Afghanistan 'in absolute chaos'
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk/6074342.stm Version 0 of 1. The papers focus on the ongoing difficulties faced by UK troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Corporal Trevor Coult is reported in the Sunday Mirror as saying that, compared with Afghanistan, Iraq is "like a walk in the park". The Observer reports on comments made by the former head of Britain's armed forces, Sir Peter Inge, that he fears "operational failure" in Afghanistan. He cites a lack of joined-up thinking across Whitehall. Trevor Phillips, the chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality, writes in the Sunday Times that the UK is becoming polarised by race and faith. 'Political correctness' Several papers report on an internal e-mail sent to police in Manchester, telling them to avoid arresting Muslims at prayer times during Ramadan. The News of the World argues that this is an example of political correctness running out of control. The Sunday Times questions the need for an established church in England. The Observer says Home Secretary John Reid could abandon the open-door policy to Romanians and Bulgarians before their countries join the EU next year. Only limited numbers of immigrants from the two countries will be able to work in Britain, it adds. Labour promise The Sunday Times says such a decision will be a dramatic shift in policy. It contrasts this with Labour's election manifesto, saying anyone who worked hard was welcome in the UK. The Independent on Sunday reports that UK women are now the worst binge drinkers in the world. One in three 17 to 30-year-olds is classed as a heavy drinker, it adds. The supermarket chain Asda has upset the British Red Cross by selling a "saucy" cake featuring the aid organisation's logo, the People says. The Red Cross has asked for it to be removed from the Naughty Nurse cake, saying that any misuse of the logo could lead to lives being lost. |