WATER WATER EVERYWHERE BUT NOT A DROP TO DRINK says the Mail
Thousands of flood victims were trapped in their homes and running out of fresh water and food.
Emergency services battled to help them in scenes that could have come from a third world disaster.
Fears that mains water supplies could be cut for up to three days in some areas sparked panic-buying of bottled water
Soldiers and firemen delivered food parcels and set up soup kitchens in towns cut off by some of the worst flooding in 50 years.
Huge swathes of central England became seas of muddy water after torrential rainfall.
DROUGHT says the Mirror
UP to 500,000 people surrounded and cut off by disastrous flooding faced being without WATER last night.
The drama came as the River Severn threatened to burst its banks with its levels, rising by a centimetre an hour, reaching the highest since the catastrophic floods of 1947.
Early this morning, with mass evacuation measures in place, officials were anxiously waiting for the high tide.
As the Government's emergency Cobra committee met, RAF helicopters lifted stranded householders to safety, the Army delivered vital food supplies and thieves targeted abandoned cars. Cobra will meet again today.
Looting, panic buying - and a water shortage headlines the Times
Food and drinking water shortages, panic buying and the threat of looting have followed the worst flooding to hit England in 60 years.
Amid concerns that the government-run Environment Agency acted far too slowly in responding to serious flood alerts from the Met Office, parts of the West Country woke up this morning to another day under water and the Thames Valley now faces being inundated.
An estimated 90,000 gallons of water a second was surging down the swollen River Thames last night towards Oxford, Reading and Windsor. adding that
The Times has learnt that the Ministry of Defence was unwilling to supply lorries and drivers without being guaranteed payment for their services. As a result there appear to have been delays in securing the use of high-sided vehicles that could deliver sleeping bags and flood parcels to the stricken communities.
UK floods to worsen as water levels rise reports the Telegraph
More rain is forecast today across southernmost counties of England and Wales, with some heavy outbreaks possible, the Met Office said. The rain should clear slowly overnight.
FLOODS CHAOS: IT WILL GET EVEN WORSE says the Express
A wall of water is expected to roar down the Thames through the heart of England.The Environment Agency warned that the worst is still to come, with 90,000 extra gallons a second surging into the river over the next four days.
The Guardian reports that
Today Hilary Benn, the environment secretary, will make an emergency statement to the Commons and Gordon Brown's first monthly press conference as prime minister is certain to be dominated by criticism about the speed of the response to the latest flooding. He is expected to visit flood affected areas this morning, though Downing Street declined to reveal exactly where he would go. In developments yesterday:
The Independent meanwhile blames global warming
England under water: scientists confirm global warming link to increased rain
It's official: the heavier rainfall in Britain is being caused by climate change, a major new scientific study will reveal this week, as the country reels from summer downpours of unprecedented ferocity.
More intense rainstorms across parts of the northern hemisphere are being generated by man-made global warming, the study has established for the first time an effect which has long been predicted but never before proved.
The study's findings will be all the more dramatic for being disclosed as Britain struggles to recover from the phenomenal drenching of the past few days, during which more than a month's worth of rain fell in a few hours in some places, and floods forced thousands from their homes.
BLAME WIND OF CHANGE says John Kettley writting in the Mirror
Britain's weather is largely affected by two factors: weather systems created over the Atlantic, and the jet stream, a ribbon of wind that blows in from the west.
This stream is normally pushed slowly north as summer progresses by a pocket of high pressure from the Azores and is by now usually somewhere between north west Scotland and Iceland.
But this year it hasn't really moved, meaning the rain which would have hit the North Sea has struck land instead.
We can't be sure why this has happened. It may be linked to higher sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic or to El Nino, a weather phenomenon which changed temperatures in the Pacific.
Child use of antidepressants up four-fold reports the Telegraph
New figures show that GPs are prescribing pills in record numbers to combat stress, violent behaviour and even tiredness.Under-16s were given drugs for mental health problems more than 631,000 times last year, compared to just 146,000 in the mid-Nineties.
The huge increase has been blamed on a rise in childhood mental illness sparked by family breakdown and high-stakes school exams.
But there are fears that family doctors are coming under pressure to prescribe drugs such as Prozac as a "quick fix" solution, when counselling would be better.
Meanwhile the Guardian reports
Miliband: time to stop knocking the young
The government needs to do more to rehabilitate Britain's youth and end society's perception that most teenagers are involved in crime or antisocial behaviour, Ed Miliband, the youngest member of the cabinet, says today in his first interview since becoming a minister responsible for writing the Labour manifesto.
Mr Miliband was speaking ahead of the publication of a government review being launched this week by the children's minister, Beverley Hughes, that is likely to call for the first expansion of youth services in nearly 50 years.
The papers report the results of the Turkish elections
Millions leave the beaches to help sweep Erdogan to landslide victory says the Times
Turkey’s reformist Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan won a resounding victory in early general elections last night, as voters dismissed concerns that he would launch a creeping plan to Islamise the state.
“Our people decided to continue with our party. It is clear that support for us has increased,” Mr Erdogan told a victory party outside the headquarters of his Justice and Development (AK) Party. With more than 99 per cent of the vote counted, unofficial projections had the party on 46.7 per cent, giving it 341 seats in the 550-member Parliament.
Gamble pays off as Turkey's PM wins historic landslide says the Guardian
The vote vindicated Mr Erdogan's gamble in calling the election four months early after the military, the opposition, and the constitutional court stymied his choice of president in April. As he said in a magnanimous victory speech last night in Ankara, it was the first time in more than 50 years a Turkish governing party had been returned with a bigger share of the vote
The Independent reports that
Cameron says right-wing critics will not force retreat to 'comfort zone'
David Cameron has defied right-wing Tory critics by vowing that he will not retreat to the party's "comfort zone" despite mounting criticism of his leadership.
Mr Cameron faces his biggest test in 18 months as Tory leader after traditionalists seized on the party's third place in two byelections last week as evidence that his modernising project is not working.
A handful of concerned Tory MPs have written to Sir Michael Spicer, chairman of the 1922 Committee of Tory MPs. But Tory sources claimed the critics had not formally requested a vote of confidence in Mr Cameron. There is little chance of his internal opponents securing the 29 MPs required to force such a vote - the mechanism used to oust Iain Duncan Smith in 2003.
I'm not for turning, Cameron tells rebel MPs says the Telegraph
The Conservative leader - under criticism following poor by-election results and a slide in the opinion polls since Gordon Brown became Prime Minister - will issue a defiant message at a meeting of his backbenchers on Wednesday.
His decision to address the 1922 Committee before MPs depart on their summer break was revealed following unconfirmed reports yesterday that a handful of Tory backbenchers had called for a vote of no confidence in their leader.
Got a sinking feeling, Dave? says the Sun
Mr Cameron, who visited his flooded Oxfordshire constituency of Witney yesterday, said voters were listening to the Tories because of the changes he had made in his 18 months in charge.
He said the party was now “more in touch with Britain, talking about things people care about”.
He added: “We now have a really serious analysis of what is wrong with this country.
“We’ve outlined our solution terms for strengthening families and communities. Had we done this without the changes I’ve made, people would say there they go again, harking to the past.”
The Telegraph reports that
Taliban threatens to kill 23 Korean hostages
Taliban fighters threatened to execute 23 South Korean Christians held captive in southern Afghanistan yesterday, as United States and Afghan forces prepared for a possible rescue operation.
Afghan officials said that troops had sealed off an area of the southern province of Ghazni, where they believe the hostages are being held. The Koreans were seized from a bus on the main Kabul to Kandahar highway last Thursday in the largest single abduction of foreigners since 2001
Madeleine's parents hit back at Portuguese smear campaign reports the Mail
The parents of missing Madeleine McCann have hit back at the Portuguese after a smear campaign was launched against them.
An Internet campaign in Portugal is urging police to investigate the McCanns because the couple left their children alone in their holiday apartment on the fateful night little Madeleine went missing.
An article in Portugal's Sol magazine accused Madeleine's parents and the other families in their holiday group of hiding behind a "pact of silence".
END OF RIBBONS FOR MADELEINE reports the Mirror
THOUSANDS of yellow ribbons are to be removed from a war memorial in the home village of missing Madeleine McCann.
But her great-uncle said it was not a sign the family had lost hope for the four-year-old who disappeared 81 days ago.
Brian Kennedy said: "We're not removing them because we're giving up the search but we think it's time to move on a bit."
Mr Kennedy, 68, a retired head teacher, said trees around the village of Rothley, Leics, would soon have fresh ribbons tied around their trunks.
KATE'S DATE WITH WILLIAM reports the Express
KATE Middleton was warmly welcomed back into the royal fold when she joined Prince William at his stepmother Camilla’s 60th birthday party until the early hours yesterday.
The 25-year-old fashion buyer mixed happily with a large contingent of royals at the lavish black-tie party thrown by Prince Charles.Sources at the Prince’s Highgrove mansion confirmed that Kate and William were among 200 family and friends at the bash.The revelation appears to confirm that William, 25, and Kate have rekindled their five-year romance – if indeed they ever really split up.
The Sun carries " Hammond the bionic hamster on its front page reporting that
TOP Gear star Richard Hammond dumped his car stuck in floods — and RAN 16 miles to be home for his daughter’s birthday.
Ten months after surviving a horror crash, Richard, dubbed Hamster, proved he is fully fit again by completing the amazing run in 2½ hours.
GOVERNMENT ACCUSED ON ANIMAL TESTS reports the Express
Claims that the Government misled the public over animal experiments are backed by the eminent scientist father of cabinet minister Ed Balls, it has emerged.
Zoologist Professor Michael Balls, an Emeritus Professor at the University of Nottingham, advised the Government when the current legislation governing animal testing was drawn up.He is chairman of the Fund for the Replacement of Animals in Medical Experiments (Frame), an animal welfare charity.
According to the Mail
Bulger murderer 'to marry office worker'
One of the two responsible for the brutal murder of two-year-old James Bulger is reportedly to wed a woman who knows nothing about his horrific past.
And probation officers have reportedly advised Jon Venables not to tell her his true identity, for fear she will tell others - making him a target for revenge attacks.
Venables was just ten years old when he and schoolmate Robert Thompson snatched James from a mall and dragged him two miles to a railway line in 1993
Harry Potter and the hallowed sales figures reports the Telegraph
Harry Potter fans ensured the latest instalment in the publishing phenomenon lived up to expectations, with a reported three million copies flying off the shelves over the weekend.
The supermarket chain Asda, which is selling the book for £5, said it had already sold 97 per cent of its initial 500,000 copies of Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows and was hoping to take delivery of more this week.Asda said 450,000 books were sold between midnight and 4pm on Saturday.
"We're selling them at twice the speed of previous issues," a spokesman said.
Debate brings Youtube to centre of 2008 presidential campaign reports the Guardian
Old media enter into an uneasy alliance with new media tonight to grill the Democratic candidates in the United States's 2008 presidential race.
CNN and YouTube, the video-sharing website, are holding a joint debate in which the public have sent in video-recorded questions for Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and the other candidates.
Hours before last night's deadline, more than 2,300 videos recorded on webcameras and mobile phones had been submitted.
Among them is a 30-second clip from a cancer survivor who removes her wig and says her chances of survival are not as good as they would have been if she had had health insurance.
Finally the back pages cover a European victory at the open.The Times reports
When Padraig Harrington was presented with a second chance to win the Open Championship at Carnoustie yesterday evening, he grabbed it with both hands, beating Sergio García by one stroke in a four-hole play-off after one of the most dramatic final days in the championship’s long and distinguished history.
It brought to an end a drought for European players in major championships dating back to Paul Lawrie’s victory at the same course in 1999 and left the Irishman swathed in smiles and with tears streaming down his face. At the same time, the sun finally burst through after a grey and gloomy day that had been brightened by some sparkling golf.
The cheers from the crowds for the 35-year-old Irishman and the hugs he received from Caroline, his wife, and Patrick, his young son — who ran on to the final green to celebrate his victory — spoke volumes for one of the world’s most popular and hard-working golfers. It was a win that could represent the first of several major championships.
And the best headline
THE MAGIC OF HARRI PUTTER says the SUN
PADRAIG HARRINGTON produced a wizard show to clinch The Open after a nerve-jangling play-off.
The Irishman pipped Spain’s Sergio Garcia to break his Major duck by winning the most famous of them all.
Harrington said: “I convinced myself all week I was going to win.
"But I never actually let myself think of doing it — or something like that anyway!”
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