December 16, 2023, 00:02 GMT
Updated 1 hour ago
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i Weekend warns that millions will continue to face “mortgage misery”. It is reported that more than 15% of all mortgage holders – representing 1.54 million households – are facing expensive new deals as the average two-year fixed rate has risen to 6%. The report is based on sources I spoke to at the government's Office of Budget Responsibility who say the full impact of higher interest rates has not yet been felt.
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A Question Of Sport presenter Paddy McGuinness is on the front page of the Daily Mirror, writing that the quiz show will “disappear from screens after 53 years”. McGuiness is said to be “gutted” and there are no plans to return, according to an insider. However, a ` spokesman insisted the show “is not being canceled – it's just not currently in production”.
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“Christmas at half price” reads the front page of the Daily Mail, reporting on major stores launching special sales in a “desperate attempt” to sell unsold stock before Christmas and lure bargain hunters. The paper said analysts put this down to the cost of living, which is expected to lead to a fall in Christmas spending of around £3bn this year. Argos, Sports Direct and John Lewis are among the retailers said to be cutting prices.
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The Times notes that millions of people are waiting more than a month for a GP appointment and that more and more patients are seeking private treatment. Around 14.9 million appointments took place more than 28 days after booking in the first ten months of this year. Elsewhere, Sharon Osborne tells the paper her latest facelift was “the worst thing I've ever done”.
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According to the Daily Express, the family of missing Ms Gaynor Lord have been told that a body, which has not yet been officially identified, has been discovered in the River Wensum in Norwich. The front page also features an old photo of “Friends” stars Jennifer Aniston and Matthew Perry, which medical officials in Los Angeles said caused their deaths as the effects of the drug ketamine and drowning.
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“Incredible” was the Sun's headline, quoting Alex Batty's grandmother, who was reportedly kidnapped and has now been found. The boy, who was abducted in 2017 aged 11, was found in France and is expected to return to the UK sometime this weekend.
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The FT weekend shows the West exploring options to seize Russian central bank assets to finance Ukraine – amid political rows in the US and Europe over financial support for the invaded country. The paper said G7 officials had intensified talks about spending around $300 billion (£235 billion; 275 billion euros) in immobilized Russian state assets. Meanwhile, Wonka star Timothee Chalamet and Rita Ora appear as the broadsheet interviews the celebrity stylists behind the red carpet looks.
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The Daily Telegraph states that Sadiq Khan is blocking a plan to send cars – which would otherwise be scrapped under Ulez – to Ukraine. The brochure says the London mayor wrote to Kiev mayor Vitali Klitschko this week, telling him that this had not benefited Londoners. Elsewhere, TV presenter Piers Morgan is seen making a statement after a High Court judge ruled he knew about phone hacking when he was editor of the Daily Mirror.
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The Guardian is the only Saturday newspaper to report on the Duke of Sussex's court victory against Mirror Group Newspapers. The headline includes a quote from Prince Harry, who calls it a “great day for truth.” It noted the judge's comment that there had been “extensive” phone hacking attacks at the newspaper group during the period in question.
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“RIP Zak,” says the Daily Star as it reports the death of Steve Halliwell, who played Zak Dingle in the soap Emmerdale. He died at the age of 77. Mr. Potato Head also appears on the front page for a “stuffy outrage.” Scientists want to strip potatoes of their vegetable status in order to reduce obesity, writes the newspaper.
A “great day for truth” is the headline on the front page of the Guardian. It's a quote from the Duke of Sussex in response to his landmark victory yesterday in his phone hacking case against Mirror Group Newspapers.
The newspaper said it was clear from his statement that he felt “pure vindication for his protracted legal battles against sections of the British media.” The Mirror reports in a more subdued manner and places the story on page fifteen.
The headline says the prince's damages are “modest.” A statement from Mirror Group Newspapers said: “We welcome this ruling, which gives the company the clarity it needs to move forward.”
The Washington Post website discusses a US court's decision that Donald Trump's former lawyer Rudy Giuliani must pay $148 million (£116 million; €136 million) in damages to two women he falsely accused of election fraud has. The Post believes the ruling represents a “stunning downfall” for Giuliani. It suggests the case puts the former New York mayor “at the top of a long list of Trump advisers and news media outlets who have faced legal consequences for amplifying his false allegations.”
image source, Getty Images
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Rudy Giuliani, a long-time associate of former President Donald Trump, has been ordered to pay more than $148 million (£116 million).
According to the Financial Times, Western nations are considering how to seize and use Moscow's assets abroad after blocking both US and EU funding packages for Ukraine in recent days. The FT suggests the move could be discussed at a G7 summit in February, marking the second anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The Daily Telegraph reports that London Mayor Sadiq Khan has rejected a request to send cars that do not comply with the city's Ulez emissions scheme to Ukraine instead of scrapping them. It said the call for vehicles was made by Mr Khan's counterpart in Kiev, Vitali Klitschko. A City Hall spokesperson is quoted as saying that changing the Ulez program to export vehicles to Ukraine would not be possible within the current limits of the Greater London Authority Act.
“Waiting months just to see a GP is increasing,” reads the headline in The Times. It says that in the first ten months of the year, almost 15 million appointments took place more than 28 days after booking. According to the paper, practices must expect an increasing demand for appointments while the number of fully trained doctors decreases.
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The Office for National Statistics has found that almost half of families are spending less money on gifts and food
The Sun reports on the impending return to Britain of Alex Batty, the teenager who was found in France this week after disappearing on holiday six years ago. The headline “unbelievable” is a quote from his grandmother Susan Caruana, who the newspaper said spoke to the 17-year-old in a video call on Thursday.
Finally, the front page of the Daily Mail celebrates what it describes as a “bonanza for bargain hunters”. Major stores are reported to be offering half-price deals to boost falling sales ahead of Christmas. Accounting firm PwC told the newspaper that spending on gifts and celebrations this year is expected to be £20 billion below last year's £23 billion.
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