Newspaper headlines: UK 'ready to attack Houthis' and passport-free travel plan

The Daily Telegraph leads with Defence Secretary Grant Shapps saying the UK would not hesitate to take "direct action" against Houthi rebels targeting ships in the Red Sea. The Iranian-backed Yemeni rebel group has been attacking vessels since November, launching more than 100 drone and missile attacks on vessels passing through the vital shipping lane.

In The Times, we learn of plans for "frictionless travel" that would see passengers arriving in the UK not having to present their passports. Border Force director-general Phil Douglas tells the paper the aim is to create an "intelligent border" that would use "much more frictionless facial recognition than currently".

Passports are also the issue under scrutiny in the Daily Mail, this time in the context of ministers considering proposals to close what the paper reports is a "major loophole" that allows people to easily change their sex in official documents. The paper cites figures estimating that hundreds of people use the procedure each year.

The Daily Mirror highlights poll findings that it says show an overwhelming majority of people want assisted dying to be made legal in the UK. Dame Esther Rantzen, who has stage four lung cancer and has joined the Dignitas assisted dying clinic in Switzerland, wants MPs to have a free vote on the issue. She tells the paper: "Most people now feel that they would like to have the choice."

The Guardian reports that doctors at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London are being encouraged to consider air pollution levels at their patients' home addresses when assessing the causes of their illness.

Medical matters also concern the Daily Express but its front-page story is focused on face-to-face appointments with a GP. It reports on figures that estimate a fifth of such consultations in England last year were done in less than five minutes.

In the i newspaper, the lead story concerns data suggesting that police forces are rapidly expanding their use of lie detector tests and "may be exceeding their powers" by using them in interviews and to gather evidence against unconvicted suspects.

The Daily Star suggests that whether we like it or not, we will be facing a 'Wet January' as weather forecasts point to a particularly gloomy mix of storms, floods and snow.... or "gale and flood chaos", as the paper describes it.

The Daily Telegraph says that Britain is ready to join the US in taking military action against Houthi rebels in the Red Sea. The paper quotes two senior US defence officials saying the Biden administration would not "telegraph" its military plans in advance, but they did not rule out the prospect of air strikes in the near future. The Times quotes a Whitehall source saying that if the Houthis continue the attacks, the response is likely to be "limited" but "significant".

The main story for The Times involves plans to install electronic gates at UK airports that use facial recognition to process passengers without the need to show a passport. The paper says the technology will be implemented for all visitors who do not need a visa, with trials beginning some time this year. A border force official is quoted as saying the process will help the UK "know a lot more information about people up front", including their compliance with immigration laws.

The Daily Mail reports that ministers are considering closing what it describes as a "major loophole" that allows people to easily change their sex in official documents with a doctor's note. The paper says hundreds of people each year are using the procedure, instead of getting a Gender Recognition Certificate.

The Daily Express reports that Rishi Sunak will launch a nationwide charm offensive this week as he tries to woo voters, ahead of calling a general election this year. It says the prime minister will reassure people that further tax giveaways are on the cards for 2024. In an editorial, the Daily Mirror claims only gullible fools fall for what it calls "Tory trash talk" about taxes. It says giving back pennies with one hand, after seizing pounds with the other, is a "blatant con trick" that most voters see through.

Several papers picture New Year's Eve's bad weather - which caused some firework displays to be cancelled across the UK. The Guardian features a huge wave battering Porthcawl in south Wales, and a car driving through a flooded road in Wiltshire. The Sun says the deluge failed to dampen spirits. It pictures wet party-goers braving storms in Newcastle and Liverpool, in what the paper calls a "Happy Sogmanay". According to the Daily Star, thanks to the storms "there's no chance of Dry January".

And finally The Times says those dreading the prospect of a January health kick can take heart in the fact that Britons are already the best in the world at eating their greens. It quotes a study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, which suggests 33 per cent of those in the UK eat five daily portions of fruit and veg a day. The Telegraph notes that Britain is far ahead of countries including Greece, Italy and Spain, which are often known for their healthy Mediterranean diets.

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