Author: WTX News

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…

Wildfire smoke from Alberta and British Columbia reaches US Widespread smoke from wildfires in Alberta, Canada has now reached parts of the US. There are currently 75 active wildfires in Alberta and 23 of them are currently considered out of control. The start of the wildfire season has been unusually active and rising temperatures are fuelling concerns of more fires starting.  Smoke from the Alberta wildfires have now reached eastern Canada and the US-Canada border, as seen in images from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Much of Canada and parts of the US northeast and mid-Atlantic regions…

Jordan Neely death: Ex-marine to be charged over New York subway death Daniel Penny, 24, is set to be charged with the manslaughter of Jordan Neely – who died on a New York subway. The ex-Marine Penny placed Neely in a chokehold, for almost 3 minutes, which caused the homeless man’s death. The killing was captured on a mobile phone and shared online. Witnesses on the same train reported that Neely was acting aggressively, but that he had not physically attacked anyone before Penny restrained him. Penny’s lawyers claim he could not have foreseen the fatal outcome. Neely was a…

Today’s news summary – Paper Talk Friday’s front pages are dominated by economics and the cost of living. The Bank of England has decided to raise interest rates and confirmed the UK will not fall into recession, but confirmed inflation is not forecast to fall below the target of 2% until 2025. Interest rates risen The Daily Express questions the trustworthiness of the Bank of England after its predictions of a recession and high unemployment rates were “wrong, wrong, wrong.” Expert Richard Murphy criticises the Bank’s decisions to raise interest rates calling it “cruel and pointless,” in the Daily Mirror,…

Poland is making radical reforms to its immigration and nationalization policies. Speculators are suggesting Poland is indirectly forcing Ex-Polish nationals and those living abroad to gain nationality, so they can be called up for national service. The Polish authorities feel a lack of nationalism will make them vulnerable to a potential attack from Russia. Poland is set to become one of the biggest contributors to NATO and poised to be one of the most powerful countries in Europe, because of its place within the EU and strategic location near the EU countries. Polish Citizens must now prove they are Polish…

Pakistan’s Supreme Court rules former PM Imran Khan’s arrest was illegal Pakistan’s top court has declared the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan illegal and called for him to be immediately released.  Khan was arrested on corruption charges but his lawyers argued that his detention from the court premises in Islamabad on Tuesday was unlawful. The arrest of Khan has only heightened tensions and violent protests have erupted since his arrest.  During the court proceedings, Khan claimed he had been kidnapped from the High Court and physically assaulted. Video footage showed paramilitary forces seizing and dragging Khan, who had…

Remembering Shireen Abu Akleh one year on amid calls for justice It’s been a year since the Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was shot in the head and killed whilst reporting near a refugee camp on the outskirts of the occupied West Bank city of Jenin, she was covering an Israel Defence Forces (IDF) raid. Abu Akleh was a much-loved journalist across the Arab world, working for Al Jazeera. She is being remembered by family, friends, and colleagues today, as tributes are paid and fans celebrate her life. But amid the celebrations of her incredible life, one year on from…

Star Sport – Treble maker Like many of the back pages, the Daily Star leads on Jack Grealish’s comments that City will beat Real Madrid in the second leg of the Champions League semi-finals. The first leg saw City hold Real Madrid to a 1-1 draw, and the next game will see City with the home advantage. City are aiming to bag the treble this season and look very much set to do so. The back page features a large image of Grealish as well as a picture of goal scorer Kevin de Bryne.

Metro – Arch enemies Summary of the front page The Archbishop of Canterbury’s attack on government plans to send migrants to Rwanda is also the lead in the Metro. The Most Rev Justin Welby denounced the government’s policy on migration as “isolationist…morally unacceptable and politically impractical”, warning it will damage UK interests at home and abroad. The front page also trails an interview with Peaky Blinders actor Cillian Murphy. Today’s top stories Like this article? Leave a comment UK National newspapers Previous image Next image

Financial Times – Sunak ready to curb students’ family visas as net flows grow Summary of the front page The Financial Times leads on its report that the government is preparing to stop people moving to the UK in order to join family members studying here. Restrictions on visas for the families of international students will drive down net migration, ministers hope – an issue which is “politically problematic for the prime minister”. Its main picture is of a Pakistani protester aiming a catapult, one of thousands of people who have taken to the streets following the arrest of former…

The Guardian – ‘Morally unacceptable’: Welby in stinging attack on migration bill Summary of the front page The archbishop of Canterbury’s attack on the migration bill is The Guardian’s lead. Justin Welby cited concerns raised by the United Nations high commissioner for refugees that the government’s approach could damage the international system for dealing with displaced people. He asked the Lords: “Is that what we want the United Kingdom’s contribution to be in our leadership?” The main image of the front page shows the UK’s Eurovision contestant rehearsing in Liverpool. Today’s top stories Like this article? Leave a comment UK…

The Sun – Holly and Phil barely speaking Summary of the front page The Sun says ITV presenting duo Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby are barely speaking off camera. They are no longer as close as they once were, the paper quotes an “insider” as saying. It claims the former has told ITV bosses she would be willing to continue in the This Morning job without Mr Schofield – who is currently taking a break from presenting – should he decide to quit. Today’s top stories Like this article? Leave a comment UK National newspapers Previous image Next image

Daily Express – Your attack on small boats in ‘wrong,’ Archbishop Summary of the front page The Express is one of several papers that leads on the archbishop’s comments but takes a more critical approach than other newspapers. The paper reports on the ministers hitting back at the Archbishop of Canterbury’s criticism of laws intended to stop small boat crossings. Home Office minister Robert Jenrick said Mr Welby was “wrong” to criticise the government’s strategy. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has made “stopping the boats” a key pledge. Today’s top stories Like this article? Leave a comment UK National newspapers Previous…

Daily Mirror – Hidden toll of Long Covid Summary of the front page The Mirror says 400,000 people in the UK need specialist care for long COVID. The paper leads with an investigation about the legacy of long Covid in the UK. It says two million Brits have been left with symptoms after contracting the virus, and 400,000 need specialist care. It quotes one sufferer as saying Covid-19 “has completely changed my life”. Today’s top stories Like this article? Leave a comment UK National newspapers Previous image Next image

Police arrest 61 suspected Italian mafia in widespread raid Italian police have conducted a series of raids across seven regions, resulting in the arrest of 61 suspected members of the ‘Ndrangheta, Italy’s most powerful mafia. The individuals are accused of crimes such as fraud, drug trafficking, government infiltration, and extortion of local farmers. Over 500 police officers participated in the operation, targeting a total of 167 people, including those already in prison. This crackdown is part of an ongoing effort to dismantle the criminal network. Last week, a major operation involving ten countries led to the arrest of over 100…

Finnish PM Sanna Marin to divorce as she prepares to leave office Finland’s outgoing Prime Minister Sanna Marin and her husband Markus Raikkonen have announced their divorce after 19 years together, and three years officially married. Ms Marin, who became the world’s youngest prime minister in 2019, expressed gratitude for their time together and their shared daughter. The couple married in 2020 during Ms Marin’s leadership in the country’s pandemic response. Despite the divorce, they stated that they will remain best friends and continue to spend time together as a family. Ms Marin’s centre-left party suffered a defeat in the…

Israeli air strike kills missile commander in Gaza In a pre-dawn airstrike on a Gaza apartment, Israel targeted and killed the leader of Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s (PIJ) rocket launching force along with two other militants. This attack followed Gaza militants firing over 500 rockets into Israel. In response, the Israeli military conducted strikes on more than 130 militant targets in Gaza, resulting in 25 deaths, including civilians and PIJ commanders. Israel reported four fatalities, including three children, caused by rockets falling short in Gaza. The armed wing of PIJ confirmed the death of Ali Hassan Ghali, also known as Abu…

UK migration bill impractical and morally unacceptable, says Justin Welby The Guardian says The archbishop of Canterbury has clashed with ministers after branding the government’s flagship illegal migration bill as “morally unacceptable” legislation that will “damage the UK’s interests and reputation at home and abroad”. In a withering attack upon Rishi Sunak and Suella Braverman’s plan, Justin Welby said it would not fulfil the prime minister’s pledge to “stop the boats”, ignored the key causes of the movement of refugees, and could break the system of international cooperation that promised to help those fleeing war, famine and conflict. “[The bill]…

Justin Welby was right to speak up for a humane asylum system The Independent says whether or not the Church should be represented in the British legislature, Justin Welby has a duty to express his view on questions of public policy from a moral standpoint. We should leave aside the question of whether it is right for him to have a vote on the making of laws by virtue of his Church office, and address the substance of what he said. He is right to say that the government’s attempt to deport to Rwanda those arriving in Britain on small…

Who is Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby as he speaks in the House of Lords? The Metro says It has been widely reported that the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby will speak out against the government’s proposed ‘small boats’ Illegal Migration Bill in the House of Lords today (May 10). While still a rare and stunning rebuke of government policy by a senior religious figure, it is not the first time the Archbishop has spoken out on political topics, having previously referred to the Rwanda deportation scheme as ‘opposite the nature of God.’ The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Archbishop of…

Tory backlash against Archbishop after Justin Welby uses House of Lords speech to slam government’s migration bill LBC says Government ministers have hit back at the Archbishop of Canterbury after he used a speech in the House of Lords to criticise the proposed Illegal Migration Bill. Justin Welby slammed the bill on Wednesday, saying it “has no sense at all of the long term and the global nature of the challenge that the world faces”. Speaking in the House of Lords, Mr Welby argued against the flagship legislation aimed at ensuring people who arrive in the UK in small boats…

Today’s news summary – Paper Talk Thursday’s front pages report on a variety of stories. One of the biggest stories this morning is the Archbishop of Canterbury’s rare intervention in the House of Lords. The Most Rev Justin Welby denounced the government’s policy on migration as “isolationist…morally unacceptable and politically impractical”, warning it will damage UK interests at home and abroad. ‘Stinging attack’ Metro leads with the Archbishop of Canterbury’s House of Lords speech, criticising the Illegal Migration Bill. The headline “Arch enemies” accompanies pictures of the Most Rev Justin Welby and Rishi Sunak. The Guardian describes the speech as…

The Guardian- Trump sexually abused writer in 1990s, New York jury finds Summary of the front page Donald Trump losing a civil case in which a jury found he’d sexually abused a woman 27 years ago is The Guardian’s lead story. Rather than a picture of Mr Trump, it’s Ms Carroll who dominates the front page. She emerged from the court smiling, making her way through a crowd of photographers, reporters and demonstrators. The front page also reports on details of how a baby was created with DNA from three people, a first in the UK. It says the law…

The Metro – Trump is a sex abuser Summary of the front page Metro’s front page is dominated by the direct headline “Trump is a sex abuser”. The paper’s US editor notes that he is now facing having to pay out damages of around $5m (£3.9m). The front page also reports on singer Rita Ora and her upcoming Eurovision performance. Today’s top stories Like this article? Leave a comment UK National newspapers Previous image Next image

The Times – Britain set to blacklist Russia’s Wagner group Summary of the front page The UK will formally declare the Wagner mercenary group a terrorist organisation, The Times reports. The group’s fighters are fighting for Russia in Ukraine, playing a major role in shoring up Moscow’s own troops and particularly the grinding battle for the city of Bakhmut. The paper quotes a government source as saying the group could be given the same legal status as so-called Islamic State group and al-Qaeda within weeks. Today’s top stories Like this article? Leave a comment UK National newspapers Previous image Next…