Papers ponder embassy five's fate

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk/6421879.stm

Version 0 of 1.

Speculation continues about the fate of five Britons kidnapped in Ethiopia with the Independent's front page asking: "Did al-Qaeda kidnap the Embassy five?"

It features pictures of what it says are bullet holes and burn marks on vehicles left during the abductions.

The paper suggests that the mobile phones and luggage left behind point to a political motive for the abductions, rather than a monetary gain.

The Guardian quotes a Foreign Office official, calling it "distressing".

'Nail-biting times'

The Daily Telegraph reports that the International Monetary Fund is warning Gordon Brown to cut public spending.

It comes as high taxation levels mean households and businesses are being pushed to their limit, the paper says.

The Sun also runs a story about the chancellor under the headline "Gnawdon Brown" with a photograph of his chewed finger nails.

An image consultant tells the paper that his almost non-existent nails are a clear sign of anxiety.

GM warning

The Daily Mail, meanwhile, turns its attention to genetically modified food and asks: "Human genes in your food?"

As part of its so-called Frankenstein Food Watch campaign, it alerts readers to the impending approval in the US of a GM crop containing human genes.

It says the rice crop produces some of the human proteins found in breast milk and saliva, quoting an environmentalist who warns of consequences to health.

But the company behind the crop say it could in fact help save lives.

Phoneline ban

The Daily Mirror claims credit for prompting ITV to halt all phone quizzes and voting lines.

The company made the move while an investigation takes place into the paper's allegations that viewers were being conned.

Under the headline, "ITV pulls the plug", The Times suggests that This Morning and ITV1's prime-time skating show will be hit by the ban.

The Sun ran the story under the headline, "Dancing on Thin Ice".