What the papers say

Journalist Mike Philpott takes a look at what is making the headlines in Friday's morning newspapers.

According to the Times, they went from Israel to Kenya to escape terror and instead found themselves in the heart of it.

The paper says two young brothers who died in Thursday's bomb attack on the Paradise Hotel in Mombasa had been taken on holiday by their parents after witnessing a suicide bombing that killed three of their neighbours and injured 20.

Their mother is seriously ill in hospital, unaware that her sons are dead.

There are many graphic pictures of the aftermath of the bombing.

One, in the Independent, shows lines of green body bags in the ruins of the hotel.

Missiles

Another, in the Guardian shows some of the dead still lying among the rubble.

Many papers are worried that Israel's promised response to the slaughter - and to the firing of missiles at a holiday aircraft - could change the direction of the war against terror.

The Guardian reckons that Israeli action could alienate many in the Arab world who have been sympathetic to the west.

The Times says that is exactly what Al Qaeda was aiming to achieve.

But Kevin Toolis, writing in the Mirror, wonders what has happened to the war on terror.

He argues that - in concentrating on Iraq - George Bush and Tony Blair are fighting the wrong battle.

The Irish Times agrees, and says recent events don't speak well of the promised onslaught against terrorism.

Hospice turmoil

The Irish Independent describes the missile attack on a civilian aircraft as one of the great security nightmares, and argues that more vigilance is needed.

The local papers still have something to say about the troubles at the hospice.

The Irish News reports under its main headline that the Children's Hospice is not working at full capacity because of a shortage of nurses.

It says five have left because of the recent turmoil.

The News Letter comments that one message has been lost in all the squabbling, namely the importance of caring for the sick.

"That's much more vital than the rights and privileges of individuals," it says, "whether they happen to be members of the charity's ruling council or staff."

And anyone who is standing in the way of a resolution needs to step aside.

The paper also claims on its front page that Portadown Orangemen may be allowed to walk the Garvaghy Road next year.

'One last march'

The paper says the one-off march would be part of a package that would include money for community development in the area.

But it quotes local Orangeman David Jones as saying that the organisation will not be bought off with "one last march," as he puts it.

The Irish News uses its leader column to call on Queen's University to reconsider its decision to abandon the study of Latin and Greek.

The term "university" implies a wider responsibility to society, it says, even when it doesn't always make commercial sense.

And it concludes that - for all our troubles in this small corner of the world - the loss of the classics will make us all a little poorer.

Finally, the Sun and the Times both report that London taxi driver Tony Arnold has just clocked up his biggest fare with a journey costing £25,000.

He left China 13 weeks ago and travelled 10,000 miles with two passengers in the back of his black cab.

The papers report that the trip was arranged by a Chinese television station as part of a programme aimed at teaching people English.

Whether it worked or not is a different question.

His two passengers are apparently well versed in Cockney slang and have learned some useful phrases like: "You look a million dollars, doll", and: "This car is as clean as a whistle."

Tony himself tells the Times: "I just hope there aren't 500 million people saying to each other: "This battery's knackered".