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´óÏó´«Ã½ BLOGS - Newsnight: From the web team

Archives for August 2011

Wednesday 31 August 2011

Sarah McDermott | 18:34 UK time, Wednesday, 31 August 2011

Paul Mason will report on the shake-up of British banks, which government sources have indicated may not come into force for several years.

David Grossman explains why the fifty per cent rate of income tax required of people earning more than £150,000 a year has illuminated the divisions within the coalition.

We'll return to - about changes to abortion counselling services rules so that clinics which offer termination services do not also provide advice. Tonight Downing Street said "the discussions currently underway do not represent any moral shift in the government's approach to abortion as an issue". We'll debate the government's moral agenda and its commitment to social liberty.

And Tom Heap visits Croatia, home to the richest cave fauna in Europe, which is under threat by pollution and development.

Join Jeremy Paxman at 22:30 on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Two.

Tuesday 30 August 2011

Sarah McDermott | 11:29 UK time, Tuesday, 30 August 2011

Seven people have been shot dead by security forces during anti-government protests in Syria at the start of the festival of Eid al-Fitr, activists say. Our diplomatic editor Mark Urban will have the latest later.

Tim Whewell is in Libya and has a film for us about nation building, which sees him haggling over the price of AK47s at a Benghazi gun market.

Anna Adams examines the row over independent abortion counselling and who should do it.

And Neil Bowdler considers if resomation, a body 'liquefaction' process, and promession, a method of freeze-drying corpses, could offer greener alternatives to burial and cremation. Read more about that here.

Do join Emily at 2230 on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Two.

Friday 26 August 2011

Sarah McDermott | 11:59 UK time, Friday, 26 August 2011

Tonight we will have the latest on Libya from our correspondent Tim Whewell, who is currently in Benghazi, which for now remains home to the National Transitional Council's headquarters.

And we will be speaking to the NTC's deputy leader Abdul Hafiz Ghoga live on the programme.

Plus former Daily Telegraph editor Charles Moore has done an authored film for us in which he explains where he thinks the Conservatives are going wrong.

Afterwards Danny Finkelstein and Noreena Hertz will discuss his conclusions.

All of that, and our Economics editor Paul Mason in the presenter's chair for the first time - 10.30pm on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Two.

Thursday 25 August 2011

Sarah McDermott | 17:42 UK time, Thursday, 25 August 2011

"I was buzzing me, just smashing windows and police cars and stuff... a big massive buzz."

Tonight we have a film from Donal MacIntyre who has been meeting some of the young men who took part in the recent Manchester riots. .

To discuss the film Kirsty be joined by a shopkeeper who was trapped in his store during the riots and had to be rescued by police, someone who knows the looters, and a politician.

Meanwhile... another confusing day in Libya. The hunt for Col Gaddafi continues, although reports he was trapped in a building in Tripoli came to nothing. It is certainly clear that the Transitional Council are desperate for money.

Tim Whewell is in Benghazi for us tonight and Kirsty will be speaking to the Foreign Secretary William Hague.

And Madeleine Morris has been looking into new figures which suggest that net migration rose by 21% last year, with 239,000 more people arriving in the UK than those leaving.

Join us at the slightly later time than usual of 10.40pm on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Two.

Wednesday 24 August 2011

Verity Murphy | 13:18 UK time, Wednesday, 24 August 2011

The situation in Libya remains chaotic with Tripoli seeing running battles between rebel fighters and Gaddafi loyalists, new Nato air strikes, and a defiant message from Colonel Gaddafi himself, whose whereabouts remain unknown.

Tonight we will be making sense of what is happening and asking where Libya goes from here with reporters on the ground and experts in the studio.

We will be asking how the National Transitional Council can properly establish itself as Libya's leadership with ousted leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi still at large. And what Nato's responsibilities towards Libya's recovery are.

And we will take a wider look at whether the Arab Spring is likely to be good or bad news for women.

Plus, Citizen Smith has been on National Citizen Service - David Cameron's training programme for 16-year-olds which is to be expanded in response to the recent riots.

How effective will a universal programme be at combating the sort of problems we saw a few weeks ago? And how is it different from existing youth programmes, many of which have been facing cuts? Stephen Smith has been finding out.

Tuesday 23 August 2011

Sarah McDermott | 13:01 UK time, Tuesday, 23 August 2011

The battle for Tripoli seems to be in its final stages tonight, with rebels taking over Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's fortified compound in the city, one of the final areas under the Libyan leader's control.

Tonight we are dedicating the whole programme to the day's events and asking what next for Libya?

We will be hearing from key players and our reporters on the ground as we examine the prospects for the last pockets of pro-Gaddafi resistance being swiftly eradicated, for a peaceful transition of power once the fighting stops and what is likely to happen to Colonel Gaddafi - whose whereabouts is currently unknown.

We will look back over more than 40 years of Gaddafi rule, asking if this should be a day for celebration or not, and forward to what kind of Libya we are likely to see without Gaddafi at the helm.

Join Jeremy at 10.30pm.

Monday 22 August 2011

Sarah McDermott | 11:06 UK time, Monday, 22 August 2011

On tonight's Newsnight...

Robin Denselow will have the latest on the battle for control of Tripoli, where troops loyal to Col Muammar Gaddafi are battling rebels.

Gabriel Gatehouse will be analysing who the rebels' interim administration, the National Transitional Council (NTC), are and what their agenda is.

We'll ask guests - including Lord Malloch-Brown and John Bolton - if the Libya conflict signals a rebirth of liberal interventionism.

And Sarfraz Manzoor considers if English cricket is doing enough to integrate Asian players.
Join Jeremy at 2230 on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Two for that, and more.

Friday 19 August 2011

Verity Murphy | 14:13 UK time, Friday, 19 August 2011

Tonight we will be looking at the attack on the British Council office in the Afghan capital, Kabul, in which armed insurgents seized control of the compound for a number of hours, killing at least 12 people.

Paul Mason will have more on the ongoing turmoil in the stock markets as concerns over the strength of the global economy and eurozone debt continue. And we will be speaking to author of The Black Swan Nassim Nicholas Taleb.

Plus, is Sally Bercow's appearance on Celebrity Big Brother a bad thing, or should what she does not have any bearing on her husband John Bercow's role as Speaker?

We will be joined by ex-I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here contestant Christine Hamilton and her husband Neil and Jacob Rees-Mogg to discuss.

Thursday 18 August 2011

Verity Murphy | 13:37 UK time, Thursday, 18 August 2011

Stock markets have seen falls of about 5%, and some bank shares have plunged 10%, as the negative mood which has caused recent turmoil takes hold again.

Paul Mason will have the latest news and analysis on that and we will be speaking to Jeffrey Sachs, who says we have been tripped up by globalisation.

Caroline Hawley will report on the call from the leaders of the US, UK, France, Germany and EU for Syria's President Assad to step down over his suppression of protesters, and whether he is likely to heed them.

Plus, many students hoping to go to university face an even more intense battle for places than usual as this is the last intake of students to English universities before the introduction of tuition fees of up to £9,000 a year in 2012.

David Grossman reports on whether the government's changes - not just higher fees, but significant changes to the structure of the higher education in this country - really benefit young people and whether they will provide the skills the country needs?

We have been to the Mossbourne Academy - a very successful school on the edge of the Mossbourne estate in Hackney, which was the backdrop to some of last weeks riots - and the school's head teacher, Sir Michael Wilshaw, will be joining the debate in our studio.

And on the 20th anniversary of the 1991 Russian coup we have a Bridget Kendal film in which she talks to many of the key players including Mikhail Gorbachev.

Wednesday 17 August 2011

Verity Murphy | 13:44 UK time, Wednesday, 17 August 2011

We have changed what we are leading on tonight to prison sentences; the debate over what is the appropriate level for those convicted of involvement in the riots and whether the courts have treated offenders too leniently in the past.

Also following the news that UK unemployment unexpectedly rose in the three months to June, we will be asking what is going wrong, the threat this poses and looking at measures aimed at reversing the situation, particularly enterprise zones.

As we continue to analyse the fallout from last week's riots we have a report on recent unrest in Gloucester and will be taking another look at sentencing of those involved.

Plus, why do some people seem to lead charmed lives? LSE academic Dr Catherine Hakim has written a book on the power of erotic capital which she says is at the heart of how we work, interact, make money and conduct our relationships.

We will be speaking to the author and debating the issues she raises.

Tuesday 16 August 2011

Verity Murphy | 13:56 UK time, Tuesday, 16 August 2011

MPs have today released a letter from a journalist jailed for phone hacking, former News of the World royal editor Clive Goodman, alleging senior figures at the newspaper knew what was going on and struck a deal to stop him implicating the paper at trial.

David Grossman will have all of the latest news on that story and we will be speaking to former deputy prime minister and hacking victim John Prescott, and former newspaper editor Paul Connew.

Amid news that two men charged with inciting disorder via social networking site Facebook have each been jailed for four years we ask whether the courts are being too draconian in sentencing people connected to last week's riots, or whether this kind of sentencing is right and in fact overdue.

Plus, across the world, slums are home to a billion people. The rich elite want the shanty towns cleared, but residents are surprisingly determined not to leave. Paul Mason has been to Estero de San Miguel, a slum in the Philippines capital Manila, to find out why.

Monday 15 August 2011

Sarah McDermott | 11:55 UK time, Monday, 15 August 2011

Tackling the "broken society" is back on the agenda following last week's riots. David Grossman reports tonight as Cameron and Miliband draw battle lines, and we'll be joined by David Willetts and Hilary Benn.

Paul Mason considers the degree to which gangs can be blamed for the unrest.

Madeleine Morris visits Berlin to ask how heavy a price the Germans are prepared to pay to save the euro - and will be joined by economist Joseph Stiglitz.

And was Peter Oborne right when he wrote that the moral decay of our society is as bad at the top as it is at the bottom? We'll debate.

Join Kirsty at 2230 on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Two.

Friday 12 August 2011

Sarah McDermott | 10:32 UK time, Friday, 12 August 2011

It's Friday, and here's what we have planned for our final edition of the week...

David Grossman will be bringing us the news of the day and will be looking back at what's been a tumultuous week of rioting in English cities. Gavin Esler will be considering how damaged the fabric of Britain has been by the unrest. Stephen Smith will be looking at the foreign reaction to and coverage of the riots. And Emily will be joined in debate by magazine publisher Tyler Brûlé, Hong Kong entrepreneur Sir David Tang, and historian David Starkey.

Join them all at 2230 on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Two.

Thursday 11 August 2011

Verity Murphy | 12:36 UK time, Thursday, 11 August 2011

Today parliament held an emergency session, called in response to the riots, in which David Cameron told parliament that riots and looting of the kind that spread across England in the last week will not be tolerated.

Tonight David Grossman will report on how the debate unfolded and whether it brings us any closer to a proper diagnosis of what went wrong. And we speak to Labour Party leader Ed Miliband.

We discuss the role of parents and whether lack of discipline and family breakdown have been factors in the unrest with guests including the singer Jamelia.

And as David Cameron says that police have admitted they got their riot tactics wrong, we speak to the president of the Association of Chief Police Officers Sir Hugh Orde.

Wednesday 10 August 2011

Verity Murphy | 12:04 UK time, Wednesday, 10 August 2011

David Cameron said this morning that parts of Britain are not just broken but "sick". Tonight we will discuss whether he is right and if so what the medicine should be with Conservative co-chair Baroness Warsi and Hackney MP Diane Abbott.

We will have the latest on the unrest in the West Midlands from Liz MacKean and what is happening in Manchester from Anna Adams.

We will also be reporting on vigilante activity and will be examining what role gang culture has played in the disorder.

Please note the programme will be an hour long tonight.

Tuesday 9 August 2011

Sarah McDermott | 11:23 UK time, Tuesday, 9 August 2011

Some 16,000 officers are policing London's streets after three days of violence, with rioters warned they will feel the "full force of the law".

Tonight Liz Mackean we'll be asking who the kids are that are perpetrating the trouble, and try find out what their motives are.

Then Iranian rapper Reveal co-founder of hip-hop group Poisonous Poets, Lyn Costello from Mothers Against Murder and Aggression, and media exec Kelvin Mackenzie, will join us to debate what we should do with the rioters.

Iain Watson will be examining if a malaise in the police force and a lack of leadership have contributed to the unrest.

And David Grossman will be considering if the Prime Minister - who returned to Britain this morning after cutting his summer break short - has completely misjudged the situation.

Join us at 2230 on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Two.

Monday 8 August 2011

Sarah McDermott | 10:22 UK time, Monday, 8 August 2011

Home Secretary Theresa May is meeting police chiefs about rioting in London with new violence erupting in Hackney.

Skirmishes broke out between police and groups of young people in the area around Mare Street.

Tonight Liz Mackean will bring us the latest, and will be considering what the origins of this unrest are and where it can go from here.

Gavin will be joined in the studio by former London Mayor Ken Livingstone, Conservative Shaun Bailey, and a community leader from Tottenham.

Later we'll be joined by broadcaster and columnist Darcus Howe to discuss if comparisons between these inner city riots and events that took place in the 1980s are useful or misleading.

Then Andrew Verity will be asking what options remain for the West to avoid a double dip recession, and we'll be joined by German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle.

Join Gavin at 2230 on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Two.


Friday 5 August 2011

Sarah McDermott | 16:51 UK time, Friday, 5 August 2011

Just five days ago, international investors were considering the possibility that the US government might default on its debt. That fear has now gone away, but it has been replaced by a fear that the world could be heading towards another credit crunch. Today instability on the stock markets continues, with sharp falls in the past 24 hours amid a crisis of confidence due to the eurozone debt crisis and concerns about weak recovery not only in the US but also in Europe.

To make sense of it all join Stephanie Flanders tonight, when she'll be examining the state of the global economy, at 2230 on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Two.

Thursday 4 August 2011

Sarah McDermott | 10:31 UK time, Thursday, 4 August 2011

Newsnight tonight investigates allegations that billions of dollars of long-term development aid money is being used as a tool of political repression in Ethiopia.

Andrew Verity will be asking if the West is heading for a second economic slump.

And as the government's new e-petitions website crashes with people trying to sign a range of petitions including one calling for the return of capital punishment, we'll be asking if it is really time to reinstate the death penalty in the UK.

Join Kirsty for all that and more at 2230 on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Two.

Wednesday 3 August 2011

Verity Murphy | 18:01 UK time, Wednesday, 3 August 2011

Tonight, we will be leading on our exclusive report on fresh allegations of phone-hacking at Mirror Group Newspapers.

Heather Mills has told the programme that in 2001 a senior Mirror Newspaper Group journalist admitted hacking voicemails left for her by Sir Paul McCartney.

Newsnight has also learned that many other prominent people, including footballer Rio Ferdinand and TV presenter Ulrika Jonsson, also believe they were hacked by the Mirror group.

You can read more about that story and listen to a clip of the Mills interview here.

Mark Urban has a report on who is likely win control of the new Egypt in the parliamentary elections. Will it be the young liberals who led the campaign anti-Mubarak campaign in Tahrir Square, or Islamic groups and that relic of the old regime, the army?

Andrew Verity has a report on how annual take home pay is dwindling in real terms.

And Stephen Smith has been delving into the power of memory, with a bit of help from celebrated mnemonist Dominic O'Brien - who will be doing a memory challenge live on the programme.

Tuesday 2 August 2011

Sarah McDermott | 10:26 UK time, Tuesday, 2 August 2011

Syrian forces are pushing towards the centre of the town of Hama as they continue an offensive in which scores of people have died. Tim Whewell will bring us the latest tonight.

Then we'll be asking how damaged President Barack Obama has been by the US debt crisis.

Anna Adams has been investigating why many young women's cervical cancer tests are going unprocessed in England.

And Lyse Doucet meets America's top military official, Admiral Mike Mullen, on his way home from what's expected to be his final visit to troops in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Join Gavin at 2230 on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Two.

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