The front pages of UK newspapers are dominated by the story of Alex Batty, a 17-year-old boy who was found six years after his mother and grandfather took him on holiday to Spain and failed to return him to his father. The Daily Mirror quotes Batty as saying he was “kidnapped” from his father’s home in England by his mother and “taken to a Spanish commune”. The Daily Mail reports that Batty was found by a driver “making a desperate bid for freedom across the Pyrenees”. His mother, who has not been seen since 2013, is being sought by police.
Also on many front pages is an alleged plot by Hamas to “kill Jews in Europe”. The Daily Telegraph reports the plot is intended to involve cross-border attacks and represents a shift in tactics by the group. The paper’s front-page also carries a story – based on comments by former government minister Lord Mandelson – that Tony Blair banned fox hunting after Labour received a £1m donation from an animal rights group. Blair denies the report. The Times, meanwhile, leads on a report claiming tobacco companies have funded scientific papers suggesting vaping is less harmful than is actually the case.
The Guardian leads on the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, focussing on the town of Avdiivka, where Ukranian soldiers speak of Russian commanders using their personnel “like live meat”. Russian President Vladimir Putin, addressing the press on Thursday, said there will be no peace until Russia achieves its “goals”, sparking fears of continuing western financial support for Ukraine. The i reports that the UK Bank of England has warned that interest rates may need to rise next year to reduce inflation.
Finally, The Sun reports that Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley are to replace Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby on ITV’s mid-morning show, This Morning. In a more unusual story, the Daily Star suggests that chemicals in sofas may be having a detrimental effect on people’s IQ
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