Newspaper review

31 July 2011 Last updated at 06:06 GMT A look at the first editions of the UK papers

The Observer sees the murder of Libyan rebel General Abdel Fatah Younes by fellow rebels as evidence that efforts to topple Col Gaddafi are in disarray.

It says it raises doubts over the wisdom of the UK government's decision to recognise the rebel leadership.

The Mail on Sunday believes the assassination has "cast serious doubt over Britain's Libyan intervention".

Meanwhile, its Africa correspondent describes meeting the general after a "James Bond-style car scramble".

Policy mess

The Sunday Times agrees, saying: "The West's intervention, which was supposed to make things better, has created yet another foreign policy mess."

The paper finds it "difficult to be anything other than pessimistic about how this will end".

According to the Sunday Telegraph, the timing of the general's murder could not have been worse.

But it believes Nato should press on, while trying to foster political unity among the insurgents.

Modern marriage

Pictures of the wedding of Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall appear on nearly all the front pages.

The Independent on Sunday talks of "a thoroughly modern marriage".

The Sunday Times calls it the "not so royal wedding" but says there was a throng of about 10,000 people on the streets of Edinburgh, more than three times the police estimate.

The Sunday Express and Mail on Sunday both come with 16-page souvenir pull-outs on the wedding.

Famine fears

The Independent on Sunday highlights "a terrible new front in Africa's deadly famine".

It says Kenya is on the brink of its own famine while the situation in Somalia deteriorates.

Meanwhile, the Sunday Mirror welcomes Thursday's Supreme Court ruling giving more than 1,000 former servicemen the right to seek compensation.

It comes more than 50 years after they were exposed to radiation during nuclear weapons tests by the UK in the South Pacific.

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Newspaper review

17 July 2011 Last updated at 05:02 GMT Paper Review

The future of the management of News Corporation as the phone-hacking scandal continues is the focus of Sunday's newspapers.

Reporting from New York, The Observer's Paul Harris says the survival of the company may depend on James Murdoch, the "heir presumptive", leaving.

He says rebel shareholders "despair" at the family control of the company.

The Sunday Telegraph claims Mr Murdoch's position as the chairman of BSkyB is "under review".

'Gloves off'

The papers are also looking ahead to Rupert and James Murdoch and Rebekah Brooks appearing before the Culture and Media Select Committee on Tuesday.

The Sunday Express says it will be an event to match anything on Sky Sports when the "gloves will come off".

Committee member Tom Watson tells the Sunday Mirror the committee will be "respectful yet forensic".

The Observer says MPs will be given legal advice on how far they can push the Murdochs for answers.

Violent history

Away from phone hacking, the Sunday Express investigates the illegal alcohol trade after five men died in an explosion in Lincolnshire.

It says the trade is worth ?1bn a year and vodka, which is 51% proof, is sold in pubs and off-licences.

Meanwhile the Mail on Sunday says women who use the internet for dating may be able to find out from the police if men have a history of violence.

It comes as a woman was murdered by a man she met on Facebook.

'Reckless and stupid'

Some of the Sunday columnists share their opinions about Charlie Gilmour, the son of the Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour, who was jailed for violent disorder during a protest in London last year.

Barbara Ellen writes in The Observer that while his behaviour is not commendable, it's crucial that people show solidarity by deciding to protest.

Liz Jones writes in the Mail on Sunday that he was "reckless and stupid", but at least he showed concern about government cuts rather than apathy.

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Newspaper review

13 July 2011 Last updated at 06:33 GMT Watch the BBC's newspaper review on 13 July 2011

The row over phone hacking and its implications for News International and the BSkyB deal fill the papers again.

The Sun reinforces News International's denials that underhand methods had been used when the paper revealed that Gordon Brown's son had cystic fibrosis.

Its headline is: "Brown wrong", saying the allegation it hacked into medical records is "false" and "a smear".

The Independent's Matthew Norman says "shed no tears for [Brown]" because he still socialised with Rebekah Brooks.

BSkyB withdrawal?

The Daily Mail agrees: "If the Browns really were appalled by the conduct of Mrs Brooks and her paper, they didn't show it."

Most papers report that all three major parties are calling on Mr Murdoch to withdraw his ?8bn bid for BSkyB.

The Guardian talks of "an extraordinary volte face" by David Cameron in disowning the media tycoon.

The paper also thinks the motion is "the latest in a series of strategic coups" by Labour leader Ed Miliband.

Murdoch spotlight

The Times describes how Rupert Murdoch gathered his closest family, friends and aides for crisis talks yesterday.

The Daily Mirror says "Politicians are losing their fear of the tycoon".

It describes Mr Murdoch as "a man who meets prime ministers at his convenience, not theirs" and says his Commons summons is a wake-up call.

In a front page resembling a comic strip, the paper has a graph showing the value of Mr Murdoch's companies heading down a lavatory.

Cheques back

In other news, the Mail's Quentin Letts is concerned Nick Clegg is being pulled in two after his wife said he's "killing himself" fitting the school run around cabinet responsibilities.

Unlike his predecessors, Mr Clegg wasn't given the title Deputy Prime Minister as an end-of-career sop, Letts says.

Finally, virtually all papers find space to report banks have been forced into a U-turn on plans to scrap cheques.

Several have the same headline: "Cheques bounce back". Boom-boom.

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Newspaper review

8 July 2011 Last updated at 05:59 GMT The demise of the News of the World amid the phone-hacking scandal inspires headlines the tabloid's journalists would be proud of.

"Goodbye, cruel World" is the Daily Telegraph's offering, while the Daily Mirror and the Times both come up with "Hacked to Death".

The Daily Mail talks of "the paper that died of shame" and the Daily Express has a similar "shut in shame".

The Sun, the News of the World's sister paper, declares: "World's End".

Cynical move?

The Independent's headline, based on comments made by News of the World journalists, talks of the "newspaper sacrificed to save one woman".

The Mail believes Rupert Murdoch's move was done to save his BSkyB deal and protect his son and News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks.

The Guardian thinks it is a "clinical" or even "cynical" action by Mr Murdoch.

The paper also reports that former editor Andy Coulson will be arrested on Friday but the police have not commented.

Yesteryears

There's little dancing on the grave, with several papers recalling years of News of the World triumphs and scoops.

The Mirror says "before the name became sullied beyond repair... it was famous for its celebrity exposes, hard-hitting investigations and campaigns".

The Telegraph says from its first edition in 1843, the News of the World "took pride in causing scandal and excitement with its coverage".

"Yesterday was a day that Fleet Street will long mourn," muses the Times.

Photo finish

In other news, the Mail talks of the "staggering cost" of running the new MPs expenses system, following a study by the National Audit Office.

The Independent says microbiologists at North Carolina State University have found that belly-buttons contain 1,400 strains of bacteria in a study.

Many papers have photos of the very last Harry Potter film, after its premiere in London last night.

"We salute one of the greatest British success stories ever," says the Sun.

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Newspaper review

3 July 2011 Last updated at 05:37 GMT Starvation has returned to the Horn of Africa, according to a special report by the Independent on Sunday.

Drought combined with war in Somalia and soaring food prices is threatening a famine that could affect eight to 10 million people, the paper says.

According to the Observer, long-awaited legislation on how supermarkets treat their suppliers looks likely to be derailed or rendered toothless.

This is by what is described as "heavy artillery lobbying" by big retailers.

Duchess's fears

The Prince of Wales has apparently summoned seven cabinet ministers in 10 months for talks on issues ranging from global warming to architecture.

Documents were obtained by the Mail on Sunday under Freedom of Information.

According to the Sunday Express, the Duchess of Cambridge has spoken of her concern for Prince William on his helicopter rescue missions.

She is said to have told a military wife in Canada: "I always worry - but my job is to support my husband."

Commons tensions

The Observer takes a look at what it describes as the "simmering antagonism" between the prime minister and Commons Speaker John Bercow.

Mr Bercow twice interrupted David Cameron during Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday.

The Observer wonders whether a "bitter class divide" might be to blame.

The Mail on Sunday's Peter Hitchens says history tells us that when there is a battle between the Speaker and the State, the Speaker is the one to back.

Brassed off

According to the News of the World, "Mickey Mouse" degrees in "wacky subjects" such as surfing and puppetry are being axed.

This is because, it says, students faced with paying up to ?9,000 a year for courses are no longer applying.

UK military bandsmen are "brassed off", according to the Sunday Telegraph.

The paper says cash payments of about ?80 to ?150 they received for playing at events will now go to the Ministry of Defence in a money-saving move.

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Newspaper review

23 June 2011 Last updated at 05:11 GMT Nick Clegg's plan to give every British voter shares in partially state-owned banks RBS and Lloyds leads the Daily Telegraph, the Times and the Financial Times.

According to the Telegraph, the deputy prime minister wants to reward the public for helping to bail out the City during the banking crisis.

David Cameron is said to have agreed the idea should be discussed.

But the paper says it is unclear how the Treasury will react, with Chancellor George Osborne thought to favour pre-election tax cuts.

Logistical nightmare

The FT describes Nick Clegg's "people's banking system" initiative as a bid to revive his "battered image".

But it warns the scheme could be a logistical nightmare and cost many millions of pounds to implement.

However, the Times reckons the idea looks a sure-fire a winner for him.

Either George Osborne agrees and Mr Clegg gets a big chunk of the political credit - or he resists and Mr Clegg can paint himself as the people's champion against the financial establishment.

Democratic reform

There is much focus on the release from prison of Chinese dissident Ai Weiwei.

The Independent says Beijing is trying to muzzle the artist after his repeated calls for democratic reform.

The Daily Mirror reports that one of three people jailed over the killing of toddler Peter Connolly - Baby P - is to be released in six weeks' time.

It says Jason Owen, sentenced to six years in 2007, wants a new identity and plastic surgery so he will not be recognised and can start a new life.

Sunny spot

The Guardian examines that age-old debate about the pros and cons of town and country after research in Germany.

The study suggests rural folk are much less likely to suffer from stress and mental health problems - because their brains are wired in different ways.

Meanwhile, the Daily Telegraph espouses the merits of Bognor Regis.

Figures from the Met Office for the past 30 years show West Sussex is officially the sunniest county in the UK with 1,900 hours of sunshine a year.

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Newspaper review

21 June 2011 Last updated at 05:06 GMT As the Greek economy teeters on the brink, the refrain from the Times and the Sun is: "Not a penny more."

Greece, says the Sun, has "no hope" of paying current debts "let alone future ones".

The Times is reassured that David Cameron says he will fight any attempt to use British taxpayers' money in a European bailout of Greece.

There is disbelief at the Financial Times that some are arguing for "even deeper political integration".

Marriage cost

For couples planning a wedding there is gloomy reading in the Daily Telegraph.

It reports that the cost of marrying in a local parish church is set to rise by almost 50%.

There is no let-up in sight to the rain, says the Daily Express, which means that "mud tops the Glastonbury bill yet again".

Organisers believe this year could rival the "Year of the Mud" in 1997 when "emergency slurry tankers had to be brought in to clear up the mess".

'Sweat again'

The Guardian asks if it is "really so foolish" to hope for a different ending to the "old, old story" of British tennis at Wimbledon.

This after the the triumph of golfer Rory McIlroy at the US Open.

The front-page picture for the Daily Mail is Andy Murray's mother and girlfriend grimacing and clutching their heads as he loses the first set to an unheralded Spanish player.

"Yes," says the Mail, "Andy's making us sweat again".

Species threat

There is a stark warning on the front page of the Independent of the fate of the world's oceans.

Under the headline, "Oceans on brink of catastrophe," the paper reports the findings of a major study by marine scientists.

Climate change, pollution and over-fishing are combining, says the paper, to threaten a loss of species "unprecedented in human history".

Greater even than the mass extinction of the dinosaurs, it states.

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Newspaper review

27 May 2011 Last updated at 05:13 GMT The newspapers carry graphic accounts of the arrest of Europe's most wanted war crimes suspect, Ratko Mladic.

The Guardian says the image of a frail and sickly rural retiree is a far cry from the strutting imperious commander whose name is synonymous with the Srebrenica massacre of July 1995.

"We can't bring back the dead," says the Daily Mirror, "but the prosecution of Mladic might deter future butchers."

The Times says the "Butcher of Bosnia faces justice at last".

Mladic's arrest and extradition court hearing is also the lead story in the Independent, which has a headline: "From Srebrenica to The Hague".

The Daily Express notes that in a sign of his contempt for world opinion Gen Mladic had kept goats named after the western leaders he despised.

According to the Sun, shame over Srebrenica spurred the West to confront Col Gaddafi in Libya, where a massacre at Benghazi was narrowly halted.

"As for Gaddafi," it says, "he's next".

Out of step

The Daily Mail leads on what it refers to as "David Cameron's decision to pump millions more into foreign aid while making cuts at home".

A report showing the UK spends more on aid as a percentage of national income than other nations shows the PM "is out of step with the wishes of the British people", says the Daily Express.

The Daily Telegraph's lead says middle class children in England could miss out on the most popular state schools under "radical" plans to give priority to those from the poorest backgrounds.

The Times runs an editorial extolling the virtues of a man it says should be the next director general of the World Trade Organisation.

After acknowledging his short comings, the paper praises Lord Mandelson for "his practical intelligence; his hard work and attention to detail" and for being "well versed and well connected in international diplomacy".

And Cheryl Cole, who has reportedly been sacked as a judge on the US version of X Factor before the show even started, is the subject of another leader in the paper - this one written completely in Geordie.

The Sun, meanwhile, says Cole is "furious" as well as "stunned and shocked" by the decision while the Daily Mirror reports that she feels "hung out to dry" and upset at not getting a chance to "prove" herself.

The Daily Star says she could now return to the UK edition of the show.

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Newspaper review

24 May 2011 Last updated at 05:16 GMT MP John Hemming's decision to name Ryan Giggs as the footballer at the heart of the privacy controversy on Twitter dominates coverage in Tuesday's papers.

"Revealed: Britain's best-known secret" is the Independent's assessment and the Sun's editorial states "freedom wins".

The Daily Mail says MPs sent a defiant message to judges but the Guardian says many were against Mr Hemming's action.

Borrowing from Steven Spielberg's war film, the Daily Mirror headlines its coverage "Naming Private Ryan".

Better or worse?

The papers take differing views of the volcanic ash cloud touching parts of the UK, with the Daily Express warning planes could be grounded for weeks.

The Daily Mail's science editor says there's a chance that the latest eruption could be worse than last time.

The Daily Mirror cautions that safety must be the air industry's watchword when deciding how to tackle the problem.

The Independent, meanwhile, suggests larger ash particles than in last year's eruption should mean less chaos.

35 million reasons

A picture of Barack Obama visiting a pub in the Republic of Ireland features on the front page of the Financial Times and inside all the other papers.

The Sun calls him "Barack O'Barman" and the Guardian, noting the huge number of Americans claiming Irish ancestry, says he had "35m good reasons" to visit.

As his trip moves to London, President Obama and David Cameron tell the Times the US-UK bond has a new direction.

In an article, they rebrand the special relationship an essential relationship.

EU criticism

In other news, a number of papers explore what appear to be growing tensions between Britain and the EU.

The Times says the foreign secretary has ordered ambassadors to fight off what he sees as attempts by the EU's foreign service to usurp them.

The Daily Telegraph says EU foreign affairs chief Lady Ashton also comes in for criticism from the Europe minister.

But the Guardian notes she has faced attacks from France, Austria, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.

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Newspaper review

16 May 2011 Last updated at 05:05 GMT The New York arrest of IMF chief Dominque Strauss-Kahn on sex assault charges is explored in most papers.

The Times reckons the furore will send shockwaves "far beyond the confines of the courtroom" and the Guardian says it will cast a cloud over the IMF role in tackling the eurozone debt crisis.

The Independent says Mr Strauss-Kahn, who denies the claims, is a figure of formidable talents as well as flaws.

The Daily Mirror says he is the world's number one banker.

Victorian pay

Economic pessimism continues elsewhere, with the Daily Mail predicting "a decade of pain" on the High Street.

According to forecasting group, the Ernst and Young Item Club, inflation and subdued pay rises will leave Britons with less cash to spend.

The Financial Times highlights a report from the High Pay Commission.

It claims wage disparity between the UK's top earners and the rest of the working population will soon return to Victorian levels.

Another headache

Coalition plans to give new fathers the right to up to five-and-a-half months of paid leave are widely reported.

In a front page story, the Daily Telegraph says Business Secretary Vince Cable is due to unveil the proposals.

The Sun says several big employers back the idea but the Daily Express is concerned by what it calls a "politically-correct nod to fathers".

"Is this really necessary?" the paper asks "or will it be just another headache for small companies?"

Protracted heatwave

The Independent carries news of a ?400 blood test that can show how fast someone is ageing and could estimate how long they have left to live.

The Sun and the Daily Mirror both lead with reports from Tenerife on CCTV footage said to show a man accused of beheading a British woman in a shop trying to buy a knife before the killing.

Finally, the Mirror and Star both predict a protracted heatwave from next weekend while the Express says abnormally mild weather has already resulted in an exceptionally early pollen season.

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