‘Debt crisis fears’, and Fury’s knife crime plea

The Times looks ahead to this week’s GCSE results in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. “All work and no PlayStations help girls beat boys,” it says.

The paper focuses on comments from an education expert who says the gender gap widened during the pandemic because girls were less likely to abandon their studies and escape to video games.

The Telegraph predicts there will be a “record” fall in top GCSE grades, with 75,000 fewer pupils than last year likely to get the equivalent of As or A*s.

It says this is due to the exams watchdog being asked to rein in the number of top grades awarded after they reached an all-time high last year, during the pandemic.

It says some schools have arranged additional pastoral support, including mental health first-aiders and careers advisers.

It says patients calling the line are being left on hold much longer than the expected response time of 20 seconds, with calls now being answered, on average, after six and a half minutes. It says some patients have complained of being left on hold for up to an hour.

The Guardian reports on what it says is the worsening staffing crisis in care homes. It says severe staff shortages in previously good homes are pushing operators to break rules and put residents at risk.

The paper reports that some people are being left in their rooms 24 hours a day and denied showers for more than a week.

The i paper saysa poll has revealed that more than 1.7 million households are considering or have already cancelled direct debits to energy suppliers this autumn.

It comes as bills are expected to rise to £3,500, the paper adds, with energy firms urged not to chase those who cannot pay.

The Daily Express is interested in a proposal from the National Grid to give rebates to consumers who avoid using energy during peak times.

It says people with smart meters will be encouraged to turn off power-hungry appliances such as washing machines, tumble driers and computer games consoles. In its leader column, the paper encourages its readers to join “the great turn off”.

Gennady Gatilov, Russia’s representative to the UN in Geneva, says he can see no possibility of a diplomatic solution or direct talks between Vladimir Putin and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky.

The front page of the Daily Mail highlights a blood test for the over-50s which the paper says could prevent as many as one in 10 cancer deaths. The paper calls it the “holy grail” test and says researchers are optimistic it has “enormous potential”.

The lead story in the Times is a suggestion that Conservative voters have “sellers’ remorse” over the ousting of Boris Johnson and would prefer him over the two leadership contenders.

It says interviews with floating voters in marginal constituencies found little enthusiasm for either Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak as prime minister.

Finally, both the Sun and the Mirror lead on the fatal stabbing of Tyson Fury’s cousin. Rico Burton, who was 31, died outside a bar at Altrincham in Greater Manchester.