Dirty bomb 'plot' dominates the papers

The revelation by American intelligence that they have foiled an al-Qaeda plot to explode a dirty bomb in the United States, made of radioactive or toxic material, dominates the front pages of most papers.

The Daily Mail says it shows Osama Bin Laden's fanatics are determined to strike again and still have considerable resources.

The plot was uncovered when an American citizen - Abdullah al Mujahir - was arrested last month at Chicago airport as he returned to the US.

The Daily Mirror says an attack on Washington - the suspected target - would have brought a nuclear nightmare to the US capital.

The Independent points out that while a dirty bomb may not be hugely destructive in physical terms, it would have a huge psychological effect.

The Daily Telegraph agrees, saying it would have been a devastating blow as large parts of the government would have been forced to close.

To prevent panic among the American people, The Times says US officials have been at pains to stress that the bomb plot was only at the discussion stage.

According to The Guardian, weapons experts believe that a dirty bomb was well within the technical ability of al-Qaeda - the problem was getting radioactive material.

Murdoch campaign

The Financial Times says Tony Blair is facing a head-on battle over the euro with the country's biggest newspaper baron.

In an interview with the FT, Rupert Murdoch, who owns The Sun, The Times, The Sunday Times and the News of the World, says he will campaign against Britain joining the European currency - and wants the message "Vote No" spread across all four of his titles.

Mr Murdoch also reaffirms his opposition to the monarchy - though he says he is not about to take to the ramparts to pull down the House of Windsor.

But he does believe the British monarchy would not survive a "bad monarch", particularly "someone who could not hold his tongue on politics".

Fuel prices

On its front page the Daily Express trumpets a price war among supermarket chains which promises to slash £1 off a gallon of petrol.

Safeway customers are being rewarded with bigger cuts in fuel prices, the more they spend in the store.

Motoring organisations have given a mixed response, saying that while it means cheaper fuel, it also hurts Britain's 7,000 independent petrol stations, which are closing at rate of 500 a year.

The Daily Mail says that with ASDA cutting the price of petrol at its pumps, the Petrol Retailers' Association is predicting that big suppliers, such as BP and Texaco, will have to cut their prices by up to 25p a gallon by the end of July.

Football pants

The Sun is convinced that the whole of England will be up early on Wednesday, ready for England's World Cup clash with Nigeria in Osaka.

It is advising readers to reserve the bathroom for six-thirty in the morning, to give them time to freshen up before eating a hearty breakfast and heading to the pub and a seat in front of the television.

It also suggests donning a lucky pair of pants, picking out a CD of whale noises for those tense closing minutes and lozenges to soothe sore throats after ninety minutes of cheering.

The Daily Mirror has been checking the predictions for big game.

But rather than check the horoscopes or the soccer pundits it has been studying the weather forecast. And it's not good news.

Humidity in Osaka is expected to be a body-draining 77%, with temperatures soaring up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

This, the paper says, will favour the Nigerians - and the climate could be the most dangerous opposition England have yet met.