大象传媒

0650

The biggest changes to England's exam system in 30 years are about to begin. From September, GCSES and A levels will become tougher.聽 The government says it wants England's schools to compete with the highest performing school systems in Hong Kong, Korea and Shanghai in China.聽 AS levels studied in the first year of sixth form will become a stand -alone one year course, and no longer count towards the final A-level grade. Maths will be one of the first GCSEs to change at a level previously taught to older students. Unions say the changes have been introduced in a chaotic manner - so how are schools going to cope? The 大象传媒's education correspondent Gillian Hargreaves reports.

0655

Today is the fourth day of Iraq's offensive against Islamic State positions around Tikrit 鈥� the biggest operation yet against a stronghold of the Sunni militants. Islamic State militants are reported to be well dug-in and Iraqi government forces and allied Shia militia have already sustained a number of casualties. Rafid Jaboori is spokesperson for the Iraqi PM.

0710

Abid Naseer, the Pakistani man charged with plotting to blow up a shopping centre in the UK and on the New York subway, has been found guilty by a US jury. He faces up to life imprisonment at sentencing. Sir Peter Fahy is chief constable of Greater Manchester Police.

0715

The home of the former Conservative MP Harvey Proctor was searched today by police investigating historical allegations of child abuse and murder or manslaughter. The 大象传媒 understands police arrived at Mr Proctor's house early this morning. The Metropolitan Police said in a short statement that officers from Operation Midland were searching an address in Grantham. The Met is investigating the allegation that a group of powerful men from politics, the military and law enforcement agencies abused boys in the late 70s and early 80s at locations across Southern England and in London. The inquiry is also examining the claim that three boys were murdered. Tom Symonds is our Home Affairs correspondent.

0720

Family doctors and heating engineers are being urged to refer people in England for help if their health is at risk because they live in a cold home. The new guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, or NICE, are aimed at reducing the high level of deaths in winter. Dr David Sloan is co-Chair of the NICE committee which developed the guidance and a former GP.

0730

Last night, 大象传媒4 broadcast a controversial documentary which has been banned in India, about the rape and murder of a student in Delhi.聽 The Indian government had asked the 大象传媒 not to run it, and is trying to prevent its broadcast anywhere in the world. The programme contains a shocking interview with one of the men found guilty of the crime who blames the victim for her murder, saying she shouldn't have resisted rape. Dibang is an Indian journalist and co-producer of the film.

0740

The Bank of England said the Serious Fraud Office is investigating money market auctions held by the central bank during the financial crisis in 2007 and 2008, leading to concerns they may have been hit by the rigging scandal that has engulfed the City. At this stage it's not clear if the focus is on officials inside the bank or traders outside it. Kamal Ahmed is the 大象传媒鈥檚 Business Editor.

0745

For years we've been told about the military's struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder after wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Now research by King鈥檚 College London suggests service personnel are actually twice as likely to suffer from common mental health problems such as depression and anxiety - than their civilian counterparts. The former head of the army - General Lord Richard Dannatt - says the Ministry of Defence has a responsibility to make sure all personnel who suffer from mental health problems are given treatment. But he's concerned that potential defence cuts could have a negative impact on the quality of care they receive. Sima Kotecha reports.

0750

It's nearly two months since the Charlie Hebdo attacks. Europe has since been on high alert. Our counter terrorism officials tell us that an attack on Britain is almost inevitable. One of the greatest threats comes from individuals radicalised in part by the propaganda of Islamic State. And we're struggling to stop our own citizens joining the so-called caliphate. Three weeks ago three London school girls flew to Turkey and were smuggled into Syria. And a few days ago a man from West London was identified as 'jihadi John'. The problem isn't limited to the UK - it's Europe wide. So what's the current threat level and what can Europe do to make itself safer? Frank Gardner is our security correspondent and Gilles De Kerchove is the EU Counter-terrorism coordinator.

0810

Downing Street has written to the 大象传媒 and other broadcasters and criticised the negotiations over televised election debates as 'chaos', saying David Cameron will only take part in one debate. In the letter the prime ministers director of communications Craig Oliver says Mr Cameron will only appear in one debate, with at least 7 other leaders present, and only if it takes place before the campaign begins on March 30th. Downing Street is suggesting a single televised debate, sometime in the week beginning 23rd march. It would be 90 minutes long and the leaders of the Green Party, Labour, Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru, SNP and UKIP would also be invited. Lord Ashdown is chairman of Liberal Democrats election campaign.

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It鈥檚 World Book Day, where more than 14 million 拢1 book tokens will be made available to children across the country, to encourage children to read. As part of the celebrations, children at participating schools are encouraged to dress up as their favourite characters. Many parents, such as Lucy Cavendish, find the dressing up element 鈥榓n absolute nightmare鈥�. Cavendish dreads the pressure of having to create an appropriate costume, and claims many children dress up as characters with tenuous links to any literary form. Holly Smale is one of the official World Book Day authors and wrote the 鈥淕eek Girl鈥� series and Lucy Cavendish is a journalist who dreads the costume element of World Book Day.

0825

The number of anti-Semitic incidents reported in the UK reached a record high last year as people reacted to the conflict in Israel and Gaza, according to research published earlier this month. Lord Weidenfeld, who is 95 years old, emigrated to Britain in 1938 from Vienna. James Naughtie spoke to him about his life in the UK and what he has noticed about changing attitudes towards the Jewish community in that time.

0830

An inquiry into the civilian use of drones or unmanned aircraft says there鈥檚 a clear need to track them online and standardise safety. The report by a House of Lords committee was overseen by Baroness O'Cathain. It outlines a substantial growth in leisure and commercial uses like aerial photography and surveying. These drones can be toy-like or have a 40metre wing span. Baroness O'Cathain has been selected to chair the House of Lords inquiry into civil use of remotely piloted aircraft systems or drones and Dr Yoge Patel is chief executive of Blue Bear Systems which develops unmanned aircraft.

0840

It's now nearly three weeks since three teenage British girls flew to Istanbul, apparently on route to Syria to join Islamic State militants. Bethnal Green Academy pupils, Shamima Begum and Amira Abase, both 15 and Kadiza Sultana, 16 travelled to Istanbul on February 17. And are now thought to be in Syria. Our correspondent Mike Thomson has been speaking via Skype to a resident of the city of Raqqa, IS's main base in Syria who opposes the group's presence there and is part of a movement called 'Raqqa is being Slaughtered Silently鈥�.

0850

For years we've been told about the military's struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder after wars in Afghanistan and Iraq (see 0740). Dr Vanessa Lewis is the Help for Heroes Head of Psychological Wellbeing.

0855

This weekend up to 50,000 people will flock to the Country to Country festival in London for two days of live country music. Many of the headliners will probably be unknown to most Brits - acts such as Luke Bryan and the trio Lady Antebellum, both from the US - but the size of the festival suggests there is a growing appetite for country music in the UK. There are even some British country music bands taking part. Kate Mossman is arts editor for the New Statesman and Ben Earle is one half of British country duo The Shires, who are playing at the festival.

All subject to change.