The Pre Budget report dominates the headlines again this morning

High earners to pay 45% tax as borrowing soars says the Times

Top earners face higher taxes as Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling reduce a borrowing bill that will hit nearly £120 billion next year.
The Chancellor is expected to announce a new top rate of tax of 45 per cent that will apply to those earning more than £150,000.

Labour's tax cut gamble says the Independent

In his crucial mini-Budget, the Chancellor Alistair Darling will say that the higher rate would be introduced after the next general election – so as not to break Labour's manifesto pledges since 1997 not to raise income tax rates. The proposed new top rate is expected to apply on incomes above £150,000.
Mr Darling will that "fair" tax increases will be needed to bring the public finances back into balance in the medium term.

The Telegraph calls it a £16b gamble

Mr Darling and Gordon Brown will be forced to admit that in order to pay for the package, Government borrowing is set to move to an unprecedented £117billion within the next two years.
The Conservatives are warning that this is the equivalent of £4,000 for every taxpayer, and will see taxes raised after the downturn. Some are saying today's report will amount to nothing more than a "boomerang budget".

The Mail calls it a £20b giveaway

The measures will either save Britain from recession or propel us into a debt-ridden downturn, and the result will almost certainly be the key to who wins the next General Election.

Meanwhile across the Atlantic the Guardian reports that

The US government last night took a $20bn (£13.4bn) stake in Citigroup, the tottering US banking behemoth, to shore up confidence in the American financial system.
The move boosted confidence in the markets, with shares moving ahead throughout Europe. The FTSE 100 index, which suffered its third worst week ever last week, jumped 81.41 points to 3862.37, a gain of just over 2% in early trading.

Away from the economy and the Indepedent reports that

A secret meeting on board an American aircraft carrier between the US General David Petraeus and the head of the Pakistani military laid the foundation for the killing of Britain's most wanted terrorist.
The Independent learnt that talks held on board the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Persian Gulf three months ago led to General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani pledging to provide information on "high-value" targets such as Rashid Rauf, who died in a missile strike inside Pakistan on Saturday.

The Times reports that

Two senior MPs yesterday demanded to know whether the British Government had been given notice of the planned attack, which was a CIA operation controlled from a US military base in Nevada.
Patrick Mercer, Tory MP for Newark, said the attack had “ultimately led to the execution of a British subject”. He called for a clear statement from the Government to explain what was known about the planned attack. Andrew Dismore, Labour chairman of the parliamentary Human Rights Committee, wanted to know whether British intelligence services had been consulted by the Americans.

Accordong to the Guardian,Only five out of 51 hospitals pass hygiene test

Nearly all hospitals are failing to meet hygiene and cleanliness standards set by the government to prevent superbug outbreaks, inspectors say today. Most of the breaches are not serious, but the Healthcare Commission warns that only consistent and comprehensive controls in all NHS trusts will ensure that infection rates for MRSA, Clostridium difficile and other hospital-acquired infections continue to fall

Many of the papers report that

Down’s births increase in a caring Britain

More babies are being born with Down’s syndrome as parents feel increasingly that society is a more welcoming place for children with the condition.
Widespread screening was introduced in 1989, and led to a steady fall in new instances of Down’s syndrome. From 717 babies born with Down’s that year, the total decreased each year, to 594 in 2000.

reports the Times

Staying with health,the Telegraph reports that

Arthritis patients won a landmark victory today as the NHS drugs rationing body Nice agreed to review restrictions on drugs that could benefit 40,000 people

According to the Mail

Regular blackouts to hit Britain within three years

Families face regular blackouts within three years because Britain has not built enough new power stations, it has been claimed.
Consumers will be hit by an 'energy gap' when a number of existing stations are shut down, a study suggests.
Nine oil and coal-fired power plants are to close by 2015 because of an EU directive designed to limit pollution and associated acid rain.

The tabloids are trailing Gordon Ramsey

Don't mention the F word says the Sun reporting that

CELEBRITY chef Gordon Ramsay shrugged off claims of a seven-year affair yesterday as pals insisted his marriage is NOT at risk.
After he spent the morning Christmas shopping at posh London store Harrods, a spokesman said: “Everything is fine.

The Mirror says that

Hot-tempered Gordon Ramsay is never short of a colourful word or two as he spits out home truths on TV.
But yesterday the F-Word star was unusually tight-lipped over the sensational affair claims that threaten his 12-year marriage.
Loyal wife Tana, 33, put her arms around him yesterday in a defiant show of unity.
However, the stern-faced dad-of-four – who takes pride in his image as devoted family man – refused to deny lurid reports of a seven-year fling with glamorous blonde Sarah Symonds, 38.

More celeb news in many of the papers who report that

Controversial pop icon Michael Jackson has reached a last-minute out-of-court settlement with an Arab sheikh as he was due to fly to London to defend himself over a multi-million-pound court action.

says the Telegraph

The Guardian reports that Watchdog calls on public to boycott charities' face-to-face fundraisers

With their bright jackets emblazoned with the names of Britain's worthiest charities and their voluble youthful optimism, chuggers, a conflation of charity and mugger, have become a high street fixture with the power to inspire a pang of guilt in the hardest-hearted shopper.
But a survey of their tactics has found that some face-to-face fundraisers are not as good as the causes they represent. They have been caught out misleading the public about how they are paid, harassing shoppers who say they are not interested, and asking donors to lie on direct debit forms to help them meet their targets

The Independent reports that

The head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales has called on the Government to provide an amnesty for illegal immigrants who have been resident in the UK for several years – backing an outspoken call at the weekend by the London Mayor Boris Johnson which puts him at odds with his party leader, David Cameron.
Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor said large numbers of migrants who live below the radar are easily exploited because they have no official status, and that more should be done to "appreciate the gifts" they bring.

Finally the Times reports how Jockey nearly waves goodbye to first win in 28 years

For 28 years Anthony Knott has been racing horses as an amateur jockey. And for 28 years, with a soul-destroying regularity that would have seen a lesser man quit, he has been losing. He enjoyed fifth place a couple of times, but otherwise his natural position has been at the back of the field.
Now, after what must be one of the longest losing streaks, he has finally won a race – despite doing his best to throw it all away when he started his victory celebrations half a furlong short of the winning post.