UK papers: 'Summer of chaos' and 'water bosses' pay rises'

Published 4 minutes ago Image caption, The wildfires sweeping through Europe are prominent across many of Saturday's papers. "Summer of chaos" is the Daily Mirror's headline as it splashes with a picture of beachgoers watching fires rage in Lacanau, France. The paper also reports that thousands of holidaymakers are facing huge queues at Europe's ports, with blazes in south-west France forcing the evacuation of more than 40,000 people and Spain declaring a national emergency. Image caption, The Guardian follows with "France in flames", running the same picture in its top spot. It also leads with a report that water company bosses' total pay has risen over the past year despite a ban on bonuses and anger over soaring bills and pollution. It adds: "In some cases companies have given their bosses extra awards that they claim are not 'performance-related payments', or bonuses, which they argue means the cash is not covered by the ban. Image caption, The UK's race to net zero will leave it at greater risk of blackouts and higher electricity bills, according to the Times. It cites a confidential report commissioned by the national grid operator, disclosed to the paper by a whistleblower, which says the National Energy System Operator (Neso) can't accurately model the modern power system as the government moves towards renewable energy. Neso described the report as a "forward-looking" assessment of risks that could become more significant in the 2030s unless addressed. Image caption, The Daily Telegraph says Iran has been sending suspected covert operatives across the Channel after individuals with links to Tehran's intelligence agencies were intercepted by UK authorities on small boats. The paper quotes a Home Office spokesman who says there are "stringent security checks" for small boat arrivals and those identified as a threat will be detained and removed "at the earliest opportunity". Image caption, The FT Weekend also leads with Iran, reporting that the new Chancellor John Healey is under mounting pressure to raise taxes or find savings as the Iran war threatens to shrink the government's fiscal buffer to just £7bn. Image caption, The Daily Mail carries an exclusive on "fictitious" child maintenance charges that have left some parents "financially crippled". It says that computer glitches are suspected to be behind more than 24,000 cases of child support overcharging, resulting in £4.3m in inflated charges. Image caption, Families of the children murdered by Southport killer Axel Rudakubana have accused him of attempting to "manipulate the system" following his transfer from prison to a psychiatric hospital, according to the Daily Express. The Prison Officers' Association told the BBC that Rudakubana was transferred due to a deterioration in his mental health. Image caption, "Killer cons his way to cushy life" is the Sun's headline as it reports that Rudakubana's transfer comes just days before the second anniversary of the murders of Alice da Sil