Today’s news summary – Paper Talk
Tuesday’s front pages report on the ongoing Rhodes wildfires and the evacuation of holidaymakers. Many of the papers carry a front-page tribute to BBC presenter George Alagiah – who died at the age of 67 after a long battle with cancer.
Rhodes wildfires
The Times reports that 30,000 people from the UK have been left in “holiday limbo” by the wildfires on the Greek island. The paper says damage to resorts is likely to cause many cancellations over the next few weeks.
The Daily Express highlights how unprepared travel firms appeared to be. The paper says that “while this summer has been extreme, parts of Greece have had forest fires before”. Travel firms should, it concludes, have “better contingency plans”.
The i newspaper reports airlines have been described as “deeply irresponsible” for continuing to fly customers into the emergency zone. Consumer group Which? Is quoted as saying firms allowed people to travel even though they knew their hotels were closing down.
The Metro leads on the British man dubbed the “Knight of Rhodes” after he made several rescue trips to help rescue families from the fires.
The Guardian leads on how the climate crisis is to blame for the deadly heatwaves that have struck Europe and the US recently. The paper adds that a report by climate scientists says both heatwaves would have been virtually impossible without global heating driven by burning fossil fuels.
The Sun has a two-page spread dedicated to the fires, inside the paper. The spread has pictures of the charred remains of poolside loungers and parasols – and holidaymakers sleeping on the floor of the airport in Rhodes.
George Alagiah tributes
The front page of the Sun leads with a tribute to former footballer Trevor Francis after it was announced he had died from a heart attack at the age of 69.
BBC presenter George Alagiah died yesterday – many papers mark his death on their front pages.
The Mirror describes him as “gentle, kind and brave” – saying he was “the unflappable face of BBC News, loved by colleagues and viewers alike for his warmth and empathy”.
Fiona Bruce pays tribute to Alagiah in the Telegraph – she writes he set the “gold standard” for newsreaders, highlighting, in particular, his “integrity, humour and kindness”.
The i describes him simply as a “broadcasting giant”.
