Papers warm to Mr and Mrs Obama

A photograph of Hillary Clinton fills the front page of the Independent on Sunday.

Her arms are outstretched as she admits defeat in the Democratic presidential candidacy race to Barack Obama, at a packed rally in Washington.

The moment is described as "Hillary's tour de force".

In its leader column the Independent sees the possibility of an Obama presidency as one that could see America galvanising the international community, to help oppressed people in places such as Zimbabwe.

"Mr Obama has engaged people's sympathies outside American like never before," says the paper. "We are drawn to the audacity of the hope he holds out."

Bewitched

The Mail on Sunday columnist Suzanne Moore is bewitched by Barack Obama's wife, Michelle.

Under the headline: "so cool, so sexy, she's already my first lady", we are told that Mrs Obama has fantastic style, listens to Lauryn Hill on her iPod, and is without doubt the half of the couple who is - in the paper's words - "keeping it real".

Senator Obama's selection as presidential candidate is seen by the Observer as containing a lesson for politicians here in Britain.

It believes that he offers a new vision for government and is unencumbered by old dogmas - something the paper suggests voters in the UK would respond to.

The News of the World also compares political life in the US and Britain - and is intoxicated by what it sees across the Atlantic.

Greatest show

"How captivating is America's charismatic electioneering, compared to our pedestrian politics", the paper's leader gushes.

It urges readers to "pull up a seat and enjoy the greatest show on earth" - its description of the forthcoming presidential race.

Many of the papers see the survival of the British divers rescued in Indonesia as a great tale of daring-do.

Several - including the Sunday Times and the Sunday Telegraph - contain maps that illustrate how Charlotte Allin, Jim Manning and Kathleen Mitchinson drifted for 10 hours through shark-infested waters before being washed up on an island populated by 10-foot long flesh eating reptiles.

Miracle of the deep

The People calls it the "miracle of the deep", while for the Sunday Mirror it is an "incredible fight for survival".

Critics of the UK armed forces are in the sights of the Sunday Express, which describes them as "doom and gloom merchants".

Its front page lead is about how the former SAS soldier and Bravo Two Zero author Andy McNab believes the Army has never been better.

In its leader column, the Sunday Express attacks the Defence Secretary, Des Browne, who it says seems to believe that infantrymen aren't bright enough to be paid as much as traffic wardens.

"It's time we gave credit where credit is due", insists the paper, "we must pay our heroes a fair wage."

Big Brother

Finally, the return to our television screens of Big Brother is viewed by several of the papers as anything but a cause for celebration.

For the Sunday Telegraph columnist, Jemima Lewis, the unveiling a few days ago of the latest housemates proved "a doleful occasion".

Writing in the Sunday Times Rod Liddle goes a stage further, likening the show to "a dog returning to its own vomit". He's prompted to ask the question: "Oh Big Brother, why art thou?"