07/04/2012 BBC Weekend News

Fighting intensifies in Syria, with dozens more civilians reported

killed today. Government forces step up their attacks, just days

before a ceasefire's due to begin. The United States says satellite

pictures prove the offensive continues and the world is watching.

A new promise of financial transparency - the Government says

the tax returns of senior ministers may be made public.

The Oxford Cambridge boat race is brought to a halt - by a man in a

wetsuit. And Celtic clinch the Scottish

Premier League title, thrashing Good evening.

There's been more intense fighting in Syria today, with reports across

the country of government forces stepping up attacks on opponents of

President Assad's regime. It comes just days before a UN-brokered

ceasefire is due to come into force. Activists say scores of civilians

have been killed. Graphic video footage appears to show large

numbers of casualties and evidence of mass executions. You may find

some images in Jim Muir's report It is the 65th anniversary of the

ruling Ba'ath Party. In Damascus, the regime was celebrating, with a

big rally for the faithful to show their support. But in the third

biggest city, Homs, a very different story. Just two days

before the deadline to stop the crackdown, heavy bombardment of

several quarters and many deaths, mostly from shelling. Activist said

this footage showed a group of men who had been put up against a wall

Even more died in artillery and tank fire further north. A real

mascot, acts of -- activists called it -- a real massacre. They

produced videos to gruesome for us to show. Syria has told Kofi Annan

it has already pulled the military out of some areas and it will

complete the process by Tuesday. The American said satellite images

showed them still in place, or just being moved from one location to

another. If the government does honour its pledge to crack down --

end the crackdown by Tuesday, the Free Syrian Army are supposed this

follows suit and stop their attacks within two days. That would allow

the un observers to deploy -- the UN observers. Thousands of refugees

have streamed across the border into Turkey. TRANSLATION:, for one

week, there has not been a call to prayer. They gave us two hours to

bury our dead. If we could bury them in that time, we buried them,

but the ones we could not got left there, half buried. It is not the

first time an approaching deadline has triggered a major escalation,

shaking any confidence there might have been.

Jim Muir joins us now. Does this inspire much conference in next

week's withdrawal and ceasefire? Clearly not. -- inspire much

confidence? There is no doubt it is tied to the impending deadline, the

government is trying to maximise its position in relation to a

blurring of the whistle on Tuesday. So much hostility has been stirred

up a -- a blowing of the whistle. Armed opposition people are also

probably stacking up their attacks in order to maximise their position,

promote the government, but so much blood has been spilt that the

danger is the momentum will be continued on Tuesday. It only needs

so many trips to be in one area for the armed opposition rebels to say,

the government has not kept his pledge, we will keep up our attacks.

That will be taken as a redoubling of the crackdown. The signs are

that the Syrian government is seen Tuesday as a sort of deadline and

is working towards that. If you are not to miss, you could say that is

a good sign. If it does hold to its pledge and pull out of towns and

cities, stop using heavy weapons, pull the tanks out, etc, the owners

would be on the opposition to follow suit. They would be under

strong pressure from Kofi Annan and others to call off their tax and

allow the UN observers to deploy. We will have to wait and see if

that does happen. The Chancellor, George Osborne,

says he may publish the personal tax returns of senior ministers, in

the interest of greater financial transparency. Labour say they'd

support the proposal, and the Government is suggesting the

changes could be in place by the next general election. Our

political correspondent, Ben Wright, reports.

He set up taxes, but how much tax do he and his colleagues pay? --

sets our taxes. There was a controversial cut to the 50p top

rate of income tax. Hands up in the cabinet did you are going to

benefit. Labour goaded the government front bench to come

clean about whether they would be better off. George Osborne said

that in the last tax year, he was not a 50p tax payer. The government,

he said, was happy to consider publishing tax returns for people

seeking the highest offices. The Chancellor added that ministers

have got to think through the issue of tax payer confidentiality.

think it should be for very senior politicians, those who want to run

our country, or be in charge of the nation's finances. I do think it is

reasonable to ask them to put their tax affairs into the public domain.

In the race to be London mayor, Boris Johnson and Ken Livingstone

have been locked in a row about respective tax arrangements, each

accusing the other of avoiding income tax. I am happy to publish

details of everything I have learnt in the last four years, are you

going to do the same. Of course I will. The mayoral candidates have

now revealed their earnings. A source close to Ed Miliband had

said Labour would match any move on tax disclosure by the government.

Politicians have reached for transparency in an effort to

increase touch -- trust in their profession. It is their tax affairs

that are in focus now. George Osborne called tax-evasion marry

would -- morally repugnant. What about any money they make from

rental income, or shares, and what tax do they pay on that? By the

time of the next election, senior ministers and party members may be

expected to show that in private, they do what they preach in public.

It is what happens in the United States, where Mitt Romney has been

under pressure to explain how much tax he plays on his brilliance. Not

everyone in George Osborne's party is convinced America has got it

His we are in danger of too much being about individual choices.

not enough of the debate being about what they are going to do on

public time and in public office. Many will be squeamish about their

private tax affairs being made public. But transparency may soon

be expected to trump pressie at Westminster.

The 158th Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race was suspended in dramatic

fashion this afternoon, after a protestor swam out into the path of

the boats. Police arrested a 35-year-old man,

believed to beat Mauro Demetrio, an Australian campaigner against

elitism. -- believed to be Trenton Oldfield. The race started again

but that was but the end of the controversy.

After 158 years, the most dramatic Boat Race. In equal measure, this

was disturbing, compelling and confusing. One has happened?

Cambridge have stopped. There is a man swimming a cross between the

boats, both crews have to stop. lone swimmer stopped the race,

narrowly avoiding injury himself. It emerged he was protesting,

apparently about elitism. In London's Olympic year, it is a

reminder of how easily a high- profile sport can be disrupted. The

race was restarted and quickly became chaotic. A big clash. There

is a broken oar. Look carefully at the Oxford oar. A blade is missing.

Oxford first past the post cox howled at the umpire -- Oxford's

cox howled at the umpire. At the end of the race, Oxford were still

furious. But the umpire was unmoved. And suddenly, there was something

far more important to worry about. Oxford crew member Alex Woods,

lying exhausted and immobile. With grave concern about his condition,

he was taken from the river to hospital, where he was subsequently

reported to be stable. The Boat race has become a contest where

victory is everything. This year it seemed almost meaningless.

The two biggest teaching unions have voted in favour of stepping up

industrial action. Both the NASUWT and the NUT could stage walkouts by

the summer. The Department for Education insisted the proposed

changes to pay and conditions gave teachers more powers and protection.

From Birmingham our education correspondent, Reeta Chakrabarti,

reports. Teachers from both this union and

the NUT could go on strike as early as the summer term, such is their

anger at what they call a vicious assault by government policies.

Every single day, we are being publicly and deliberately vilified.

Teachers don't want to take action. Teachers want to teach. I think

headteachers will feel more pushed to take action in the future, yes.

Teachers have many grievances. They are angry about their pensions,

into which they are paying more and they have to work longer for. Their

pay, like others in the public sector, has been frozen for two

years. And they are opposed to academies, publicly funded

independent schools, which they say could break up state education.

There is no minister here for the first time ever. Labour's spokesman

told teachers they should be held in higher esteem, guaranteed to

getting warm applause. He would not back strike action. I am not in the

business of supporting strike action. I want schools to be open,

I want children learning. I do recognise that teachers have some

very legitimate grievances and a very important contribution to make

to the debate. My appeal would be too Michael Gove to listen to those

concerns and sit down with the NASUWT and the other teachers'

representatives. The government says strikes benefits no one, and

that on pensions, the present offer is as good as it gets. Without

compromise on one side or another, today brings strikes in schools

this autumn a bit closer. Sport now, and for a full round-up

of all the day's action, Lizzie Greenwood-Hughes is at the BBC

Sport Centre. Good evening.

Celtic manager, Neil Lennon, described it as the best day of his

professional career, after his side won their first Scottish Premier

League title in four years with a 6-0 victory at Kilmarnock. Chris

McLaughlin watched the action. The Celtic fans who had gathered in

Kilmarnock had been forced to put the champagne on ice in recent

weeks. But with just one point needed to secure the championship,

they were determined to party. So were the players. They promised to

deliver in style, and they did just that. Defender Charlie Mulgrew got

them going after just eight minutes. A total of five goals followed in

what was in the end, a six-goal rout. This Joe Ledley effort was

perhaps the pick of the bunch. And then, it was on to the celebrations.

Celtic did the Hoddle added was a queue for the hoops to get the

party started. Jubilation followed and Neil Lennon reflected the mood

in the stands and across the country. With a season dominated by

Rangers administration, on the field, Celtic took the honours.

Elsewhere, Rangers strengthened their grip on second place with a

3-1 win over St Mirren. Aberdeen ended a run of three consecutive

defeats beating Dundee United 3-1. Hearts added to struggling

Dunfirmline's woes with a 2-1 victory at East End Park. And St

Johnstone moved up to fourth, despite only drawing with Inverness.

Match Of The Day follows this programme, so if you don't want to

know the results from today's Premier League games, you know what

to do. Look away now. Chelsea moved back into fifth place

with a Juan Mata stoppage-time winner, to beat struggling Wigan 2-

1 at Stamford Bridge. The visitors claimed that Chelsea's opening goal

from Branislav Ivanovic was offside. West Brom beat Blackburn 3-0, to

move 11 points clear of the relegation zone. It was Rovers'

third defeat in a row and keeps them third from bottom. Two goals

from Clint Dempsey helped Fulham to a rare away success in a 3-0

victory at Bolton. Liverpool ended a run of three defeats with a late

equaliser from Luis Suarez eight minutes from time, in the 1-1 draw

with Aston Villa. Norwich City came from behind twice to hold Everton

2-2 at Carrow Road. Nikica Jelavic scoring twice for the Toffees.

There was more misery for bottom- of-the-table Wolves, who lost 2-1

at Stoke despite going a goal ahead. And Tottenham moved above Arsenal

into third spot after a goalless draw with Sunderland at the Stadium

of Light. Great Britain's cyclists won medals

of all three colours on the penultimate day of the World Track

Cycling Championships. 19-year-old Laura Trott claimed her second gold

with victory in the women's omnium. The battle for the one sprint slot

at London 2012 intensified. A world championship race for Sir

Chris Hoy, which could well have a big bearing on the Olympics. In

London, each country can only have one entrant in the Sprint. This

head-to-head against fellow Briton, Jason Kenny, was always going to be

a crucial part of the selection process. The first race in the

best-of-three series was tight and Kenny finished just ahead. Sir

Chris Hoy had to win the second. His opponent had too much power in

the closing stages. Gracious in defeat, his outstretched hand was

acknowledgement of the achievement of the man who might have stolen

his Olympic place. If it was confirmed today that Sir Chris Hoy

is no longer the dominant force he once was, we also saw the

continuing emergence of British cycling's newest star. If you don't

know much about Laura Kraut, you almost certainly will by the end of

the Olympics. -- Laura Trott. She already had a gold medal this week

from the team pursuit. Today, she added a second. The arid -- 19-

year-old has never been beaten at eight major championships and that

doesn't look like changing in London.

Lee Westwood and Rory McIlroy are finding the going tough at the

Masters, as the famous Augusta course continues to test the best.

As Westwood comes to the end of his third round, he's currently three

shots off the leaders, Louis Oustheizen and Matt Kuchar. Along

with a full Nickerson, they are on six under par. -- along with Phil

Mickelson. Four-times winner, Tiger Woods, admits his Masters hopes are

"hanging by a thread" after hitting a 72 for 3-over par.

England's cricketers have kept hold of their status as the number one

Test team with an eight-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the

second and final Test. Spinner Graeme Swann took six of Sri

Lanka's second innings wickets - and ten in the match - as they were