´óÏó´«Ã½

Here are the prospects for tonight's programme from our output editor Robert Morgan.

With Jeremy Paxman in London and Emily Maitlis at the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham.

Banking on a plan

"Today is a time for us to send a clear message to our political opponents and to our country - let us not allow the political wrangling that took place in America to happen here in our own country."

So said David Cameron in an emergency speech to Conservative party members this morning. The new fashion is for cross-party co-operation at this time of worldwide economic crisis. Within hours, Shadow Chancellor George Osborne had returned to London to discuss the crisis with Alistair Darling.

But what can they actually do, and are we at the mercy of events in Washington? The markets have rallied today but confidence is still at rock bottom. Paul Mason will explain why.

Meanwhile, in Birmingham Emily has been speaking to David Cameron about what cross-party co-operation can really achieve.

"A critical moment"

There's much regret in Washington over yesterday's defeat of the $700 billion bail-out plan. President Bush has warned that without a deal "the economic damage will be painful and lasting".

We hope to be asking a Republican Congresswoman who voted "No" what plan B she would accept. And we'll ask why bi-partisan co-operation failed so spectacularly last time.

States in decline

And how will America fare when the dust has settled? After more than a century of global financial dominance, are we witnessing the beginning of the end? We're assembling a stellar cast of experts to discuss America's role on the financial scene in the years to come.

And don't forget Place that Face - visit our website to rank all twelve post-war prime ministers in order of "greatness". The vote closes at noon tomorrow - we'll have the results in Wednesday's programme. Click to play.

Here are the prospects for tonight's programme from out output editor Robert Morgan.

Good morning everyone,

The banking crisis and the Conservative conference seem to be the only shows in town. Do come to the meeting with your ideas.

Robert

Here are more details of what's coming up in tonight's programme:

On another day of extraordinary global financial shockwaves, we'll be reporting on the massive economic rescue packages being discussed in Britain, the US and Brussels and how they have, as yet, failed to calm the world's markets. Jeremy Paxman will be talking to some of the figures at the heart of the global crisis.

Our Economics Editor, Paul Mason, has been blogging through the weekend as the Treasury has been trying to find a bank that will pick up the mess at Bradford & Bingley. As that failure swiftly turned into the second big nationalisation of the year, we're left asking why it happened, and whether it's going to keep happening. We'll be speaking to Adair Turner, once of the CBI and now the chairman of the Financial Services Authority.

Then on to Washington. The House of Representatives is due to pass the $700 billion rescue package to bail out Wall Street tonight. But will it be enough to shore up confidence? Another US bank, Wachovia, was bought up today in a government backed rescue bid and, at the time of writing, the Dow Jones had fallen sharply. We'll be asking the US Treasury if anything they do can really stem the tide.

Meanwhile across the channel, Belgian-Dutch financial services group Fortis had to be bailed out by Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg joining forces for an 11 billion euro rescue co-ordinated by the European Commission. So is Europe in it up to its neck as well?

At the Conservative Party Conference the Shadow Chancellor has been proposing his solutions to the current crisis. Emily will be speaking to him in Birmingham this evening.

Join Jeremy and Emily at 10:30 tonight for all that and more.

With the prospects for tonight's programme, here is today's output editor Shaminder Nahal:

Hello everyone

What a day......

Bradford and Bingley nationalised.

A vote on the bailout in the US.

Dutch-Belgium bank Fortis shored up.

So what shall we do?

And the Conservative party conference.

See you soon,

Yours,

Shaminder

Here's Kirsty with details of Newsnight Review.

Righteous Kill

And then on Review, FINALLY Robert de Niro and Al Pacino get to co-star in a movie (rather than just sharing a desultory cup of coffee as they did for a few minutes in Heat). In Righteous Kill director and producer Jon Avnet cast the old friends as grizzled New York cops, on the edge of retirement who are on a last big investigation, tracking down a serial killer who just might be one of their own. Will these two American movie stars earn the critical acclaim so elusive since Raging Bull and Insomnia?

Rothko - Tate Modern

Mark Rothko's late work forms the first major exhibition of his paintings in the UK for two decades and reunites at Tate Modern half of the Seagram murals for the first time since Rothko completed them and then refused to hand them over to the Four Seasons restaurant in New York. The Four Seasons, in the Seagram Building had commissioned them. The Tate has had nine of them ever since they arrived on the day Rothko committed suicide on February 27th 1970. Rothko said "Maybe you have noticed two characteristics exist in my paintings; either their surfaces are expansive and push outwards in all directions, or their surfaces contract and rush inward in all directions. Between these two poles you can find everything I want to say." The idea of inner light too remained a constant in Rothko's canvases and at the Tate you can - as Rothko often desired - get up close to experience the paintings with their layers of paint and glaze - sharp and soft, translucent and opaque, smooth or brushstroke textures.

The Believers by Zoe Heller

Zoe Heller's new novel takes us into the tormented anger-ridden heart of an outwardly radically chic New York family, whose frailties and secrets are exposed when the father Joel Litvinoff falls into a coma. He is a famous and feted human rights lawyer who came to prominence in the sixties and dazzled his future wife Audrey whom he met on a trip to London. They raise three children or "trainee humans" as the increasingly angry and frustrated Audrey calls them, and each one now in their twenties tries to break out from the suffocating strictures of the brownstone in Greenwich Village that is the Litvinoff home.

Leaving by Vaclav Havel

When Vaclav Havel was catapulted from a dissident banned Czech dramatist who had endured several spells in prison to the role of his country's President, he set aside his artistic endeavours including a play he was working on about a leader who loses office but cannot bear to relinquish the trappings of high office. When Havel himself lost power in 2003, he returned to the play titled "Leaving". It had its British premiere this week at The Orange Tree Theatre in London and Havel himself takes the role of the offstage authorial voice.

Ian Hislop, Natalie Haynes and Emily King are our reviewers this week. Do join us for what I think will be some robust views.

Kirsty.

Here are more details about tonight's programme from presenter Gavin.

The $700 billion Question

Tonight we have a special programme devoted to today's momentous events in Washington as President Bush struggles to convince Republican rebels in Congress to back his $700 billion bail out of Wall Street.

Our Diplomatic Editor Mark Urban will have all the latest drama from Capitol Hill, and we'll hear from a leading Republican in Congress who is against the plan, and a Democrat who is in favour, we'll also hear from a former Bush economic adviser.

The recriminations in Washington have already started. The way the Democrats tell it, presidential candidate John McCain is busting the $700 billion deal that was in the bag (apparently) yesterday.

Well, maybe. Conservative Republicans in Congress are not too keen on spraying taxpayers' money at banks which have proved less than competent to manage risk in the past.

Oh, and Senator McCain? As I write this, he's on his horse galloping off into the sunset (well, to the presidential debate with Senator Obama in Mississippi).

Gavin

Quote for the Day
"This is a plea to President Bush ... please get your party in line (and ask) Senator McCain to leave town ..." - Senator Charles Schumer, Chairman, Joint Economic Committee.

With the prospects for tonight's programme, here is today's output editor Dan Kelly.

Good Morning all.

Tonight's programme will be dominated by the $700 bailout plan. Mark Urban is in Washington and Paul Mason is here. We need to analyse the momentous events in Washington and assess the impact on markets and the real economy. In terms of raw politics, what has been the impact of McCain's decision to suspend campaigning and return to Washington, and will he turn up at tonight's Presidential Debate?

What guest suggestions and production ideas have you got?

See you at 10.30am

Dan

Here's tonight's output editor Robert Morgan with some thoughts on tonight's programme

Jeremy Paxman is presenting tonight's programme.

Economic Bailout?

Deal or no deal on the banking bailout? $700 billion is still the eye watering figure being asked for by US Treasury Secretary, Henry Paulson to bailout the US economy and the White House have said that failure to get the deal signed off by Congress could result in a "financial calamity". The American presidential candidates - John McCain and Barack Obama - are on their way to the White House to join talks on the rescue package just before we go to air. We'll bring you all the latest developments and be speaking to a senior US politician involved in the talks.

Condi:

We have an exclusive interview with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice who is attending The Women Leaders' Working Group at the UN General Assembly today. Arguably the most powerful woman in the world, we'll be asking about her experience in the male dominated Bush administration, about any regrets she has over American foreign policy and how the current financial crisis might affect America's standing in the world.

Back to Iraq:

The impact of the so called "troop surge" in Iraq is now undeniable. Our Diplomatic Editor Mark Urban has been to the Baghdad suburb of Doura, recently described as "the worst place in Iraq", three times over the past 16 months. Mark has been there and in an extended film tonight reports on some extraordinary changes in every day life there.

You can read Mark Urban's latest blog posting on Iraq here.

Here is today's output editor, Robert Morgan, with a look ahead to tonight's programme:

Good morning everyone,

There's a lot around today. There's the financial crisis. Following President Bush's broadcast to the nation he'll be meeting McCain, Obama and congressional leaders. Will there be a bailout deal and what would the terms be?

We've got an interview with a major Bush administration person.

Our film is from Mark Urban in Iraq. He returns to southern Baghdad where US soldiers now find themselves playing pool with local Sunnis - in an area that only a year ago was so violent it was known as 'the worst place in Iraq.' It should be very strong.

Any other thoughts for stories welcome.

Robert

Here's tonight's output editor Shaminder Nahal with some thoughts on tonight's programme

In tonight's programme:

Ruth Kelly

Our Political Correspondent David Grossman really set the cat amongst the pigeons last night when he exclusively revealed that Ruth Kelly would be leaving the government in a reshuffle next week. The reaction was explosive . At a hastily convened press conference in a hotel foyer in Manchester at 3am, it was confirmed that the Transport Secretary would indeed be quitting the Cabinet. Our Political Editor Michael Crick has been investigating the sequence of events after Newsnight came off air which led to the extraordinary decision to announce Ruth Kelly's decision in the small hours of the morning.

Development

Gordon Brown chairs a UN meeting on the Millennium Development Goals tomorrow. We 're more than half way to the date when the targets are supposed to be met, and it's accepted that there's no way many of them will be. Maternal mortality is the issue occupying many people, as the number of mothers dying in childbirth in some countries has actually been going up. More money is needed from governments around the world - but how likely is that given the global economic crisis? Peter Marshall investigates.

Going cheap

We're rapidly becoming familiar with the " Aldi " Effect - the phenomenon whereby credit crunchees who used to shop at Waitrose go downmarket to Sainsburys, the Sainsburys lot head to Tescos and impoverished Tescos customers head to the eponymous German food discount chain. But just how big a phenomenon is it? Stephen Smith goes downmarket.

Colony Club

As crowds flock to the Francis Bacon show at Tate Britain, a less happy spectacle is going on at the club which Bacon made his own. The Colony Room in Soho is threatened with closure. It has to be one of the seediest spots in Britain, yet it was the breeding ground for some of the most internationally important artists of the post war years. Madeleine Holt, reports on an eleventh hour bid to save the club for posterity.

Join Jeremy Paxman at 10:30 tonight for all that and more.

Here is today's output editor, Shaminder, with a look ahead to tonight's programme.

Hello everyone.

We broke the story last night.....but what's the truth behind Ruth Kelly leaving the Cabinet?

Gordon Brown chairs a UN meeting on the Millennium Development Goals tomorrow......we 're half way to the date when the targets are supposed to be met, and it's accepted that there's no way many of them will be. Maternal mortality is the issue occupying many people, as the number of mothers dying in childbirth in some countries has actually been going up. More money is needed from governments around the world -but how likely is that given the global economic crisis? So what's to be done.....and do the goals just look like hopeless ideals?

British Energy could soon be in French hands after the board of the power giant EDF approved a plan to buy it in a deal thought to be worth £12.4 billion. What's the story behind the deal?

Gordon Brown is going to New York to talk about the economy.
What's happening with the US bailout package?

Colony Club: We have a film from Madeleine Holt about the demise of the Colony Club in London's Soho, which was a well-known haunt for British artists including Francis Bacon, Lucian Freud and Damien Hirst. Art works from the club are being auctioned this week.

What else?

Shaminder

Here's Jeremy Paxman and Emily Maitlis with details of tonight's programme.

From Jeremy Paxman in Manchester

The late poet laureate, Ted Hughes, once wrote to Wendy Cope (surely Newsnight's nominee for the post - start writing in now) to explain why he liked her work. What he enjoyed, he said, was her ability to hit the nail on the head while everyone else was trying to hang a painting on it.

I suspect that Gordon Brown's medium of choice isn't poetry (what is it? - textbooks on neo-classical endogenous growth theory? - spreadsheets?) But he must have hoped he'd do much the same with his speech this afternoon. The question tonight will be how many portraits of an alternative leader are still hanging inside the cupboards of his MPs.

From the first chords of Iggy Pop on the warm-up tape, to the last blast on the conference's collective kazoo, the performance was relentlessly upbeat. Lots of bragging about what Labour's done, lots of talk about how he's going to fashion a new world settlement, based on the idea of fairness.

They wheeled his wife, Sarah, on to introduce his speech (which included remarks about how he wouldn't use his children as political props). Then he steamed on, about how he was what he was, and how deeply felt his convictions were. The aim was to weld the party and the leader together - he even, almost, said as much.

They seemed to love it in the hall, all right. But then, it would have had to have been utterly lamentable for that not to be the case. My guess, for what it's worth (utterly nothing - ed) is that it was enough. For now. But I'm not sure the pictures are going to be stuck on e-Bay just yet.

Join us at 10.30 tonight for (I hope) some more considered analysis from David Grossman and Michael Crick.

And from Emily Maitlis in London

You can understand why anyone might pause before writing a cheque for £700 billion.

Here in London we'll be talking about the US government super-bailout which appears - much to the markets' concern - to have stalled.

Today, Hank Paulson and Ben Bernanke faced tough questioning by the senate banking committee.

What seemed - amidst the horror of last week's crisis - to be a lifeline is now looking, in the clearer light of the world surviving another week, to be a little hasty.

Can they afford to do it? Can they afford not to? As one US commentator put it, "if there's one thing worse than failing to save the financial system it's spending £700 billion and then still failing to save the financial system".

And Mark Urban is at the UN General Assembly, where President Bush and President Ahmadinejad are both giving speeches.

Here is today's output editor, Dan Kelly, with a look ahead to tonight's programme:

Good morning all.

Gordon Brown speaks to the Labour Conference this afternoon. Jeremy is in Manchester with reaction to the speech - from both the Cabinet and from the Labour membership. Michael Crick will also ask delegates to "Place That Face" - list in order of greatness the twelve post war British Prime Ministers.

Both Treasury Secretary Henry M Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke will testify before the Senate today as the struggle to agree the $700 billion bailout for financial firms intensifies. There have been some fascinating arguments from both left and right on Capitol Hill this week - questions of accountability, trust and the long term consequences for the US economy have all been raised - who could we have on live?

Mark Urban is at the UN where Bush and Zardari are due to meet. Sarah Palin will also be there to meet foreign leaders.

Dan

Here's Jeremy Paxman, with more details about tonight's programme:

The Book of Common Prayer talks about God being present wherever two or three are gathered together in his name. Perhaps there is some comparable belief in politics. But, thus far, the Labour conference in Manchester seems to me to be distinctly lacking in whatever it is that moves upon the face of the deep. To call it subdued would be unkind to dudes.

At the risk of courting that wonderful disdain that passes across the faces of policy-wallahs when you ask them 'So, is Gordon going to survive?' (after which they sigh, look at you pityingly, and say something along the lines of 'why are you people in the media only interested in personalities, instead of the issues?'), the only question anyone is asking is precisely that.

Except they're not asking it. Not in public at least.

Because there is no obvious contender to wrest the leadership from him, the party seems to have decided to pretend there isn't a problem.

To some extent, the Bonfire of the Vanities which engulfed the world financial system has done Gordon Brown a favour: why change leader when what's needed is a massive dose of stability?

The Chancellor's speech this morning was all about how the government is handling the crisis, and will continue to handle it.

There could be two possible dangers for Brown in this approach, which we'll explore tonight.

Firstly, is it really a brilliant tactic to make your survival dependent upon the capitalist system not having another collective fit?

The second is the flip side of the phenomenon from which the Brownites have drawn such comfort. It is true that there is no named contender trying to knock him off his perch (although watch David Grossman tonight to see how David Miliband's spent the day).

But there is certainly anxiety right across the party. Just because it has - right now - no specific focus doesn't mean it has no existence. One might equally say that when such a proportion of the party has become disillusioned, for a variety of reasons, it poses a greater danger than someone with ambition merely chancing their arm.

Churchill once pushed a plate aside, saying 'this pudding has no theme'. What theme might Brown find tomorrow? The pollster Frank Luntz will give him some ideas of how he might inspire his party with the conviction that it still has a clear purpose.

In the meantime, we shall hear on the programme from John Prescott and Ed Miliband on what they think he should do.

Here is today's output editor, Robert, with a look ahead to tonight's programme:

Good morning everyone,

There are a lot of stories to choose from today.

LABOUR
Simon has a team at the Labour Conference with Jeremy. How are Labour going to deal with the lessons of the financial meltdown last week? The Chancellor Alistair Darling has poured cold water on demands from within the Labour Party for an immediate crackdown on City bonuses and higher taxes for the rich. Mr Darling was interviewed on ´óÏó´«Ã½ programmes, ahead of his big speech to the Labour conference in Manchester this morning. They'll also be dealing with Gordon Brown's speech tomorrow and the issue of his leadership. I'll go through it all in more detail in the meeting.

MARKETS
Will Capitol Hill pass the US Treasury Secretary's emergency $700bn bail out? It looks as if the Democrats aren't happy. They want greater financial oversight of the money. What if this stalls? Where next for the markets?

PAKISTAN BOMB
President Zardari will meet US President Bush at the UN today following the weekend's suicide bombing in Islamabad. Fifty three people died and more than 250 were injured in the explosion outside the Marriott hotel in the capital.

Any other thoughts welcome. See you soon,

Robert

Here is Shaminder again with more details of tonight's programme.

A week that changed the financial world

"Make an impact. Engage your passion. Realise your potential". That's the now defunct blurb from the careers section of the Lehman Brothers website.

Tonight we'll be reflecting on a week which saw banking giants on either side of the Atlantic quake. The financial landscape changed forever with the collapse of Lehman Brothers and the rescue of HBoS by Lloyds TSB.

We'll bring you the latest news from the markets which have (at the time of writing) responded to this incredible week with a spectacular surge.

We're also keeping an eye on America, where the government is planning to buy billions of dollars of bad mortgage related loans.

"Spivs and speculators" was how Alex Salmond described some of those responsible for this week's events. Steve Smith is in the Square Mile to gauge the mood of the masters of the universe after this week's events.

If not Gordon - then Who?

And we've the second of our focus group films by American pollster Frank Luntz. Tonight he's asking if not Gordon - then who?

Don't forget Newsnight Review is at 11pm

Newsnight Review, Friday 11pm

A new golden age of theatre?

Kenneth Branagh has got rave reviews this week for his performance in Ivanov - a rarely performed Chekov play which has been adapted by Tom Stoppard. We'll be reviewing it tonight.

Ivanov is the first play in a year-long season that the Donmar Warehouse is bringing to a big, mainstream West End theatre - Wyndhams. Judi Dench and Derek Jacobi will take on big roles during the season, which culminates in Jude Law's Hamlet, directed by Branagh.

Branagh's performance is one of many recent interpretations of big, classic roles that have had the critics salivating - David Tennant's Hamlet, Patrick Stewart's Macbeth, Kristin Scott Thomas in The Seagull are others that leap to mind.

It's got us wondering here at Review - are we in the throes of a new golden age of theatre? Are weighty plays more popular than ever and five star performances more common than ever? What do you think has prompted it? And to which recent theatre performances would you give a five star review?

Tell us what you think on the Newsnight Review blog.

We're also discussing a film called The Wave on tonight's show - about a classroom experiment to illustrate the effects of dictatorship which goes disastrously wrong. We asked teenagers what they made of the film - you can read their essays

Here is today's output editor Shaminder with the prospects for tonight's programme.

Hello everyone,

What shall we do at the end of this extraordinary week?

Apart from that - whatever it is - we have the second Luntz focus group film - today looking at who might take over from Gordon Brown, should he make an exit.

Shaminder

Here's today's output editor Kavita with details of what's being planned for tonight's programme.

Financial system

Prime Minister Gordon Brown said today "we have got to clean up the financial system". Is that the same regulatory system that Chancellor Brown put in place in 1997? We explore what the government could do next. Jeremy is on his way to the Treasury now to interview Alistair Darling.

Army bullying

"I'm beaten every day" so says one army recruit in an infantry training centre at Catterick Garrison, Britain's biggest training base. We'll be following up an undercover ´óÏó´«Ã½ investigation (The Undercover Soldier, ´óÏó´«Ã½ ONE, 9pm) into the treatment of army recruits - and the revelations are shocking. There's evidence of bullying and victimisation. We'll be speaking to a parent of a recruit who died at Deepcut Barracks and to a former member of the army.

Party leaders

And the US Pollster Frank Luntz returns to Newsnight ahead of the Labour Party Conference with a focus group in Manchester. Tonight he assesses the chances of the three party leaders - and there are some interesting results.

Place that Face

And if you haven't played our 'Place that Face' game yet what have you been doing with your time? and join in.

Here is today's output editor Kavita with the prospects for tonight's programme.

Good morning

Economy - Central Banks have offered to pump billions of dollars into the global markets. Details of the HBOS Lloyds merger will emerge today. We should watch Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs. Let's discuss the focus for today and who we should talk to.

We have a Luntz focus group on the party leaders with interesting results. A new poll looks disastrous for Labour. Should we bid for Milburn or Purnell.

NATO meeting in London today where they'll be discussing Georgia - we have an offer of an interview with the Secretary-General.

There's another good story and possible discussion which I'll tell you about in the meeting.

But let's discuss your thoughts.

Here's today's output editor Robert Morgan with details of what's being planned for tonight's programme:

HBOS SOS

The black horse of LloydsTSB seems to have come riding to the rescue of ailing HBOS.

Tonight we'll look at how the financial sector got into this state and whether anything can be done - or should be done - to prevent a repeat of this crisis. Jeremy will be talking to Shadow Chancellor George Osborne and in the studio we'll be discussing whether capitalism still works with a panel of opinionated guests.

Newsnight's Economics Editor Paul Mason will also be bringing us the latest from state side.

Does capitalism still work? Join the debate here.

Back to Bosnia

One hundred people died every day during the three-and-a-half years of war which engulfed Bosnia 16 years ago. As the former Bosnian-Serb leader Radovan Karadzic awaits trial at the Hague, Allan Little returns to Bosnia to ask whether the warlord actually did succeed in creating an ethnically pure state.

Back from Bournemouth

Michael Crick is currently returning from Bournemouth to bring us his assessment of Nick Clegg's first conference speech as leader of the Lib Dems.

Place that face

And don't forget to go to our website to play Place That Face - your chance to rank the 12 post-war prime ministers in order of greatness.

Banks say they have made a fortune in recent years thanks to light-touch regulation.

But the banks may now be in trouble, and today we learned that Halifax Bank of Scotland is in advanced merger talks with LloydsTSB, following uncertainty about the strength of HBOS after a run on its shares.

But what would regulation achieve and would it go against the ethos of capitalism?

What exactly should regulators have stopped the banks from doing? And did banks, in fact, cause the house price bubble by excessive lending?

Watch Newsnight's discussion below:

Here is today's output editor Robert Morgan with the prospects for tonight's programme.

Hello everyone,

What a day. The financial turmoil continues. Lloyds is in advanced merger talks with HBOS to create a huge UK retail bank. The deal, if it goes through, would end the uncertainty about the strength of HBOS following the calamitous run on its shares.
Do come to the meeting with ideas on how we should do all the elements in this story.

More pressure on Gordon Brown today with the possibility of more resignations.

Nick Clegg will be speaking to the LibDems today. Michael is there with Hugh.

We've also got a really strong film from Allan Little on Bosnia.

Robert

Newsnight wants you to help decide the UK's greatest and worst post-war prime minister.
You can find out more about the 12 PMs by clicking , where you can also rank each of them in order of greatness.

And you can of course comment on each or any of the prime ministers below.

Here's Emily with the details of what is coming up in tonight's programme.

Labour Resignation

Yesterday members of the Cabinet tried to tell us that turmoil within the Labour party was pretty much a media confection - the chatter, if you like, of the Westminster village. Today - with the resignation of a Labour minister who has admitted he's lost faith in Gordon Brown - it's a pretty hard argument for them to sustain.

David Cairns - the Scotland Office minister - now becomes the second member of Gordon Brown's government to resign within a week - he says he just hasn't got confidence in his leader.

The question is, are there more to follow?

We'll be assessing what this means for the Prime Minister and whether the rebels' cause has now gained enough momentum to force a leadership election.

George Soros and the economic crisis

"I'm afraid we're not through the worst of it at all - in some ways we're heading into the storm, rather than coming out of it".

The words of hedge fund supremo George Soros, who I spoke to half an hour ago. He believes this is the product of ten years of greed - and that Britain - with its heavy dependence on the financial sector - is one of the worst placed economies to deal with it.

He knows a thing or two about making money in a crisis. He wouldn't divulge how much HE has made in the last 48 hours, but he did say he thought the whole financial system had gone overboard in recent times.

Tonight, as the world waits with baited breath to see what happens to the American Insurance Group - AIG, and watches as even a high street name like HBOS sees its share price slashed, our Economics Editor Paul Mason is on Wall Street with the latest analysis.

Was Iraq the Wrong War?

As General David Petraeus - the American soldier credited with making the surge a success in Iraq - says goodbye, we talk to the UK's Chief of Defence Staff Sir Jock Stirrup about what has been achieved.

Could a 'surge' in Afghanistan secure victory there? Does he believe the focus was put into the wrong country, given the clear problems with the mission against Taleban forces?

And we report from Afghanistan, revealing just who is funding the Taleban and how they are being armed.

Place that Face

And just when you feared there weren't enough magnetic political quiz games to play Newsnight brings you PLACE THAT FACE.

Yes, you DON'T have to be a conference party delegate to play, YOU TOO can play the online version in the comfort of your own home. All will be explained on the show this evening. Ignore it at your peril.

Our online editor is fierce when he's angry.

Join us for that and more.

Emily

With the prospects for tonight's programme, here is today's output editor Shaminder.

Hello everyone.

Lots of interesting stuff today.

More nightmare on Wall Street. How much will the wider economy be affected? What will happen to AIG? Inflation figures out here.
We hope to have an interview with George Soros.

Petraeus handover. We have an interview with Jock Stirrup, Chief of Defence Staff.

Labour.

Anything else?

Shaminder

Here are the details of what's coming up in tonight's programme:

Wall St wobble

We're live from Wall Street tonight on a dramatic day for the financial markets.

The financial news overnight was grim - Lehman Brothers, the fourth-largest US investment bank, has filed for bankruptcy; Merrill Lynch has agreed to be taken over by Bank of America; insurer AIG is trying to raise funds to save itself from collapse.

The effect on the markets has been predictable: stocks have tumbled in value, and banking shares have been hardest hit.

A few weeks ago the US financial authorities stepped in to save mortgage giants Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae - no such help has been forthcoming this time. Were they right to let Lehman Brothers go under?

Our Economics Editor Paul Mason will be reporting from Wall Street on the day's historic events. And in the studio, Newsnight is assembling a panel of experts to discuss what went wrong and, crucially, who might be next?

Labour

Margaret Beckett is the latest MP to call for Labour rebels to get behind Gordon Brown or risk paying a heavy price at the next election. David Grossman will have the latest on the leadership issue and the talk behind the scenes.

Zimbabwe

An historic power-sharing deal was signed and sealed today in Zimbabwe. But will bitter rivals Robert Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai really be able to work together and how will they combat the country's colossal inflation problem?

Lib Dems change their spots

Conference season kicks off with the Liberal Democrats in Bournemouth and leader Nick Clegg has already scored a hit - members have backed his plans to promise tax cuts for people on low and middle incomes. Is this a bid to win over Tory voters? Our Political Editor Michael Crick is at the conference and we'll be speaking to Nick Clegg about the direction his party is taking.

Wall Street is reeling and the markets there haven't even opened yet. But the FTSE 100 index of leading UK shares has already tumbled by more than five per cent.

The news overnight that Lehman Brothers is filing for bankruptcy protection, Merrill Lynch is being taken over by the Bank of America, and that the insurer AIG is also in trouble, leaves Wall St wobbly to say the least. Only weeks after the US financial authorities bailed out mortgage giants Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, it has made clear that a line has been drawn and that no help will be forthcoming for Lehman Brothers.

Tonight Newsnight will have the latest from Wall Street - our economics editor Paul Mason is there and has written a fascinating analysis on his blog which you can read here.

We'll be asking how much sympathy we should have for the unfortunate investment bank.

How and when will the ripples of this latest chapter in the global credit crisis be felt over here? And how much worse can things get?

As ever you can comment throughout the day here - and get the latest word from Wall Street via Paul Mason's blog.

With prospects for tonight's programme, here is today's output editor, Simon Enright.

Hello All,

It's worth having a read of Paul's blog if you want to know about today's story. Paul will be in Wall Street tonight. What key questions do you want to know about last nights wobble on Wall Street?

Clearly we need to make sense of this story so will need to give a lot of the programme over to it.

We are also at the Liberal Democrat Conference with Michael Crick. And have an interview with Nick Clegg. He's taking his party in a new direction - from public spender to tax cutter. What do we ask him?

We have an interview with the US Deputy Energy Secretary - another facet of the crunch. What should we ask him?

We also have a dramatic film from Afghanistan by Kate Clark which includes an interview with the Taleban.

What do we about the power-sharing ceremony in Zimbabwe?

And finally where should we take the Labour story today? The Brown dissenters have made their statements but what support do they now have and what will happen at tomorrow's NEC.

Let's talk it all through at 10.30.

Simon

Here's Kirsty with more details of tonight's programme.

Gordon Brown

Tonight - Is Gordon Brown's time in Downing Street now running out? For the first time a member of the government has called for a challenge to Gordon Brown's leadership.

Junior whip Siobhain McDonagh says he should face a contest. Newsnight has learned at least one backbencher has also called for nomination papers.

So is this the start of a concerted move to replace the Prime Minister, and if so is the smart money on David Miliband? I'll be speaking live to Siobhain McDonagh and we have convened our panel of political insiders to assess this political moment.

Zimbabwe

More details have been agreed at talks about forming a power-sharing government in Zimbabwe. Under the plan, Robert Mugabe would remain president and head of the armed forces.

The detail will be revealed and the deal signed on Monday - tonight we'll we analysing what it might contain and whether there is any chance the MDC leader will have full executive powers. We'll be speaking live to Zimbabwe's Ambassador to the United Nations.

Newsnight Review follows at 11pm

With prospects for tonight's programme, here is today's output editor, Robert Morgan.

Good morning everyone.

There are some good stories around today.

The opposition in Zimbabwe and President Mugabe are to spend the next few days finalising the make up of the country's new power sharing government. They reached agreement last night. The Foreign office says it's looking forward to seeing the details - which will be released on Monday.

Other stories around include XL, Sarah Palin's first big TV interview since her nomination, and the Creationism story.

Do come to the meeting armed with ideas on how to do these and other stories.

See you in a minute,

Robert

Here's Kirsty with details of tonight's programme.

Beyond the 'War on Terror'

George Bush and his administration coined the phrase 'War on Terror', and repeated it over and over.

Tonight, seven years on from Al Qaeda's attacks on America, we have a special edition of Newsnight in which we use another phrase, 'Beyond the War on Terror', to ask what is the future for Iraq and Afghanistan.

Can these engagements, which have at times faltered badly in both territories ever result in 'victory'. If as expected the emphasis moves from Iraq to Afghanistan, will the government in Iraq hold?

And with a new President in Pakistan, and already rows with US forces over counter-insurgency border patrols, will Al Qaeda camps ever be wiped out? And what about the economic consequences of these conflicts without end?

Our Diplomatic Editor Mark Urban joins us live from Baghdad - where this morning he was given an exclusive interview with the outgoing Coalition Commander, General Petraeus, who oversaw the surge in troop numbers in Iraq. We'll also hear from our correspondents Alastair Leithead in Afghanistan, and Owen Bennett-Jones in the tribal areas of Pakistan.

We'll be joined live by the Defence Secretary Des Browne, and in the course of our debate we'll hear from key players - Douglas Feith, George Bush's Under Secretary for Defence from 2001 to 2005; Wajid Hasan, the new Pakistani High Commissioner in London and Rory Stewart, the former Deputy Governor for two provinces in Southern Iraq and the author of a best-selling account of his experiences in Afghanistan, where he now lives.

General Petraeus told Newsnight today that when he took over the command, he thought the task in Iraq was "hard but not hopeless". Now, he says, "it's hard but hopeful". Tonight we'll hear a range of views on the first major conflict of the 21st century.

I hope you'll be watching,

Kirsty

Tonight's Newsnight 'Beyond the War on Terror' features an interview with General David Petraeus, the top US military commander in Iraq.

We ask him if he thinks he will ever be able to use the word 'victory' in the context of the 'War on Terror'.

You can see a preview of tonight's interview

Let us know what you think? Can the 'War on Terror' ever be won?

A white method actor blacking up for a role as an African American soldier and a movie star playing "a retard" in a film called Simple Jack are just two of the controversial subjects in Ben Stiller's latest film, Tropic Thunder, a war-movie spoof the panel will be discussing on Friday's Newsnight Review and which you can watch clips of on Review's website.

There has been an outcry in the States, particularly from disability rights groups.

But can a topic alone make humour offensive or should we just judge a film by whether we laugh? Should we be celebrating the fact that filmmakers are flexing their satirical muscles and tackling uncomfortable subjects?

American stand up has always been about taboo breaking - from Richard Pryor, through Bill Hicks to Sarah Silverman - is it about time that mainstream films did likewise?

With prospects for tonight's special programme called 'Beyond the War on Terror', here is today's output editor Shaminder.

Hello everyone,

We are producing a special programme tonight called "Beyond the War on Terror". We are building this around Mark Urban's interview with General Petraeus in Baghdad, and two films he has done, which ask - is it in any way possible for America to say it has won the war on terror, and how will the fight against terrorism be re-focussed beyond the Bush presidency. There's still a lot for us to do on the day, so let's really try and make this sparkling.

Yours,
Shaminder

Here's Kavita again with more details of tonight's programme. We're looking at the economy, have a special extended report on Iraq from the Guardian photographer and filmmaker Sean Smith and a debate on what fields of science we should be prioritising in the light of the Cern experiment.

Recession

"Boom and Bust" never went away. The "R" word is firmly back in our lexicon, though you may not hear a Labour politician using it. The European Commission has said that the UK will fall into recession in 2008. It echoes a report from the OECD that Britain would suffer a technical recession in the second half of 2008. So what can Gordon Brown do now to deal with the new political reality? And how are the Tories adjusting their economic plans? Jeremy will be discussing how we can get ourselves out of a recession with the former Leader of the Conservative party Michael Howard, and former deputy Labour Leader Roy Hattersley.

Lehman Brothers

They're described as a top bulge bracket firm in the United States. But today the fourth largest bank on Wall Street reported quarterly losses of over £2 billion. So who can save the bank? And will the US administration be forced to intervene as they did with Bear Stearns? Paul Mason is in Washington to assess the situation.

Iraq

"I think we're in a stupid pointless war because a lot of politicians can't admit they're wrong or are making a lot of money from this war." This is one testimony from a US soldier in Iraq. Guardian photographer and filmmaker Sean Smith spent two months embedded with soldiers from the US 101st Airborne division in the Shia areas of Sadr City and Shula in Baghdad this summer. He's produced an extraordinary film, documenting the day-to-day life of US soldiers during the troop "surge", and the Iraqis they work with and encounter.
Ahead of a special Newsnight tomorrow to mark the anniversary of 9/11, Mark Urban is in Baghdad and will be updating us on Iraqi reaction to President Bush's troop withdrawal, and what the endgame now is.

Cern

And we've been grappling in the office with the intricacies of the CERN experiment. It has cost billions, and its aim is awe-inspiring. But is this field of science one we should be prioritising? We'll debate that.
(You can watch Susan Watts' film, including an interview with Professor Higgs who came up with the Higgs Boson particle and if you can describe the Higgs Boson in 40 words or fewer then join the debate on this part of the blog)

Do join Jeremy at 10:30

With prospects for tonight's programme, here is today's output editor, Kavita Puri.

Good Morning

We have a film from Guardian filmmaker Sean Smith who has returned from spending two months embedded with the US 101st Airborne in the Shia areas of Sadr City and Shula. Mark Urban is in Baghdad. He's available for a 2-way to make his assessment of the surge and the implications of the 8,000 US troop withdrawal following Bush's announcement yesterday.

After months of negotiations the government and energy companies should seal the deal on the energy package - let's see if we can find out the full details by tonight.

Am interested in Lehman brothers. The South Korean state bank - Korean development bank - has said this morning it's abandoned its negotiations into buying a stake. Lehman has brought forward its quarterly results to today. We could look at the anatomy of the crisis, which bit of the bank is in trouble, who may invest now, and what the US government could do. Paul Mason is in Washington this evening.

Other things: Harman will say at the TUC conference that social class is still the most important dividing line in British society - could be a good discussion point. Or is there a good talking point on CERN? We should watch Zimbabwe and negotiations between Zanu PF and the MDC.

What else would you like to do?

Kavita

Here's Robert again with more details of tonight's programme.

Trades Union Congress

Just before we go on air tonight the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown will be holding a private meeting with trade union bosses. With the unions now firmly holding Labour's purse strings what will Mr Brown's message be? Some unions are threatening strike action over pay - while delegates have voted for a "windfall tax" on the profits of energy companies, at apparent odds with the Government's current policy. We will be speaking to one of those leaders and a cabinet minister.

Airline Plot Trial

Did US President Bush play a role in scuppering the airline terror trial? Security officials have expressed disappointment with the outcome of the terror trial in London in which three men were yesterday found guilty of conspiring to commit murder using home-made bombs. The jury didn't convict them on the central charge that they planned to blow up planes using liquid explosives disguised as soft drinks. They failed to reach verdicts on four other men. Richard Watson will be looking at how the pressure for early arrests in the case may have come from President Bush, even though he had reportedly been advised to wait by the then Prime Minister Tony Blair. Richard will also be examining how this reflects the different approaches of the British and Americans in terror investigations.

Knife Crime

Knife crime among young people is second only to terrorism as a threat to peace in London, according to police chiefs. Twenty young people have already died in the capital this year, compared to 16 across the whole of last year. Rarely have the voices of those closest to the problem been heard. Tonight on Newsnight we have a report from Andrew North who has been on the streets speaking to some of those who claim to carry knives - and those trying to avoid them.

Cardinal Newman

The Catholic Church is under growing pressure to abandon the exhumation and reburial of the body of one its most famous cardinals, in defiance of his wish to lie for eternity next to the man he loved. Gay rights campaigners have accused the Vatican - which has ordered the disinterment in the first step towards beatification - of attempting to cover up the sexuality of Cardinal John Henry Newman, who died in 1890. Gay rights campaigner, Peter Tatchell and Cardinal Newman's biographer will join us live.

Last night Newsnight reported on whether the Edinburgh physicist Peter Higgs's 44-year-old theories could be proved right when scientists switch on their large hadron collider (LHC).

Higgs developed a theory about galactic treacle and something called a Boson (nicknamed the God Particle).

Our report which you can has proved to be one of the most popular videos watched across ´óÏó´«Ã½ websites today.

When European scientists switch on the LHC this week, their discoveries could tell us what happened after the Big Bang, the event which they believe was the start of our universe.

But here's a challenge. Could you describe what the Higgs Boson is in just 40 words?

With prospects for tonight's programme, here is today's output editor, Robert Morgan.

Good morning everyone,

There are a few strong stories around today. Paul and Neil are at the TUC to see Darling's speech. Is there anything new we can do on the airline plot trial? Osborne's spending plans and Bush's Iraq troop announcement could be worth doing too.

We have an Andy North film on knife crime which I'll tell you more about in the meeting.

Robert.

Here's Simon again with more details of tonight's programme:

Good evening viewers

Airline bomb plot

The prosecution said they planned to kill 3000 people in the biggest plot since 9/11. Today a jury found 3 men guilty of conspiracy to murder but couldn't reach a verdict on whether they and 4 others were planning to blow up aeroplanes. One other man was found not guilty. We'll have the latest on the programme.

Also tonight:

The London stock market computers crashed today - frustrating for traders desperate to correct positions after the news that the US government has moved in to bail out the two mortgage provider giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Stock markets around the world have reacted with glee. The traders perhaps think this multi-trillion dollar bail-out means the beginning of the end of the credit crunch. But is it just the end of the beginning? We assemble celebrants and Jeremiahs to work out which, presided over by Jeremy Paxman and Paul Mason.

Is having your weekly staff meeting 100 miles from the office clever politics or just a bit silly? Today the cabinet upped sticks to Birmingham for their weekly meeting, though whether this affected the quality of their musings will remain a thirty year secret. How did the folk of the Midlands react to this unique honour? David Grossman is on the case.

And the legendary Higgs Boson - an elusive particle theorised for over 40 years but never actually witnessed - is allegedly about to be tracked to its lair by CERN's atom smasher the Large Hadron Collider. What if after all that it isn't there? Is it so crucial to our understanding of modern physics that we'll need a mass bonfire of the textbooks? Susan Watts meets the eponymous Peter Higgs who may be about to look very clever - or not.

Join Jeremy at 10.30,

Simon Enright

With prospects for tonight's programme, here's today's output editor, Simon:

Hello All,

So the US Government has finally taken over Fannie and Freddie. The numbers involved in all this are huge. But what does it mean for the US economy? And also therefore for our economy? Is this international capitalism creaking at the seams - are we on the verge of the real crash - or is this the beginning of the end of the credit crunch? And what implications does it have for policy makers here - are the lessons that we should learn and will policy adjust to accommodate it.

Paul Mason is on the case but who should we interview off the back?

The Cabinet go on tour - wasn't this a Monster Raving Looney party manifesto commitment? Today they are in Birmingham and David Grossman has followed them. Could this be a distraction from things going on in Brighton where the TUC are debating public sector pay? Who should we try to speak to live? Should we try and help inter-Labour relations by connecting up Brighton with Birmingham?

And Susan Watts is talking to Professor Higgs - of the theorised Higgs boson particle - about the Large Hadron Collider and whether all this money spent on testing his theory is worth it.

We do have space for another story. What should it be?

All guest ideas, production ideas and story thoughts below please - or bring them to the 10.30 meeting.

See you then

Simon

Here's Kirsty with details of tonight's programme.

Google

Do you remember the world before Google? It is ten years since Stanford university students Larry Page and Sergey Brin hit upon an idea which transformed the idea of how we access information. Now Google is one of the fastest growing companies in history. But is too much information in the hands of one company a good thing? And, given that it has faced criticism over its activities in China and its stance on privacy, can it ever truly live up to its informal corporate motto, "Don't be Evil." Tonight, as the company celebrates its first decade, we google Google.

US elections

The razzamataz of the US conventions is over. Away from the adoring, placard waving, badge displaying, hat wearing crowds in Denver and Minnesota our two regular Democratic and Republican party pundits will be casting forward to the next eight weeks of electioneering. Peter Marshall is back in Washington from Minnesota where he'll be assessing the McCain speech. Hours after he spoke, new jobless figures showed unemployment was at its highest in five years. Paul Mason will be looking at the US parties' plans for saving the American economy - the dynamo of the world.

Pakistan

The Pakistan government has said today that US raids have killed more civilians in the country's North West Frontier. Tomorrow, there is a presidential election, which Benazir Bhutto's widower Asif Ali Zardari is expected to win. We'll be assessing where that leaves the country's security and relations with the West.

And then on to Review at 11pm ....

John McCain promises "change is coming" as he accepts the Republican party's candidacy for the White House. With more on our coverage of that and the rest of the programme, here's today's output editor Kavita Puri.

Good morning

Peter Marshall and Ben are in Washington to package reaction to McCain's speech and look back at the state of the parties following the Conventions. We have our US political panel booked.

Google is 10 years old this weekend - should we look at the cultural impact they've had on us, and how they've changed from geeks in a garage with a good idea to a multi-billion pound company, and what they have to do to retain their market dominance.

So we need a lead. Do come with brilliant ideas.

Other things around:

How should we move the fuel story on? Condi is in Libya. Cheney is in the Ukraine - we could look at how the Georgian crisis is affecting domestic politics. The rouble is in trouble. There are Pakistani Presidential elections tomorrow - and there's been another US raid in Pakistan today killing five militants.

Here's Kirsty with details of tonight's programme:

McCain's big night

Sarah Palin electrified the Republican Convention last night with a confident, sassy speech which spoke of small town America and traditional values. She took on Barack Obama, shot down the Washington elites, and paved the way for John McCain's big night tonight. We'll be talking to Henry Kissinger ahead of that speech about what McCain has to do to convince the voters he has fresh policies and lives a world away from George W Bush.

Then Emily will be assessing with Tom Brokaw and others the impact Palin, in particular, has had on the campaign.

Brown and Clarke

"It's just Charles being Charles," was the response of Ed Balls - Education Secretary and loyal Brownite - to the broadside fired by Charles Clarke at the Labour Government warning that unless change is imminent Labour is "doomed".

Tonight, in a speech in Glasgow, Gordon Brown will attempt to wrest back the agenda and steady nerves on the economy. He'll be speaking to the Scottish CBI and is expected to spell out how he will develop special policies to cope with the "unique" economic circumstances of rocketing energy prices combined with the global credit crunch.

We'll be analysing the speech and asking whether, at least in the short term, he has done enough to see off any pretenders.

What next for Zimbabwe?

There is deadlock in Zimbabwe as President Mugabe is threatening to form a new government without the opposition, if his rival Morgan Tsvangirai does not sign a power sharing deal today. According to the opposition MDC party, the talks between the two sides stalled after Robert Mugabe stated he wanted to retain control of the country's security forces. This follows too the failure of the South African President Thabo Mbeki to mediate in Zimbabwe. We'll be exploring what happens next.

What's in store for 2012?

And then our Culture Correspondent Steve Smith takes on the Cultural Olympiad, announced today, to find out what is in store, when so much has been promised.

See you later,

Kirsty

And don't forget that returns tomorrow with a look at The Duchess and Tess of the D'Urbervilles - but can a screen adaptation ever better the book it was based on? Join the debate here.

has played some big literary characters - Lara Antipova in Dr Zhivago, Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice, Guinevere in King Arthur. She was recently seen as Cecilia Tallis in the film version of Ian McEwan's Atonement. This week, considers her latest role, that of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, in , a film built around the biography by Amanda Foreman.

Whereas Foreman's book covered all aspects of Georgiana's life - from her politics and activism to her psychological makeup - the film sticks doggedly to her relationships and unconventional marriage. Fans of the book could well be disappointed, but do we expect any more of literary adaptations?

And it's not only in the cinema. We're also looking at Tess on Review this week - the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s adaptation of Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy - which kicks off another season of page-to-screen transfers across all genres including Dickens's Little Dorrit, CJ Sansom's Matthew Shardlake series, Affinity by Sarah Waters and Jilly Cooper's Octavia.

Is it time for writers to look elsewhere for their inspiration? Is there any point in watching a film or television adaptation because you liked the book? Has a book ever actually been bettered by a screen adaptation?

Discuss this topic below and don't forget that Newsnight Review will be putting The Duchess and Tess under the spotlight when it returns this Friday at 11pm on ´óÏó´«Ã½ TWO.

The Republicans prepare for McCain's speech but how did Sarah Palin go down at the convention last night? With more on our coverage of that and the rest of the programme, here's today's output editor Dan Kelly:

Good morning.

We have an embarrassment of riches from the Republican Convention tonight - Palin's speech, a preview of McCain's address and an interview with Henry Kissinger.

We need to do more chasing on the Brown story following Clarke's intervention and Brown's speech tonight to the Scottish CBI.

Plans for the 2012 Cultural Olympiad come out this morning - a worthy legacy or "culture by committee"? What could we do on the findings by the Human Rights Commission on the lack of women in top jobs?

Ideas and guest suggestions please.

See you at 10.30.

Dan

Here is Kirsty with news of tonight's programme.

Hello to viewers here, there and everywhere.

Labour

"Labour is destined to disaster!" That's a flavour of Charles Clarke's full frontal assault launched bang in the middle of Gordon Brown's relaunch week, in an article in tomorrow's New Statesman.

He warns that Labour faces "utter destruction at the next election" unless it changes course - and rails against the "Brown political briefing team" accusing them of "traducing" David Miliband.

He stops short of saying "Brown must go." ... but only just.

We'll be assessing the damage Charles Clarke has done - especially after such a rocky start to the week with the fall-out from the Chancellor's candid assessment of the parlous state of the British economy - and the signals Michael Crick is getting about division in the Cabinet over the question of a windfall tax.

Add to that Paul Mason's intelligence about disagreements in the Monetary Policy Committee over whether or not to cut interest rates now, and the whole relaunch is looking as if it might hit the rocks.

Republican Convention

When John McCain announced that the Governor of Alaska would be his running mate, $10 million came pouring into his campaign. Here at last was a bit of chutzpah, a frisson of excitement, the first ever woman on the Republican ticket, after becoming Alaska's youngest and first woman governor two years ago.

Sarah Palin speaks tonight at the Republican Convention, introducing herself to the American people.

Apparently she's going to "go big" on her family straight away. In the hours after McCain picked her, the revelations about Sarah Palin kept on coming, and interest in her has knocked every other story in the US election off the page.

Palin is under investigation by state lawmakers in Alaska, but says she's "cool" about allegations she fired someone for personal reasons. Emily Maitlis will be talking to the former Director of Homeland Security Tom Ridge about the McCain/Palin combo.

Kevin Keegan

And why has the fate of Kevin Keegan gripped us all? Once he sported a tight perm, and a fine footballing skill, now he's the grey haired manager of Newcastle United for the second time.

But is he about to be shown the red card by the Newcastle United board, or is he about to resign furious that the board has dealt with players without consulting him, or is it none of the above? Our Culture Correspondent Steve Smith takes us deep into the Kevin Keegan story.

I hope you'll be watching,
Kirsty

"John McCain is ready to lead this nation." So said President Bush who addressed the Republican convention via video-link from the White House. The next big speech will be that of Sarah Palin. With more details of our convention coverage and other prospects for tonight's programme, here's today's output editor, Shaminder:

Good morning everyone.

There's lots more fascinating stuff from the Republican convention today - more on Sarah Palin ahead of her big speech late tonight - and an interview with Tom Ridge, the first US Secretary of Homeland Security who is very close to John McCain.

Dick Cheney is in the Caucasus talking to oil barons... and other people too.

Alex Salmond wants to replace the poll tax with a local income tax. What are the implications of that for the rest of Britain?

Shall we look ahead to the interest rate decision tomorrow?

What else interests you?

See you in a minute.

Yours, Shaminder

The Government tries to kick start the housing market, Newsnight's Arctic adventure looks at the impact of global warming and what will the Bush legacy mean for John McCain's chances in the US presidential election? Here's Dan Kelly with more...

Gavin is out interviewing the Chancellor Alistair Darling at the moment, and we begin tonight's programme with an examination of the Government's plans to try to kick start the housing market. Homebuyers across the UK will now not have to pay stamp duty on properties costing £175,000 or less for the next 12 months. Other measures include "free" five year loans of up to 30% of a property's value for first time buyers of new homes in England. Will these measures revive house sales? And can we afford them? What will the political impact be? Paul Mason is on the case.

Arctic Adventure

You may have seen Susan Watts' regular blog updates on the Newsnight website this summer - from a boat in the Arctic. This is a critical year for the sea ice, last year it fell to a record low, and scientists hoped that might be a blip, but Newsnight has been told that this year could be even worse. Newsnight's five week followed scientists studying the smallest plant and animal life forms in the Arctic Ocean. Susan's film also captures the beauty of the landscape and the wildlife in the area.

Republican Convention

Later tonight President Bush will address the Republican Convention from a satellite link in the White House. Emily and the team will examine what the Bush legacy could mean for John McCain's electoral chances, and speaks to Frank Luntz about the very latest polls on Obama, McCain and the new face in the race, Sarah Palin.

Hope you can join us tonight at 10.30.

Dan

From a stamp duty freeze to a thaw in the Arctic. Here's Dan Kelly with the prospects for tonight's programme.

Good morning.

Stamp duty is to be abolished for a year on properties costing less than £175,000 as part of a long awaited package of measures to help the housing market. Will it have much of an effect on house sales and what are the broader political and economic implications? As the Government unveiled its plans, the OECD said that Britain would be in recession over the second half of this year. Which guest would you like on?

Susan Watts has just returned from a trip to the Arctic with British scientists. This is a critical year for the sea ice - last year it fell to a record low, and scientists hoped that might be a blip, but Newsnight has been told that the indications are that this year could be worse. Newsnight's five week "Arctic Adventure" () followed scientists studying the smallest plant and animal life forms in the Arctic Ocean. Susan's film also captures the beauty of the landscape and the wildlife in the area.

We have the Republican Convention too...what else?

Dan

Gordon Brown battles, EU leaders worry about Russia and Georgia and the Republicans test the wind. Here's Gavin with more:

Quote for the Day:
"It is a joke that won't go away but it makes me wince a bit whenever anyone brings it up because Gordon Brown has obviously become a rather tragic character and it doesn't seem appropriate to make fun of him any more" - Liberal Democrat MP Vince Cable, who now regrets likening the Prime Minister to Mr Bean.

In tonight's programme:
Brown's Battles. After the summer holidays, this week was supposed to see what some are calling a re-launch of the Prime Minister. But amid talk of various initiatives, there is the continuing row over how bad the economy really is, question-marks over whether the cabinet talks with one voice (and if so, whose?) and whether huffing and puffing over Russia will get the EU anywhere. We'll cover all these stories and have a full assessment of the opening of the Republican Convention, now that Hurricane Gustav has proved less damaging than was originally thought.

Newsnight is at 10.30pm on ´óÏó´«Ã½ TWO
Gavin

Here are programme producer Shaminder's prospects for tonight's programme:

Hello everyone,

There's lots around today but how should we do it?

The hurricane is blowing the Republican convention off course.

It's meant to be the start of the Brown relaunch, but the government's already been hit by two big negatives - Alistair Darling's dire message on the economy, and the leaked letter from Jacqui Smith's which reveals fears of rising crime and racial tensions as a result of the economic downturn. What shall we do on all this?

EU leaders are gathering in Brussels to discuss relations with Russia after the Georgian crisis. Who do you want to talk to?

Anything else?

Shaminder