Newspaper headlines: 'Fury' at BBC stars' pay and England's World Cup 'heartbreak' By BBC News

Staff Published duration 3 July 2019

image copyright BBC/Getty/PA image caption Zoe Ball, Claudia Winkleman and Vanessa Feltz have all moved up the list of the BBC's best paid stars

Many of the front pages will make uncomfortable reading for BBC executives.

The Daily Telegraph highlights the £11m rise in the corporation's salary bill for top presenters at a time when it is planning to cut free TV licences for millions of people aged over 75.

The Daily Express cannot contain its disgust - saying people aged 75 and over who will struggle to find the cash may feel nauseous about the latest pay revelations.

The Daily Mail believes the BBC is too big, bureaucratic and insulated from harsh economic reality. Instead of callously whacking pensioners, suggests the Mail, could it not try to live within its means?

The Sun focuses on how the list excludes programmes made by the corporation's commercial arm, BBC Studios, while the Daily Mirror says it would look very different if it included fees for shows made by independent production companies and calls on the BBC to be more publically accountable.

The Telegraph poses the question - is the salary issue at the corporation the "fact that men earn more than women or that too many of either gender are paid too much?"

England's defeat in the women's World Cup is covered on both the front and sports pages.

England may have lost, but the Guardian feels the team have arguably done something more important than lifting a trophy. They have, concludes the paper, won over so many hearts and minds.

The i believes the Lionesses' legacy extends further than the big TV viewing figures, with stories emerging of how the team has inspired the next generation.

media caption Highlights: England 1-2 USA

The Times sounds a note of caution - saying the battle for the women's game to stay in the spotlight remains.

For the Metro , it was heartache as England went out at the semi-final stage for the third successive major tournament.

The Mail echoes the thoughts of many long-suffering fans - noting that whether it is the men's squad or the women's, it seems following the England football team is always destined to end in heartbreak.

In short, concludes the Telegraph , it was simply agonising.

image copyright Reuters image caption Ursula von der Leyen was backed by Angela Merkel but there was resistance to her nomination within the German coalition

The Sun predicts that the people set to take over the EU's most important jobs will be a nightmare for the next prime minister.

It says Ursula von der Leyen, who has been nominated as President of the European Commission, has been a staunch supporter of the German government's position in the Brexit talks.

The Daily Mail describes the nominees as arch-federalists who have repeatedly bashed Brexit.

The Financial Times considers the decision to choose Christine Lagarde, the head of the IMF, as the new President of the European Central Bank.

It suggests that her lack of experience of monetary policy could prove a disadvantage as the Bank searches for new ways to combat weak inflation and boost the eurozone economy.

The Times detects confusion at the heart of Boris Johnson's Conservative leadership campaign.

Sugar tax review

It says he undermined one of his cabinet supporters, Health Secretary Matt Hancock, by pledging to drop a policy on obesity.

Mr Johnson's promise to review the government's sugar tax comes just days after Mr Hancock circulated plans to the cabinet to extend the levy to sugary milk products.

The Times says it understands Mr Hancock was not made aware of the announcement in advance.

The Financial Times feels Hong Kong stands at a perilous turning point after protestors stormed the Legislative Council building on Monday.

Both sides, it argues, must now seek to maintain calm and it's vital that all demonstrators return to purely peaceful methods. The Guardian believes the latest protest may alienate ordinary residents, but it reflects a growing sense of despair as Beijing tightens its grip.

The Sun condemns what it calls the juvenile antics of some MEPs. It describes the Lib Dems who wore "stop Brexit" T-shirts as pathetic and stomach churning.

It also criticises the Brexit Party MEPs who turned their backs on the EU's anthem yesterday - describing them as behaving like a fifth form rabble.

The Mail takes up the theme - "do these juvenile attention seeking oafs ever stop to wonder why politicians are held in such pitiful esteem?"

The Times suggests that before long, our fellow Europeans may be pleased to see the back of us all.

image copyright AFP image caption Brexit Party MPs turned their backs during the European anthem at the European Parliament

The sports writers find plenty to cheer about Wimbledon.

As Simon Briggs in the Telegraph puts it, there was sunshine, a visit by the Duchess of Cambridge and seven British singles players into the second round.

If we were coming up with the script for the perfect day at Wimbledon, he says, the only thing missing would be a Cliff Richard cameo.