Bush speech divides papers

The US and France agreed at the United Nations general assembly yesterday to set aside their dispute over Iraq, says the Daily Telegraph.

The paper says they were united in standing up to the spread of weapons of mass destruction.

A different picture is painted by the Guardian, which says President Bush appeared increasingly isolated on the global stage as his speech to world leaders fell flat.

The Times says the question being asked at the gathering in New York concerned the whereabouts of Prime Minister Tony Blair.

The paper notes that, while 86 heads of state and heads of government travelled to the meeting, Mr Blair journeyed four miles from Downing Street to visit a hospital in south London.

The intention, says the Times, was to show that he was focusing on domestic issues.

Dossier changes

The Telegraph says Britain's most senior intelligence officer, John Scarlett finally appeared to lose patience with the Hutton inquiry on Thursday.

It observes the former Moscow station chief of MI6 seemed genuinely angry with attempts by counsel for the BBC, Andrew Caldecott, to prove the September dossier on Iraq had been exaggerated.

Writing in the Daily Mail, Quentin Letts suggests that Mr Scarlett was at his least persuasive when questioned about a rash of late changes to the dossier.

Trip tragedy

The Guardian is among several papers to report that school trips could be under threat after a teacher was jailed for the manslaughter of a pupil who drowned in a swollen stream.

The Independent says the 12-month sentence for Paul Ellis might make other teachers too afraid to run such outings.

But headteachers argue the death of 10-year-old Max Palmer could have been avoided if government guidelines had been followed.

Support for Bruno

The tabloids are offering robust support to the former boxer, Frank Bruno, who's receiving treatment in hospital for mental health problems.

A Daily Star reporter apparently raced to Goodmayes Hospital in Essex with get well messages from readers and huge baskets of chocolates.

The Daily Mirror declares the country has rallied behind the former champion.

The Daily Express notes that he received bouquets and support from hooting motorists.

Brain teasers

The Times reports that student brain teasers, intended to separate the Einsteins from the also-rans, will be puzzled over by this year's applicants to Cambridge University.

The paper says that sample papers, released yesterday, were described as a combination of logic and problem solving with an overlay of judgement and understanding.

It believes that the move demonstrates the extent to which dons are impatient to move beyond A levels as a means of selecting their students.

Labour friend

The Independent says allowing fathers into the delivery room has been one of the great social transformations of our time.

But it claims that nobody has thought to ask whether their presence is helpful to the women.

Now, it reports, mothers are discovering that the secret of a good birth is having a female friend present.

Research seems to show that a female supporter is the best guarantee of a natural birth.

And anecdotal evidence points to men welcoming the presence of someone with experience who can relieve them of responsibility - and ease their anxiety.