A mixed bag of news today though dominated by Iraq ,mortgage rates and David Beckham.

The Sun reports that

MEGARICH David Beckham last night insisted he was NOT moving to America for the cash — but for the challenge of converting its kids to “soccer”.
Becks — already worth an estimated £130million — said: “Soccer in America is the biggest played sport up to a certain age, and that’s where I want to take it to another level.

The Mirror headlines

POSH AND BUCK$ - BECKHAM SCORES GOLD

and reveals that

Becks, 31, has signed a five-year deal with Major League Soccer side LA Galaxy that is worth almost £500,000 a week, five times what he earned at Real Madrid.
The £128million package announced yesterday is made up of a fixed salary, performance-related bonuses, a share of new merchandising he generates and even a cut of ticket receipts at his new team's stadium.

The Guardian leads with

Isolated Bush faces rebellion over Iraq

Mr Bush and his most senior staff embarked on a huge public relations exercise to sell the plan to send an extra 20,000 troops to Iraq, aware of formidable opposition in Congress which already promises an embarrassing vote next week rejecting the new strategy.
In contrast to the deference the president enjoyed in his first six years in office, he is confronting for the first time a combination of reinvigorated Democrats and rebellious Republicans. Harry Reid, the Democratic majority leader in the Senate, said: "In choosing to escalate the civil war, the president virtually stands alone."

The Mirror describes the President as

BOTCHER OF BAGHDAD declaring that

Democrats and Republicans slammed Bush's final throw of the dice as a "tragic mistake". A poll showed 70 per cent of Americans opposed sending more troops to Iraq.
In a blistering condemnation, Republican and Vietnam veteran Chuck Hagel declared: "This represents the most dangerous foreign policy blunder in this country since Vietnam.

The Times looks at the British side

Britain could cut its troops in Iraq by end of the year

A cutback in British troops in Iraq could still go ahead this year, despite the new US strategy of sending an additional 20,000 soldiers to reinforce efforts to defeat the insurgents, Des Browne, the Defence Secretary, told MPs yesterday.
However, addressing a joint session of the Commons Defence and Foreign Affairs committees, he gave no promises of substantial reductions and said that decisions on any reduction of troops would have to wait until security conditions in southern Iraq, where the British are based, had stabilised.

The Indy reports on another Iraq incident

Bush's tough tactics are a 'declaration of war' on Iran

American forces stormed Iranian government offices in northern Iraq, hours after President George Bush issued a warning to Tehran that was described as a "declaration of war".
The soldiers detained six people, including diplomats, according to the Iranians, and seized documents and computers in the pre-dawn raid which was condemned by Iran. A leading UK-based Iran specialist, Ali Ansari, said the incident was an "extreme provocation". Dr Ansari said that Mr Bush's speech on future Iraq strategy amounted to "a declaration of war" on Iran.

The Telegraph describes

America delivered a thinly-veiled threat to Iran yesterday, declaring that it would not "stand idly by" if Teheran continued to arm Iraq's insurgents.

The Independent reports

US strikes on Somalia 'missed target'

A day after widespread publicity over claims that a "surgical" attack had killed Fazul Abdullah Mohammed, allegedly involved with the bombing of the US embassy in Nairobi, it emerged that neither he, nor two other suspects, Abu Taiha al-Sudani and Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan, were among the dead.

The Telegraph reports yesterday's interest rate increase

Shock rise in interest rate sparks fear

Home repossessions are expected to soar after the Bank of England took the shock decision yesterday to raise interest rates by a quarter of a point to 5.25 per cent.

Experts warned that the decision could cause a huge jump in repossessions and insolvencies and said the Bank could have further increases up its sleeve. Some economists think rates could top six per cent by next year.

The Mail says

£600 on your mortgage - and there could be worse to come

Millions of homebuyers have been stunned by the third interest rate increase in just five months.
The combined rises have added £48 a month to the repayments on a typical £100,000 mortgage, which works out at nearly £600 extra a year.

The Guardian warns

Citizens Advice warned of "financial disaster" for Britain's hard-pressed borrowers after the Bank of England stunned the City and angered industry yesterday with the third increase in interest rates in less than six months.

The Times,Telegraph and Indy all however feature differing stories,

The Times reveals that:

The school leaving age is to be raised for the first time in nearly half a century.

With full encouragement from Gordon Brown, Alan Johnson, the Education Secretary, has set up a team to organise the lifting of the age at which children must be at school, in training or in an apprenticeship from 16 to 18 by 2013.

The Telegraph that

4x4s to be priced off the road

Gas-guzzling sports cars, 4x4s and people carriers could be priced off the road within five years after a crackdown on carbon emissions to be announced by the European Commission this month.
The average new car in 2012 will have to emit no more than 120 grams of carbon per kilometre under proposals to be announced by Stavros Dimas, the European Environment Commissioner. The rule change could add more than £3,300 to the cost of a vehicle.

The Independent takes its turn this week to look at the Health service,with its front page:

Family doctors are lining their pockets in an unprecedented bonanza as they take an increasing share of the NHS's extra billions while wards close and services are cut back.
GPs' average earnings for last year (2005-06) rose to £118,000, according to estimates by the Association of Specialist Medical Accountants, a 63 per cent increase in three years. The average family doctor now earns, including private income, more than the Lord Chancellor, ministers of state, senior civil servants and circuit judges.
The soaring salary levels of doctors are worsening the NHS cash crisis. Two-thirds of NHS trusts are in deficit and have cancelled operations and extended waiting times. Primary care trusts, including those in Yorkshire, Sheffield, Norfolk and Surrey, have ordered GPs to delay referrals to save money.

It also reports on the severe weather that hit the country yesterday

Man dies and six missing as storms batter British Isles

One man was killed and there were fears for six others last night after extreme weather battered the British Isles, causing transport chaos and leaving thousands without power.
The severe weather also caused a 4,500-tonne vessel which broke down in the North Sea to begin to drift towards a gas platform 75 miles off Lincolnshire last night. The nine-strong crew from the ship, which has a cargo of fertiliser, and 20 non-essential workers from the platform were airlifted to safety by the RAF.

A story also covered in the Express,

Gales of up to 90mph and torrential rain caused rivers to burst their banks, bringing travel chaos and leaving tens of thousands of homes without power.Over 170 flood warnings were issued as floodwater poured into already swollen rivers and last night weathermen were warning that worse weather is on the way.

It though leads on its front page with:

Millions get 8 days of extra holidays

But is it news the paper asks?

Employers will be forced to guarantee time off for bank holidays on top of the current statutory minimum leave.The surprise Government move, which will benefit 5.9 million workers, was cheered by the unions. But businesses warned it will cost industry £4billion – at a time when the economy is being battered by rising interest rates and inflation.

The Guardian reports that

Gates Foundation may shift billions into ethical stocks after attack on investments

Bill and Melinda Gates are to lead a wholesale review of their investments, which could lead to them shifting billions of dollars out of companies that are socially irresponsible or harm human health.
The announcement comes after a major investigation by the Los Angeles Times discovered that some of the billions spent by the Gates Foundation on improving health in the developing world came from its investments in companies that caused illness and disease through pollution and exploitation.

The Sun in an exclusive asks

Did strangler have help?

DETECTIVES probing the Suffolk murders of five prostitutes believe a SECOND man could have been involved.
They are convinced the bodies of four victims were dumped in PAIRS — and are baffled at how the killer could have done it without help.
Police reckon the biggest clue was the discovery of two strangled women just 150 yards apart. The naked bodies of Paula Clennell, 24, and Annette Nicholls, 29, were found on rough ground south east of Ipswich.
Last night a police source said: “It almost beggars belief someone would have the sheer nerve — let alone the physical strength — to get rid of two bodies at a time without someone seeing.

Finally the same paper declares another exclusive,

No more women for Sir Macca

TROUBLED Sir Paul McCartney has said he is “through with women” in the wake of his divorce fight.
He poured out his heart to pals while on holiday with daughter Beatrice
The former Beatle, 64, told them at his five-star resort in Jamaica: “I’m through with women. It’s been horrible.