Newspaper review: Papers focus on Syria crisis

The Times is reporting that Russia is hardening its policy towards Syria.

Times editor James Harding was among a group of international journalists invited to dinner with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

He reports that Mr Putin insisted his country had no special relationship with Syria's President Assad.

But Mr Putin also urged Western governments not to become "emotional" about the rising number of deaths and stories of human rights abuses.

The Guardian leads with the fall of the Baba Amr district of Homs to Syrian government forces.

The paper says there are reports of government troops carrying out reprisal killings against civilians.

The Daily Telegraph warns that Syria risks "an agonising descent into Bosnia-style blood-letting".

The Daily Mirror says the government is right to resist calls for military intervention. It says the Arab world must tell President Assad to go.

The Independent shows Kristy Bamu, the 15-year-old murdered in London by a couple who believed he was a witch.

The Daily Telegraph says police are warning that children are being abused and murdered as belief in witchcraft is rife in some African communities.

The Daily Mail is predicting that petrol prices will reach an all-time high on Friday.

It says unleaded prices are already close to the record of 137.43 pence per litre, set last May.

The Independent says Business Secretary Vince Cable has been pleading with car manufacturer GM in the US not to close Vauxhall at Ellesmere Port, Cheshire.

The company has dismissed fears about the car-making plant as "speculation".

Finally, the Sun has the story of a 71-year-old woman who was fined £75 for littering after a thread dropped off her glove in a supermarket car park.

Apparently the ticket handed to Valerie George was revoked by Blaenau Gwent Council after an investigation.