Author: WTX News

UK threatens success of Scots unis at attracting foreign students The Herald says INTERNATIONAL students bring over £37 billion net economic benefit to the UK, up almost 60% in six years. Most sectors of the economy can only dream of these growth rates in our post-Brexit times of stagnant growth and low productivity. ‘The benefits and costs of international higher education students to the UK economy’, a new report published today, proves that our ability to attract some of the world’s brightest and best talent is an extraordinary success story. Scotland is second only to London for attracting international students.…

At least 6 dead in New Zealand hostel fire and others still unaccounted for At least 6 people have died after a fire broke out at the Loafers Lodge hostel in Wellington, New Zealand, according to Prime Minister Chris Hipkins. Emergency services were called to the hostel just after midnight, with more than 50 individuals being rescued from the four-story building. Officials say 11 people remain unaccounted for, and the death toll is expected to rise. Firefighters faced significant challenges in extinguishing the blaze, which had engulfed the top level of the hostel.  The building contains asbestos, and authorities advised…

Today’s news summary – Paper Talk Tuesday’s front pages report on a variety of topics including the Home Secretary Suella Braverman’s recent comments on reducing immigration. Several of the front pages feature a picture of Ukraine’s Zelensky meeting with PM Sunak as the president begins his European tour. Braverman’s immigration comments “Quit the PM pitch and stick to the day job” is the advice given to the home secretary by “despairing” Conservative MPs, according to the Guardian. The paper says colleagues of Suella Braverman have accused her of making a bid for the future leadership of the party in her…

fire at hostel in New Zealand – The fire ripped through the four-storey hostel tonight.

Financial Times- G7 and EU to heap pressure on Russia with ban on reopening of gas pipelines Summary of the front page The Financial Times leads with the G7 and European Union moving to prevent the resumption of Russian pipeline gas exports on routes to countries such as Poland and Germany. The paper says, according to officials involved in the talks, the decision will be finalised by G7 leaders at a summit in Hiroshima this week. It is the first time the trading of pipeline-gas has been blocked by western powers since Russia invaded Ukraine, the paper notes. Today’s top…

Metro – Nurses give Sunak the double digit Summary of the front page Nurses will strike until Christmas unless they get a double-digit pay-rise – that is the promise from union leader Pat Cullen, reported in Metro. The paper says Pat Cullen, the general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, has warned Rishi Sunak not to underestimate her union members after they already rejected a 9% pay deal. Today’s top stories Like this article? Leave a comment UK National newspapers Previous image Next image

The Guardian – Braverman rejects Tory calls to ease visa rules Summary of the front page The Guardian leads with the home secretary’s plan to get thousands of Britons trained as lorry drivers, meat workers and crop gatherers instead of easing visa rules for foreigners. The front page features an image of Mo Farah after his documentary won a Bafta last night. Today’s top stories Like this article? Leave a comment UK National newspapers Previous image Next image

Daily Mirror – Brothers in arms Summary of the front page The Daily Mirror leads with the story behind a moving photo taken during the Leeds Marathon. The front page has a picture of Rugby League star Kevin Sinfield carrying his friend and former team-mate Rob Burrow over the finish line of the Leeds marathon, with the headline “brothers in arms”. Sinfield has raised millions to help in the battle against motor neurone disease, which Leeds Rhino star Burrow was diagnosed with in 2019. The paper says Burrow’s wife, Lindsey, also completed the marathon and said: “We’re unbelievably proud.” Today’s…

The Sun – Furious Phil calls in lawyers Summary of the front page The Sun has the latest on tensions between This Morning hosts Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby. “Furious Phil calls in lawyer” is the headline in the Sun. It says This Morning host Phillip Schofield has hired a lawyer to help him. Insiders say the presenter wanted to take back control after being “blindsided” by how public the tensions with his co-host Holly Willoughby had become, notes the Sun. The front page reports on the latest results from the Premier League, as the title looks to be heading…

Daily Express – Outrage over Labour plan to reopen Brexit Summary of the front page The Daily Express leads with claims from some leading Tories, including Greg Hands, that the Labour leader is trying to drag Britain back into the EU. Sir Keir Starmer is planning to enable EU citizens to vote, as well as 16 and 17-year-olds, if elected. Some Conservatives have claimed Labour is using this manifesto pledge to prepare a “sinister” plot and rig the system in order to hold another referendum, the paper says. The front page also reports on the latest TV gossip amid reports…

Zelensky in surprise UK visit as Britain to send hundreds of missiles and attack drones to Ukraine The Independent says Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in the UK on Monday to meet Rishi Sunak for “substantive negotiations” to secure more support for his country’s war effort. The Ukrainian president will meet his “friend” the prime minister as part of a trip around Europe pressing leaders for more military aid. Mr Zelensky said on Twitter: “The UK is a leader when it comes to expanding our capabilities on the ground and in the air. “This cooperation will continue today. I will meet my…

Volodymyr Zelenskiy arrives at Chequers to meet ‘my friend’ Rishi Sunak The Guardian says The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has arrived at Chequers for “substantive negotiations” with the UK prime minister, Rishi Sunak. In an early morning message as he landed in the UK, Zelenskiy confirmed he would “meet my friend Rishi”. No 10 confirmed Zelenskiy had arrived in Britain and would meet Sunak at his Chequers country residence in Buckinghamshire. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/may/15/volodymyr-zelenskiy-to-meet-rishi-sunak-in-london-on-monday

UK pledges hundreds of new attack drones to Ukraine ahead of Zelensky’s surprise UK visit The UK has announced plans to send hundreds of long-range attack drones to Ukraine as part of increased military aid. Ahead of a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and UK PM Rishi Sunak, the government confirmed the provision of air defence missiles and unmanned aerial systems. The new long-range attack drones, with a range of over 200km, will bolster Ukraine’s resistance against Russia’s invasion. Germany and France have also pledged military support to Ukraine, with Germany committing arms deliveries worth €2.7bn and France supplying…

Cyclone Mocha: Deadly storm hits Myanmar and Bangladesh coasts causing significant damage  A category-five equivalent cyclone has ravaged the coastlines of Bangladesh and Myanmar. Cyclone Mocha spared the Cox’s Bazar refugee camp but caused significant damage to numerous makeshift shelters. In Myanmar, the capital city of Sittwe in Rakhine state was reported to be 90% destroyed, with severe impacts on houses, power lines, and camps for displaced Rohingya. Tragically, at least six fatalities have been confirmed in Myanmar, including a 14-year-old boy who was killed by a falling tree. The devastation disrupted electricity and wireless connections across Sittwe, with visuals…

Thai voters deliver stunning verdict in favour of opposition party In a surprising turn of events, Thai voters have delivered a resounding victory to the opposition party advocating for radical institutional reforms in the country. Early results indicate that Move Forward has surpassed all expectations by securing 151 out of the 500 seats in the lower house. This puts them 10 seats ahead of the previous frontrunner, Pheu Thai, led by the daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Analysts are describing this outcome as a political earthquake, signifying a significant shift in public sentiment. The verdict represents a clear…

A reader looks back at PS4 game creation tool Dreams and examines why it didn’t have as much of an impact on gaming as it deserved to.

Financial Times – BoE lifts rate and warns inflation target will not be reached until 2025 Summary of the front page The Financial Times leads with the Bank of England raising interest rates and the warning that it will not hit its inflation target until 2025. In its Thursday update, the Bank said inflation is now not forecast to fall below the target of 2% until 2025 – but it reaffirmed its prediction that the UK will avoid a recession. The US accusing South Africa of covertly backing Russia’s war effort in Ukraine also features prominently. Today’s top stories Like…

Metro – Proof claws exist Summary of the front page “Big cat breakthrough” tops the Metro, as it reports that DNA profiling has proved a “panther-like” species roams UK countrysides. The findings come from a new documentary called Panthera Britannia Declassified. Beyonce, whose Renaissance world tour has begun, is the main image on the front. Today’s top stories Like this article? Leave a comment UK National newspapers Previous image Next image

The Guardian – UK sends long-range missiles to Ukraine in first for west Summary of the front page The Guardian leads with Britain becoming the first Western country to provide Ukraine with long-range Storm Shadow missiles. The front page reports hours after Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, said he needed more western weapons to be confident of a victory this summer, Ben Wallace, the UK defence secretary, told MPs that the missiles – which cost more than £2m each – were “now going in, or are in the country itself”. Today’s top stories Like this article? Leave a comment UK National…

Daily Express – Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! Summary of the front page “Wrong, wrong, wrong!” tops the Daily Express, after expert economists attacked the Bank of England for inaccurate predictions on recession, unemployment and inflation. The paper says the “blistering criticism” comes after another day of bad cost of living news for the country. The front page has reported on Russia’s threats to the UK after news Britain will send missiles to Ukraine. Today’s top stories Like this article? Leave a comment UK National newspapers Previous image Next image

The Sun – Phil: It’s not been easy for me or Holly Summary of the front page The Sun leads with a statement from Philip Schofield, who reportedly said the last few weeks “haven’t been easy” for him or his This Morning co-star, Holly Willoughby. It the second day in a row, the front page has led with reported tensions between daytime television presenters Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby. According to the paper, relations between the This Morning hosts have suffered in recent months. Today’s top stories Like this article? Leave a comment UK National newspapers Previous image Next image

Daily Mirror – Interest rate pain: It’s not over yet Summary of the front page The Daily Mirror leads with the Bank of England boss, Andrew Bailey, saying he will take “whatever decisions are needed” to tackle high inflation. Higher rates are yet to fully filter through to households and the economy, the Bank warned on Thursday, estimating that just a third of the impact has passed through so far. It means homeowners on fixed-rate deals will feel the impact when it is time for them to renew rather than now. The front page also reports the UK is sending…

Rail passengers face summer of strife as national strikes resume The Independent says Forty-eight hours of rail chaos is about to get under way. Travellers trying to reach the Eurovision Song Contest this Saturday and, next month, the FA Cup Final by train could find their trains cancelled by a series of strikes. As the next round of national rail strikes begins, the dispute between rail unions, train operators and ministers appears deeper than ever. In June 2022, the first national rail strikes since the 1980s began across Britain in a tangle of disputes about pay, job security and working…

Ukraine-Russia Conflict: Reports of Ukrainian breakthrough denied by Russia Reports of a potential breakthrough for Ukraine on the front line of the Ukraine-Russia conflict have been refuted by Russia, despite claims made by pro-Russia sources. The head of the Wagner mercenary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, accused regular Russian troops of abandoning positions around Bakhmut, while Russian military bloggers reported Ukrainian advances in multiple areas. However, the Kremlin dismissed these claims and denied any significant progress by Ukrainian forces. The Institute for the Study of War suggested that Ukrainian forces may have made gains in Bakhmut, pushing Russian troops back by approximately…

Australian government approves first new coal mine since elected The Australian government has granted approval for a new coal mine, the Isaac River coal mine, marking the first approval since being elected on a climate action platform. The mine, situated near Moranbah, is expected to yield approximately 2.5 million tonnes of coal over a span of five years, contributing to around 7 million tonnes of greenhouse gases. Despite scientific warnings regarding the inconsistency of new fossil fuel projects with global climate goals, the government proceeded with the approval. Various environmental groups had urged the government to reject the mine, highlighting…