Papers focus on Afghanistan push

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A number of the broadsheets take time to examine the ongoing military operation in southern Afghanistan.

The <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/taliban-forced-to-retreat-as-battle-for-marjah-intensifies-1900554.html">Independent says the fighting has been continuing with "maximum intensity" </a> as small bands of insurgents offer fierce resistance.

Despite the slow progress, the paper says there is a sense of optimism among the Afghan troops involved.

The <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/feb/15/operation-moshtarak-taliban-afghanistan">Guardian says Taliban chiefs appear to have pulled back</a> most of their men in the face of the allied advance.

'Spare tyres'

The <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article7028401.ece">Times reveals UK taxpayers paid £14m in fuel allowances last winter to expats</a> living in Spain, Portugal, Greece and elsewhere in Europe.

The paper questions the need for such payments at a time of rising deficits.

<a class="inlineText" href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/">Middle-aged people "with spare tyres" are to be targeted by a government campaign</a> to tackle obesity, according to the Daily Telegraph.

Ministers are said to be worried that people in their 40s, 50s and 60s are too set in their ways.

Money issues

The <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1251326/Despite-bank-bonuses-Browns-repeated-pledges-60-businesses-denied-loans.html">Daily Mail looks at a survey which suggested six out of 10 firms were turned down for bank loans</a> last year.

It says the Institute of Directors' research makes a mockery of boasts by ministers that they have ordered the banks to start lending again.

On the subject of money, the <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/889e63f0-1a70-11df-a2e3-00144feab49a.html?nclick_check=1">Financial Times reveals the recording studio made famous by the Beatles is up for sale.</a>

It says the EMI music group wants to sell the Abbey Road site for tens of millions of pounds.

Big money

All the papers have coverage of one of Britain's richest couples - the winners of the £56m lottery jackpot.

The <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2010/02/15/56m-euromillions-lottery-winners-celebrate-windfall-with-bacon-sandwich-115875-22044418/">Daily Mirror suggests Nigel Page and Justine Laycock would be able to buy Picasso's</a> painting 'Le garcon a la pipe' - which sold for auction in 2004 for £56m.

The <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2855333/56m-Lottery-pair-richer-than-Oasis.html">Sun recommends a 24m-long super yacht at £35m.</a>

However, the <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/158399/Lottery-winner-I-m-the-56m-white-van-man">Daily Express calculates if they put their win in one of the top savings accounts</a> they would get interest of nearly £7,000 a day.