Papers react to swine flu arrival

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk/8021971.stm

Version 0 of 1.

<a class="bodl" href="http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article2399388.ece">"Pigs 'ere"</a> is the Sun's succinct front page headline for the arrival of swine flu in the UK, while inside an editorial urges readers, "Don't panic."

But the Daily Star suggests <a class="bodl" href="http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/view/78485/Deadly-pig-flu-strikes-two-Brits/">"750,000 Brits could perish".</a> That might explain why <a class="bodl" href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article6182057.ece">fear is spreading worldwide "like a Mexican wave",</a> according to the Times.

People wearing surgical facemasks peer from the <a class="bodl" href="http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/">Sun</a> and <a class="bodl" href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/apr/27/swine-flu-race-to-contain-outbreak">Guardian</a> front pages.

But the Daily Express says they would <a class="bodl" href="http://www.dailyexpress.co.uk/posts/view/97522">need to be changed twice daily and disposed of correctly to be effective.</a>

Tackling debt

The government could sacrifice some "sacred cows" to reduce the UK's debt, reports the Independent.

<a class="bodl" href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/scrap-id-cards-now-say-cabinet-rebels-1675168.html">Some £5bn could be saved by scrapping the ID cards plan,</a> and this is being discussed by senior ministers.

The doors of <a class="bodl" href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/apr/28/family-law-reporters">England's family courts have been opened to the media</a> - but only by a crack, suggests the Guardian.

"No-one really knows what's going on," an Ipswich court official told a Times reporter, while the Independent found the <a class="bodl" href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/justice-gets-jittery-when-the-doors-finally-open-1675186.html">new rules' enforcement shambolic.</a>

Gender equality

David Cameron's pledge three years ago to "end the scandal of the under-representation of women" in the Tory party is examined in the Times.

<a class="bodl" href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6182474.ece">A new all-male line-up</a> to attack Labour on the economy suggests Mr Cameron has downgraded his pledge, the paper says.

This story contrasts with a Daily Mail headline: <a class="bodl" href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1173895/Its-official-Women-ARE-equal-men-Harman-shakeup-gives-preferential-treatment.html">"Official: women are more equal than men."</a>

The Daily Express says the new Equality Bill, which will see white men sidelined for jobs, has sparked fury.

'First ladies'

A popular, and striking, photo story arises from the meeting of Carla Bruni-Sarkozy and Princess Letizia of Spain in Madrid.

"Has Carla met her match?" is the question posed by the Daily Telegraph, above a picture of the women climbing steps they made "resemble a catwalk".

The Daily Mail discerns <a class="bodl" href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1173949/Carla-Bruni-upstaged-Spains-real-princess-glamour-showdown.html">"more than a hint of rivalry" </a> between "Europe's first ladies".

The Sun hopes <a class="bodl" href="http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article2399497.ece">women "MPs were paying attention and will up their game".</a>