What the papers say – January 2

A variety of stories lead the papers on Wednesday, including rail fare rises, revelations over the repatriation costs that forced marriage victims have to meet and the Manchester “terror” attack.

Several papers also carry images of chef Gordon Ramsay and wife Tana, who announced they are expecting their fifth child weeks after celebrating their 22nd wedding anniversary.

Rail fares will rise by an average of 3.1% despite a year of misery for many passengers, while a new teenage railcard will see the price of train tickets for school and college students slashed, the Daily Telegraph reports.

The i also leads on the rail fare rise, highlighting how passengers are enduring the worst punctuality for 13 years and season ticket prices are to rise by as much as £100.

The Times leads with a report on a Foreign Office practice of asking young women sent overseas for forced marriages to pay for the costs of their repatriation, or take out loans if they can not afford to settle the bill.

The Sun leads with the investigation into the New Year’s Eve knife attack on three people, including a police officer, at Manchester Victoria station.

The Independent also covers the incident, reporting that a 25-year-old man is being questioned by counter-terrorism officers.

In other news, children have on average already eaten more sugar than the maximum amount recommended for an 18-year-old by the time they reach their 10th birthday, a study that leads the Daily Mail suggests.

The growing homeless population is being exploited by private housing providers who are “ripping off” local councils to the tune of nearly £1 billion, analysis by The Guardian and the charity Shelter suggests.

More than 15 million GP appointments – around one in 20 – are being wasted annually because patients fail to attend without cancelling, the Daily Express reports.

The Daily Mirror leads with a man’s account of trying to kill himself after struggling for 10 weeks without any Universal Credit payments.

And the Financial Times leads with bleak predictions for the economy in the year ahead due to Brexit.