Today’s news summary – Paper Talk: Sir Bobby Charlton dies – tributes to football giant
Sunday’s front pages report on the death of England and Manchester United football icon Sir Bobby Charlton. The footballer died on Saturday at the age of 86.
“World Cup legend,” is how the Sunday Express describes him, whilst the Sunday Mirror quotes fellow 1966 World Cup winner Sir Geoff Hurst. We will never forget him and nor will all of football,” Sir Geoff writes – he is now the only surviving member of the 1966 squad. “A great colleague and friend he will be sorely missed by all of the country beyond sport alone.”
David Beckham is the England star quoted on the front of the Sun on Sunday who describe Sir Bobby as “a hero to the whole world” – touching on his global reach.
Finally, in the Sunday Times Martin Samuel writes “with his passing, a little piece of England dies too”. He says Sir Bobby was a great footballer and a good man, but also “our connection to what we believe was a gentler, nobler time. Our bridge to loyalty and duty, to modesty and diligence”.
Middle East conflict
Many of the papers continue their coverage of the ongoing crisis in the Middle East – with Iran being a focus on Sunday.
The Mail on Sunday reports an Israeli minister tells the paper that Tehran’s religious leader will be “wiped off the face of the earth” if its “proxy” group Hezbollah attacks Israel.
The Observer reports the Israeli government is being pressured by hardliners in its own security establishment to launch a pre-emptive strike on Hezbollah in Lebanon. The paper says the US is “holding Israel back” from any strike, fearing a major regional conflict.
The Sunday Telegraph reports that Washington is urging its allies to designate Iran’s Revolutionary Guard as terrorists, citing what they call its “complicity” in the massacre carried out by Hamas.
