What the papers say

Journalist Malachi O'Doherty takes a look at what is making the headlines in Tuesday's morning newspapers.

The Irish people want their government to oppose war on Iraq, according to the lead in the Irish Times.

This follows a poll showing 59% opposed to war and only 29% in favour, with 12% having no opinion on the question.

Inside, Martin Mansergh queries the notion that a border poll would reassure unionists.

This is David Trimble's plan for securing a large unionist turnout at the next assembly election, but Mansergh says he fails to see how unionists would be reassured by a large nationalist turnout.

The News Letter reports that the police are to hold a fresh investigation into the 1972 bombing of Claudy

World markets are in a tailspin, says the Financial Times.

"Everything is just caving in", said Bob Semple, equity strategist at Deutsche Bank.

The Guardian reports that the Treasury admitted that "ambitious growth targets have been destroyed by the worsening global outlook".

Refuting

The Daily Telegraph leads on Blair's bad day at Blackpool, saying it was his "worst day" at a Labour Party conference since taking office.

Delegates called for a review of the private finance initiative.

And the Independent tells the same story in the active voice: "Blair takes on his party".

"Let me be very clear. I am not and have not been a member of the IRA".

That is Gerry Adams quoted in the Irish News, refuting claims made about him in a new book by journalist Ed Moloney.

Ian Knox's cartoon in the paper shows two hooded Provisionals (IRA members) burying the book on a beach by night.

The main lead in the paper is a claim by Bridie McCloskey of Creggan that the Provisionals beat up and shot a bus driver on Sunday, and that they did it because he had "defended her own son against them".

An accompanying picture shows thick blood on the floor of the bus.

There are more questions over past IRA atrocities in the News Letter's lead.

The paper reports that the police are to hold a fresh investigation into the 1972 bombing of Claudy.

Affair

It follows claims made to the News Letter last week that the bomb team had been led by a priest, James Chesney, who has since died of cancer.

The Mirror's Northern Ireland edition leads on the horrific crash between a car and a fire engine at Derrylin, where 21-month-old Ciara Marie Lee died.

Above that, there are some recollections of what Edwina Curry called Sarah Keays, when she disclosed her affair with Tory minister Cecil Parkinson.

"A Right Cow" appears to have been Mrs Curry's chosen phrase.

She was having an affair with John Major herself at the time, and presumably trusting herself to keep that one a secret.