Release of Reggie Kray dominates papers

News of Reggie Kray's release from prison, on compassionate grounds, receives widespread coverage in the Sunday papers.

The News of the World attacks what it calls the crazy decision to keep the gangster in jail until now, while child sex offenders and terrorists have been released without serving their full sentences.

However, the Sunday Mirror sounds a note of caution.

It says that if the Home Secretary, Jack Straw, freed him purely on humanitarian grounds, he was right.

But, if he was pressurised by people who glamorised the Krays, then that was wrong.

"Their victims did not have the opportunity of dying with dignity," the paper warns.

Vaccine scare

Concerns over the safety of a new vaccine for meningitis are raised by The Observer.

The paper says it has seen confidential documents which indicate that at least 11 people have died after being injected against meningitis "C" since a mass immunisation programme began last year.

It accuses the government of a cover-up, by not publishing the figures.

The paper does say that at least 100 lives have probably been saved by the vaccine, but it insists that parents have an "absolute" right to know if they are exposing their children to a risk.

It has been, Peter Mandelson admits, the worst week he has faced since becoming the Northern Ireland Secretary late last year.

In The Sunday Telegraph he warns that the recent escalation in violence between rival loyalist terrorists could create a "much more dangerous, explosive situation" in the province.

Lottery headache

And, he tells the paper that the loyalist feud is "hardly an encouragement" for the IRA to disarm.

But he feels that he made the right decision to send the convicted loyalist terrorist, Johnny Adair, back to jail - saying it has stopped the situation getting worse.

And, he remains optimistic about the peace process.

Plenty of column inches are devoted to Sir Richard Branson and his endeavours to take control of the National Lottery.

How long will his luck last? That is the question posed by The Sunday Telegraph.

He seems to have won in the battle against Camelot, albeit with a proviso to "resolve outstanding issues".

But, the paper warns that his problems may only just be starting.

One of the problems he is facing, according to The Mail on Sunday, lies with the American firm that is to supply computer equipment to the People's Lottery.

Carnival threats

The paper says there have been a number of complaints about technical errors and breakdowns, with some US state lotteries it supplies.

This, the paper says, is likely to be seized on by Camelot's lawyers as they go to court this week, to try to get another chance to bid for the National Lottery.

As hundreds of thousands of revellers are expected to take to the streets for the Notting Hill carnival, the Mail on Sunday says the discovery of a cache of bombs, hidden in woods in Oxfordshire, has raised fears of plans by racists to attack the event.

The paper says police were already on alert, after a number of Carnival organisers received letters with threats to bomb the event.

However, the Independent on Sunday says police have foiled a suspected attempt by animal rights activists to bomb a farm, which was once used to breed cats for laboratory experiments.