Education plans makes headlines

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The future of the education system is a theme covered by several of the national newspapers.

The Daily Telegraph welcomes what it describes as a new battle of ideas about the schools system.

The paper says the government is drawing up plans to create new schools for excluded and disaffected pupils.

The Daily Mail congratulates the Conservatives for saying they would try to encourage children to learn to read by the age of six.

Whales hunted

The Independent leads with Japan's decision to hunt humpback whales for the first time in decades.

The paper says it is hard to understand why a country that helped initiate the Kyoto treaty could have so little sympathy for the mammal.

The Financial Times reports that members of the oil producers' cartel OPEC say they are losing out because of the weak dollar.

Unlucky for some

Iran and Venezuela have suggested pricing oil in a more stable currency.

The number 13 is officially unlucky, says the Mail.

Research has revealed that since the National Lottery was launched in 1994, number 13 has come up only 146 times - eight fewer than any other ball.

The Daily Mirror reports that prison officers at the high-security Wakefield jail are wearing slippers on night shift to avoid disturbing the inmates.

It follows complaints by some of the most dangerous Category A prisoners that steel-toed boots kept them awake.