Wednesday’s newspaper front pages feature a variety of stories, with no strong lead dominating the papers. There are a few hot topics, mostly domestic stories, splashed across several papers. 

For a couple of the right-leaning tabloids, the news that a Muslim pupil has lost a High Court challenge brought against her school in North London, over a ban on prayer rituals, is celebrated on the front splashes. 

The planned smoking ban, which passed its first hurdle in the Commons yesterday, is also reported on. Some papers look at the health benefits of a smoking ban, others report on it being “un-conservative.” Several papers pick up on the 165 Tory MPs who abstained from voting – suggesting PM Rishi Sunak’s party is fracturing. 

Elsewhere, there’s room for more UK and international political stories including the ongoing Middle East crisis and US inflation.

Several Gulf states have been hit by heavy rain, causing flash flooding across the region and flights being diverted from Dubai Airport – the world’s busiest airport. At least 18 people in Oman have been killed by floods, according to authorities. Several states have recorded nearly a year’s worth of rain in one single day.

Adidas has announced it is set to make profits of €700m (£598m) in 2024. The announcement comes after the German sportswear giant’s messy situation with Kanye West and his Yeezy shoes. In February, Adidas announced it would sell its remaining Yeezy trainers from its partnership with West for at least cost price. 

Security forces in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh say they have killed 29 Maoist rebels. The incident has occurred just days before the country heads to the polls. The killing took place in the Kanker area close to Bastar, a stronghold of the rebels.

US and EU planning new sanctions on Iran after attack  The US and the EU want to see more sanctions…

Westfield Bondi Junction – the centre that was the scene of the deadly mass stabbing attack – will reopen to shoppers on Friday. Six people, five women and one man, were stabbed to death on Saturday. Two people remain in intensive care. There’ll be heightened security at the mall, with more police and mall security on site.

Armenia has accused Azerbaijan of systematically erasing all traces of ethnic Armenians in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh, claiming that Baku has completed the ethnic cleansing of the area. The ongoing conflict between the two countries over the territory has been brought to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), where Armenia has filed a case against Azerbaijan for alleged discrimination and ethnic cleansing.

Copenhagen’s Employment and Integration Mayor Jens-Krisitian Lütken is advocating for the establishment of more privatskoler (private schools) and friskoler (free schools) in the new neighborhoods of Nordhavn, Jernbanebyen, and Østhavnen. Lütken has noted a growing demand for independent schooling options among Copenhageners, highlighting the need for more diverse educational choices in the city.

The courtroom was filled with tension as the trial of Ahmed Alid, a Moroccan asylum seeker accused of murder and attempted murder, unfolded in Teesside Crown Court. The shocking details of the case were revealed, including a harrowing incident at Middlesbrough Police Station where a panic button failed to work during a violent altercation with two female detectives.

A massive fire has broken out at an Evri warehouse in Bristol, sending thick smoke billowing into the air and engulfing the entire building. The blaze, which started earlier today in Avonmouth, has also spread to a nearby car in the parking lot, creating a scene of chaos and destruction.