Newspaper headlines: 'Ironclad' Biden support and 'radical NHS plan'

A mix of stories are making Thursday's front pages. The Guardian leads on US President Joe Biden's declaration of support for Israel as concerns grow in Washington that Iran will carry out a "significant" strike in retaliation for the bombing of a consular building in Damascus. Pictured underneath is Jessica Ennis-Hill winning gold at the 2012 Olympics, illustrating a story about cash prizes for Olympians this year.

The Daily Telegraph also leads on Joe Biden's commitment to Israel amid fears of an Iranian retaliatory strike. The paper reports that any strike could escalate the conflict in the Middle East into a broader war. Pictured beside the US report are Labour frontbenchers Rachel Reeves and Angela Rayner as the paper covers tensions over tax returns between Labour and the Conservatives.

Continuing on the theme of domestic politics, the Daily Express splashes on Rishi Sunak's election promise of cutting NHS waiting times. The paper reports that a "radical shake-up" involving new "same-day units" is having a positive impact on some hospitals.

"Sickness claims rise hits Tory heartlands," the Times reports. Affluent, safely Conservative areas of the UK are not exempt from a jump in the number of people claiming sickness benefit payments last year, the report says. The Times also features Joe Biden on its front page, reporting that the US president is considering dropping charges against Wikileaks founder Julian Assange.

Developments in the case of Caroline Flack feature on the front page of the Daily Mirror. A police watchdog has urged the Met to investigate why police contested initial advice from the Crown Prosecution Service not to charge Flack as her mother vows to continue her quest for truth

The Sun leads on police preparing for animal rights protesters at the Grand National this weekend. It reports that a "ring of steel" will be set up around the venue to prevent "invading" activists. The tabloid also features a new image of actress Isla Fisher without a wedding ring, after her split from husband Sacha Baron Cohen was announced on Instagram last week.

The Daily Mail leads on Royal Mail being urged to investigate instances of counterfeit stamps being sold by legitimate vendors to unwitting Britons, who are subsequently being stamped themselves with fines. Beside that is a story reporting that the former prime minister Harold Wilson had an affair with an aide 22 years his junior during his second term in Downing Street.

Thursday's Financial Times leads with an unexpectedly high US inflation rate. It has caused those watching the markets closely to lose confidence in the possibility of a cut in the next US Treasury announcement, it reports. Beside that story is an image of Palestinians in Gaza praying by the ruins of a mosque, accompanying a story about sombre Eid reflections.

The i leads with a Labour plan to fix failing bus services by effectively nationalising them. Sticking with the transport theme, it also reports the looming closure of a factory that had been earmarked to build high-speed trains.

A tragic case of substance abuse leads the Metro on Thursday. It reports that an inquest heard how a student was inhaling multiple bottles of laughing gas per day in the time leading up to her being admitted to hospital.

"China is flooding Britain with fake stamps" warns the Daily Mail's front page. It says thousands of forgeries have prompted a rise in complaints from customers, who are having to pay penalties to collect their post.

The Daily Telegraph says security experts and MPs have described the fakes as an "act of economic warfare", done with the "tacit approval" of the Chinese Communist Party. The Post Office Minister, Kevin Hollinrake, tells the paper he expects Royal Mail to investigate how the counterfeits entered the supply chain. The company says it works closely with shops and the authorities to identify those who produce them.

The Guardian and the Telegraph both lead on President Biden's promise of support for Israel in the event of an an attack by Iran, after Israel struck the Iranian consulate in Syria 10 days ago.

According to the Guardian, US and allied officials fear that a strike could come in the form of a direct missile launch from Iran rather than a proxy such as Hezbollah in Lebanon. The Telegraph says foreign embassies in Israel have reportedly already begun evacuations in anticipation of an Iranian attack in the coming days.

US President Joe Biden has vowed "ironclad" support for Israel against Iran

The "i" reports on a plan by Labour to allow for failing bus services in England to be brought under public ownership. It is understood the initiative would allow local authorities to take over struggling firms, and would be introduced in the first term of a Labour government.

The party tells the paper the proposals would not require extra Treasury funding, a claim disputed by the Conservatives.

"Ring of steed" is the headline on the front page of the Sun. It reports police are planning "one of the biggest-ever Grand National crack downs" to stop what it calls "idiot" animal rights protesters disrupting the racing festival, which starts today.

The paper says "crowd sweeping undercover cops and armed officers" will be involved in the event's biggest security operation since an IRA bomb threat in 1997.

The Daily Mirror reveals the police watchdog has urged Scotland Yard to reopen its investigation into its assault case against the TV presenter, Caroline Flack.

She killed herself in 2020 after she was charged with assaulting her then-boyfriend. The Mirror reports that the Independent Office for Police Conduct wants the Met to question an officer who was apparently involved in the decision to overrule advice from prosecutors to caution Ms Flack. The Metropolitan Police has not responded to the IOPC's suggestion, but said in a separate statement that the officer had made it clear he would "offer assistance as required".

The Metropolitan Police says it will partly reinvestigate why it charged TV presenter Caroline Flack as "new witness evidence may be available"

A picture of the former prime minister Harold Wilson chomping on his signature pipe appears on the front page of the Times.

His former press secretary, Joe Haines, has revealed to the paper that Mr Wilson had a secret affair with a Downing Street aide. Mr Haines said Janet Hewlett-Davies, who died in October, confessed to the relationship after he caught her climbing the staircase to the prime minister's bedroom in No 10. He said on another occasion he found the Labour leader's slippers under her bed while they were staying at Chequers.

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