Papers decry 'most irritating' words

Basically, much of the front page of the Times is taken up with a list of some of the most irritating expressions in the English language which, at the end of the day, have been compiled by the Plain English Campaign.

To be honest, according to the Daily Mail,, they are the sort of words that the fictitious Office manager, David Brent, would love. Fact.

With all due respect, the Daily Mirror says footballers such as Rio Ferdinand should be singled out for littering their television interviews with meaningless phrases.

Madrid mourning

The Times looks ahead to the state funerals in Spain for the victims of the Madrid attacks.

While Europe's leaders will be united in tribute in Madrid, the paper says a more important meeting will take place in Brussels on Thursday at which they will have to match al Qaeda's skill to thwart future terrorist attacks.

Many front pages are dominated by terrorism as the US commission hearings into the September 11 attacks begin.

Security failures

The Independent suggests the hearings could turn out to be President Bush's Achilles heel, if it is found that he was in some way at fault.

The Telegraph says some of the toughest questioning was reserved for the former secretary of state, Madeleine Albright.

She had to fend off accusations that the Clinton administration had failed to respond with sufficient aggression to attacks throughout the 1990s.

The Daily Mail is not impressed with the Government's new guidelines that will allow pubs in England and Wales to stay open all hours.

It calls them "a licence for the yob culture", complaining that ministers are sending confused messages - one week the Government announces plans to combat alcohol-related crime, the next it tells councils they can allow pubs and clubs to stay open round the clock.

World Cup coach

Cambridge United of the Third Division are claiming what the Independent considers to be the managerial coup of the season - although another report suggests the champagne may have to stay on ice.

Cambridge have seven games to save themselves from the clutches of non-league football - and have named a former World Cup coach, Claude Le Roy, as the man to take charge of their great escape.

It seems the coup was news to the man himself - who tells the Times he has not signed anything ...although he will pay the club a visit.