´óÏó´«Ã½

UPDATE - MORE DETAILS ON TONIGHT'S PROGRAMME

It was Juvenal who said quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Who guards the guards themselves?

Tonight, as a senior judge launches a scathing attack on MI5 over the treatment of former Guantanamo Bay detainee Binyam Mohamed, we will be asking the same question - namely who has oversight of the security services.

We will also be talking women and power and whether if things really would be different if women ruled the world.

Women politicians from around the world are meeting in New York for the UN Commission on the Status of Women.

They're working to set up a new UN Agency for Women, "which offers the prospect that the agenda for women.... can move beyond making demands of male-dominated structures".

But can initiatives of this kind really make a difference to women's lives? Or is all just empty rhetoric? We'll be speaking live to the Deputy Prime Minister Harriet Harman, who's in New York.

And Michael Crick has an interesting report, linked to the lot of women in politics.

Do join Gavin at 10:30.

ENTRY FROM 1312GMT

We are looking at the issue of women in politics and will be speaking to Women's Minister Harriet Harman, who is in New York.

And we are looking at the paragraph criticising MI5 in a judgement involving Binyam Mohamed, which the Court of Appeal has decided to publish.

More details later.

UPDATE ON TONIGHT'S NEWSNIGHT:

Tonight we look at new guidelines on whether people will face prosecution over assisting suicide.

Emily will be joined in the studio by campaigner Debbie Purdy, who made legal history last year when she won her battle to have the law on assisted suicide in England and Wales clarified, and Alison Davis who appeared in our assisted suicide film last week to tell us why, despite debilitating illness, she opposes a loosening of the rules. .

Tomorrow a bill will go before the House of Commons to outlaw vulture funds which, if passed, will curtail their ability to sue poor governments in English courts for millions that they can't afford. Tonight we have an investigation revealing that speculators subverted the international debt relief process for Liberia - scored by the World Bank as the second poorest nation in the world. We'll be hearing from Liberian President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and doorstepping vultures in New York.

You can watch our 2007 film in which we revealed the scandal of vulture funds .

Plus we'll be reaching for the top shelf as we debate whether lads' mags should be age restricted to curb the sexualisation of children, and considering how the ´óÏó´«Ã½ managed to lose money hand over fist while redeveloping key new buildings, including Broadcasting House in central London.

Join Emily at 10.30pm on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Two.

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Here is what we are planning for tonight's programme:

The director of public prosecutions, Kier Starmer, has set out full guidance on the law on assisted suicide in England and Wales, explaining what factors might mitigate against someone being prosecuted for helping another person to die.

Tonight. we will be talking to people at the heart of the debate.

Greg Palast has a fresh investigation into Vulture Funds - speculators who buy up third world debt cheap and then sue countries for 10 or 100 times what they paid for it.

And a Home Office study says lads' magazines such as Zoo and Nuts should be made top shelf and have age restrictions on sale - we will be debating the issue.

More details later.

We'll be leading tonight with an investigation by Richard Watson which exposes fraud at the heart of the student visa system. Newsnight has gone undercover to buy two bogus visa documents which would have virtually guaranteed entry to the UK. .

We'll be discussing the findings of Richard's film with the Immigration Minister Phil Woolas and his shadow Damian Green.

Before we come on air this evening - at 9pm on the other side (´óÏó´«Ã½ One) - our colleague Evan Davis is presenting a unique experiment which explores the impact of central and European migration to Britain. In Wisbech in Cambridgeshire around 9,000 immigrants have arrived since the EU expanded. But what happens when a dozen or so unemployed Brits try to do the jobs currently carried out by workers from abroad?

Well, you'll need to watch to find out. But we'll be debating the big questions thrown up by the film on Newsnight tonight. We'll be joined by the asparagus farmer, and a British worker who took part in the film, as well as Phil Woolas and Damian Green.

We'll be exploring the social change that resulted from the migration and asking whether there's more the government can do to help British people left out of the job market, including those who prefer to remain unemployed?

And Michael Crick will be reporting on the 'forces of hell' - read Michael's blog where Damian McBride gives his version of events.

Do join Kirsty Wark at 10.30pm on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Two for all that and more.

Tonight we have a special programme debating the main issues facing the future of British defence and security.

We will be asking crucial defence questions - can the war in Afghanistan be won, and when will British troops there return home?

We will take a look at the strategic defence review Green Paper, and consider what resources will be needed to combat future security threats.

Joining Jeremy Paxman will be Secretary of State for Defence, Bob Ainsworth, Shadow Defence Secretary, Liam Fox, and Liberal Democrat defence spokesperson Nick Harvey.

A studio audience will also be taking part in the discussion, comprised of key defence experts and opinion formers, and British soldiers including General Sir Richard Dannatt.

Relatives who have lost loved ones in Afghanistan will also be joining us.

And we'll be discussing the findings of a poll conducted for tonight's programme which suggests that 64% of British people think the war in Afghanistan is unwinnable. and tell us what you think by leaving your comments below.

Do join Jeremy at 10.30pm on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Two.

UPDATE: more details on tonight's programme:

Tonight, amid the row about claims made in a book about Gordon Brown's behaviour towards staff, and separate allegations from the head of an anti-bullying charity, we'll be asking if the Prime Minister really is a bully and whether it matters anyway?

Downing Street has dismissed the book's claims as "malicious" and "without foundation".

Michael Crick will be examining No.10's fight back today, led by Peter Mandelson who claims that there is a 'political operation' underway to undermine Gordon Brown.

Also tonight, are banks really conducting "God's work," as the Goldman Sachs CEO claimed recently? Today, one of the most important banks in the world appeared before a committee of MPs to speak of the global crash, the Greek debt crisis and bankers bonuses. Paul Mason investigates the reach and power of Goldman Sachs.

And more.

Do join Jeremy at 10.30pm on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Two.

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FROM 11:53 GMT
Here's what we are planning for tonight's programme:

Michael Crick will be bringing us the latest on the row about claims made in a book about Gordon Brown's behaviour towards staff, and separate allegations from the head of an anti-bullying charity. So is the prime minister a bully? Downing Street has dismissed the book's claims as "malicious" and "without foundation".

And Paul Mason is looking at the influence of Goldman Sachs. Is it the most powerful bank on the planet?

More later.

UPDATE - MORE DETAIL ON TONIGHT'S PROGRAMME:

Has the cross-party support for high speed rail broken down?

Transport Secretary Lord Adonis says the scheme must be 'above politics' if it is to succeed and the Government is due to publish its proposals before the election - including detailed maps for the route of the proposed line.

But the Conservatives say they've turned down an offer to have advanced sight of the plans. The Shadow Transport Secretary, Theresa Villiers, says the link remains "vitally important" and has denied "playing politics" over the construction of the new route. But are the Conservatives rowing back from their support of the scheme?

We hope to be speaking to Theresa Villiers and Lord Adonis.

It's hard to imagine a more emotive and difficult area of law than assisted suicide.

The Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer, is preparing to issue his final clarification on when people in England and Wales will be charged for helping someone to end their life.

As part of the consultation process over 4,800 submissions were made from people and groups across the country - a record. We've decided to conduct our own mini consultation on the guidelines. Paraic O'Brien has spoken to some people with a very personal perspective on assisted suicide.

Two people who appear in tonight's film and who have very different views about the new guidelines on assisted suicide are featured in audio slideshows on our website.

Plus we'll be reporting on the reaction to Tiger Wood's first public statement since his break from golf.

Join Jeremy at 10.30pm on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Two.

ENTRY FROM 1211GMT

Could the future of the Government's proposed high speed train route across Britain be in jeopardy? We'll be looking at how the plans to build a new rail link between London and Scotland face uncertainty because of the lack of political concensus over the route the train will take.

How do you decide that someone has taken a loved one's life for the right reasons? How do you ascertain whether someone really wanted to die? Paraic O'Brien has travelled around the country to talk to four people with a very personal perspective on assisted suicide.

UPDATE - MORE DETAIL ON TONIGHT'S PROGRAMME:

Tonight we'll be looking at the huge question - how do we pay for the elderly?

With a growing elderly population and concerns about the standard of current care services, there is considerable debate about how to reform social care provision.

Tomorrow the Health Secretary Andy Burnham is hosting a conference on the issue, after more than a week of bickering between the main political parties.

Currently, those who have assets of more than £23,000 (including their house - so pretty much anyone who owns a home) have to fund their own care, whether at home or in residential housing. As a result many older people have no option but to sell their homes to fund their care. Is that fair?

Could we actually afford to pay for more? And if so how? We'll discuss this tonight with Joan Bakewell, the editor of Saga magazine Emma Soames and the Shadow Health Secretary Andrew Lansley.

The Dalai Lama has been meeting President Obama today. Big deal you might think. Well, the US and China both think it is.

China warned the meeting could damage already febrile relations further. Beijing flexed its financial muscle in December by selling billions of dollars of US bonds and expressing concerns over its investments in the States.

And there have been further ructions over the US sale of arms to Taiwan, Google's withdrawal from China and even the Copenhagen climate negotiations.

Tonight Paul Mason will look at the state of relations between China and America and we'll be discussing where it might all end.

And Steve Smith will be examining the work and life of one of the greatest artists of the 20th century - Henry Moore.

ENTRY FROM 1141GMT

We will be looking further into the Dubai Hamas killing, as the Israeli ambassador to the UK meets officials at the foreign office to discuss the fraudulent use of British by the alleged killers of a Hamas commander.

And we'll discuss whether a row is brewing over the Falkland islands. Argentina has announced tighter controls on all ships passing through its waters over UK plans to drill for oil.

And Stephen Smith visits Tate Britain in the run up to their Henry Moore exhibition. It's a major reappraisal of the experimental sculptor and artist's work.

More details later.

UPDATE - MORE DETAIL ON TONIGHT'S PROGRAMME:

Tonight we'll be taking a closer look at the killing of a Hamas commander in Dubai.

Gordon Brown has called for a "full investigation" into how fraudulent British passports were allegedly used by the killers of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh's.

Claims that Mossad were involved have not been confirmed by Israel, which says that there is no proof its security service had anything to do with the death.

But the question remains - who were the killers and whose, if anyone's, orders were they acting on?

Justin Rowlatt has taken a train ride with John Prescott, Lord Adonis and Michael Heseltine to consider proposals to build a high speed train line from London to Scotland - a project which will cost millions and take years to complete.

For now, despite their ideological differences, there is consensus on the issue but can that last for the 20 years or so it will take to complete the line? Could this model of three party agreement be applied to other areas of domestic policy?

And did love for a handsome teenage nobleman inspire Michelangelo to create his greatest surviving drawings?

Stephen Smith has been to an exhibition at London's Courtauld gallery which displays the five "presentation drawings" Michelangelo gave to Tommaso de'Cavalieri, reputed to be the love of Michelangelo's life.

Along with letters and poems, the drawings give an insight into the strength of the artist's feelings but leave the mystery surrounding the relationship between the two men intact.

ENTRY FROM 1157GMT:

We will be looking at what effect the Dubai Hamas killing, and the way it was carried out, will have on the region and gauging the UK's response to the names of British citizens appearing on the passports of those suspected of carrying out the assassination.

Justin Rowlatt takes a train ride with John Prescott, Lord Adonis and Michael Heseltine to consider proposals to build a high speed train line from London to Scotland - a project which will cost millions and take years to complete.

And, Stephen Smith report on whether love for a handsome teenage nobleman inspire Michelangelo to create his greatest surviving drawings.

More details later.

UPDATE - HERE'S KIRSTY WARK WITH MORE DETAILS ON TONIGHT

Tonight we have new developments in a Newsnight investigation that led to a change of government policy.

Last month we revealed that a "bomb detector" sold around the world, and particularly to Iraq, by a British company cannot possibly work.

That report led to Britain banning the export of the model of "detector" - the ADE651 and GT200 - to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Tonight, Caroline Hawley will have an update on the story, following an announcement by Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva that his country has decided to stop buying the GT200 after tests conducted by his government showed the device failed to detect explosives.

Inflation is up to 3.5% today from 2.9%, the fastest rate of annual growth for 14 months.

The figures come on the same day that Barclays announced its profits have increased by 92% to £11.6bn and the average pay of its investment bankers is £191,000.

So is the divide in society inching wider and wider?

Is it rising prices and wage restraint for ordinary people, and bonuses for bankers?

Paul Mason will be reporting and in the studio we will discuss who are the winners and losers of the downturn.

Also tonight, Mark Urban will have the latest on the capture in Pakistan of Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar.

The Taliban dismiss the description of him as the Afghan Taliban's most senior commander. How big a prize is he?

Peter Marshall will be reporting from the United States on how the Obama administration deals with the dilemma of how to prosecute terror suspects.

And we'll be asking why EMI has put the Abbey Road studios up for sale.

ENTRY FROM 1135 GMT:

Caroline Hawley will have an update on the useless "bomb detectors" story which led to Britain banning the export of the ADE651 and GT200 to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Now Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajivahas ordered his military to stop buying the British-made device after tests showed they failed to detect explosives.

Inflation is up to 3.5% today from 2.9%, the fastest annual pace for 14 months. The same day that Barclays announces its profits have increased by 92% to £11.6 bn.

So is it rising prices and wage restraint for ordinary people, and bonuses for bankers? We'll discuss who the winners and losers of the downturn are.

And Peter Marshall has a report on the politics of terror in which he examines how the Obama administration deals with the dilemma of how to prosecute terror suspects.

More details later.

UPDATE - MORE DETAILS ON TONIGHT'S PROGRAMME

It is day three of the joint Nato-Afghan military operation codenamed Moshtarak.

Military officials say that the operation is succeeding in pushing Taliban fighters from their strongholds in and around Marjah and Nad Ali in Helmand province.

But this progress has not come without a price - three Nato deaths related to the offensive have so far been confirmed, and the operation suffered a setback on Sunday when rockets fired by coalition troops killed 12 civilians.

Tonight, Mark Urban will be giving us his step-by-step guide to how the mission has been unfolding on the ground, and what we can expect to see next.

Also, Parliament is in recess this week, but this close to a General Election there is no sign of a break in the battle for votes.

Conservative leader David Cameron has today renewed a pledge to give public sector workers the chance to form co-operatives to run services.

Mr Cameron said the plan, under which the staff of taxpayer-funded services, such as primary school teachers and nurses, would decide how they were run, would "unleash a new culture of public sector enterprise".

But the Schools Secretary Ed Balls has accused Mr Cameron of using co-operatives as a "gimmick".

Tonight, Jackie Long assesses how Mr Cameron's scheme would work and we debate whether it really is as bold as he says.

Paul Mason has a report on the social impact of the Greek economic crisis - is Greek society undergoing a metamorphosis?

And for all you Dr Who fans out there - scriptwriter writer Andrew Cartmel will be talking about the claims that in the 80s the Time Lord wasn't just battling cybermen and daleks, but Mrs Thatcher too.

ENTRY FROM 1129 GMT

Our Defence editor Mark Urban will be reporting on the progress of Operation Moshtarak, Nato's offensive in southern Afghanistan, which military officials have said is being slowed Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) planted by Taliban fighters.

Jackie Long is looking at the Conservatives' renewed pledge to give public sector workers the chance to form co-operatives to run services.

Paul Mason has a report on the social impact of the Greek economic crisis and austerity measures - how is Greek society changing?

More details later.

More details on tonight's Newsnight:

"Our enemies will also seek to use all tools at their disposal to attack us. That means not just bombs, bullets and aircraft but also propaganda and campaigns to undermine our will and ability to confront them."
Director General of MI5

There has been a co-ordinated attack on the critics of MI5 today from the highest levels of government and from the director general of the intelligence agency. Tonight, we discuss whether the secret service has been wrongly caricatured as an organisation that supresses information and colludes in torture. Are such attacks really "dangerous for the country" as the home secretary and foreign secretary said today?

More bad news for the prospects of economic recovery. Poor GDP figures in Germany and across the rest of the eurozone have once again raised the spectre of a double dip recession, while the euro has fallen still further on the currency markets. Our Economic's editor Paul Mason will explain what all of this means for Britain.

Michael Crick is in Scotland where Conservative leader David Cameron is promising a "fresh start" in relations between the Scottish and UK governments. But how would a Cameron led administration in England work with an SNP led government in Scotland, and what could it mean for the Union?

Plus Gordon Brown's most personal interview yet - is this the start of a new political strategy?

Join Gavin at 10.30pm on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Two.

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FROM 12:00 UK time

Here is what we are planning for tonight's programme:

We're looking at the denials by the head of MI5 that his staff withheld documents relating to the torture of a UK resident, Binyam Mohamed, from a House of Commons scrutiny committee.

And Michael Crick is in Scotland where Conservative leader David Cameron is to promise a "fresh start" in relations between the Scottish and UK governments, should he win the next UK election.

More details later.

UPDATE - MORE DETAILS ON TONIGHT'S PROGRAMME:
Hello from Gavin Esler:

Today's Quote for the Day: "Chocolate is as good as sex. To me it's like an orgasm" - Britney Spears looks forward to St Valentine's Day.

Unfortunately our attempts to devote all of Newsnight tonight to this hitherto unknown benefit of chocolate have been derailed by the goings on in the EU.

We'll be forgetting Britney and switching to Brussels for the great Greek takeaway as the European summit discussed (in the words of President Herman van Rompuy) "Greece. That's the only topic we mentioned. This concerns Greece and only Greece".

Actually, from Ireland to Spain and Italy there are some broader concerns that we hope to get into as the Greek government appears to secure euro-wide support for preventing them defaulting on their debts.

Most of us don't think twice about paying for something in a high street shop by keying in our pin.

It's easy, fast and in most cases it works. But scratch a little under the surface and there are persistent reports of people who say they've been the subject of fraud of one kind or another on their credit or debit card.

Now a team of computer scientists at Cambridge University has found a flaw in chip and pin so serious they think it shows that the whole system needs a re-write.

Our science editor, Susan Watts, has the story.

Plus we'll have the latest from Iran on the protests on the anniversary of the Iranian revolution of 1979, more on the strange case of those e-mails about Climate Change research from the University of East Anglia, and we'll be paying tribute to the British fashion designer Alexander McQueen who has committed suicide.

Since the Newsnight Joke for the Day cupboard is completely bare - no doubt as a result of the credit crunch - I am reduced to concluding this e-mail with another daft luvvie droning on about chocolate.

This one is Sandra Bullock: "Chocolate's the greatest gift to women ever created, next to men. Chocolate chip ice cream is like cocaine."

Perhaps that explains where Cadbury's went wrong.

Gavin

ENTRY FROM 1302GMT

EU leaders have reached a deal on helping Greece tackle its debt crisis, EU President Herman Van Rompuy says. Will it be enough to convince the markets and prevent contagion to the PIGS in the Eurozone? David Grossman is there.

Tim Whewell reported earlier this week on the planned for the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. Today is that day and we are watching events closely.

And Susan Watts will be revealing new flaws in the chip and pin system.

More details later.

UPDATE - HERE'S GAVIN WITH MORE DETAILS OF WHAT IS COMING UP:

Hello from Gavin Esler:

In tonight's programme we have the latest on Binyam Mohammed, including a live interview with the Foreign Secretary David Miliband.

Tomorrow the Eurozone economies will meet in Brussels to decider whether - or how - to bail out the Greek economy.

Our economics editor Paul Mason is in Athens, and will report on the protests by public sector workers against austerity measures there.

Our political editor Michael Crick is in Westminster North looking at the bizarre story of the "is she or isn't she" prospective Conservative party candidate Joanne Cash.

Remember the Turnip Taliban in Norfolk who caused such problems for David Cameron's attempts to modernise the party - or, if you will, to impose candidates from Central Office on reluctant constituencies?

We also have a special report from Sue Lloyd-Roberts in Zimbabwe one year after the power-sharing agreement between Robert Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai.

See you later, Gavin

ENTRY FROM 1129GMT:

Sue Lloyd-Roberts has been on an official reporting trip to Zimbabwe, ahead of tomorrow's one year anniversary of power-sharing between Zanu PF and the MDC. In a powerful film she looks at the yawning gap between rich and poor.

Paul Mason is in Greece on the day public sector workers have launched a nationwide strike in protest at government measures to tackle the budget deficit.

We are across the Binyam Mohamed story, after Foreign Secretary David Miliband lost an Appeal Court bid to stop the disclosure of secret information relating to his alleged torture.

And we are looking at Alan Johnson's upcoming immigration speech and the Joanne Cash Twitter resignation row story.

More details later

UPDATE - HERE'S EMILY WITH MORE DETAIL ON TONIGHT'S PROGRAMME:

Markets are extraordinary things. Today, someone got on a plane a bit early and the euro rose.

Ok, it wasn't just someone; it was the president of the European Central Bank. He left Australia over concerns the European currency was in dire straits, and Greece would need a bail out. Miraculously the euro rose on news he was heading home. Sweet, really.

Greece - which lies within the Eurozone - needs rescuing pretty badly. Last month, its parliament agreed to cut the country's debt from 13% of GDP to just 3% within three years.

I'm not sure what the Greek is for savage cuts, but I'm pretty sure everyone in Greece does by now.

Will the big beasts of Europe - France and Germany - agree to a costly bailout for Greece, a second tier economy they don't much trust anyway? And is it the beginning of the end of the euro project if they don't?

We have the Nobel prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz, who has advised the Greek government, and the hedge fund wallah Hugh Hendry to tell us what happens now.

Would you call someone a "queer gayboy faggot" on the way to work? Ok, that was rhetorical, actually. We don't really want to know, but the point being made by the FA in a new video is that the homophobic language of the terraces would sound jaw-dropping if transposed onto the ordinary commute to work.

You won't see this video anywhere else as it has been deemed too blunt to pass muster, but a copy has been leaked to Newsnight.

Tonight we discuss strong ad techniques and sports fan homophobia with a 6'11 gay former NBA star from Manchester.

We also have a film from Iran monitoring the green opposition movement's tactics ahead of Thursday's rally showdown.

Thanks for all those of you who've had a look at my Virtually There diary. We're going to incorporate some of your suggestions into this week's column. No, not the one about scrapping it.

Best wishes,
Emily

Entry from 1107GMT:

Currently our top story is the market pressure on the Euro and the risk of contagion. What can/will Europe do? Is there a lack of will or a lack rules?

As we approach the anniversary of the Iranian revolution this week, Tim Whewell asks what has been happening in the recent period of political unrest and how much of a threat to the government it is. Are we seeing a slow moving revolution or not? He speaks to contributors both inside and outside Iran.

And we are looking at efforts to combat homophobia in football.

More details later.

UPDATE - MORE DETAILS ON TONIGHT'S PROGRAMME:

From Emily:

I'm wondering how the world of showbiz feels about David Cameron's claim that politics under Labour has become "a demented branch of the entertainment industry". Is there a Strictly Remortgage show to be done? Not any more, perhaps...

Today, David Cameron laid the blame for the failure of politics firmly at the feet of Gordon Brown, accusing him of "government by initiative, press release, and media management". And, moreover, he pledged we would see it no more under a Cameron government. That'll be worth watching then.

The gloves, at any rate are clearly off. And tonight - as all parties pledge to rid politics of the sleaze of the expenses scandal - we ask why things have suddenly got so personal and if the spirit of politics really can change.

In Afghanistan they are preparing for what is being billed as a major offensive against the Taliban. Our Diplomatic editor Mark Urban will take us through exactly what the surge strategy there will mean. We'll ask what kind of role the British troops hope the Afghans themselves will be playing and why - on the day two more British troops are killed there - the big pre-announcement is not asking for trouble from the insurgents.

The Tories are back with their Swedish models. They want the "free school" system to work here in the UK - which basically means anyone can start a school and run it - and it has to be free and accessible to all. Could it work here? Does it really work in Scandinavia? Michael Gove will be with me in the studio.

The bloggers have already dubbed him Alistair "weepy" Campbell after yesterday's emotional interview with the ´óÏó´«Ã½. But this is the man who said "the only communication that works now really is when people are being utterly authentic". What did he mean by that? Has the stiff upper
lip gone for good. And is authentic the same as truthful?

We'll tread carefully here, but we'll be debating this on the programme tonight.

Join me at 10.30pm on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Two.

Emily

PS From the web team: We have launched a new Facebook page. Check it out for updates, best content and previews of what's to come on the programme. If you'd like to give us feedback, or there's anything else you want to see on our page, we want to hear from you at www.facebook.com/bbcnewsnight.

ENTRY FROM 11.54GMT

Michael Crick will be reporting on the three Labour MPs and one Conservative peer who are facing criminal charges over their expenses. David Cameron says the law must be changed to stop them using parliamentary privilege to "evade justice".

Liz MacKean has been to Sweden to visit schools run independently of local council control, a scheme which the Conservatives hope to introduce in England if they win the next election. We'll be asking the shadow secretary of state for children, schools and families, Michael Gove, if they are really such a good idea.

And Mark Urban will be reporting on Operation Moshtarak - an offensive involving thousands of coalition troops designed to force Taliban militants from an area surrounding the town of Marja in Afghanistan's Helmand province. The defence secretary Bob Ainsworth has already warned of likely UK casualties.

More details later.

UPDATE - MORE DETAILS ON TONIGHT'S PROGRAMME

"As a captain with the team, John Terry has displayed extremely positive behaviour. However, I have to take into account other considerations and what is best for all of the England squad. What is best for all of the England team has inspired my choice." - England boss Fabio Capello.

John Terry has been stripped of the England captaincy following allegations about his private life.

Tonight we will be discussing whether it was the right decision.

Also, the UK's biggest manufacturer and one of the world's biggest defence companies, BAE Systems has reached agreement with fraud investigators on both sides of the Atlantic.

The company will pay the US government a total of a quarter of a billion pounds for conspiring to make false statements.

BAE has admitted to one charge of inadequate accounting in the UK... the fine here is £30m.

Peter Marshall, who has been covering the BAE story for many years for Newsnight, will be reporting live from Washington DC.

And, three Labour MPs and one Tory peer will face criminal charges over their expenses, the Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer has said.

MPs Elliot Morley, Jim Devine, David Chaytor and Lord Hanningfield will be charged under the Theft Act.

All four have said they deny any charges and would defend their positions robustly.

What impact will this dark day in British politics have on the upcoming election and public opinion?

Join Gavin Esler at 10.30pm on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Two.

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ENTRY FROM 1416GMT

Here are the things we are looking at for tonight's programme:

We are focussing on the news that the Crown Prosecution Service has said that three Labour MPs and one Conservative peer will face criminal charges over their expenses.

We are also across the power-sharing deal in Northern Ireland.

A deal between NI's biggest parties, the DUP and Sinn Fein, could see policing and justice powers devolved to Northern Ireland on 12 April.

More details later.

UPDATE - MORE DETAILS ON TONIGHT'S PROGRAMME

Today, Sir Thomas Legg finally published his audit of MPs' expenses claims between 2004 and 2008.

Sir Thomas has criticised the expenses system, saying it was "deeply flawed" and the rules "vague", and recommended that 390 MPs, more than half, should repay £1.3m.

Tonight, David Grossman will be reporting on the first official examination of the expenses issue.

And ahead of the announcement tomorrow by the Crown Prosecution Service of whether it will prosecute MPs involved in the expenses row, we will ask whether we are now reaching the conclusion of what has been a damaging period for politics and Parliament

Also, in the wake of scandals about the private lives of public figures, Max Mosley and a leading newspaper lawyer will join us in the Newsnight studio to debate privacy and press freedom.

We have a film from our Sydney correspondent Nick Bryant on climate change scepticism in Australia (including footage of the opposition leader in his budgie smugglers).

And Stephen Smith reports on the demise of The Foundry in East London, which is to be demolished and replaced with an 18-storey hotel.

Over the past decade the venue has played an important role in the history of artists including author Irvine Welsh, comic Mark Thomas, graffiti artist Banksy, and band The Libertines.

Is its demolition part of the ebb and flow of city life, or a sign of how we fail to treasure the arts heritage of the future?

Join Gavin Esler at 10.30pm on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Two.

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ENTRY FROM 11.28GMT

Here is what we are planning for tonight's programme:

MPs expenses are back in the headlines following the publication of Sir Thomas Legg's report on the issue.

After reviewing five years of claims, Sir Thomas has recommended that 390 MPs, more than half, should repay £1.3m.

Some MPs say the way Sir Thomas carried out the audit was "sloppy" and £180,000 was cut off the total after appeals.

Tonight, David Grossman reports on the audit conclusions and whether, especially given criticism and appeals from some MPs, the situation is now clear.

We have a film from Sydney correspondent Nick Bryant on climate change scepticism in Australia.

We are also looking at the Bank of England decision to halt quantitative easing, the policy designed to stimulate growth in the economy, and privacy laws versus press freedom.

Also, as Toyota's stream of bad news continues we are looking at how big brands weather such knocks to their reputation.

More details later.

Is the whole European project under threat from the Greek debt crisis? Greece now faces stringent monitoring from Brussels who have examined the country's plans to reduce its deficit.

Tonight we speak to financial and political heavy weights who worry that without a European bailout, contagion could spread across the Eurozone and endanger the single currency.

UK forces are likely to operate more closely with France and other European partners in future conflicts, a defence paper on military reform suggested today. Meanwhile Gordon Brown has been attacked in the Commons for ''ignoring the welfare'' of our armed forces.

Mark Urban will examine the uncertain future of British defence and Jeremy will discuss what Britain's global role should be.

Tim Whewell has travelled to Uganda where an attempt to punish "aggravated homosexuality" with the death penalty has led to outrage across the world. What lies behind the homophobic campaign?

And was the outgoing children's commissioner Sir Al Aynsley Green right when he said that 'Britain is one of world's most unfriendly countries towards children'? We'll debate.

Do join Jeremy at 10.30pm on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Two.

KIRSTY'S UPDATE ON TONIGHT'S PROGRAMME:

Tonight Newsnight exposes the problems besetting the very pinnacle of climate change science. Are the warnings about global warming trustworthy or not? Are climate scientists eroding our trust with a series of mistakes, false predictions, and possibly dodgy science?

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is meant to be the gold standard - subject to rigorous peer review and based on hard scientific data, and yet it has made a series of blunders. The IPCC assertion that there is a very high likelihood glaciers in the Himalayas will disappear by 2035 is unsubstantiated by science, and wrong.

The IPCC have now admitted it was "a lapse in standards". But this follows a number of other assertions about the impact of natural disasters and the future of the Amazonian rainforest that now turn out to be controversial. Add to that the now infamous hacked email exchange between scientists about disputed climate change statistics and the failure to deliver a global agreement at Copenhagen, and are we entitled to feel bewildered?

Susan Watts reports on the growing pressure on the IPCC. We'll be discussing it all live with Professor Chris Field of the IPCC - a man at the centre of the storm - and a leading climate scientist with strong criticisms of the IPCC.

And if there are persistent doubts over global warming how does that play into the promises to reduce CO2 emissions? Justin Rowlatt sees the plans for what could be the world's leading Carbon Capture Plant, due to be sited in Yorkshire.

Today Gordon Brown announced plans for a referendum on constitutional change. Today is also officially Groundhog Day. Dear viewer I ask you, are these two things linked? We'll discuss whether the government's plans for a switch to voting for a list of candidates, rather than first past the post, is an election strategy or, after 13 years in power, Gordon Brown's lightbulb moment?

And it's Oscar-tastic with ten films in contention for the big prize rather than five for the first time since 1943 - and what a mix it is! From the Hurt Locker, to Avatar, to Inglourious Basterds.

Watch to see the contenders. 10.30pm on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Two.

Kirsty

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FROM 11:31

Here is what we are lining up for tonight's programme:

Susan Watts is looking into the growing pressure on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) after recent claims that some leading scientists exaggerated the melting of the Himalayan glaciers.

At the centre of the controversy is the IPCC's Working Group 2 - whose job it is to assess the impact of human induced climate change.

In fact, according to its own website, Working Group 2 "assesses the scientific, technical, environmental, economic and social aspects of the vulnerability (sensitivity and adaptability) to climate change of, and the negative and positive consequences for, ecological systems, socio-economic sectors and human health, with an emphasis on regional sectoral and cross-sectoral issues".

Tonight, Chris Field, the head of Working Group 2, will be on programme.

We are also looking at Labour's plans to scrap Britain's "first past the post" voting system if it wins the General Election.

And we have a very powerful film from Tim Whewell about homosexuality in Uganda.

Also we will be across the Oscars nominations when they are announced at lunchtime.

KIRSTY'S UPDATE ON TONIGHT'S PROGRAMME

Tonight on the show we are planning to lead with the news that President Barack Obama is deploying a missile shield around Iran. Why is the defensive shield being put in place now? Does this mean a significant shift in Washington's approach to Iran? We hope to have a discussion featuring the US State Department, an Israeli government minister and an Iranian voice.

Our Political editor Michael Crick has been to Northern Ireland to examine the relationship between David Cameron's Conservatives and the unionist parties. We'll also be following the twists and turns of the arguments over the power-sharing government's role in policing justice and parades.

Is John Terry fit to be the captain of the England football squad? We'll be debating issues of morality and leadership.

And we are talking to computer scientist and father of virtual reality, Jaron Lanier, about his new book, You Are Not a Gadget. To me he thinks the web has become rotten to the core, controlled by information giants, and stifling the creativity which was initially fostered by its birth...

Join me at 10.30pm on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Two.

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FROM 12:15

Our Political editor, Michael Crick has been to Northern Ireland to look at the connection between David Cameron's Conservatives and the Unionists. Read more on that here.

Mark Urban is keeping an eye on the rising tensions between the US and Iran - the US is deploying a defence shield to help protect its allies in the Gulf from any attack by Iran.

And we'll be discussing Jaron Lanier's manifesto, You Are Not A Gadget, which explores the internet's vast potential and its problems.

More details later.