14/05/2016 Reporters

here for another look at the front pages. Coming up it is time for

Reporters. Welcome to Reporters,

I'm Philippa Thomas. From here in the world newsroom

we send out correspondents to bring you the best stories

from across the globe. In this week's programme:

The unnamed victims We track down the graves of some

of the hundreds of men, women and children who have died

pursuing their dreams. And we hear from the relatives

they have left behind. Entire neighbourhoods in ruins after

this Canadian city is engulfed by wildfire. We will find out what is

left standing after the blaze in Fort McMurray. And China raises its

game, we will find out how it is nurturing young talent as it sets

its sights on becoming a footballing superpower. We know hundreds of

thousands of people have been making the dangerous journey across the

Mediterranean trying to reach Europe for a better life, but what about

those who do not make it and end up drowning in the sea are being washed

up on shore? Our correspondent has discovered that 1700 men, women and

children had been buried in unmarked graves in places like Turkey, Greece

and Italy. He reports now from the Greek island of Lesbos, which has

become the landing point for many migrants in Europe.

A boat full of Syrians fleeing war land on Lesbos.

No one on this boat drowned but one man was crushed to death on board.

And another died of a heart attack when he set foot on land.

Both victims were travelling with other people who are able

But there are hundreds more who have either been lost at sea or found

Their relatives scattered across the globe are left

with a lingering pain that could haunt them

In the last two years more than 8000 people have died

On average at least one person each day has been buried

Which you see on these red dots, scattered across Italy,

More than 70 of these burial sites have been found as part

The cemetery on Lesbos is one of them, with dozens of bodies.

Some are recovered when the boats they were on capsized.

Others wash up ashore days or even weeks later.

Many relatives of the missing are desperately trying to find them.

Farouk Pakar has been on such a quest for the last five months.

His brother and wife died when their boat capsized off Lesbos

but the bodies of their four children were never found.

He has travelled hundreds of miles in Turkey and in Greece,

hoping to find either proof of life or at least a DNA match

with unidentified bodies of children buried in Lesbos.

Local authorities in all three countries have been stretched

as they try to deal with unidentified dead bodies.

Because of the large number of bodies found by Greek authorities

they have had to bring in containers like these.

Sometimes the bodies of migrants stay here for days

These containers are on the island of Samos, which does not

Many of those who brave death to reach Europe leave relatives

behind, with the hope of someday seeing them again.

But those lost along the trail leave a darker kind of longing.

No longer for reunion, only for closure.

The Canadian city of Fort McMurray used to be known

Now it's become famous as the city which had

to evacuate its entire population, more than 80,000 people,

It's now thought around 2000 homes have been burned to ground but it

will be weeks before it's safe enough for people to return.

The BBC's Laura Bicker was allowed into the city to see for herself how

The fire has ripped away the flesh and fabric of this

Once prized living rooms are now burnt out foundations.

The flames have left little but twisted metal

The grim aftermath of a frightening force of nature man

You can see the remainder of family homes here, you can see that this

was somewhere that people cherished, there is garden furniture,

there are pieces of life which are now blackened

Once the home of striving couples drawn to an oil-rich town,

the panic and chaos of their flight to safety has been replaced

This was a beast, it was an animal, it was like a fire I've

Exhausted and emotional the chief wants residents to know

he did all he could - but the fire did not

This is rewriting the book, the way this thing

They are rewriting the formulas on how fires behave

The hospital, the schools, all untouched.

But there is no power, no clean water, no gas supplies.

The city will be abandoned for some time while officials

And not far away the fire lingers in the forest, still

threatening and, in places, still out of control.

Laura Bicker, BBC News, Fort McMurray.

and you probably don't immediately think of football.

But the country's President, Xi Jinping, wants to change all that.

Last month he announced ambitious plans to transform the country

China's Super League is one of the richest and fastest growing

leagues in the world and already competes with top European clubs

to sign some of the world best football players.

The rhythm of football is taking hold.

A growing fan base and love for the sport is spreading

fast across the most populous nation on earth.

And there is fierce, competitive ambition here.

China wants not only the best league, but the best

Sven-Goran Erikkson has been one of the top coaches in world football

He has worked within China for the past three years and insists

there is no end in sight to the game's rapid growth.

Three years ago it was not like this.

But now, recently, this season, it's gone crazy.

It's absolutely the right time to be in China in football.

The big foreign names were not really interested in China,

only when they are getting older, on the way down.

But now, even when they are at their peak they are

Jiangsu Suning are the biggest spending club in a league

responsible for five of the six most expensive global

When Ramires left Chelsea to come here and Liverpool lost out

on Brazilian striker Alex Teixeira, the world sat up and took notice.

China's leading players agent believes more stars will now follow.

It's going crazy right now, it's really going crazy.

We had a saying that the only players who are not coming

to China in this window where Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi.

The other names were all highly possible.

It's here in Tiananmen Square that China's political power is centred.

It's also been the location for some of the darker moments of the past.

But President Xi Jingping, well, he is firmly focused

He wants the country to be a global leader in football,

The President's love of football was apparent during his visit

to Britain last year, famously posing with Manchester

His master plan will aim to have 50 million Chinese citizens

China will build or renovate 6000 stadiums and pitches.

And 50,000 schools specialising in football will be established

Chinese big business is falling into line and winning

The same companies that lend their names to the top clubs

of China are now investing in European leagues.

That is all for this week. From me, goodbye for now.

Even if you felt the warmth by day, it has been feeling cold out there

at the moment. We are dragging the