Monday, January 20
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A band of rain across western Scotland will clear into northern England and northwest Wales throughout today. Rather cloudy to the south of this, although perhaps a few breaks developing. To the north a mix of bright spells and showers. Tonight: The band of patchy rain will stall across the central swathe of the UK overnight. Otherwise a mix of cloud and clear spells, with some fog patches developing.
The release of three Israeli hostages in Gaza dominates the UK news today. Israeli-British citizen Emily Damari was among those released. She lost two fingers during her 15-month ordeal. The ceasefire will also see much-needed humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip as well as the return of 90 Palestinian prisoners (mostly women and teenage boys).
The weekend’s Premier League action leads the social media trending stories for the UK as Manchester United and Spurs lose again and discussions of what keeps going wrong has begun amongst pundits and fans.
Thousands of graduates will find themselves stranded in their home town, unable to root out professional opportunities, when April’s hike in the minimum wage drags them into the threshold of student loan repayments, a top financial services firm has warned.
The government announced an above inflation rise in the National Living Wage of 5.6 per cent as part of October’s Budget, prompting warnings of price rises and hiring freezes from business lobby groups.
But according to Blick Rothenberg recent graduates will bear much of the brunt, with those earning as little as £12.21 per hour in a full-time job sucked into to student loan repayments.
A full-time employee on the National Living Wage is set to earn roughly £26,660 when April’s uplift is introduced, meaning they will surpass the £25,000 threshold at which student loan repayments kick in.
https://www.cityam.com/student-tax-to-hit-graduates-on-minimum-wage-by-april/
Monday’s front pages lead on the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel – as a prisoner-hostage swap deal takes place. Amongst the hostages released include a British-Israeli citizen who leads most of the paper’s images this morning.
Beyond the Middle East truce, the papers leave space to report on President-elect Donald Trump – who takes the oath of office today, Monday 20 January 2025. Several stories regarding the US president make the front pages, including reports about the prime minister racing to secure a deal with the new president.
Last night’s Premier League matches dominate the UK back pages – with Manchester United’s 3-2 loss to Brighton leading several after Man Utd boss Amorim labelled his squad the worst side in Manchester United’s 147-year history. Spurs also suffered a loss to Everton, putting pressure on boss Ange Postecoglou
The Times describes how British-Israeli hostage Emily Damari, alongside Doron Steinbrecher, 31, and Romi Gonen, 24, was handed over to Red Cross officials amidst a throng of television cameras. The paper says there is lingering uncertainty about the freed hostages’ health after their 15-month ordeal. Israeli health authorities have prepared for “all possibilities,” the paper says, noting that while the three appeared in relatively stable condition, they are scheduled to undergo at least four days of medical evaluation.
The Metro leads with the headline “Home at last,” recounting the “chaotic scenes” surrounding the trio’s release. The paper says Emily “was shot in the hand, injured by shrapnel in her leg, and saw her dog Choocha killed before she was blindfolded and bundled into a car that took her to Gaza.”
The Daily Mail quotes Emily’s mother, Mrs Damari, saying, “Thank you for bringing Emily home.” The paper notes Emily’s “defiant smile” upon being freed after 471 days in captivity.
The Daily Mirror also features Emily’s reunion with her mother Mandy, quoting Mrs Damari’s call to action: “Every hostage must be released.”
The Daily Express reports after 15 months of unimaginable torment, Emily Damari’s return home is a beacon of hope amid a sea of despair in the Middle East. Her mother’s tears of joy tell a story of love and resilience.
BRITISH hostage Emily Damari gave a defiant salute with a bullet-ravaged hand after running a terrifying gauntlet of hate as she was freed by Hamas, says The Sun.
The i highlights Trump’s claimed role in mediating the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
The Times captures the disappointment of supporters who travelled to witness the inauguration in person, only to find themselves unable to access the National Mall, with some expressing regret over not watching the event on television instead.
The Daily Telegraph reports on Sir Keir Starmer’s efforts to secure a trade deal with Trump, with the prime minister assembling a “mini-cabinet” to strategise an agreement. The paper says having the “architect” of the Chagos Islands deal in the PM’s new “mini-cabinet” could complicate efforts to “woo the new US president.”
Trump’s swearing-in, held indoors in Washington’s Rotunda due to freezing weather, is described as “a ceremony like no other” by the Daily Mail.
Donald Trump’s inaguaration, English football and the release of the hostages dominate the UK’s social media trending stories, with the weekend’s Premier League action being the most popular.
On the eve of his inauguration, President-elect Donald Trump addressed supporters in Washington, pledging to stop what he called an “invasion” of immigrants at the southern border. He singled out
A newfound “spirit of optimism” echoed throughout speeches at the Left Party’s (Die Linke) convention in Berlin on Saturday, signalling a potential turnaround for Die Linke as Germany’s February 23
The death toll from recent attacks in Colombia’s Catatumbo region has climbed to 60, according to the country’s human rights office. The violence stems from clashes between rival factions vying
Israel has released 90 Palestinian prisoners in the first phase of a ceasefire agreement with Hamas, the Israeli prison service has confirmed. The released prisoners, predominantly women and children, were
TikTok has resumed operations for its 170 million users in the United States after President-elect Donald Trump announced plans to issue an executive order granting the app a temporary reprieve
Thousands of protesters, predominantly women, took to the streets of Washington, D.C., on Saturday, voicing their opposition to President-elect Donald Trump just days before his inauguration.
Faster UK growth tied to boosting export services in South East, data shows
The majority of British business leaders are optimistic about growth potential, despite also being concerned about Trump’s US tariffs and the impact of trade wars on their organisation. Read the full story here 👇
A February interest rate cut is a “certainty” after new data suggests that inflationary pressures are weaker than previously thought, but the path beyond remains unclear.
Economists expect the Bank of England to back a third rate cut next month after two important pieces of economic data were published this week.
Figures out on Wednesday showed that the headline rate of inflation fell to 2.5 per cent in December, down from 2.6 per cent previously and below expectations.
Rate-setters will likely have been paying particular attention to services inflation, which is a good gauge of domestic price pressures.
https://www.cityam.com/uk-economy-interest-rate-cut-a-certainty-in-february-after-weak-data/
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