What the papers say

Journalist Keith Baker takes a look at Monday's morning newspapers.

Many of the cross-channel papers publish special editions to mark the death of the Queen Mother.

The News Letter does so, too - 13 pages of tributes and reflection and a front page devoted to a single photograph with the headline - "A nation mourns."

The Express has what it calls a world picture exclusive - the last official portraits, taken just a few months ago, and which will be used for a bronze bust to be placed in a London hospital.

The Guardian reflects on how news of her death was received by the public.

Deepening of relations

Uncertainty, rather than tear-stained grief, seemed to be the reaction, it says.

It was as if people were not quite sure where to place the event on the emotional Richter scale.

Two decades of hatred between Yasser Arafat and Ariel Sharon are reaching their apex

The Guardian

The Irish Times says Irish President Mary McAleese is expected to attend the funeral.

It feels this is a sign of a further deepening of relations between Britain and the Republic.

Several of the front pages have the sad face of the Queen in photographs taken at Windsor on Sunday night.

The Mirror says she has lost her sister and mother in just seven weeks and now it is up to the people of the UK to make the Jubilee a celebration that will never be forgotten.

Leader's compound

The other major story this morning of course is the situation in the Middle East.

The Guardian writes of two decades of hatred between Yasser Arafat and Ariel Sharon reaching their apex.

Belfast City Hall is to be sold for £300m and turned into a night club, bar and restaurant complex

Irish News

The Independent talks of a macabre dance going on in the Palestinian leader's compound.

Meanwhile, the Irish Independent writes of the Irish aid worker trapped in Arafat's bunker.

It says she has made contact with the paper through a friend who says she has been treating the injured and helping carry corpses to ambulances so that they can be taken away and buried with dignity.

The Irish News reports the latest on the Castlereagh raid and the adamant denial of Sinn Fein that they had anything to do with it.

But the paper carries another front page story, billed as an exclusive, claiming that Belfast City Hall is to be sold for £300m and turned into a night club, bar and restaurant complex.

But do not panic. Just check the date at the top of the page. Another clue is the reporter's name - Joe Kingley.