What the papers say

Journalist Andy Wood takes a look at what is making the headlines in Wednesday's morning papers.

The threats to members of the district policing boards are high up the agenda for the Belfast morning papers.

"Real IRA steps up DPP terror campaign" is how the News Letter headlines its coverage, while the Irish News takes a quote from Strabane DPP member, teacher Arthur McGarrigle.

"Arsonists will not push me from DPP," says Mr McGarrigle whose car was burnt out while it was parked outside a Strabane school.

He tells the News Letter: "If we don't take this opportunity (of working on the policing boards) we're back in the abyss again - and I don't want to go back there."

The News Letter's leading article commends members of the nationalist community who serve on the boards and says the government needs to ensure their safety.

A warning that the city and state of New York, and in particular the officials who control their investment funds, are less than happy with the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, dominates the Irish News front page.

'Bitter differences'

City and state officials have written to Secretary of State Paul Murphy and the Irish Republic's Foreign Minister, Brian Cowen, accusing the commission of undermining fair employment legislation.

The paper says New York is not threatening to withdraw investment, but has warned that it could be jeopardised by the draft Bill of Rights the commission is drawing up.

Two of the London broadsheets - the Financial Times and the Independent - give front page coverage to the planned meeting in Berlin this weekend between UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, French President Jacques Chirac and the German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder.

The Independent sees it as the first meeting of the "Gang of Three" (as it calls the three leaders) aimed at setting the EU's agenda.

They will also try to bury what the paper describes as their "bitter differences" over Iraq.

By contrast, the Financial Times says British officials are warning against seeing the meeting as a new attempt to create a tripartite alliance at the centre of Europe.

The Guardian tries to get its readers to look ahead to next month's Labour Party Conference and in particular what it says will be the "key points" in the prime minister's speech.

"We'll engage, explain and listen," is how the Guardian categorises Labour's approach to the four areas of tuition fees, foundation hospitals, the Iraq war and asylum seekers.

But the paper also warns that Number 10's view is that "retreat would be suicide".

Staying with the party conference, the Times diary says the opening day of the Conservative Party Conference in Blackpool next month will be eclipsed by Mr Blair.

The previous day he will have passed John Major's 2,348 days as prime minister but Mr Blair will have to stay on until 27 November 2008 if he is to break Mrs Thatcher's record.