Newspaper headlines: 'Beyond comprehension' as 10,000 missing in Libya

It is estimated that 25% of Derna has been wiped out

The Times reports that MI5 warned the Conservative party that two of its potential candidates to become MPs "could be spies for China".

The paper says it has been told that the security service contacted the Tories about two individuals in 2021 and last year, raising concerns that they had links to China's United Front Work Department, described as a "body charged with influencing global policy and opinion". Both individuals were blocked from selection. A Conservative spokesman tells the paper that when credible information regarding security concerns about potential candidates is received, the party acts on it.

Many of Wednesday's papers reflect on devastating floods in parts of Libya. The Guardian's headline is "beyond comprehension", as the paper reports that whole neighbourhoods have been "washed away".

The Metro says local officials have described "apocalyptic scenes". "Catastrophic", says the Sun.

In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, the former defence secretary, Ben Wallace, claims that human rights laws have become a serious risk to national security by thwarting efforts to stop international terrorists.

Mr Wallace, who stepped down last month, says international treaties such as the European Convention on Human Rights prevent the arrest and rendition of suspects, leaving defence secretaries to choose between killing them, generally by drone, or leaving them to continue plotting.

Sir Tony Blair tells the Financial Times that if Labour wins the next general election the party cannot tax and spend its way out of what he called a "Tory mess". The former prime minister also credits Sir Keir Starmer with bringing Labour back from the "brink of extinction".

But he warns that if Sir Keir wins, he will have to contend with a far more challenging economic situation than the one he faced when he swept to power in 1997.

The Guardian says a survey by Girlguiding shows that happiness among girls and young women has hit its "lowest level in 15 years". Researchers say many of the 2,500 people who responded said negative feelings about body image, problems online and shrinking aspirations were affecting their wellbeing.

The paper says there has also been a big rise in anger among 11 to 21-year-olds who say "adults have damaged the environment" and their generation will "have to deal with it".

The Commons leader, Penny Mordaunt, appears on the front of the Telegraph with a model ship, promoting three new vessels to replace the Royal Yacht Britannia. The paper says the idea would be for the ships to be commercially built and operated, and funded exclusively by the private sector.

Some papers lament the fact that formal greetings and sign-offs used in letter-writing appear to be on their way out. A study by Barclays Lifeskills into language in the workplace found young adults prefer to end their emails with phrases such as "cheers" or "speak soon". "Yours sincerely" was described by some as "intimidating", and beginning correspondence with "dear" was seen as old fashioned.

The Daily Mirror sums up with the headline "truly written off". The Daily Express says the "influence of instant messaging platforms" appears to have been behind the change.

The Daily Mail quotes one of the researchers who says "the shift to more personable language is a positive one".

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