Sundays reflect on 'a year to forget'

Many of the papers use their Christmas leader columns to reflect on the year gone by.

The Year 2000 was going to be the year when humanity was digitalised and the experts told us to invest all our hopes and dreams in the e-revolution, the Observer reminds its readers.

In reality, it says, predictions of boom-dot-com have turned into bust-dot-com.

The Independent on Sunday's leader writer believes the year 2000 has been a disappointment - a year of "opportunities missed and wrong turnings taken...all in all, a year to forget".

There is little sign of Christmas cheer in the Sunday Telegraph, either.

It dubs the past 12 months the "year of the snail", marked by a "catastrophic series of breakdowns and interferences on the roads and railways and in the air".

But the Mail on Sunday believes there is "lots to be thankful for, in spite of the humbug" and highlights an "impressively performing economy" as a particular cause for celebration.

Britain's 'loss'

Virgin tycoon Sir Richard Branson claims in the Mail that the decision to award the next lottery franchise to Camelot - over his People's Lottery consortium - represents the loss of what he calls Britain's "entrepreneurial spirit".

He says while successive governments have called for people to present exciting and innovative ideas, the reality has been "safety first" and "more of the same".

The Mail believes the comments will shock Tony Blair, whom it says desperately wants Sir Richard on his side in the run-up to the election.

Presidential doubt

As George W Bush prepares to become the next American president, the Observer says an unofficial recount has appeared to confirm what many Democrats have maintained for weeks - that Al Gore actually won the disputed election.

It says counts organised by a number of media organisations in the contested Florida counties have put the Vice President ahead.

The Observer believes the initiative will bedevil George W Bush in the weeks to come, thickening the pall of illegitimacy that will hang over his inauguration next month.

Media trap

The journalists and photographers may have left Skibo Castle in the Scottish Highlands, but there is still plenty of interest in Madonna's marriage to Guy Ritchie.

"Madonna rejected all financial entreaties from celebrity magazines," says the Telegraph, "and instead astutely achieved maximum publicity with the minimum of intrusion."

The Sunday Times thinks the singer can rightly claim victory in her battle for privacy despite the prying lenses of the world's media.

It says up to 500 journalists spent an estimated £1m during their week in Dornoch. Their reward? Less than 90 seconds of television footage of the happy couple.

Free TV

The Sunday Express claims an exclusive with a report on government plans to give every pensioner a free television licence from next year.

It says Chancellor Gordon Brown wants to extend the concession - which already applies to the over-75s - to all pensioners.

The Express says the measure could cost the Treasury £500m - but says senior ministers see it as a huge vote-winner which would enable Labour to make political capital out of the Conservatives' proposal to axe the free licence.

Twin towers

The Independent on Sunday believes that one of sport's most recognisable landmarks is set to stay.

It says Wembley's twin towers are likely to be reprieved in the redesign of the stadium following the removal of the Chelsea chairman Ken Bates as head of the project.

The Independent adds that Sports Minister Kate Hoey enthusiastically backs the idea.

But the News of the World says Mrs Hoey may be sacked from her post, following her call for the return of football terraces without the permission of Downing Street.

Christmas cheer

The Observer has comforting news for anyone who has had to contend with traffic jams or delayed trains in order to get home for Christmas.

It says that researchers have found that spending the festive season with family can extend a person's life by up to six years - an impact on health equal to giving up smoking.