Journalist Keith Baker takes a look at what is making the headlines in Thursday's morning papers.
The Irish News front page tells us about a change in legal procedures at the Department of Health.
It says Michael McGimpseyc is "expected to announce that he's bringing the department's legal services back in-house following a fraud scandal involving a high-profile law firm".
'Disgrace'
When it was closed down, Brangam, Bagnall and Company represented 13 health service organisations and it had been given more than £27m of public money.
According to the Irish News, a tendering process has now been discontinued and all legal work is to be handed to the Central Services Agency.
The News Letter front page has a picture of 82-year-old Tommy Stitt from Newtownards.
He is recovering from a heart operation but he has had his home help visit cut from an hour a week to just 15 minutes.
He tells the News Letter "it's an absolute disgrace". "What can you do in 15 minutes?" he wonders.
The paper says "the cut was made by the South Eastern Trust who has reduced the length of some domestic visits as part of a review which it says is tailored to individual needs".
The Belfast Telegraph front page carries the story about the arrest of two men due to appear in court this morning charged with the murder of a UDA boss eight years ago.
The headline wonders: "Is this the end for a savage UVF gang?"
The Irish Times has the call by the British and Irish governments for the IMC to produce a special report on the status of the IRA army council.
The paper says "the IMC had argued previously that the Army Council was necessary to help oversee developments in the ending of the IRA campaign".
Madeleine McCann
But it says: "The two governments want to see evidence that this role is drawing to a close, presumably with a view to facilitating justice devolution."
Among the cross channel papers, more speculation on what might have happened to Madeleine McCann.
The Express wonders if she is still alive.
The Sun says "Scotland Yard are worried that she may have been stolen to order by a paedophile ring".
The Mirror prints what it calls a "heartbreak letter" from Kate McCann to the police chief leading the search.
She describes Madeleine as "the most precious thing in her life".
A striking headline in the Times: "Archbishop believes gay sex is good as marriage."
This is how it sums up the thoughts of Dr Rowan Williams.
The paper has "seen letters in which he says the key issue is whether a relationship is faithful and lifelong".
The Times says the strength of his views will astonish his critics.
Recently, we learned that Barack Obama can trace one of his ancestors to County Offaly.
Some of the papers, including the Mirror and Irish Independent, have more news about his Irish roots.
Apparently, "his sixth great grand-uncle was a prominent Dublin businessman in the 18th century".
"He made his money from wigs and did so well that he was able to invest vast sums in property around the city," it reports.
But the Independent says it all went wrong when an economic downturn came along.
^ Back to top | BBC Sport Home | BBC Homepage | Contact us | Help | ©
~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~12~RS~)