The recent wildfires in Los Angeles are dominating headlines in the British press today. The Metro’s front page presents a harrowing aerial image of the destruction that has been caused, with the headline “Lost Angeles” referring to the almost apocalyptic scenes. The paper reports that 100,000 homes have been destroyed, with swathes of the city being consumed block by block. It’s believed that the death toll will rise from the current figure of five. The Sun also opts for a similar headline, while adding images of celebrities who have lost their homes, such as Paris Hilton and Sir Anthony Hopkins.
Elsewhere in the news, statistics show that the NHS is in the midst of its worst flu season in over a decade, according to the Daily Telegraph. On the same front page, Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ flying to China in an attempt to revive closer ties and boost Britain’s economy is met with criticism. The paper reports that Reeves has been “missing in action” due to fears over rising government borrowing costs. The Daily Mail presents a similar story, going even further to suggest that Reeves is heading for a 1970s-style debt “nightmare” with experts claiming that the “growing crisis” may soon affect mortgage rates. The paper also features a picture of the smiling Princess of Wales on her birthday, with the Prince of Wales paying tribute to his “most incredible wife”.
In political news, the Times describes Chancellor Reeves as “rattled” due to concerns that market turmoil is “derailing” her economic strategy, which could lead to higher mortgage rates. She has reportedly told cabinet colleagues to draft alternative plans to boost growth. The paper also highlights Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer’s refusal to order a new national inquiry into child sex abuse, leading to a potential split within the party, with some members calling for an inquiry to take place.
Finally, the Financial Times leads with news that Elon Musk is discussing with allies how Sir Keir Starmer may be removed as prime minister before the next general election. This comes after the tech billionaire demanded a new national inquiry into historic grooming cases while accusing Sir Keir of being “complicit” in the rape of Britain. The broadsheet also presents a picture of all living former presidents and President Joe Biden coming together at former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral.
The Guardian presents a different approach to the day’s news, highlighting how world temperatures went above the internationally agreed limit for the first time last year, leading to extreme weather conditions that have affected millions of people. The paper quotes an academic who says that this information needs to serve as a “reality check”. Elsewhere in the paper, there is coverage of Reeves considering steeper cuts to public services to repair the government’s finances.
The Daily Express points out that Shamima Begum could be freed due to the guards holding her in a Syrian refugee camp being attacked. The Kurdish-led forces running detention camps have reportedly been subject to Turkish air strikes and ground assaults by HTS, a group running Syria. The tabloid also features pictures of Catherine.
Finally, the Daily Star takes a lighter tone by showing a lettuce with a wig, alongside the report of former Prime Minister Liz Truss sending a legal letter to Sir Keir demanding he stops repeating the claim that she “crashed the economy”. The tabloid prints an excerpt from the prime minister’s spokesman who asks whether Truss will “be writing to millions of people up and down the country” who felt the economic impact during that time. There is also a report on Richard Hammond splitting from his wife after 28 years of marriage
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