On Saturday's front pages, preparations for Budget day are underway, with reports of €1 billion to be made available to alleviate rising cost of living pressures. The cost of a home in Ireland is now equal to 2007 Celtic Tiger prices, whilst Friday was the hottest day ever recorded in August with the Mercury hitting 31.7 degrees in Oak Park in Carlow.
The Irish Times reports up to €1 billion could be made available on Budget day to deal with cost of living pressures. More electricity subsidies and bonus welfare payment are being examined. It also reports that a man has been taken into custody following the attack of author Salman Rushdie on stage in New York.
On the front page of the Irish Examiner, it reports that property prices in Ireland have reached their highest level since the peak of the Celtic Tiger boom, with double-digit percentage rises in the cost of homes in every part of the country over the last year. It also reports on Westlife's first return to Páirc Uí Chaoimh in their 24-year history.
The Irish Independent reports that the Government is considering a double payment of the €140-a-month child benefit payment as part of a cost-of-living package to be announced on Budget day. It also reports that one of the teenagers convicted of the murder of schoolgirl Ana Kriegal has been transferred to an adult prison, where he will serve the remainder of his sentence.
The Irish Daily Mail also reports on rising housing costs. It reports that new figures show house prices are now at the boom level of 2007. It says the average costs of a home in Ireland stands at €340,379. While Friday was the hottest day ever recorded in August with the mercury hitting 31.7 degrees in Oak Park, Co Carlow.
On the front page of The Echo, more than 40,000 people enjoyed Westlife's Páirc Uí Chaoimh concert in the heat. The boyband are playing two nights in Cork as part of their Wild Dreams tour.
The Irish Daily Star reports of a heatwave miracle after two strangers save a boy's life after getting into difficulty at sea at Youghal beach in Co Cork on Friday.
Meanwhile, in the UK, the mastheads mainly focus on the “frenzied” stabbing of Sir Salman Rushdie in New York state.
The author was attacked while on stage at a literary festival, report The Daily Telegraph, The Sun and Daily Mirror.
The front page of tomorrow's Daily Telegraph:
'Rushdie stabbed at literary festival'#TomorrowsPapersToday
Sign up for the Front Page newsletterhttps://t.co/x8AV4Oomry pic.twitter.com/cjNwQQFl7c— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) August 12, 2022
On tomorrow's front page: Salman Rushdie stabbed in the neck by man who stormed Chautauqua Institution stage as author airlifted to hospitalhttps://t.co/Jmv12akt2f pic.twitter.com/5QnRIzYORL
— The Sun (@TheSun) August 12, 2022
Saturday's front page: Rushdie stabbed #TomorrowsPapersToday https://t.co/IMoIwSbtHu pic.twitter.com/1VS2W6Ejjw
— The Mirror (@DailyMirror) August 12, 2022
Daily Express calls the stabbing “frenzied”, with The Guardian and the Daily Mail saying the 75-year-old was flown by helicopter to hospital for treatment.
Saturday's front page: Salman Rushdie stabbed in New York
Also on the front page: 30 million officially plunged into droughthttps://t.co/NMMAwDdmxO pic.twitter.com/sxTXEIPj1S— Daily Express (@Daily_Express) August 12, 2022
Guardian front page, Saturday 13 August 2022: Rushdie stabbed on stage at event in New York pic.twitter.com/RFfRxJrUu1
— The Guardian (@guardian) August 12, 2022
Saturday’s @DailyMailUK #MailFrontPages pic.twitter.com/xr8JlCiglM
— Daily Mail U.K. (@DailyMailUK) August 12, 2022
FT Weekend’s calculations show rising inflation and interest rates mean the winner of the Tory leadership contest will face significant extra costs to service national debt and pay social security benefits.
Just published: front page of the Financial Times UK edition Saturday August 13 https://t.co/jpQAW8Un7Q pic.twitter.com/dkBunWtQ0f
— Financial Times (@FinancialTimes) August 12, 2022
Farmers say the drought that has been declared for parts of England will result in a poor quality potato crop and significant financial losses, according to i weekend.
Saturday's front page - drought will shrink UK's food crops. Story by @MadeleineCuff https://t.co/psaZ89wGSn pic.twitter.com/v3gcdPDgow
— i newspaper (@theipaper) August 12, 2022
And Daily Star publishes National Trust research showing rivers which are home to beavers are less likely to dry up.
Cute critters save the day! 😁 pic.twitter.com/U2UgrNyjva
— Daily Star (@dailystar) August 12, 2022
