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9 months ago
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The i reports on how missile and drone attacks on vessels in the vital Red Sea shipping lane may have a knock-on effect on food prices. Houthis - an Iran-backed rebel group - have been targeting ships since the Israel-Hamas war began. The i reports that over 300 cargo ships have been diverted away from the Red Sea - meaning prices of goods like tea and wine may increase
Ofsted inspections will be halted until assessors are properly trained in protecting the wellbeing of school staff, according to The Guardian, who have spoken to the new head of the watchdog. Training is key to learning lessons from the death of headteacher Ruth Perry, says Sir Martyn Oliver. An inquest in December found that an Ofsted inspection contributed to her death.
The Daily Mail says police are investigating what it says is the first case of rape in the metaverse after a girl under the age of 16 was "attacked" in a virtual reality video game. The paper says the girl did not suffer any injuries as there was no physical attack but say she experienced emotional trauma.
The Daily Telegraph leads on its own analysis of figures pointing to Britain experiencing a record number of excess deaths last year. The paper says nearly 53,000 more people died in 2023 than normal - the highest figure recorded in a non-pandemic year since World War Two.
Medical matters are also the focus in The Times, which reports that experts predict that the rate of cancer diagnosis in Britain will reach one person per minute within a generation. Those same experts warn that Britain could lose its status as a research "superpower" in the disease.
The Sun reports on the fatal stabbing of 16-year-old Harry Pitman on New year's Eve in north London. The paper reports that the teenager died at Primrose Hill, where crowds had gathered to watch fireworks.
The new year means the political focus turns to when Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will call a general election. The Daily Mirror reports on a poll it commissioned which found two-thirds of respondents want to go to the polls "by summer at the latest".
Rishi Sunak is also the focus in the Daily Express, which reports that the prime minister is insisting that his policies on reducing illegal migration are working. This comes the day after official data shows the number of migrants crossing the Channel has fallen year-on-year for the first time since records began.
And finally The Daily Star declares that 'aces are the top lovers' as it reports on the intriguing findings of a survey on sportspeople.
The Daily Telegraph claims the UK experienced a record number of excess deaths last year because of repeated NHS strikes and the continued cost of the pandemic. The paper's analysis suggests nearly 53,000 more people died in 2023 than normal.
The Guardian focuses on the strike by junior doctors - and says hospital chiefs can ask the doctor's union to let them work if an emergency arises. But it says it's unclear whether the BMA will agree that a hospital being laid low by winter pressures counts as a "major incident."
According to The Daily Mail, police in the UK are investigating the first ever case of rape inside a virtual reality video game - after a child's avatar was sexually assaulted by a group of characters. The paper says detectives think the girl - who was wearing a headset - suffered the same psychological trauma as someone who had been raped in the real world. One senior officer tells the Mail that sexual offending in virtual environments is now 'rife'. But the paper says prosecutions are unlikely, because current legislation refers to sexual assault as a physical act.
The i newspaper reports that the Home Office is using a private British firm currently deployed in combat zones in Ukraine to assist in its response to the small boats crisis. The paper says the company is using artificial intelligence to help the government vet people crossing the Channel and locate migrant smugglers. Writing in the Daily Express, the prime minister says Britons are "generous" but there is "nothing reasonable or generous about allowing illegal migration."
The Guardian has been speaking to the new head of Ofsted, Sir Martyn Oliver, and says he has committed to halt school inspections until assessors get training on protecting the wellbeing of staff. The paper says only emergency safeguarding visits will go ahead this week. He says the death of the primary headteacher Ruth Perry - who took her own life after an inspection - has been a "great shock".
The Daily Mirror reports that Prince Andrew has avoided a sexual assault claim, after an accuser failed to meet a legal deadline. The paper says the accuser had until a month ago to file her case, but did not do so.
The Times says scientists have discovered a protein that could hold a key to keeping ageing and disease at bay. The paper says researchers in Japan believe HKDC1 helps clear damaged mitochondria, which act like batteries to produce energy within cells and keep them healthy. The study says finding treatments to boost levels of the protein could help to keep people younger for longer. One scientist says the protein "helps to take out the mitochondrial trash", by stopping cells lingering for too long.
