Sinking tanker concerns papers

The sinking of the oil-tanker the Prestige off the Spanish coast is widely reported on most front pages.

The Times highlights the plight of fishermen, particularly those whose livelihoods depend on more than 2,000 commercial mussel beds in the region.

The Guardian says that the stricken vessel is now "a time bomb sitting on the bottom of the sea" and turtles, seals and sea birds could all be placed at risk.

The Independent suggests that Spain and Portugal are now arguing about the territorial waters where the ship sank.

Each country, the paper says, wants to wash its hands of a disaster that threatens to engulf them both.

Sex rights

In an editorial, The Independent welcomes plans to revise Britain's laws on sexual offences to allow equality of treatment to gays and lesbians.

The paper says that the time it has taken to achieve equal rights is a depressing indictment of the deep-seated prejudices about homosexuals, still lurking in sections of society.

The change to legislation covering sex-offences is the main story for the Daily Telegraph, which says it will constitute the biggest shake-up in 50 years.

The Guardian gives the proposed changes a broad welcome, declaring them "reasoned and right". But it wonders whether the "archaic House of Lords" will defend archaic laws.

Jackson's thriller

The Mirror shows a picture of Michael Jackson dangling his son from a hotel balcony in Berlin.

The paper accuses Jackson of risking the life of the nine-month-old boy.

"Mad Bad Dad" is the paper's headline.

The Sun has the same picture of the child and describes Jackson as "a lunatic".

Strike cash

The Mirror claims that there is growing pressure on the government to find extra cash to settle the fire-fighters' strike.

It suggests that the 16% pay rise put forward last summer could be a way out of the deadlock and argues that the firefighters have " a strong case".

Times' columnist Simon Jenkins takes an opposing view.

He thinks that, by the end of the week, the firefighters will have pulled off a stunning pay deal way over the rate of inflation and the knock-on effect could be to eat up all Gordon Brown's extra cash for the public services.

Rabies threat

"Rabies in Britain" is the big headline on the front page of the Daily Express.

The paper says that if a man in hospital in Dundee has the disease, it will be the first case of a human sufferer in Britain since 1902.

The Express says experts believe there is a risk that more cases could arise and pictures a purple coloured bat swooping down against a black background.

But other nature stories are less frightening. The Daily Mail pictures Sooty, the black barn owl, alongside his white sister, Sweep.

Sooty is thriving at an animal sanctuary in Hampshire, despite having a rare genetic condition which makes him the opposite of an albino.