Press mulls over knife crime

The government's attempts to combat knife crime are examined in the press.

"Lily-livered and hopelessly flawed" is the Sun's verdict, saying young people will not abandon knives until they fear punishment more than being mugged.

The Daily Telegraph feels that taking youths to A&E units will serve only to hamper the work of medical staff.

The Guardian wonders why deaths from knife attacks continue to shock, when 2,943 people were killed on Britain's roads last year - that's 56 a week.

The Daily Mirror says inflation is running at 18% - five times the official figure.

It estimates that food prices are up by 14% on last year, fuel by 30% and household bills by 4%.

Favoured candidate

The Telegraph reports that eight new nuclear power stations are to be built across England.

The new plants, it says, will be built alongside existing facilities - thought to include Sizewell, Hartlepool, Heysham and Dungeness.

A poll for the Guardian suggests who most Britons would like to see elected as the US president.

The polls said 53% prefer Barack Obama with 11% in favour of John McCain.

The Independent reports that the Chief Medical Officer for England will set out new measures to improve surgical safety for patients.

Sir Liam Donaldson will highlight 14 brain surgery cases in the past three years, where surgeons operated on the wrong side of the patients' heads.

Shark alert

The Telegraph reports that rosé wine, long dismissed by purists as uncultured plonk, has overtaken white wine sales in France.

The paper says it is delighted that snobbery no longer occludes quality.

The Independent reports that great white sharks have been spotted close to the beaches at Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts scene of the film Jaws.

Officials briefly closed some of the beaches after spotting a giant dorsal fin just 75 yards away from land.