Papers consider Cameron's chances

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A picture in the Daily Telegraph shows David Cameron dressed as magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat.

As the Conservative leader prepares for his party conference, it says he will have to produce the equivalent of a dozen rabbits to revive Tory fortunes.

Nobody will be watching his performance more carefully than Prime Minister Gordon Brown, the Daily Mail adds.

If the Tories show they have attractive ideas, the Times says, Mr Brown may have second thoughts about an election.

Fears for Burma

A blank space occupies most of the Independent's front page. A small block of text declares simply: "What the Burmese junta wants you to see".

The paper says that Burma's rulers seem to have taken the upper hand against pro-democracy demonstrators.

The Times warns that protest leaders have already been arrested.

One Burmese protester tells the Guardian: "After such a joyful beginning, I now don't believe that we will be able to change anything."

Madeleine theories

The Madeleine McCann inquiry continues to dominate the front pages.

According to the Daily Express, police in Morocco are closing in on a gang of people smugglers they believe could have abducted the four-year-old.

The paper says that officers are looking for a woman seen dragging a girl matching Madeleine's description.

Meanwhile, the Daily Mirror says that a British tourist spotted "hiding" outside Madeleine's family's holiday apartment is being investigated.

Evasive-ness

A drop in the number of reported sightings of the Loch Ness monster is worrying locals, the Times reports.

It says that sightings have gone down from 18 in 1995 to three last year, and only two so far this year.

A Nessie expert tells the paper he believes one reason for this is that people are more sceptical.

Local people fear that the monster's failure to reveal himself to tourists could have a negative impact on future visitor numbers, the paper adds.