Newspaper headlines: Interest rates 'hit peak' and Murdoch 'ends reign'

A number of papers reports the news that Rupert Murdoch has handed control of his media empire to his eldest son, Lachlan Murdoch

A number of the papers report that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is considering a major reform of A-levels as part of plans to modernise the education system. Mr Sunak is said to be keen to introduce a "British baccalaureate", which would see English and Maths become compulsory until the age of 18 as well as a requirement that children study a wider range of subjects.

The Financial Times says Mr Sunak has previously been a "vocal critic" of the "narrowness" of the current A-level system. A senior government source has told the Times that while options are being looked into, no final decision has been taken.

"Colossus of the media world tries a quieter life" says the i, reflecting on Rupert Murdoch's decision to step down as chairman of Fox and News Corp. The Financial Times and the Telegraph both call it the "end of an era".

Andrew Neil writes in the Daily Mail that he doubts whether Rupert Murdoch "will be able to forgo giving his tuppence-worth". He goes onto say that Mr Murdoch "wielded more power than any other press baron in the country" but that he has been "forever tainted" by the times he allowed "money to triumph over proper journalistic ethics".

Most of the papers feature photographs of the King speaking at the French Senate in Paris on Thursday as part of his state visit to France. The Daily Mirror says it was "historic", noting that it was the first time a British royal had spoken in the chamber. The Telegraph says he used the address to call for "nations to unite in the climate fight".

A more light hearted element of the trip - the Queen challenging the French First Lady Brigette Macron to a game of ping pong - receives a lot of attention as well. The Mail says after hitting the ball into the net several times the Queen seemed to "admit defeat", but adds that the two women seem to have been getting on "famously". The Sun sums up the visit so far with the headline "lark de Triomphe".

"A trio of Pauls and only two women" is how the Guardian describes the shortlist for this year's Booker Prize. The Times says it's an interesting turn of events as there's a "growing feeling in publishing that men are giving up on writing fiction". One of the judges who helped to pick the six authors on the list, Robert Webb, says the panel were concentrating on the work, "rather than whether or not they were called Paul".

And scientists have found that bulldogs and other flat-faced dogs win people over by needing help, says the Telegraph. A study in Hungary saw researchers challenge 15 English bulldogs and 15 French bulldogs to open a box to find food hidden inside. The task was also given to 13 Hungarian Mudis, which have a normal snout. The flat-faced animals were found to be slower and more willing to stare at humans for help. The lead author of the study said this didn't necessarily mean bulldogs weren't smart, just that they've mastered a different strategy: making someone else solve their problems.

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