The Papers: Healey's 'tax raid on banks' and Brand 'topless monster'

A significant story is unfolding on the international scene. Healey's 'tax raid on banks' and Brand 'topless monster'Published12 minutes agoWarning - this paper review contains graphic contentImage caption, A number of Friday's papers focus on reports that Chancellor John Healey plans to tax Britain's banks in his upcoming budget. Healey is "poised to launch a tax raid on banks" despite describing them as part of "the crown jewels" of the UK economy, according to the Daily Telegraph. Ahead of the Budget on 28 October, the chancellor is said to be "considering raising a surcharge on bank profits", the paper says.

Image caption, Similarly, the Guardian reports Healey could "tap the financial sector for additional revenue" to "help offset the damage inflicted on the public finances by war in the Middle East". One option is to tax banks more heavily, which think tanks and trade unions have been calling for, the paper says. It has been reported the biggest four banks collectively made about £15bn profit in the first six months of this year.

The Details

Image caption, The i Paper focuses on household impacts from the chancellor's proposed Budget under the headline "energy bills set for double rise in new year". The paper says "Healey refuses to commit to extending PM's cost of living measure". Image caption, An alleged victim told court the comedian and actor Russel Brand became "monster-like" and asked her to take a picture of him before he allegedly raped her, the Daily Mirror reports.

Brand faces seven charges - three counts of rape, three charges of sexual assault and one of indecent assault. He denies the charges. Image caption, "Topless Monster", the Daily Star says in its coverage of the Russell Brand's rape trial.

Image caption, Similarly, the Sun headlines on the photo shown at the Brand rape trial where he is seen blowing a kiss to the woman he allegedly raped. Image caption, The Metro splashes on Harry and Meghan's "(not) royal walkabout" with a picture of Meghan "beaming in burgundy" as the couple walked through Nottingham. It was Meghan's first public outing since returning to the UK, the paper says.

What Experts Say

Elsewhere, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Donald Trump of "betrayal" after the US leader agreed to a diesel deal with Russia. Image caption, "I will not" step down, Germany's Chancellor Chancellor Friedrich Merz told the Financial Times amid growing pressure for him to resign. Merz has "vowed to fight on" as he pushes through unpopular welfare reform, the paper reports, as well as confront an age of upheaval.

Image caption, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage's "fury" about the case of a failed asylum seeker who was jailed after an attempted rape is the headline of the Daily Express. Image caption, The UK government is planning to extend the public broadcaster's licence fee to online platforms such as Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon to help the "struggling ", the Independent reports. Any new revenue will be "used to boost journalism and tackle misinformation", the paper says.

The story has become one of the most prominent items on the global agenda.