The economy and the war on terror dominate the headlines this morning.

Mortgage relief as bank rates set to fall is the lead in the Times

Interest rates are set to be cut at least twice by next summer — and up to three times next year — to stave off a sharp downturn in the economy, the Bank of England signalled yesterday.
In its gloomiest view of prospects since 2001, the Bank sounded a warning that, even after these likely cuts in rates, growth is still set to suffer a severe setback next year, triggered by past rate increases and the mounting impact of the global credit crunch.

INTEREST RATE CUTS ON THE WAY says the Express

BRITAIN’S hard-pressed homeowners were given hope of interest rate cuts yesterday which will slash hundreds of pounds from mortgage payments.
Experts predicted that the mortgage joy could comprise up to three cuts next year which would bring welcome relief to those battling with bills. The current base rate of 5.75 per cent could be chopped to just five per cent helping millions of borrowers who have seen rates soar five times in the last 15 months.


The Guardian takes a different tone for its lead

Bank's grim warning over UK economy

The governor of the Bank of England issued a stark warning yesterday of a looming economic slowdown as he signalled that the next year will be the toughest for Britain in a decade.
Putting investors on high alert for a sharp fall in share prices, Mervyn King said the period ahead would be marked by slower growth, rising inflation, a weakening housing market and a falling pound. He expressed surprise that global stock markets had so-far shrugged off evidence of the slowdown.

Gordon Brown reveals 'Fortress Britain' plan is the main story in the Telegraph

Train passengers face routine airline-style bag checks and body searches as part of a new counter-terror crackdown announced by Gordon Brown.There is also to be a huge "hearts and minds" drive aimed at diverting young Muslims away from the influence of fanatics.
The Prime Minister said a review of vulnerable buildings and crowded spaces like shopping centres had led to a rethink of the way they are protected

Terror crackdown: Passengers forced to answer 53 questions BEFORE they travel says the front page of the Mail

For every journey, security officials will want credit card details, holiday contact numbers, travel plans, email addresses, car numbers and even any previous missed flights. The information, taken when a ticket is bought, will be shared among police, customs, immigration and the security services for at least 24 hours before a journey is due to take place.
Anybody about whom the authorities are dubious can be turned away when they arrive at the airport or station with their baggage.

The Independent reports

Brown seeks all-party consensus on extending detention limit

Gordon Brown is preparing to water down his plan to double the maximum period for which suspected terrorists can be held without charge in an attempt to win all-party agreement for a higher limit. The Prime Minister, who has previously hinted at his support for the limit to be raised from 28 to 56 days, adding that

His significant change of tone on counter-terrorism came after Lord West of Spithead, the Security minister, told Radio 4 that he was not yet "fully convinced" the limit needed to be higher than 28 days. His words embarrassed Mr Brown and threatened to overshadow the Prime Minister's statement. An hour later, after a pre-arranged meeting with Mr Brown, Lord West rushed out a statement saying: "My feeling is, yes, we need more than 28 days." Downing Street dismissed Tory claims that the minister had been "leant on".

How Lord West said 'Aye, aye' to the PM reports the Guardian

At 8.20 yesterday morning, Lord Admiral Alan West of Spithead, Gordon Brown's chief security minister, seemed pretty clear in his own mind.
Did he think the police needed more than 28 days to question terrorist suspects?
"I want to have absolute evidence that we actually need longer than 28 days," the former first sea lord told the BBC.

The Independent concentrates on the events in Pakistan,its front page declaring

Imran Khan's message to UK: 'My life is in danger'

Imran Khan, the Pakistani opposition leader and former cricketer, was arrested yesterday, less than 48 hours after sending a desperate text message to his solicitor saying that he feared for his life.
Mr Khan had emerged after 11 days in hiding, having gone on the run to escape arrest in the aftermath of General Musharraf's declaration of emergency on 3 November. Until he was detained by police yesterday lunchtime, he was the last major political opponent of the general still not arrested or under detention. He was charged under Pakistan's Anti-Terrorism Act, which includes penalties that can carry the death sentence or life imprisonment.

Imran Khan faces terror charges after Islamist rivals halt protest says the Times


Fears of bird flu spreading as cull widens reports the Telegraph

The bird flu crisis escalated last night as vets ordered the slaughter of a further 24,000 turkeys amid fears the disease may have spread to other parts of the UK.The birds were being gassed on four sites run by the same firm that operates Redgrave Park Farm, Suffolk, where the deadly H5N1 strain was detected on Sunday.


Dutch duckling imports are at centre of bird flu inquiry says the Times

Imported day-old ducklings from the Netherlands are now being investigated as a possible route for the H5N1 avian flu virus arriving in Britain.
The Times has learnt that Gressingham Foods received regular supplies of ducklings delivered by a Dutch exporter. The focus of inquiries is on the vehicle and driver, whether there are any links with previous outbreaks of the virus in mainland Europe and whether there was any opportunity for the disease to be spread through the Gressingham company via vehicles, equipment or staff.

The Sun asks the question

IS IT A MASS GRAVE on its front page

THE body found in a Kent garden is Scots teenager Vicky Hamilton.
Police in Margate were hunting for missing Dinah McNicol, 18.
But tests revealed the body was Vicky, 15, of Falkirk. And cops fear there could be more human remains hidden at the property. The rest of the house and garden will now be torn apart as officers continue the search.
Last night cops said they hadn’t ruled out finding Dinah’s body there. A spokesman added: “We haven’t finished yet.”

The Guardian reports that


A 60-year-old man, Peter Tobin, was charged in July with Hamilton's murder. Tobin was living at the address in Irvine Drive for part of 1991. He will appear today in private at Linlithgow sheriff court.
The house had initially been searched by officers from Essex police investigating the disappearance of McNicol, who vanished six months later, after they received information directing them to the property.
Yesterday the officer leading that investigation said he still believed her body might be buried there.

Gang on trial for killing hero reports the Mirror

A dad was kicked "like a football" to death as he took on a gang of drunken teenagers who plagued his street, a court heard yesterday.
Driven beyond endurance, brave father of three Garry Newlove, 47, single-handedly confronted the youths after they vandalised his wife's car.
But they were "in no mood to be challenged". They closed in, savagely kicked and punched him, then ran away laughing leaving him in a coma for dead, a jury heard.

The same paper meanwhile reporting that

Chris Langham freed from jail

Shamed actor Chris Langham walked free from prison yesterday after his sentence for downloading child porn was cut on appeal.

The comic, who had denied his guilt, said emphatically: "My life has been ruined but my conscience is clear." Dad-of-five Langham, 58, was jailed for 10 months in September for 15 counts of making child porn images on his PC.
That was reduced to six months at the Court of Appeal yesterday and he walked free because of the time he has served.

Most of the papers report that

RAF Tornado navigator dies as ejector seat throws him from plane

A navigator from an RAF Tornado was killed when his ejector seat fired as the fighter flew upside down.
The Ministry of Defence said the man "exited" the 1,400mph jet during an inverted roll over Norfolk at about 4pm on Wednesday.
His body was found in a field near South Creake about 45 minutes later. He was pronounced dead at the scene. says the Mail.

The strikes in France get a fair amount of coverage

French militants force second day of strikes reports the Independent

A strike by French transport and power workers will rumble into a second day today, despite signs that President Nicolas Sarkozy and some union leaders are anxious to negotiate a settlement. The prospect of a prolonged and bitter confrontation between unions and the government over pension reform appeared to recede yesterday as ministers and one of the most powerful trades union federations, the Confédération Gé*érale du Travail (CGT), abandoned their entrenched positions to permit new industry-by-industry talks on special pension rights.

Misery as rail strikes bring France to halt says the headline in the Telegraph

According to the Times

America suffers an epidemic of suicides among traumatised army veterans

More American military veterans have been committing suicide than US soldiers have been dying in Iraq, it was claimed yesterday.
At least 6,256 US veterans took their lives in 2005, at an average of 17 a day, according to figures broadcast last night. Former servicemen are more than twice as likely than the rest of the population to commit suicide.

Iranian hardliners accuse former nuclear negotiator of leaking secrets to UK embassy reports the Guardian

Britain was dragged into Iran's increasingly febrile domestic power struggle when a former senior nuclear negotiator was accused of passing secrets to the UK embassy in Tehran.
Two days after the Iranian president denounced critics of his hardline nuclear policy as "traitors", Hossein Mousavian, a moderate who favours compromise over Iran's dispute with the west, was accused by the country's intelligence chief of supplying classified information to "foreigners".

Most of the tabloids report that

Balkans girl is not Madeleine

The Sun reporting

Hopes were raised after a child matching missing Maddie’s description was spotted being “bundled” screaming into a car at a shrine in Bosnia.
Cops followed up the sighting at Medjugorje by a dad of six from Northern Ireland.
And last night it was revealed the girl was three-year-old Bosnian Tea Dedic. Her dad Alan revealed: “She is hyperactive and I had to push her into the car.”

The fab five: Couple give birth to healthy quintuplets - despite being told to abort says the Mail

A Russian woman has given birth to quintuplets in Britain after defying medical advice in her homeland.
The 29-year-old music teacher, who has strong religious beliefs, travelled to England to give all five of her daughters a chance of life.
Last night she and her husband, an academic, were said to be 'delighted' with their new family.

Eurostar services get off to flying start reports the Telegraph

History was made yesterday as the first Eurostar train left St Pancras. With a top speed of 186mph, it arrived in Paris two hours and 15 minutes later. David Millward was on board.
For the passengers on the first high-speed rail service from London's St Pancras station to the Gare du Nord in Paris yesterday, the faster journey was most welcome. But for the French drivers Dominique Carbonnel and Robert Andres, it was a touch disappointing.

Finally the Guardian reports that

Police arrest teenager over virtual theft

Police in the Netherlands have arrested a teenager suspected of stealing virtual objects inside a popular social networking site, it has emerged.
The 17-year-old, who has not been named, is alleged to have tricked players of 3D cartoon world Habbo Hotel before removing a number of virtual items they had bought. It is believed to be the first time European officers have arrested someone for stealing virtual property.