Papers react to EU restrictions

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Plans by Home Secretary John Reid to limit the rights of Bulgarians and Romanians to work in the UK are widely reported in Wednesday's papers.

The Daily Express calls the proposal a "farce", while the Daily Mail says the plans are from "cloud cuckoo land".

And the Sun believes the proposals are "shot through with loopholes".

The Guardian says the measures are an "optical illusion" that amounts to telling Romania and Bulgaria that "we will pretend to keep you out".

'Out of here'

The Independent is in no doubt about the significance of comments in Baghdad by the commander of US forces in Iraq.

Under the headline, "We're out of here", it says the US signalled a policy shift by suggesting Iraqis could control security in 12 to 18 months.

In the Guardian, Simon Jenkins says Iraq has been turned by the UK and US - two powerful and civilised nations - into the most hellish place on earth.

He goes on to describe this as the "stupidest paradox in modern history".

Check-in suspension

The main story for the Daily Mail is new powers for council tax inspectors to enter homes and fine householders who do not cooperate.

It says inspectors will be able to take photos of home improvements which might trigger higher council tax bills.

The Express says the British Airways worker suspended for wearing a cross at check-in is facing the sack.

Nadia Eweida is said to have broken an agreement with her employer by going on US television to highlight her case.

Slug smuggling

The Times turns its attention to the growing problem of sea slug smuggling.

The creatures can fetch up to £350 a kilogram in Asian markets. Also known as Sea Cucumbers and Sea Rats, they are being targeted by Japanese smugglers.

The creatures breathe through their anus and, when alarmed by predators, fire sticky threads and vomit their internal organs, which later regrow.

The paper says the delicacy is gutted, boiled, dried and enjoyed by Japanese diners with cold sake.