Papers add to Afghan kit debate

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The papers contain more fuel for the debate about whether Britain's armed forces are properly equipped for the war in Afghanistan.

The Sun and the Daily Telegraph report how <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/defence/5971783/Life-saving-Afghanistan-vehicles-stranded-in-Dubai.html">armoured trucks, built to withstand mines, have been stranded in Dubai</a> because of a lack of transport planes.

The Sun believes the Ridgback vehicles <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/campaigns/our_boys/2571900/Bombs-killed-8-in-Afghanistan-as-mine-proof-army-trucks-sat-on-tarmac.html">might have saved the lives of eight servicemen,</a> killed over the past month.

Defence officials say the vehicles will be delivered "as quickly as possible".

Missed disease fears

The <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1204343/GPs-fear-swine-flu-hotline-wrong-diagnosis.html">Daily Mail</a> , <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/health/Swine_flu/article6739528.ece">the Times</a> and the Guardian report how GPs fear that <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/aug/05/gps-fear-swine-flu-misdiagnosis">diagnosing swine flu over the phone</a> could mean other diseases are missed.

A survey for GP magazine found that nine out of 10 family doctors were worried conditions, such as meningitis or pneumonia, could go untreated.

One said patients with severe tonsillitis and a knee infection had been prescribed Tamiflu over the phone.

Health chiefs say people should speak to their doctors if they are worried.

EU job bid

The Financial Times says <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/180c2ea2-813b-11de-92e7-00144feabdc0,Authorised=false.html?_i_location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ft.com%2Fcms%2Fs%2F0%2F180c2ea2-813b-11de-92e7-00144feabdc0.html&_i_referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ft.com%2Fhome%2Fuk">Lord Patten is interested in being the first foreign minister of the European Union</a> - a job that has caught the eye of Tony Blair.

The former Conservative Party chairman, European commissioner and governor of Hong Kong says if he were approached, he would "be very positive".

The Daily Mirror reports how <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2009/08/03/dead-man-is-found-stuck-down-drain-115875-21567310/">a man from the Isle of Wight died down a drain</a> after his cries for help were ignored.

People living nearby thought he was a noisy drunk, the paper says.

Dino myth

The "king of the dinosaurs" - <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/jurassic-bully-pick-on-someone-your-own-size-1767370.html">Tyrannosaurus Rex - had a "dirty secret",</a> according to the Independent.

Apparently two palaeontologists have debunked the Hollywood image of T-Rex as an aggressive attacker, stalking dinosaurs bigger than itself.

Instead, the scientists say, T-Rex was a baby killer - preferring to pick on vulnerable, young animals.

Stomach contents and fossilised droppings also suggest T-Rex liked to swallow victims whole, they add.