'Get a grip'

The Independent's Morning Headlines email [The Independent]( July 25, 2023 [View online](   [Morning Headlines]( 1 /[UK rescue flights for tourists fleeing ‘out of control’ wildfires on Rhodes and Corfu]( UK airlines are scrambling evacuation flights to the [wildfire-ravaged islands of Rhodes and Corfu]( where up to 10,000 British tourists are stranded in a “living nightmare” as a fresh red alert is issued for Crete. The two biggest holiday firms [Tui and Jet2 have axed all flights to the island]( in the coming days after holidaymakers forced to flee their hotels had to sleep on floors in schools, airports and sports centres – but other firms, including Ryanair, Thomas Cook and easyJet continue to fly tourists who want to travel to Rhodes. The popular destination of Crete was also placed under an “extreme” fire warning on Monday, with Greek PM [Kyriakos Mitsotakis]( telling parliament it must “be on constant alert” in the weeks ahead. He declared his country to be “at war” with the blazes and warned of three more “difficult days” before the extreme heat eases. “The climate crisis is already here, it will manifest itself everywhere in the Mediterranean with greater disasters,” Mr Mitsotakis said, just a week after multiple infernos ignited near Athens, destroying homes and businesses, and days after temperatures hit 45C. Prime minister Rishi Sunak urged holidaymakers to remain in touch with tour operators but the Foreign Office has so far not discouraged Britons from travelling to Greece, and some 26 flights took off from UK airports to Rhodes on Monday. Urging the UK government to “get a grip”, Lib Dem MP Layla Moran hit out Tory ministers’ “inaction” as she warned that the current advice was leaving families unable to claim on their insurance, meaning they were forced to “[pay] the penalty for deciding not to fly out” to Rhodes.   2 /[Rishi Sunak’s net zero plans in doubt as key green pledges face being scrapped]( The PM said he would take a ‘proportionate’ approach to achieving net zero amid cost of living pressures but insisted the pledges ‘remain’ 3 /[George Alagiah death: BBC newsreader dies aged 67 after bowel cancer diagnosis]( ‘Audiences could sense his kindness, empathy and wonderful humanity,’ said BBC director general Tim Davie 4 /[Twitter rebrands to X as Elon Musk loses iconic bird logo]( ‘X is here! Let’s do this,’ CEO tweets, saying new app will incorporate audio, video, messaging, payments and banking 5 /[Mother wrongly accused of dodging bus fare handcuffed in front of crying child]( Footage shared on social media shows the woman shouting 'get off me' to two Met officers in front of the distressed child THE BIG QUESTION [What is Elon Musk’s ‘everything app’ X?]( Elon Musk’s plan to build an “everything app” is underway. After [rebranding Twitter to X](, the tech billionaire encouraged users to rethink the “whole concept” of what the platform is. Before he even purchased [Twitter]( in October 2022, Mr Musk said that buying the site was an “accelerant” to creating a super app akin to China’s WeChat, India’s PayTM and Indonesia’s GoJek. These apps offer users the ability to not just make posts, but also send and receive payments, watch and listen to content, and even access services like booking taxis or ordering food deliveries. [For the full article click here]( Enjoy a year of unlimited digital access for just £99 £20 ✓ Full access to Premium news analysis ✓ Advert-free reading across web and app ✓ The Independent Daily Edition newspaper ✓ Puzzles, virtual event tickets and more [SUBSCRIBE NOW](   Watch /[Delhi reels from record rainfall | On The Ground]( NUMBER OF THE DAY £3 – The Royal Courts of Justice heard on Friday that home secretary Suella Braveman acted unlawfully in withholding £3-a-week payments for healthy [food]( for pregnant women and children between the ages of one and three while in the care of the British state. [Read more]( QUOTE OF THE DAY “He was more than just an outstanding journalist, audiences could sense his kindness, empathy and wonderful humanity. He was loved by all and we will miss him enormously.” – BBC director general Tim Davie has shared a statement on social media paying tribute to [BBC]( newsreader [George Alagiah, who](has died at the age of 67 [Read more here](   OTHER STORIES YOU MIGHT LIKE Netanyahu gets his controversial Supreme Court change](//link.e.independent.co.uk/click/32179875.42566/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaW5kZXBlbmRlbnQuY28udWsvbmV3cy93b3JsZC9hbWVyaWNhcy91cy1wb2xpdGljcy90cnVtcC1jYXBpdG9sLWhpbGwtaW5kaWN0bWVudC10aW1pbmctYjIzNzc0NTEuaHRtbA/583d2887487ccd777a8b7489B7dd4ddf0 [Moscow and Crimea hit by drone attacks – as Russia strikes ports on the Danube]( [World-record bid made for Kylian Mbappe as PSG exit looms](   Articles available exclusively to subscribers [Robert McCrum]( [- How ‘Tiny Terror’ Truman Capote reeled in wealthy women with dull husbands – then betrayed them](   OTHER NEWSLETTERS YOU MIGHT LIKE [The Race Report]( The Race Report Fortnightly Written by Nadine White [Join now]( [The View from Westminster ]( The View from Westminster Every weekday Written by John Rentoul [Join now](   The Independent proudly partners with [Refuge]( and the [National Domestic Abuse Helpline](: 0808 2000 247 If you can spare a minute we’d love your [feedback]( on our newsletters. [The Independent]( Join the conversation or follow us [Facebook]( [Twitter]( Download the free Independent app Please do not reply directly to this email You are currently registered to receive The Independent's Morning Headlines newsletter. Add us to your safe list of senders. If you do not want to receive The Independent's Morning Headlines newsletter, please [unsubscribe](list_name=IND_Headlines_Masterlist_CDP). If you no longer wish to receive any newsletters or promotional emails from The Independent, you can unsubscribe [here](. This e-mail was sent by Independent Digital News and Media Ltd, 14-18 Finsbury Square, London EC2A 1AH. Registered in England and Wales with company number 07320345. Read our [privacy notice]( and [cookie policy](.