The Guardian – Fears of Escalation After Israel kills leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah
Iran has vowed revenge after airstrikes killed the Hamas political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, in Tehran and a senior Hezbollah commander in Beirut in the space of 12 hours, The Guardian reports. Elsewhere, Huw Edwards is pictured on the front page as the former BBC news presenter pleaded guilty to indecent images of children. The paper reports he could face jail time. The front page leaves room to report on Team GB’s winning Wednesday – securing 5 medals two of which were gold!
Fears of escalation mount after Israeli killings of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders
Iran has vowed revenge after airstrikes killed the Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and a top Hezbollah commander in Beirut in the space of 12 hours, as the dual Israeli assassinations crushed hopes for an imminent Gaza ceasefire and fuelled fears of a “dangerous escalation” in the region.
Israel did not directly claim the attack on Haniyeh, but there was little doubt among the country’s enemies, and its own politicians and analysts, about who was responsible.
Khalil al-Hayya, a senior Hamas official, told a news conference in Tehran, quoting witnesses, that Haniyeh had been killed by a missile that hit him “directly” in a state guesthouse where he was staying.
Haniyeh was visiting for the inauguration of Iran’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, who said after the killing that his country would defend its territorial integrity and honour.
Huw Edwards’ fall comes 14 months after career peak
A measure of the speed and depth of Huw Edwards’ reputational collapse is that his appearance at Westminster magistrates court on Wednesday came just 14 months after he reached his career peak, presenting the king’s coronation. The presenter has already suffered disgrace and career ruin and could, when sentencing occurs on 16 September, face jail.
As always after such public catastrophes, the question quickly arises of to what extent the events were predictable or preventable. Last July, I fell out with a friend who is a senior figure at the BBC, to the point of not speaking for some time. He said it was completely unimaginable that early reports about his behaviour in the Sun could be true, let alone what has now emerged.
Tears flow as Team GB soar up the medal table on wonderful Wednesday
The British rower Lola Anderson choked back tears as she told of her pride in fulfilling her late father’s faith in her talent on a wonderful Wednesday in Paris when Team GB chalked up five more Olympic medals – including two gold.
Great Britain was propelled into fifth position in the medal table, behind China, Japan, France and Australia, but ahead of South Korea and the USA, by the gold medal-winning feats of Anderson, Hannah Scott, Lauren Henry and Georgie Brayshaw in the women’s quadruple sculls crew and Alex Yee in the men’s triathlon.
There was also a silver in the men’s BMX freestyle and bronze medals in the women’s synchronised diving and triathlon as well as dazzling performances from Joe Fraser and Jake Jarman in the men’s all-around final of the artistic gymnastics.
Today’s news summary – Paper Talk
If you are someone who reads every perspective of a story, here is a news summary of all of today’s front pages from today’s newspapers; summarised in a 2-minute read
Editorial 01 August 2024.
Thursday’s front pages lead with the news that the former BBC news presenter, Huw Edwards, has pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children.
Almost all the papers – tabloids and broadsheets – lead with the shocking story, which only came to light earlier this week.
The ongoing riots over the Southport knife attack make several front pages, as locals of the area and some of the victim’s families express anger over the violence from the protesters.
Elsewhere, the front pages feature images from yesterday’s Olympics – a day to remember for Team GB which picked up five medals on Wednesday, including two golds. Team GB’s success dominates the back pages.