10th June 2020

In_pictures The Papers: Suspect in Madeleine case ‘unmasked’ in papers

In_pictures The Papers: Suspect in Madeleine case ‘unmasked’ in papers

In_pictures

in_pictures Madeleine McCannImage copyright
PA

Image caption

Madeleine McCann was three years old when she went missing in 2007

The Madeleine McCann investigation makes almost all of the front pages for a second day, with many of the newspapers naming and picturing the new suspect.

The Daily Mail says the man, who is currently in jail in Germany, had been “on the police radar” for two decades.

Portuguese police face “serious questions”, says the Daily Mirror, after they failed to put him on a shortlist of 600 suspects in the days after Madeleine went missing – despite his criminal record.

According to the Daily Telegraph, he was investigated at the time of the three-year-old’s disappearance in 2007, but ruled out when detectives on the Algarve wrongly declared her parents as suspects.

The Times thinks the prominent appeal for information by the police suggests they still need a breakthrough.

The developments in the case give cause for hope, says the paper, “but a prosecution seems some way off”.

In_pictures Coronavirus criticism

As the government’s official number of coronavirus deaths in the UK approaches 40,000, several papers report on growing criticism of Boris Johnson’s handling of the pandemic.

The Financial Times says the “mood in Westminster has darkened”, with Conservative MPs “increasingly dismayed” at a series of “policy missteps”.

In its editorial, the Times urges Boris Johnson to “admit that mistakes have been made”.

The paper says his refusal to “lead from the front” and “be straight with the public” is undermining confidence in the government’s grip on the crisis at a crucial time.

The Sun agrees the government’s credibility is being “battered” and it’s time for Mr Johnson to “take back control”.

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The Guardian reports that the coronavirus test and trace system will not be fully operational in England until September – or even October.

According to the paper, a senior executive who was brought in to help run the NHS programme told staff the scheme was “imperfect” and “clunky”, just days before it was launched by the government.

The paper has also seen a leaked email from the chief executive of Serco – the main contractor delivering the service – who said he doubted the system would “evolve smoothly”.

In_pictures Face masks U-turn

The Times, the Daily Telegraph and the Metro all lead on the government’s change of policy on face masks.

The Telegraph reminds readers that ministers spent weeks dismissing the idea as “largely pointless” at the start of the pandemic – with some suggesting face coverings did “more harm than good”.

The paper says the U-turn means the government is now being criticised for “dragging its heels” over rules that have been in place in many European countries for months.

Image copyright
Reuters

Image caption

The government has now said it’s compulsory to wear face coverings on public transport

In its editorial, the paper insists people should be allowed to make their own “common sense” decisions.

The Times says the government’s change of heart has prompted calls for face coverings to also be made mandatory in shops.

“Dithering is deadly” says the Daily Mirror’s editorial which questions why it has “taken so long” to bring in the measure.

Meanwhile, research published in the Telegraph suggests bald men may be at a higher risk of suffering severe symptoms of coronavirus.

Two studies of patients in Spain found that almost 80% of men with Covid-19 across three hospitals in Madrid were bald, leading some scientists to suggest it should be considered as a risk factor.

The lead author of the research thinks male sex hormones may play a part not only in hair loss, but also in boosting the ability of the virus to attack cells.

The Times reports that plans are being drawn up to abandon the new system for voting in the Commons, just a week after it was introduced.

MPs could be asked to swap the “conga line” for a “self-checkout queue”, after complaints the system was unsafe and too time consuming.

The paper says the new proposal would involve MPs swiping their cards on an electronic reader in the division lobbies, allowing them to divide into two lines while they wait.

chiefelf

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