What the papers say

Journalist Mike Philpott takes a look at what is making the headlines in Thursday's morning papers.

Most papers agree that the murder of Denis Donaldson will overshadow the latest attempt to kick-start the political process.

The Irish News says it is "essential that the process remains on course and is not deflected in any way by acts of violence".

But the News Letter describes the meeting between Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern as "Mission Impossible".

The paper comments that the prospect of a power-sharing administration involving Sinn Fein is "not a realistic option in the foreseeable future".

The Belfast Telegraph says that if there is "any hint" of IRA involvement in the murder, all hope of an early return to devolution can be abandoned.

But it believes the alternative of indefinite direct rule is "hardly inviting".

The Guardian says the future of Northern Ireland hangs on whether the killing was carried out, or sanctioned, by mainstream republicanism.

'Devolution light'

Daily Ireland looks at the options facing the two prime ministers.

It comments that the idea of a shadow assembly with no executive - "devolution light", as it calls it - is merely part of a DUP wish-list.

It says such a development would allow the Democratic Unionists to play "toy politicians" while saying that they never had anything to do with Sinn Fein.

David McKittrick in the Independent notes that Ian Paisley celebrates his 80th birthday on Thursday, but says he is a man who's "in no hurry".

This point is taken up by the Times, which comments that current electoral incentives provide the DUP with "every reason to prevaricate".

It calls for the next assembly election to be brought forward to this autumn.

'Alienate'

By that time, it says, the people of Northern Ireland will be in a position to judge if the IRA has lived up to its pledges.

The Daily Telegraph says that Tony Blair's great achievement has been to "alienate so many people in Northern Ireland that Ian Paisley has been chosen as their spokesman".

It believes we need a rest from political initiatives, and the prime minister must admit that there is no future for the assembly, while at the same time bringing to an end what it calls "the shameful era of appeasement".

Most of the local editions went to press too early to make a splash out of the case of bird flu in Scotland.

But the Times talks of "alarm" after the discovery of a swan which died from the H5N1 strain of the virus.

It quotes scientists who say that cats are more likely to catch and pass on bird flu than first thought - and they should be confined indoors if the illness becomes endemic.

Tighter controls

The Guardian says that if the swan turns out to have died from the highly infectious H5N1 version of the virus, there will be further restrictions in the surveillance zone that has already been established, as well as tighter controls on the movement of poultry.

The Daily Mail says the confirmation of H5N1 would send shock wave through Britain's poultry industry, which is estimated to be worth £3bn a year.

Finally, the Daily Telegraph reports that "Big Brother has arrived at Moscow airport".

Apparently in future, passengers will have to pick up a handset that connects them to a lie detector test.

It is designed to root out terrorists, but the computer program can apparently identify any untruth.

The killer question, says the paper, is: "Have you ever lied to the authorities?"