What the papers say

Journalist Mike Philpott takes a look at what is making the headlines in Friday's morning papers.

Employment issues are top of the agenda in the News Letter as it reports on what it calls the "gloom" at Nortel Networks in Newtownabbey.

The paper says there is anger in the area after the news that 350 jobs could be lost to Asia.

In a leader, the paper comments that Asian economies are a powerful magnet for businesses, but it feels Northern Ireland "is not helped by a lack of political stability".

The paper also devotes half of its Morning View column to a defence of its policy of celebrating Protestant culture.

It says it has been "accused of being sectarian", but argues that "nothing could be further from the truth".

And it believes that there has been an "almost wilful determination to misunderstand or misrepresent" its editorial policy.

Many people will still be concerned that it provides a gateway to harder drugs Irish News

The Irish News has a front page picture showing a housing development in Newry with an ugly steel wall in the background.

The wall is the only thing preventing the houses being engulfed in mud - but, as the paper reports, it has recently moved, and people have left their homes in case it collapses.

The story says engineers are examining the scene, at Crieve Court.

The paper's comment column picks up on a topic that is widely discussed in the cross-channel papers - the government's decision to reclassify cannabis as a less dangerous drug.

It agrees with the Conservative leader, Michael Howard, that ministers are sending out a "mixed message".

It points to research indicating that smoking the drug may be even more dangerous than smoking tobacco.

'Nervousness'

"There is certainly a case for cannabis to be classified differently from heroin and cocaine," the paper says.

"But many people will still be concerned that it provides a gateway to harder drugs."

The Daily Telegraph leads with a YouGov opinion poll which suggests that the Conservatives are five points ahead of Labour for the first time in 11 years.

The story says it will "increase nervousness within the government" in advance of what is being seen as a make-or-break week for the prime minister.

Several papers suggest that ministers fear they might lose next week's vote on university tuition fees.

The Independent says it has evidence of the effect on universities of such a defeat.

People would rather leave than live among intolerance The Guardian

The paper has carried out a survey of 89 further education establishments in England and Wales, and concludes that up to a dozen would have to merge or close because of the ensuing funding crisis.

The plaudits for the BBC continue after Wednesday night's Panorama programme on the Hutton Inquiry.

The Daily Mail wonders if there is "any other organisation in the world that would examine its own failings so honestly and openly".

The Independent says it "speaks volumes about the values of free speech".

The Guardian reports on an unexpected effect of the French Government's decision to ban religious symbols in state institutions.

The small Sikh community in the country is planning to leave because its members will not be allowed to wear their turbans.

One man is quoted as saying that "people would rather leave than live among intolerance".