'Summer of chaos' and 'water bosses' pay rises'

3 hours ago

News image — The wildfires sweeping through Europe are prominent across many of Saturday's papers. "Summer of chaos" is the Daily Mirror's headline as it splashes with a picture of beachgoers watching fires rage in Lacanau, France. The paper also reports that thousands of holidaymakers are facing huge queues at Europe's ports, with blazes in south-west France forcing the evacuation of more than 40,000 people and Spain declaring a national emergency.

The headline on the front page of the Daily Mirror reads: "Summer of chaos." — The wildfires sweeping through Europe are prominent across many of Saturday's papers. "Summer of chaos" is the Daily Mirror's headline as it splashes with a picture of beachgoers watching fires rage in Lacanau, France. The paper also reports that thousands of holidaymakers are facing huge queues at Europe's ports, with blazes in south-west France forcing the evacuation of more than 40,000 people and Spain declaring a national emergency.

The headline on the front page of the Guardian reads: "Water bosses' pay rises despite ban on bonuses." — The Guardian follows with "France in flames", running the same picture in its top spot. It also leads with a report that water company bosses' total pay has risen over the past year despite a ban on bonuses and anger over soaring bills and pollution. It adds: "In some cases companies have given their bosses extra awards that they claim are not 'performance-related payments', or bonuses, which they argue means the cash is not covered by the ban.

The headline on the front page of the Times reads: "Net zero risks blackouts." — The UK's race to net zero will leave it at greater risk of blackouts and higher electricity bills, according to the Times. It cites a confidential report commissioned by the national grid operator, disclosed to the paper by a whistleblower, which says the National Energy System Operator (Neso) can't accurately model the modern power system as the government moves towards renewable energy. Neso described the report as a "forward-looking" assessment of risks that could become more significant in the 2030s unless addressed.

The headline on the front page of the Daily Telegraph reads: "Iran agents sneak in as Channel migrants." — The Daily Telegraph says Iran has been sending suspected covert operatives across the Channel after individuals with links to Tehran's intelligence agencies were intercepted by UK authorities on small boats. The paper quotes a Home Office spokesman who says there are "stringent security checks" for small boat arrivals and those identified as a threat will be detained and removed "at the earliest opportunity".

The headline on the front page of the FT Weekend reads: "Iran war narrows Healey's options." — The FT Weekend also leads with Iran, reporting that the new Chancellor John Healey is under mounting pressure to raise taxes or find savings as the Iran war threatens to shrink the government's fiscal buffer to just £7bn.

The headline on the front page of the Daily Mail reads: "Fathers driven to suicide by child support scandal". — The Daily Mail carries an exclusive on "fictitious" child maintenance charges that have left some parents "financially crippled", and some even "driven to suicide". It says that computer glitches are suspected to be behind more than 24,000 cases of child support overcharging, resulting in £4.3m in inflated charges. The agency in question denies having significant issues with its IT system.

The headline on the front page of the Daily Express reads: "Killer of our girls is playing the system." — Families of the children murdered by Southport killer Axel Rudakubana have accused him of attempting to "manipulate the system" following his transfer from prison to a psychiatric hospital, according to the Daily Express. The Prison Officers' Association told the BBC that Rudakubana was transferred due to a deterioration in his mental health.

The headline on the front page of the Sun reads: "Killer cons his way to cushy life." — "Killer cons his way to cushy life" is the Sun's headline as it reports that Rudakubana's transfer comes just days before the second anniversary of the murders of Alice da Silva Aguiar, Bebe King, and Elsie Dot Stancombe.

The headline on the front page of the Independent reads: "Brexit wipes out UK Trump tariff benefit over EU." — The Independent fills its front page with a photo of Prime Minister Andy Burnham launching the new No 10 North in Manchester alongside Chancellor John Healey and first secretary of state Louise Haigh. "Best day of my life," says the PM.

The headline on the front page of the i Weekend reads: "New IRA car bomb intercepted by police - en route to 'terror attack' in Northern Ireland." The paper says officers "undoubtedly saved lives" by stopping the car. — Police in Northern Ireland have intercepted an "extremely significant" explosive device as it was being driven across the border by a woman in her 20s, the iWeekend reports.

The headline on the front page of the Daily Star reads: "Corrie Tracey: I need a miracle!" — Finally, the Daily Star features actress Tracy Shaw sharing an update on her breast cancer diagnosis, saying surgery is not an option for her.

Pictures of tourists on a beach in France, with a huge cloud of black smoke from wildfires burning in the distance, are on several front pages. "Europe ablaze" says the FT Weekend. "Summer of chaos" is the Daily Mirror's headline. It says thousands of British holidaymakers are facing huge queues to travel to mainland Europe, while fires rage.

The Times says it's seen a report which says the UK is at a greater risk of blackouts because of the drive towards renewable energy. The paper says in the era of fossil fuel power plants, the national grid operator could easily monitor its output and balance demand and supply, minute by minute - but that's become much more difficult with the emergence of wind farms, solar panels and batteries. One whistleblower claims the grid operator is now "flying blind."

On its front page the Daily Telegraph says Iran is sending its operatives to the UK in migrant boats. The paper says Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps controls some of the people smuggling routes across Europe. An unnamed Iranian official says the regime could easily make London unsafe if it wanted to. The Home Office has been approached for comment.

According to FT Weekend, the new Chancellor, John Healey, is under mounting pressure to raise taxes or find savings, because the government's fiscal buffer has been eroded to a "razor thin level". The paper says renewed fighting in the Middle East has increased the cost of government borrowing, while Andy Burnham has made new spending commitments with measures to support households and small businesses.

An investigation by the Daily Mail has found that some parents are being financially crippled, or driven to suicide, because of "massively inflated" child maintenance charges. The paper says "appalling blunders" by the Child Maintenance Service have led to people being overcharged several thousand pounds a month; some have lost their homes and at least two fathers have taken their own lives. The agency denies having significant issues with its IT system.

And the Sun says Madonna is in talks to play a record three consecutive nights at BST Hyde Park in London next summer. If she does, the paper says, around 210,000 people are expected to attend, but sources close to her say nothing has been decided.

'Summer of chaos' and 'water bosses' pay rises'

Daily Express

Daily Mail

Daily Mirror

Daily Star

Daily Telegraph

Financial Times

Guardian

Independent

Metro

Sun

The i

Times

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