Newspaper headlines: Footie anthem 'faces axe' and Falkland inquiry call

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By BBC News
Staff
PA Media

There are calls for an inquiry into whether France withheld secrets about missiles used to attack the HMS Sheffield from the British government during the Falklands war

The decision by the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates in the US is the main story for the Financial Times.

The paper says the half-a-percentage-point increase - the first in more than two decades - marks the start of a more aggressive approach to tackling high inflation.

The decision led to the best day on Wall Street in nearly two years.

Interest rates also provide the lead for the Times. The paper reports that the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee is expected to increase rates in the UK later to a 13-year high of 1%.

For the second day in a row, the Daily Telegraph leads on calls for an inquiry into whether France withheld secrets from the British government during the Falklands war.

A naval officer - who was first lieutenant on board HMS Sheffield when it was sunk by an Exocet missile in 1982 - tells the paper it would be "terrible" if France had held back information about the weapons.

Members of Margaret Thatcher's wartime cabinet have also commented, after it emerged that France may have denied the existence of a "kill switch" - which could have disabled the missiles, and potentially saved lives.

Lord Tebbit - Thatcher's environment secretary at the time - tells the paper it's time for the French "to explain themselves".

The Times reports that senior doctors are being asked to postpone their retirements in a new bid to tackle hospital waiting lists.

The paper says it has seen a letter - sent by bosses at NHS England to hospital trusts on Wednesday - urging them to persuade doctors to stay on part-time, or even work from home.

It is thought they could be asked to monitor "virtual wards", or give video consultations to patients.

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The Daily Mail and the Guardian are among a number of papers reporting on plans that could mean the end of pen and paper exams.

The education watchdog, Ofqual, has announced that in future, GCSE and A-Level assessments may move online.

It is exploring "adaptive testing" software, which tailors exam questions to each student - moving to a more difficult question, or an easier one, depending on their last answer.

One exam board tells the Times that the 12 million papers it expects to process this year will create 600 tonnes of carbon dioxide.

According to the Guardian, officials in Brussels working on the EU's climate policy are being taught to meditate.

The "inner mindfulness" courses are designed to make the officials more motivated to tackle the climate crisis - and help them overcome feelings of despair that it's too late find a solution.

David Baddiel and Frank Skinner's hit Three Lions could be dropped as England's official football World Cup song

The paper says they include woodland walks and meditation sessions which encourage the participants to "feel empathy for trees and animals."

The Sun dedicates its front page to the England football team - and claims that the FA does not want Baddiel and Skinner's "Three Lions" to be the side's official song for this year's World Cup - in case other countries find it offensive.

"Football's coming home" has been a fan favourite since Euro '96 - but the paper says executives at the FA are worried it comes across as "arrogant". It is thought they prefer Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline." "P.C Lions" is the headline.