Northern Rock crisis fills papers

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Many of the papers acknowledge, as the Times puts it, that political divisions over Northern Rock have intensified.

Any semblance of bi-partisan support for Chancellor Alistair Darling's handling of the crisis has broken down, the Financial Times says.

The Guardian agrees, saying Mr Darling has begun to back-track from a promise that taxpayers would not foot the bill.

Meanwhile, the Daily Mail argues the financial community should pay, to prevent resentment over city bonuses.

'Diamonds are forever'

The Daily Mirror argues that despite changes during the last 60 years, the marriage of the Queen to the Duke of Edinburgh has helped unify Britain.

There are many tributes to the couple marking their diamond wedding.

The Sun uses the headline, "Diamonds are forever" under pictures of the couple in 1947 and today.

The Daily Telegraph points out that they were joined by kings, queens, prime ministers, family and friends at a service at Westminster Abbey.

Christmas thefts

Britain is the shoplifting capital of Europe, according to a survey.

More than Â£1.5bn of products are stolen every year - most of them in the weeks before Christmas, the Times says.

Another Â£1.4bn of goods are taken by dishonest shop staff and suppliers, the Daily Express adds, meaning households pay an extra Â£150,000 a year.

According to the paper, among the most stolen items are branded products, alcohol, cosmetics, fragrances, razor blades, DVDs and CDs.

French strikes

It is Black Tuesday in France, according to the Independent - or, as its front-page headline says, "Mardi Noir".

President Nicolas Sarkozy's campaign to make people work longer and harder has been met by crippling strikes, it says.

Something is happening across the Channel, the paper says, but how significant it will be is unclear.

Meanwhile, the Guardian reports Tokyo has now stolen the crown from Paris as the city with the most Michelin-starred restaurants.