Newspaper headlines: Afghans 'left to die' and Omicron spreading rapidly

BBC NewsStaff
News imageCrown Copyright Image shows UK military personnel onboard a A400M aircraft departing Kabul, Afghanistan on the 28 August 2021.Crown Copyright

Both the Guardian and the Daily Mail are leading on the Foreign Office whistleblower's claim that fewer than 5% of Afghans who sent emails pleading to be evacuated during the Taliban takeover received any help from the UK.

The Mail says across 39 pages of devastating evidence, Raphael Marshall lays bare the extraordinary shambles at the heart of the Foreign Office after Kabul fell to the Taliban. "Afghans killed as Whitehall worked from home", is its headline.

The Guardian says the testimony will raise fresh questions about Dominic Raab's leadership of the department - and not just during his absence on holiday.

According to the Telegraph, fears have been raised of further restrictions over Christmas unless the pace of booster jabs in England increases. It reports that data show the number of boosters given at the weekend was lower than the previous weekend. A blame game has begun in Whitehall over the speed of the rollout, while sources have told the paper the UK Health Security Agency - run by Dr Jenny Harries - is responsible for delays.

The i paper reports that a rise in cases of the Omicron variant of Covid is inevitable, but that won't be enough to convince ministers to bring in new measures before Christmas. However, the paper adds, further restrictions would be introduced if laboratory data and evidence from South Africa prove the new variant is significantly more dangerous than Delta.

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The Times is reporting that Boris Johnson has held talks with US President Joe Biden and other Western leaders to agree a package of sanctions against Russia if it invades Ukraine. According to the paper, the White House fears that Russian President Vladimir Putin believes he has a moment of opportunity to act because he sees the US and UK focusing on the pandemic, France in the throes of an election and Germany changing leader.

For its lead, the Sun says Prince Harry has been mocked for telling anyone who's unhappy at work to quit. In an interview in the US, the Prince praised workers who left their jobs because it didn't bring them joy - saying people who put their mental health and happiness first should be celebrated. However, the paper says he's been accused of talking nonsense and spouting out-of-touch advice.

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