Papers focus on financial turmoil

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Many of the papers give their front pages over to the turmoil on the financial markets.

The Independent calls it the "Summer Meltdown" and says no market and hardly a stock escaped the carnage.

The events were "a stock market rout" and Â£60bn was wiped off the value of UK blue-chip companies, the Times says.

The Sun describes the events as "Black Thursday" while the Guardian focuses on the impact on pension funds, saying they face new "black holes".

'Major breakthrough'

A number of papers focus on the investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann in Portugal.

The Daily Express highlights comments by a top police officer that detectives are working on the theory she died on the night she disappeared.

The Daily Mirror has a picture of Madeleine's parents, Gerry and Kate, with some of the 20,000 messages of support they have received.

The Daily Telegraph says they have been "lifted by sackfuls of support".

'Evacuation'

The top story in the Daily Mail is a warning by the medical journal, The Lancet, that high blood pressure among Britons is soaring out of control.

The paper warns people risk heart disease, stroke and kidney failure.

Many papers report the cheers for President Mugabe of Zimbabwe at the Southern African summit.

The Times says British military commanders are reviewing contingency plans for the evacuation of up to 22,000 Britons from his country.

Disappointing

A survey which found many of the world's best-known attractions are a massive disappointment for tourists is carried by some of the papers.

According to the Guardian, the allure of ancient buildings is easily diminished by the inconvenience of traffic, crowds and hawkers.

In Britain, Stonehenge topped the table of most disappointing attractions.

The Mail points out that the Eiffel Tower topped the list of foreign sights best avoided.