Sunday papers

A poll in the Independent on Sunday says that seven out of 10 Britons back the paper's call for a phased withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan.

Meanwhile the paper says

a landmark report by Oxfam this week exposes the real human cost of the war.It reveals how women and children in Afghanistan are bearing the brunt of the ongoing conflict, undermining the international community's claims that they are the very people being helped by the West's activities.

The Observer leads with a report that Gordon Brown has ordered a series of new measures to help military families get on the housing ladder and find jobs amid growing fears that the loss of public support for the war in Afghanistan could spread to the forces community.

According to the paper

In an unprecedented move that reflects deepening anxiety in government about low morale among soldiers' relatives, the prime minister has invited 80 members of forces families, including wives and grandparents of serving soldiers, to Downing Street this week for a private reception to discuss their concerns.

The Telegraph reports how the bomb disposal expert killed in Afghanistan, Staff Sergeant Olaf Schmid, is a "racing certainty" for a top gallantry award,

It is widely expected that Staff Sgt Schmid, who was known as "Oz" to family and fiends, is to be honoured next year with either a George Cross or the Distinguished Service Order (DSO)

Another Gordon Brown u turn on the front of the Sunday Times which reports that he is to make an embarrassing climbdown on plans to abolish a childcare tax break, after a rebellion by female Labour MPs.

The prime minister is to announce that childcare vouchers, which benefit working families by up to £2,390 a year, will now be saved.

Meanwhile the paper reports that its latest opinion poll

reveals that the Tories have stretched their lead from 11 points to 14 over the past month. The Conservatives are now on 41%, Labour on 27% and the Liberal Democrats on 18%.

The main story in the Telegraph is a report that under new legislation to be unveiled this week,Bankers who are paid “unjustifiable” multi-million-pound bonuses face having their contracts ripped up and their banks fined.

The bill, to be contained in the Queen’s Speech,will give the Financial Services Authority (FSA) the power to cancel bankers’ contracts to prevent them receiving payments that it believes would cause instability in the financial system.

The Independent claims that

A law preventing future governments from cutting back their spending on aid to developing countries has been left out of this week's Queen's Speech, prompting anger from campaigners,

Many of the papers report on the events at the turning on of Birmingham's Xmas lights

As X Factor runners-up JLS took to the stage in Birmingham city centre, a metal barrier penning the crowd in collapsed, leaving 60 people needing treatment, West Midlands Ambulance Service said.says the Mail on Sunday

It leads with claims that

An immigrant convicted of the horrific killing of a 17-month-old baby has been given £4,500 by the Government as a 'bribe' to leave the country.

According to the Sunday Times,

SOME of Britain’s most dangerous Al-Qaeda leaders are promoting jihad from inside high-security prisons by smuggling out propaganda for the internet and finding recruits

The Telegraph reports that an apology is to be made to the victims of child migration schemes who were shipped from Britain to Australia,

On Monday, the Australian government will say sorry to the thousands of children deported there during the twentieth century.

Barack Obama is touring the far East and the Observer reports that introduced himself as America's "first Pacific president" as he launched his four-nation tour of the region, vowing to deepen ties with Asia and arguing that China's rise should be welcomed rather than feared.

To more mundane things and the News of the World leads with a report that the X factor is in crisis

In a sensational move to save Britain's top TV series, a team of psychologists and experts were called into action as the young stars' mansion went into meltdown with some inmates said to be at breaking point.

The Express meanwhile leads with CHARLES' AMAZING REPUBLIC GAFFE

Charles has claimed that the Royal Family is past its sell-by date and Australia should be made a republic.
The heir to the throne is alleged to have made the extraordinary comments about the monarchy during a tour Down Under where he is reported to have told told dinner guests that he couldn’t understand “why Australia bothered with us – we are really yesterday’s news”.

Finally the Mail on Sunday reveals a study has found that household chores – including using a vacuum cleaner or microwave oven – could reduce a man’s chances of having children.

Researchers exposed male volunteers to electromagnetic fields – high doses of which are produced by all electrically charged objects, including refrigerators and vacuum cleaners – and found such exposure could double the risk of having poor-quality sperm.