Papers mourn death of designer Alexander McQueen

From the Daily Star to the Financial Times, front pages reflect the death of fashion designer Alexander McQueen.

The Guardian carries a black and white portrait with the headline: "A genius is lost - and darkness has won".

This hints at the despair that apparently overwhelmed him after the recent death of his mother.

The Times headline attempts to sum up his style: "Death, S&M, violence, religion were all there on his catwalk".

Great talent

The Daily Telegraph, which shows Alexander McQueen flanked by models Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss, says that one of fashion's brightest lights has gone out.

For the Daily Mail, the fashion designer was the foul-mouthed hooligan of the catwalk who loved to shock.

But, it concedes, nothing could take away from his genius.

The Sun agrees, calling him a British talent of rare genius whose magic will live on.

Frank speaking

Gordon Brown's TV interview with Piers Morgan is the Times' main story, under the headline: "Brown gets personal".

Mr Brown "opens up to voters as never before", it says, with him admitting to personal shortcomings and talking emotionally about his children.

It calls it a "watershed moment for the famously private prime minister".

But in its leading article, the paper declares it is unbecoming of him finally to bare his soul as he prepares to go to the polls.

Money rift

The Financial Times reports that yesterday's declaration of support for Greece by the EU has done little to calm the financial markets.

According to the Guardian, Germany blocked a bailout.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel repeatedly emphasised that Athens would have to put its house in order.

A rift has now opened between Berlin and Paris, the paper says, about how best to respond to the risks posed to the euro.