Today’s news summary- Paper Talk: Two hostages freed amid calls for ceasefire
Many of Wednesday’s front pages continue their coverage of the latest developments from the conflict in Gaza.
Yosheved Lifschitz, 85, – one of the hostages freed by Hamas – is pictured on several papers, including the Times, the Daily Mail and the Daily Express. She is seen shaking hands with one of her captors.
The Daily Express uses the headline: “Peace gesture by freed hostages in the face of evil.” The Times reports the grandmother has described her experience as a “nightmare we couldn’t have imagined.”
The Financial Times picks up on comments by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who told a meeting of the body’s Security Council on Tuesday that “clear violations” of international law had been committed.
His comments have, according to the paper, sparked a furious response from Israeli officials. Guterres also said that the Hamas attacks “did not happen in a vacuum” and came after “56 years of suffocating occupation” for Palestinians.
The i newspaper and the Daily Telegraph report that Israel has called for Gueterres to stand down over the comments.
The Guardian reports that Guterres also said there should be an immediate ceasefire in Gaza to end what he called the “epic suffering” of people in the territory.
Storm Babet chaos
The Telegraph reports that rain coming from the “wrong direction” during Storm Babet was to blame for the chaos seen in many areas. Therese Coffey has told MPs that most of our rain comes from the west, but that Storm Babet came from the south, meaning forecasts were less accurate.
The Times says a rise in the number of people becoming vegan or vegetarian combined with pressure on household budgets means we are eating less meat than at any point since the 1970s.
The Daily Mirror reports that just 22 minutes of exercise per day could reverse the effect of sitting for long periods of time. A study shows people over the age of 50 found that brisk daily walking, housework or jogging could offset the impact of having an office job or watching TV all night.