What the papers say

Journalist Liz Kennedy takes a look at what is making the headlines in Friday's morning newspapers.

Some potential good news for hard-pressed local households.

The News Letter and The Belfast Telegraph both lead with the uplifting news that the introduction of the water tax may be frozen for the immediate future, with First Minister Peter Robinson saying that it would be "unacceptable" to introduce the tap charge in the current dire economic climate.

The News Letter's second lead focuses on the Paisley's Porridge column by the former DUP leader, which slams Sunday football.

It follows last weekend's match at the Oval, the first IFA fixture to be held on a Sunday. The founder of the Free Presbyterian Church says the "attempt to turn Sunday into a second sports day can only call down God's judgement upon us".

It's football often played on Sundays on the front of The Irish News, this time Gaelic, with Kerry legend Eoin 'Bomber' Liston signing a Tyrone football at an awards ceremony, but the lead is an attempted 'tiger kidnapping' in north Belfast yesterday.

A man, whose sister works in a bank, was held captive, whilst she collected a substantial sum of money from her workplace. Police were questioning three men on Thursday night.

There's a broad welcome for Gordon Brown's energy efficiency package.

Bouquet

Most papers allow the PM a bouquet rather than a brickbat this morning. The Times admits that energy efficiency isn't exactly glamorous, but it is essential.

Only The Daily Mirror is critical, accusing ministers of raising expectations of instant cash only to dash them.

The paper also points out that Northern Ireland has been "snubbed" by the aid package. It quotes a DEFRA spokesman in London who said: "This is a devolved matter. It is up to Stormont to come up with a similar deal."

The case for teaching creationism is a theme across the papers.

Several papers digesting the comments by the director of education at the Royal Society, the Reverend Professor Michael Weiss, who believes there's a case for creationism being included in the science curriculum in British schools.

The Guardian hears from some eminent scientists who are not entirely adverse to the idea. The Independent focuses on claims that one in 10 children in Britain believe in creationism - including the theory that the Earth's only several-thousand-years-old.

The paper says some non-faith schools are already teaching the theory, in defiance of government guidelines, and it believes that the issue is coming to the fore now because of an increasingly organised evangelist movement.

The Times firmly rejects the idea, arguing that creationist theories are fine when teaching RE, but says they have no place in science lessons.

Cash in the attic... beware of dumping your old bin bags. The Daily Express reveals that a painting by Winston Churchill has been discovered in a bin-liner in a college lecturer's attic and it's now expected to fetch £150,000 at auction next week.

It has an image of the painting, which depicts a mansion in Surrey. Apparently works by Churchill are hard to spot because he didn't really rate himself as an artist, and as such, rarely signed his paintings.

Elsewhere, the art of sport is in The Irish Times. Everybody will be bidding for Sam tonight, as Sam Maguire goes on sale in south Belfast this evening.

Sam's yer man

But Tyrone fans need not fear, the Sam in question is a painting of the iconic cup. It's being sold to raise funds for St Brigid's GAA club. The representation of the trophy is by Belfast artist Rita Duffy and the picture in The Irish Times looks remarkably like the real thing.

Rita studied pictures of the Ardagh chalice, on which the cup is based, during her research. And she's dedicated the painting to the late concert promoter Jim Aiken, a stalwart of St Brigid's, who played for Armagh in his youth.

Rita is quoted in the paper: "Jim Aiken was very kind and incredibly visionary and was supportive, both culturally and personally. He turned boggy fields into concert halls."