Papers scrutinise Queen's Speech

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Measures being outlined in the Queen's Speech are scrutinised in the papers.

The Times reports that Gordon Brown has made "fairness" the theme of Wednesday's Queen's Speech.

Those who don't play by the rules will be penalised, and that includes employers who refuse to allow their staff to work flexibly.

The Financial Times says some business leaders are warning plans to extend flexible working could make the economic downturn worse.

Economic downturn

The Financial Times reports the Council of Mortgage Lenders is warning "mortgage rationing" will continue into next year without government help.

The Daily Mail reports power and food bills are rising twice as fast in the UK as they are in the European Union.

Richard Lambert, the head of the CBI, says the downturn has been made worse by irresponsible reporting.

The Financial Times quotes him saying words like "panic, fear and chaos" risk becoming self-fulfilling prophesies.

Polar bear

The Independent's front page features a picture of "the world's most famous polar bear" - Knut.

He's searching for another home because Berlin Zoo can't afford to keep him as an adult.

But he's hardly an ideal lodger as too much contact with humans has left him with psychopathic tendencies, reports the Independent.

While the Times says he's become addicted to applause and the attentions of his keeper.

Text message

A British surgeon who performed an operation in DR Congo was guided by text messages from a colleague, report the Daily Mail and the Daily Express.

The 16 year old patient had an 80% chance of dying after the amputation, but he survived.

"God works in mysterious ways," said the surgeon, David Nott, "and this time he was working by text message."

He said: "I knew exactly what my colleague meant because we have operated together many times."