Huntley bombshell dominates papers

All the front pages, except that of the Financial Times, are dominated by the trial of Ian Huntley - the man accused of murdering the Soham schoolgirls, Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman.

Emblazoned across several of them is the last photograph of the girls in their red Manchester United football tops.

The Guardian and the Independent opt for an artist's impression of Ian Huntley - who denies murder - and his former girlfriend, Maxine Carr, sitting in the dock at the Old Bailey.

Court bombshell

The Daily Express promises its readers several pages of sensational court reports and pictures.

The Daily Mail and the Sun share the same headline - "they died in his house" - reflecting the prosecution's assertion that Mr Huntley is unlikely to dispute that the schoolgirls met their deaths in his home.

The Times describes how the prosecuting barrister, Richard Latham QC, dropped his bombshell in the early afternoon, after several hours of evidence about mobile phone signals and maps of the relevant areas.

Farewell IDS

While the Daily Mirror devotes eleven pages to the trial, the FT finds room for just a dozen or so paragraphs on page seven.

It is more concerned with signs of economic recovery in the Eurozone and the prospect of a defeat for the government in the House of Lords over its plans for foundation hospitals.

The parliamentary sketch-writers bid a farewell to Iain Duncan Smith which borders at times on the affectionate.

His final performance as Conservative leader at Prime Minister's Questions was arguably one of his best - says Ann Treneman of the Times.

He was relaxed and confident, and for a minute, almost looked a leader - she observes. So much so that Simon Hoggart of the Guardian says you could almost see Tory MPs asking themselves why they had got rid of him.

Strained relations

Last week, it was the Tories. Now Labour's leadership battle has begun with a vengeance - says the Daily Mail.

The Daily Telegraph declares that the prime minister's relationship with Gordon Brown is at an all-time low following the chancellor's attack on the new EU constitution and Mr Blair's refusal to let him join Labour's ruling National Executive Committee.

The Guardian - in an editorial - calls on the two men to get their act together for the sake of their party, and their government.

Pint power

Finally, the Times has news which it says every middle-aged man has been waiting for ... spending time in the pub could be good for the mind.

Researchers have apparently found a direct link between an evening in the pub and improved verbal and numerical ability.

Or, as the Daily Star puts it, a pint with the lads makes you brainy.

This contrasts starkly - says the Times - with more restrained activities such as gardening and painting, which are said to have no benefit to the mind at all.

The authors stress though that their study looked at social aspects alone, and not the effect of beer on the brain.