The Middle East is “holding its breath” according to the Daily Mail after what it terms an “astonishingly audacious attack” on Lebanese armed group Hezbollah. The paper describes victims “writhing in agony with hideous injuries” when their handheld pagers exploded. The New York Times quotes American officials as saying that Israel intercepted a shipment of the devices, planted explosives inside them, and then detonated them with a message. The Financial Times calls the attack a “humiliating blow” to Hezbollah, but it warns that it will heighten tensions. The Times reports that Hezbollah maintains it is “prepared for war”, but this latest attack could leave it wondering “what else Israel has in store”.
The Daily Mirror features an exclusive interview with the man it says sparked “the downfall” of Huw Edwards. The 21-year-old – who sent explicit photos to the former presenter – says he was groomed. He also expresses disgust that Edwards was not sent to prison, after admitting having indecent images of children in court case this month.
On its front page, The Sun says that Edwards is “just one of a growing number of online paedophiles spared jail”. Its investigation reveals that such criminals “got away with hoarding” more than a million child abuse images “without serving a single day in jail”. The paper says the justice system “must be rebuilt”, demanding there are “no more slaps on the wrist”.
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Sources tell the Daily Telegraph that the government is drawing up legislation which would allow water companies to raise their bills to help fund a bailout of Thames Water. The paper reports that, under the plans, the full £10bn cost of intervention would be charged to firms, which could then pass it on to customers. But government insiders insist this would be a “last resort”.
In the Daily Express, campaigners warn of a “disaster” if the government does not restore the winter fuel allowance for all pensioners – claiming that many will die because they will not use their heating. In its leader column, the paper warns that the government is “running out of time to avert a humanitarian nightmare”. The Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall has told the Commons that the Household Support Fund has been extended to help pensioners.
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Several of the papers give their verdicts on Sir Ed Davey’s speech as he brought to a close the Liberal Democrats’ party conference. The Daily Mail’s sketch describes it as a “gumbo of sentimental tripe”, while the Guardian says the event was a “happy place where where money was no object and the NHS and economy were as good as fixed”. The i calls on the Lib Dems to show they can “truly be a proper opposition” – warning that “their ship risks running adrift with no clear landing strategy in sight”.
And the Times asks whether the UK should “call time on the pint”, to reduce alcohol intake. The paper reports that a study, by the University of Cambridge, has found that beer consumption dropped by 10% when pubs replaced pint glasses with those two-thirds of the size. But drinkers in London, who spoke to the Guardian, were not so keen on the idea saying “if you want to get drunk, it’ll just take six instead of four”.
