What the papers say

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

For once the papers are spoiled for choice when it comes to picking a lead story.

The Irish Times and Irish Independent go for the latest in the uncertain world of Northern Irish politics.

Quite a few of the cross-channel titles opt for the uncertain worlds of Tory politics and Royalty.

The News Letter marks the tenth anniversary of the Shankill bombing and the Irish News links two shootings in north Belfast to what it calls the failed coup within the UDA.

But in terms of column centimetres, the local political story wins hands down.

The Times reports that government lawyers are looking for legal loopholes that would allow General John de Chastelain to make public more details about the quantity of IRA weapons he saw being destroyed this week.

The Irish Times says one of the options being considered is for Tony Blair and possibly Bertie Ahern to say what they know.

According to the Irish Independent, this is the least preferred course of action because it could damage the prospects of resolving the arms issue in the longer term.

It says the prime ministers would rather see the IRA or the general offer the information.

'Election mood'

The paper's columnist Maurice Hayes writes that hardliners will be laughing all the way to the ballot box.

The News Letter's in election mood as well, commenting that the next five weeks will be filled with politics, but then it's our turn.

It reminds people that, under the surface, things have changed fundamentally during the past 10 years, and argues that local politics have been shown to work, at both council and assembly level.

The Irish News devotes its main editorial to its shock over what happened in Londonderry on Tuesday, when police officers were attacked as they attended the scene of a road accident in which a four year-old girl was killed.

The paper says those who hurl stones and bottles after the death of a child need to stop and take a long hard look at themselves.

If the police can't respond to road accidents without being attacked, it says, we're on the verge of anarchy.

Several of the cross-channel papers agree that the Tory leader, Iain Duncan Smith, is doomed, after the plot to unseat him gathered pace.

'Enfeebled leader'

The Mail reckons he will be gone by Christmas. But the Daily Telegraph urges the Tories to sort it out one way or the other.

The country needs a strong Conservative opposition, it says, but instead we have this baleful spectacle of an enfeebled leader struggling to control his unruly colleagues.

The Express warns that Britain is facing what it calls a deadly flu virus.

The illness, which originated in China, has apparently swept across Australia and caused the worst outbreak for five years.

The paper says the first cases have already been found in the UK, and people in high risk groups - such as the elderly and those with heart or chest problems - are being urged to have the flu vaccination.

Finally, the Sun and the Times both report that holidaymaker Don Masey was bereft when he lost his false teeth while swimming in the sea during a holiday in Crete.

He organised a search party involving hundreds of people on the same beach, but to no avail.

Now, a week after arriving back in Derbyshire, he's received his missing gnashers in the post.

They were caught in the nets of a fishing crew who, by chance, had heard about his misfortune.

Don's advice to other denture owners is don't attempt the crawl while swimming, because you have to suck and blow.