What the papers say

Journalist Keith Baker takes a look at what is making the headlines in Monday's morning newspapers.

With the new school term back in full swing, you might be interested in the main story in the Irish News which reveals that almost all teachers here retire in their 50s.

An investigation by the paper has found that hardly anyone who quit the profession last year had reached the state pension age.

Instead hundreds left early on grounds of redundancy, infirmity or "the efficient discharge of the employer's function" - and all of those were principals or vice-principals, 39 of them, in fact.

The paper says the scheme, known as ED, is often implemented when the ability of a school to meet its commitments in a professional manner is hindered by allowing the principal to remain in the job.

The News Letter reports that the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee at Westminster is looking into fuel fraud.

The paper says the committee wants to know how fraudsters face only a 1% conviction rate, no imprisonment, tiny fines and no threat that their forecourts will be closed.

The News Letter has managed to get hold of figures relating to fuel fraud, noting that it costs the taxpayer the best part of £380m a year.

'Unholy gender row'

The Belfast Telegraph has more on the Christmas dispute in Portadown when a Presbyterian minister barred a fellow minister, the Rev Christine Bradley, from preaching in his church.

The Telegraph calls this "an unholy gender row".

Christine Bradley says she wants to settle the issue quietly and privately, but she says she's "puzzled and saddened" that women ministers aren't fully accepted by some clerics.

Some familiar faces from 2007 are still on the front pages in 2008.

Madeleine McCann is pictured in the Express, along with a claim that an intruder tried to break into the McCanns' holiday apartment just days before she vanished.

Britney Spears is featured in the Sun and the Mail. The Sun says she's in hiding with her paparazzi boyfriend, who, it turns out, is from Birmingham.

The Mail wonders why she was allowed out of hospital so soon after a very public meltdown.

And who's this on the front of the Independent? It's George Bush. "Remember him?" the headline asks.

The Independent calls him "a forgotten leader, scorned by his people and disowned by his party".

But it says that this week he has "a last chance to undo the damage done by his presidency" as he begins a Middle East tour.

'Desperate Hillary'

His would-be successors are pictured widely. The Daily Telegraph has a shot of Hillary Clinton with Barack Obama looking on a little menacingly. "Desperate Hillary fights for survival," the headline says.

The Guardian says she took a leaf out of John Major's book, standing on a soapbox to make a speech, just like Mr Major did in Luton in 1992.

Unfortunately her megaphone didn't work, nor did her microphone and then she had the sound of her campaign bus to contend with.

"I've got about three days of voice left," she shouted.

'Manic Monday'

The Times calls today "Manic Monday", when we all take it into our heads to make changes - such as grasping the nettle of a failed marriage, booking a holiday or starting the search for a new job.

Or you could be like Douglas Matthews, featured in the Daily Telegraph, who still sleeps in the bedroom in which he was delivered - and that was 100 years ago.

Mr Matthews celebrated his centenary at the weekend.

He says he has no intention of changing bedrooms now.

As for his birth, he says he doesn't remember it, of course, but he knows that the family doctor had to ride on horseback through thick snow to get there.