It would mean increasing them by 5.5% rather than about 10%, according to the most recent official data, saving about £5bn.

The move would effectively leave poorer households £395 a year worse off on average. According to estimates by the Policy in Practice consultancy, households will be £32.91 a month worse off. Uprating by just 5.5% will result in a 7.7% loss in disposable income on average, as prices for energy and housing continue to rise.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/oct/09/poorest-families-would-lose-400-a-year-under-liz-truss-benefits-plan

14-try England overrun Fiji to make Women’s Rugby World Cup statement

The Guardian says A tricky first half did not prevent England opening their World Cup campaign with an 84-19 dismantling of Fiji at Auckland’s Eden Park, extending the tournament favourites’ winning streak to 26 matches.

The match was a long time coming for both teams with the finals starting a year late because of coronavirus, plus this being the first meeting between the two sides in the 16 years they have coexisted at international level. Fiji, taking their World Cup bow, were not about to allow the Red Roses to have it all their own way on such a momentous occasion. So it proved in a pulsating opening 40 minutes.

“They rattled us a bit in their physicality and their intent to run the ball in the first half,” said the England captain, Sarah Hunter. “We were a bit more composed in the second half, managed to go back to being England and turned the game around.”

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/oct/08/england-overrun-fiji-84-19-to-make-early-womens-rugby-world-cup-statement