19/04/2014 The Papers

gun laws and a T Rex skeleton that's hit the road. That's all coming up

in Reporters. Hello and welcome to our look ahead

to what the the papers will be bringing us tomorrow. With me are

Yasmin Alibhai`Brown, columnist from the Independent and Matthew Green,

journalist and author. Tomorrow's front pages, starting with: The

Observer claims that thousands in a district of Damascus are running out

of food ` leading to relief agencies declaring it a crisis that is

"unprecedented in living memory". The Independent on Sunday has a

special report on mounting concern at global food security, claiming

the World is on the brink of a Wheat Crisis. An exclusive from The Mail

On Sunday on a businessman, appointed by David Cameron, to head

a quango step downs after it was disclosed that he was bankrupt. The

Sunday Telegraph leads is how Ofsted are looking at putting at least six

Birmingham schools into special measures. And the Sunday Times

claims that senior Labour figures are concerned that basing an

election strategy around the "cost of living crisis" may lead to the

party looking like a "one trick pony". So, let's begin. Matthew, we

are looking at the Observer first of all. Syria back on the front pages.

We have shone a light on a terrible story were 18,000 people in a

refugee camp are about to run out of food. That is because the Syrian

government is not allowing the UN to get in there and deliver the food

that is needed. These are Palestinian refugees. This was one

of the most exemplary refugee camps for Palestinians who had nowhere to

go. How they have now become the enemy I cannot understand. Assad was

immensely proud of the way he treated Palestinians and now these

children are about to starve to death. Do you think that while the

situation is seen to be desperate, people are getting weary and that is

why it has dropped off of the front pages? We cannot get like that. The

various things that are going on, we cannot even call ourselves human

beings if we let this not be a complete blot on the human

conscience. I cannot understand how we have let this go though well done

the Observer for pointing it out. Up until fairly recently there were

hopes that the US government and the Russian president would cooperate to

some extent. Also Putin has been supporting Assad four as far as we

know. I live in an area where there is a street where you have got

pro`Assad Syrians including the in`laws and all those who are losing

people everyday. It is unreadable to walk on that street now. Do you

think the lack of progress on sanctions in Syria and Ukraine, is

this a parallel to draw? That is a really good question. I think the

West feels quite helpless in terms of what else can they do? Russia has

played a very clever game in both situations. We have seen the US

outmanoeuvred and outclassed by Russian direct force for action.

Also public opinion in our country and the US will not stand for

intervention. Staying with the Observer, there are other story

about the Labour Party looking at raising national insurance. It is

not a small rise? This is an interesting idea. I do think it is

time for Labour to come out with am very tangible policy ideas which are

good in themselves and help voters decide which way to vote. The

suggestion is, I think it is the really good idea, increased national

insurance should be paid into a pot which is sealed off for the National

Health Service and our key challenges especially as people get

older. It is for now other purpose than that. `` care. People still see

it as the tax and a big increase in tax? Yes, but the NHS has such a

place in the British heart that people will be willing to do that. I

think they will and everybody is very worried that back door

privatisation is coming in so we have a choice. Either we will have

to pay for services every time they use them, we will see what happens

when that is the system as we see in America. Or we do put into a pot for

this thing which is for all of ours. I think it is an interesting idea.

The Sunday Telegraph talks about the Trojan horse project. The suggestion

is that at least six Birmingham schools are at the centre of the

alleged Islamic takeover plot, they are set to be placed in special

measures. Six, and there were many more being looked at, one senses

this is the start of this. It sounds like these six may be the ones with

the most obvious problems. It does seem very much like the start of the

more orchestrated move. I think this is very interesting. Ofsted did

inspect all of these schools not that long ago. The political story

has changed now and I personally think there is something going on in

Birmingham and baby if other schools around the country and we do need to

look at it. I have two problems with this. `` previous. `` various other

schools. There is an expert on terrorism and extremism which is not

what you need, you need a very sober person who understands education to

look into this. That is his job title. We do not know. But behind

all of this is the role Saudi Arabia is playing in all of these things,

the education that is being promoted in state schools and private Islamic

schools. Even in student societies in universities. There is a big

Saudi project in our government. Death is a symptom of something much

bigger. Do you agree? `` this is a symptom. I was working in Pakistan

until recently and I know diplomats and security officials there were

very concerned that money being raised in Britain is being used to

finance militant organisations carrying attacks out in Pakistan.

Clearly it needs to be taken very seriously and looked at carefully

but also sensitively. The extremism, terrorism, it is the

education. Education in Pakistan has become more and more die hard and

hardline as the result of the Saudi politics. We can discuss that more

in the second round. I want to get back to the Sunday Times. Human

trafficking. The most senior person at the Vatican. It says grandmother

but she is a professor. Pope Francis has been taken on the social agenda

crime to make an impact on these kinds of problems. The church in

Britain has been playing an active role in trying to help with this

problem. Nuns have been helping the police dealing with rape victims and

going on operations to rescue some of these poor women who get traffic.

I think it is the continuation of that policy that Pope Francis is

adopting. I am pleased and I agree there was no reason to call her

granny, she is the Fester and has obviously been selected because she

has the lot of expertise. `` she is professor. I think it is great she

is 71, age is often missed off because of ageism. And what about

this story, the hero on the ferry. She seems to have waded through

chest deep water to get other passengers out. I guess a small

tragedy in itself but given the vast scale of this disaster. We are

saying today it could take up to two months. There is also another story

where 117`year`old passenger died after giving his life vest to a

drowning friend. There are stories of selflessness. `` the 17`year`old.

The ferry and the tragedy is taking a much lower priority for the

newspapers this Sunday. We have also had that big story about the missing

plane for so long. Looking at it from a cynical editorial

perspective, how much appetite is there for disaster after disaster?

Some of the inside ages talking about the significance of Easter

Sunday. I know you will both be back at half past 11. That's it for The

Papers this hour. Thank you Matthew Green and Yasmin Alibhai`Brown,

you'll both be back at half eleven for another look at the stories

making the news tomorrow. Coming up next, Reporters.