Friday's front pages are dominated by coverage of Saddam Hussein's appearance in an Iraqi court.

The former Iraqi dictator cut a defiant, but visibly reduced figure.

Decrying the proceedings as "a theatre" and claiming that "the real criminal is Bush", Saddam wore a grey suit that failed to disguise a serious weight loss.

He is accused of a number of crimes, including massacring 8,000 of the Kurdish Barzani clan in 1983 and killing tens of thousands of Kurds and destroying hundreds of villages during 1987-88.

A solicitor from the West Country who claims expertise in "neighbour disputes" is among Saddam's 20-strong legal team, according to the Guardian.

The Independent raises questions about the legality of the hearing - suggesting it was "worthy of the brutal old dictator".