Browsing: Politics

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer held a “warm” phone call with the new US President Donald Trump. Trump is expected to visit Britain “soon” following their first conversation since the president’s inauguration. The paper says the prime minister became the first European leader to speak to the new US president since he was sworn in.

Britain is set to be hit with torrential rain and high winds as Storm Herminia rolls in. Yellow warnings for wind and heavy rain have been issued for much of Wales and southern England as Storm Herminia hits parts of the UK. The Met Office says Herminia – first recorded in Spain and France – brings with it the possibility of damage and disruption, days after Storm Éowyn left two people dead when it battered the UK and Republic of Ireland.

King Charles will become the first British head of state to visit Auschwitz when he tours the former Nazi concentration camp to mark the 80th anniversary of its liberation. The King will travel to Poland to join survivors and other dignitaries for a special service, at the end of which he will lay a light of remembrance to honour those who lost their lives.

Monday’s UK newspapers cover a range of topics, from international diplomacy to domestic policy and poignant Holocaust Memorial Day reflections.

A handful of showbiz stories feature on the tabloid front pages, as does coverage of Tottenham’s manager Ange Postecoglou – after a shock Premier League loss has fans believing the Spurs boss is on his way out the door. 

The back pages continue the Spurs coverage along with Manchester United’s 1-0 win over Fulham.

Online, many of the UK’s new sites report on the torrential rain and strong winds set to batter the UK over the next 48 hours.

US President Donald Trump suggested a controversial plan on Saturday to “clean out” Gaza and resettle Palestinians in Egypt and Jordan as part of a broader Middle East peace effort. Describing Gaza as a “demolition site” following the Israel-Hamas war, Trump said he had discussed the idea with Jordan’s King Abdullah II and planned to speak with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.  

Thousands of people across Germany took to the streets on Saturday to protest the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, just weeks before the general election on February 23. Demonstrators in Berlin gathered at the Brandenburg Gate, lighting up their phones, blowing whistles, and singing anti-fascist songs, while in Cologne, protesters carried banners condemning the AfD.  

Axel Rudakubana, 18, has been sentenced to 52 years behind bars for murdering 3 little girls and the attempted murder of at least 10 others at a dance class last year in Southport. The judge says it’s highly unlikely Rudakubana will ever be released. Rudakubana pleaded guilty on Monday to the murders of Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, Alice da Silva Aguiar, 9, and Bebe King, 6. He also admitted to producing ricin, possessing terrorist material, and possessing a knife.

The Met Office has issued rare red weather warnings, meaning there is a danger to life, as Storm Éowyn batters the UK. The worst disruption is due to hit Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland, with gusts of up to 100mph (161km/h) expected in some coastal areas. Millions of people are being urged to stay at home and widespread travel disruption is expected, with some flights and ferry crossings already cancelled.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has been elected taoiseach (prime minister) of Ireland for the second time, following intense debates in the Dáil (Ireland’s lower house of Parliament). The Dáil faced multiple suspensions on Wednesday due to heated exchanges between the government and opposition parties.  

Almost every front page of the Friday national newspapers led with pictures of the three young girls who were murdered in Southport last summer as they attended a dance class. The papers’ lead articles react to the 52-year sentencing of the killer Axel Rudakubana, the opportunities missed to stop him from carrying out his horrific crime and the statements from the parents of the victims.

Elsewhere, the UK is bracing for 100mph winds as Storm Eowyn barrels down on the country.

The back pages lead on English football teams, with Manchester United’s 2-1 win in the Europa League the most prominent.