Newspaper headlines: Thames Water on brink and Madonna in intensive care

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By BBC News
Staff
PA Media

Ministers and regulators are working to try to save Thames Water, the UK's largest water company, from collapse

A number of Thursday's papers lead with the news that Thames Water, the UK's largest water company, could be on the verge of collapse.

An unnamed minister tells the Guardian that the government has "no true grasp on the costs" involved in preventing the collapse of the firm, which serves 15 million customers. The paper says estimates - presented to ministers and regulators - suggest the company could be facing a hole of £10bn in its finances.

The Daily Telegraph says the government could put Thames Water into special administration, meaning it would be controlled and bankrolled by the taxpayer until a buyer is found. The paper also says ministers are making contingency plans to nationalise swathes of the water industry because of fears that the collapse of Thames Water could "trigger a domino effect" in a sector laden with £60bn of debt, built up during years of lower interest rates.

According to the Times, the financial health of up to four other English water companies is being monitored, including Southern Water, which serves 2.6 million people, and Yorkshire Water, which has five million customers. The paper says rising interest rates have piled pressure on water companies that were already grappling with high energy and chemical prices and the costs of cleaning up pollution.

In an editorial, the Daily Mirror says the Conservatives' privatisation of the water companies has proved to be one of the biggest policy debacles since the Second World War. The paper says the firms have been loaded with debt to pay their shareholders billions in dividends.

The Daily Mail says it's shameful that Ofwat has allowed all water firms to provide a sub-standard service while drawing bumper profits and racking up unsustainable debts. The Sun's Leo McKinstry is also critical of the regulator, saying it always indulges in impressive rhetoric but is never able to deliver real change for the consumer.

Iraq's top counter-terrorism officer has told the Daily Mirror that a British terror cell linked to the Islamic State group is planning an attack on a public gathering in the UK. General Abdul Wahab el-Saadi said his team had discovered the plot days ago after killing dozens of militants in their hideout. He said he'd shared the details with the British authorities.

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Latin is now the fourth most-taught foreign language at primary level in England, according to a new report

Under the headline "Don't you dare block boats bill", the Daily Express says the government has pledged to fight any attempts in the House of Lords to "water down" legislation under which migrants arriving in the UK illegally would be sent to Rwanda. A government source tells the paper: "We will not be doing this the polite way. There will be a showdown."

The Daily Telegraph reports that one in five constituencies in Wales will be abolished under boundary changes ahead of the next election, meaning the number of MPs elected in Wales will drop from 40 to 32. Scotland will see its total fall from 59 to 57, while England will pick up an extra 10 seats. The paper says the changes could harm Labour's prospects at the next election.

And finally the Times says those who predicted the death of Latin in state schools may have to perform a mea culpa. Latin is now the fourth most-taught foreign language at primary level in England, according to a report by the British Council. The language is more popular than Chinese Mandarin and could soon overtake German.