Best of Today

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All episodes (121)

• 'Call of darkness' inspired Bacon

  Wed, 9 Dec 09

  Duration:
  5 mins

  Did sado-masochism play a pivotal role in artist Francis Bacon's creativity? John Richardson, an art historian who knew the artist from the 1940s, writes in the latest edition of the New York Review of Books that Mr Bacon was at his artistic best during his tumultuous relationship with George Dyer, and never recovered his previous form after Mr Dyer's suicide in 1971. John Richardson reflects on Bacon's works and life.

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• Bonus supertax 'all about politics'

  Wed, 9 Dec 09

  Duration:
  13 mins

  The Chancellor Alistair Darling will stake his government's future on tax rises for the rich to bring down a record budget deficit in today's pre-budget report (PBR). With the promised economic recovery still on hold and an election due in less than six months it is the most eagerly anticipated PBR since Gordon Brown introduced them in 1997. Robert Chote, director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, and Lionel Barber, editor of the Financial Times discuss the expected policies. Political editor Nick Robinson outlines the possible effect of the pre-budget report on Labour in the build up to the general election.

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• 100th UK Afghan death 'increases determination'

  Tue, 8 Dec 09

  Duration:
  12 mins

  Yesterday saw another grim milestone in Afghanistan: the 100th British soldier to be killed there this year. General Sir Richard Dannatt was head of the army until August this year. He has since become an adviser to the Conservatives and has granted the Today programme his first public interview since retiring.

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• Knox guilty verdict 'stuns' US

  Tue, 8 Dec 09

  Duration:
  4 mins

  The American public are angered at the guilty verdict passed on Amanda Knox for the murder of British student Meredith Kercher in Italy. Newspapers and broadcasters have been discussing the best strategies for a successful appeal for Ms Knox, who was sentenced to 26 years in prison in an Italian court last week. Correspondent Kevin Connolly reports from Washington on the reaction to the case.

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• Who is in Who's Who for 2010?

  Mon, 7 Dec 09

  Duration:
  4 mins

  The 2010 edition of Who's Who goes on sale today. Richard Fitzwilliams was the editor of International Who's Who for 16 years and says it should be more up to date.

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• 'A deal consistent with the science'

  Mon, 7 Dec 09

  Duration:
  11 mins

  Delegates from 192 countries are gathering in the Danish capital Copenhagen for the opening of the long-awaited UN summit on climate change. The conference has been described by some scientists as the most important the world has ever seen. Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband outlines the conference's aims.

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• Politicians 'want science certainty'

  Sat, 5 Dec 09

  Duration:
  10 mins

  How do you balance scientific facts with public policy? Scientists are faced with pressure to present evidence on issues of public policy, and to lobby for a particular outcome. Leaked emails from the University of East Anglia which imply that climate change data was manipulated have demonstrated the clash between politics and science. Correspondent Tom Feilden reports on the latest 'emailgate' developments, and Professor Malcolm Grant, President and Provost of UCL, discusses how far politics should rely on science.

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• Rankin 'cack-handed' with technology

  Sat, 5 Dec 09

  Duration:
  8 mins

  Do you prefer to write with a keyboard or pen? A typewriter belonging to American novelist Cormac McCarthy has sold for £150,000 at an auction in New York. The old light blue Olivetti machine was used by the novelist for 50 years, and has shocked some writers who use a computer to work. Crime writer Ian Rankin, who uses a computer, and author Philip Henshaw who writes his works with a green pen, discuss writers' implement of choice.

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• Intelligent cinema 'a casualty'

  Fri, 4 Dec 09

  Duration:
  6 mins

  Does an all-star cast make or break a movie? The film "Nine" which had its UK premiere in London last night, is notable for its long list of big name stars including Daniel Day-Lewis, Nicole Kidman, Judi Dench, Penelope Cruz, Sophia Loren, and Marion Cotillard. Oscar wining director Ken Russell and The Times' film critic James Christopher debate how far a cast-list contributes to a film's success.

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• 'The political implications of this are huge'

  Fri, 4 Dec 09

  Duration:
  13 mins

  Emails stolen from the University of East Anglia's Climate Research Unit reveal that figures on global warming were changed to exacerbate the threat. The UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has told the BBC it is taking the matter very seriously and will investigate the emails. Saudi Arabia has said that the emails will have a "huge impact" on the talks and that countries will now be unwilling to cut emissions. Environment correspondent Richard Black outlines the accusations. Philip Stott, emeritus professor of Biogeography at the University of London, and environmentalist and writer Jonathon Porritt, discuss whether the row could have the potential to derail the Copenhagen climate talks.

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• Bhopal's victims 25 years on

  Thu, 3 Dec 09

  Duration:
  6 mins

  25 years ago today the central Indian city of Bhopal awoke to the horror of the world's worst industrial disaster. 40 tons of a deadly gas had leaked from the Union Carbide pesticide plant, killing more than 8,000 people living in the poor and densely populated neighbourhoods nearby. Correspondent Allan Little reports from Bhopal and investigates how people are still trying to cope with the damage.

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• Care review's 'very mixed picture'

  Thu, 3 Dec 09

  Duration:
  12 mins

  A comprehensive account of adult care services by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) is published today. The CQC identified eight councils where services are in urgent need of improvement - Poole, Cornwall, Solihull, Surrey, South Tyneside, Southwark, Peterborough and Bromley. With an increase in the number of elderly people in care homes, or receiving care at home, the quality of social care is urgent. 'Pamela', who is campaigning for better standards in care reflects on her experiences, and Baroness Young, chair of the CQC, discusses the report.

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• 'Too late to worry' about Afghan cost

  Wed, 2 Dec 09

  Duration:
  13 mins

  President Obama has announced that he will send another 30,000 troops to Afghanistan, taking the total number of US troops in the country to more than 100,000. The president warned that America's commitment was not open-ended and that the military would start withdrawing in 2011 and urged other Nato countries to do more. Britain confirmed this week that it would send another 500 troops, taking its total deployment to 10,000. Chief of the Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshall Sir Jock Stirrup, discusses the military's reaction to President Obama's exit strategy and political editor Nick Robinson comments on the UK's Afghan policy.

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• Sri Lanka tsunami recovery 'remarkable'

  Wed, 2 Dec 09

  Duration:
  4 mins

  Former cricketer Sir Ian Botham is visiting Sri Lanka five years after the tsunami. Sir Ian outlines how sport has helped the island's communities to recover from the disaster.

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• The agricultural impact of conflict

  Tue, 1 Dec 09

  Duration:
  4 mins

  Olive trees across the West Bank provide a livelihood to Palestinian farmers. But many olive groves lie close to Jewish settlements and for years there have been attacks on Palestinian trees. An Israeli human rights group says complaints of damage to thousands of trees are failing to result in charges. Correspondent Bethany Bell reports from the West Bank.

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• 'Regions key to Afghan success'

  Tue, 1 Dec 09

  Duration:
  11 mins

  Western powers are increasing their offensive in Afghanistan. President Obama is set to make his long awaited speech on US strategy in Afghanistan, where it is expected he will send up to 35,000 more US forces. Yesterday Gordon Brown announced 500 more British troops would be sent to the region. Foreign Secretary David Miliband, and Michael Clarke, Director of the Royal United Services Institute, discuss Afghan policy.

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• The Royal Society puts historic papers online

  Mon, 30 Nov 09

  Duration:
  5 mins

  The Royal Society celebrates its 350th anniversary next year, launching a new website featuring some of the most exciting and influential discoveries published in its journals from Isaac Newton's explanation of the rainbow to Crick and Watson's description of the structure of DNA. Our science correspondent Tom Feilden reports on the fascinating archive.

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• 'A lot of people are living in a fools paradise'

  Mon, 30 Nov 09

  Duration:
  10 mins

  Share prices have fallen sharply in the United Arab Emirates, as investors react to the debt crisis in Dubai. Economics correspondent Stephanie Flanders, Sir Howard Davies, Director of the London School of Economics and Terry Smith, chief executive of the money brokers Tullett Prebon, debate the future of the Emirate's economy.

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• What makes bad sex in literature?

  Sat, 28 Nov 09

  Duration:
  5 mins

  The winner of the Bad Sex in Fiction awards will be announced on Monday. The annual awards, now in their 17th year, celebrate the most embarrassing passage of sexual description in a literary novel from the last 12 months. Although last years winner was a women, Rachel Johnson, the shortlist this year suggest that the serial offenders are male novelists of a certain age. Authors Lionel Shriver and Howard Jacobsen discuss what makes a cringe-worthy prose.

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• Commons 'will bury Chilcot report'

  Sat, 28 Nov 09

  Duration:
  7 mins

  What has been learnt from the first week of the Chilcot inquiry into the Iraq war? Guardian columnist Simon Jenkins likened the inquiry to a circus. Mr Jenkins and Peter Hennessy, Whitehall historian, discuss whether the inquiry will have any affect.

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• How to solve a cryptic crossword

  Fri, 27 Nov 09

  Duration:
  6 mins

  How do you complete a cryptic crossword? A new book published today provides tips and pointers for answering the clues. Colin Dexter, author of the book and creator of Inspector Morse, and Sandy Balfour, author of Clue to our Lives: 80 years of the Guardian Cryptic Crossword, discuss how best to approach a crossword's cryptic teasers.

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• NHS ratings 'can be misleading'

  Fri, 27 Nov 09

  Duration:
  15 mins

  A taskforce is being sent to Basildon and Thurrock NHS trust after Care Quality Commission inspectors identified serious concerns in emergency care, hygiene and cleanliness. The Trust, which has a mortality rate a third higher than the national average, was rated as "good" on quality of service in the CQC's 2008/09 assessment and marked "excellent" for its financial management. Martina Davies, a former patient at the hospital, comments on her experience of care. Sir Brian Jarman, of Imperial College, who was involved in the inquiry into the deaths of heart patients at the Bristol Royal Infirmary, and Baroness Young, chair of the Care Quality Commission, discuss hospital morality rates.

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• Iran's youthful opposition

  Thu, 26 Nov 09

  Duration:
  5 mins

  Mohsen Makhmalbaf, Iranian filmmaker and overseas spokesman for Iranian presidential candidate Mir-Hossein Mousavi, is in London to receive the 2009 Freedom to Create Prize. He was presented with the award last night and has dedicated it to Grand Ayatollah Montazeri who has become the spiritual leader of the Iranian opposition. Mr Makhmalbaf discusses the support for the opposition movement.

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• Water price cuts 'could stop leak programmes'

  Thu, 26 Nov 09

  Duration:
  8 mins

  Water companies and industry regulator Ofwat are engaged in discussions over the future pricing of water. Ofwat advise that bills should be reduced by 2015, but water companies insist bills need to rise to pay for improvements and repairs, warning that jobs will be lost. Business presenter Adam Shaw examines the discussions and Pamela Taylor, chief executive of Water UK, discusses water pricing.

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• Scots' independence hopes 'flatlining'

  Wed, 25 Nov 09

  Duration:
  8 mins

  Early next week, on St Andrew's Day, Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond will unveil a white paper for a Referendum Bill on Independence. He hopes it will be the first step towards an independent Scotland. In the first of two reports, Today presenter James Naughtie examines how the recession has coloured the debate about Scottish secession from the UK.

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• Banks 'came close to meltdown'

  Wed, 25 Nov 09

  Duration:
  12 mins

  The Bank of England has revealed for the first time that it lent Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and HBOS £61.6bn in emergency funding during the banking crisis last year. The huge sum is four times the value of the National Grid, and was kept hidden from the public. Treasury Minister Lord Myners discusses the secret loan, and chief economics correspondent Hugh Pym comments on the implications for the financial system.

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• Iraq inquiry should provide 'full answers'

  Tue, 24 Nov 09

  Duration:
  13 mins

  The inquiry into the legality of the Iraq war is to start hearing evident from senior government figures today. After four previous inquiries into different aspects of the war, Sir John Chilcot, the retired civil servant heading the inquiry has promised it will not be a whitewash. Security correspondent Gordon Corera outlines the aims of the inquiry. Lord Falconer, former Lord Chancellor and close friend of Tony Blair, and Michael Howard, leader of the opposition at the time of the war, debate the legality of the war.

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• Trial 'felt like continued abuse'

  Tue, 24 Nov 09

  Duration:
  4 mins

  Should young children ever be cross-examined in court? More than 1000 children under the age of 10 appeared in trials as witnesses, in England and Wales last year. The youngest child was four, the victim of a rape by the man convicted of causing the death of Baby Peter in Haringey, who gave evidence live via a video link. Reporter Angus Crawford spoke to a mother and a daughter about the trial process.

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• Northern Ireland dissident threat 'deeply personal'

  Mon, 23 Nov 09

  Duration:
  11 mins

  There are fears of an upsurge in violence in Northern Ireland, after an attempt to blow up the headquarters of the policing board in Belfast. Police say dissident republicans left a car bomb outside the building. It is thought only the detonator exploded. Five men have now been arrested, after an exchange of gunfire with police in Fermanagh last night. Sinn Fein member Gerry Kelly discusses his reaction to the violence.

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• Great Escape Plot

  Mon, 23 Nov 09

  Duration:
  4 mins

  An account of life at Stalug Luft III, the prisoner of war camp from which the Great Escape took place, have emerged thanks to diaries written by an RAF officer held there. Flt Lt Ted Nestor was a navigator who was held in the camp for 18 months after being shot down in 1943. His journal includes stories of camp life, cartoons and even a coded reference to the mass breakout. The story is told tonight on BBC One's Inside Out North West programme. The story is told tonight on BBC1's Inside Out North West programme. Presenter Andy Johnson reveals how the diaries came to light.

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• 'Like a war town'

  Sat, 21 Nov 09

  Duration:
  8 mins

  Severe flooding in parts of the UK has destroyed homes and livelihoods. Reporter Nicola Stanbridge visited the hardest hit town, Cockermouth, to see how people are coping.

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• Budget shops 'opportunistic'

  Sat, 21 Nov 09

  Duration:
  7 mins

  Discount store Poundland is to open its 250th store today. The bargain chain has flourished while many of its competitors, such as Woolworths, have faced financial ruin. Today presenter Evan Davis reports on the bargain chain's appeal, and Robert Clarke, retail analyst at Retail Knowledge Bank, comments on the company's success.

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• Vintage Agatha Christie story released

  Fri, 20 Nov 09

  Duration:
  4 mins

  A newly-discovered story by crime writer Agatha Christie is to be released in the United States. The short piece, The Incident of the Dog's Ball, was found in the crime author's papers when she died. Crime writer Harry Keating, and managing editor of Strand Magazine, Andrew Gulli, discuss the work.

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• Ashton appointment 'not a fudge'

  Fri, 20 Nov 09

  Duration:
  9 mins

  Belgian Prime Minister Herman Von Rompoy and Lady Cathy Ashton have been elected for the new top positions to represent the European Union on the world stage. The appointments have been seen in Brussels as an end to the accretion of power to the EU, with stronger candidates for the roles being overlooked. Lady Ashton discusses her new role.

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• Cameron: Queen's Speech 'unravelling'

  Thu, 19 Nov 09

  Duration:
  6 mins

  The Conservative party have criticised the Queens speech, accusing the government of using it as a "Labour press release on Palace parchment". The party condemned the government for failing to include legislation to tackle MPs' expenses and NHS reform, and Tory peer Lord Strathclyde has threatened to block the proposed bills. David Cameron, leader of the Conservative party, discusses his response to the Queen's speech.

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• Yes Minister in the Ukraine

  Thu, 19 Nov 09

  Duration:
  6 mins

  The classic BBC comedy, Yes Minister, is to be reworked for audiences in the Ukraine. The satirical sitcom, which will celebrate its 30th anniversary next year, has become an international phenomenon and is enjoyed in Turkey, India and Holland. Sir Antony Jay, co-writer of Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister, and Andrey Kurkov, a Ukrainian writer and satirist, reflect on the programme's popularity.

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• 'It will be for the public to judge'

  Wed, 18 Nov 09

  Duration:
  15 mins

  The Labour party is set to deliver proposals for its election manifesto in the Queens Speech, the last before the general election. Among the bills being considered are the provision of free personal care for thousands in England, and the limiting of banker bonuses. Political editor Nick Robinson comments on the upcoming speech, and Business Secretary Lord Mandelson discusses his party's policies.

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• Osama Bin Laden's son 'normal'

  Wed, 18 Nov 09

  Duration:
  5 mins

  What is it like to have Osama Bin Laden as your father? New book Growing Up Osama describes the upbringing of Omer and his mother, who fled from his father during the Afghan war. Author Jean Sasson discusses the book.

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• 'China is not a global superpower'

  Tue, 17 Nov 09

  Duration:
  9 mins

  President Obama has been meeting China's leaders in attempts to seek closer co-operation and trust. China's growing political, economic and military powers are raising concerns in the West. Jonathan Fenby, China director at the Research Service Trusted Sources, and China expert Dr Stephen Tsang, examine the US's relationship with China.

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• Tory candidate 'dictators'

  Tue, 17 Nov 09

  Duration:
  6 mins

  A Tory parliamentary candidate has fought off a de-selection vote, over revelations of an affair. Liz Truss kept her Norfolk constituency association seat by a comfortable margin. The association were not informed of the affair, despite Westminster knowing of it, exposing tensions between the 'Turnip Taliban' and the 'Notting Hill set' within the Tory party. John Strafford, chairman of the Campaign for Conservative Democracy, and Eric Pickles, chairman of the Conservative Party, discuss the implications for the reputation of the Conservative party.

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• Financial regulation 'has broken down'

  Mon, 16 Nov 09

  Duration:
  8 mins

  The Queen's Speech will be listened to with particular care by bankers who are to learn what the government intends to do to limit their pay. Reforms announced in the speech will give regulators the power to stop bankers from pocketing big bonuses that could destabilize the financial system. Former Chairman of RBS Sir George Mathewson and chairman of the Treasury Select Committee John McFall discuss the proposals.

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• Australian migrant 'hell hole'

  Mon, 16 Nov 09

  Duration:
  8 mins

  Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has apologised for the hardship and institutionalised abuse suffered by thousands of British children who were sent to the country up until the 1970s with the promise of a new life. Sydney correspondent Nick Bryant reports on the apology and child migrant John Hennessy describes the terrible treatment he faced when he arrived in Australia.

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• Neurons ready...go

  Sat, 14 Nov 09

  Duration:
  5 mins

  The World Memory Championships are taking place in London. Contestants have to memorise long streams of numbers or the sequence of 35 entire decks of cards. Reporter Sanchia Berg went along to speak the world's top brain athletes.

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• 'No evidence' of endemic abuse in UK forces

  Sat, 14 Nov 09

  Duration:
  8 mins

  The Ministry of Defence has said it is investigating 33 new allegations of abuse by the UK military in Iraq. Armed Forces minister Bill Rammell said the claims were being taken "with the utmost seriousness".

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• British Pakistanis on the media

  Fri, 13 Nov 09

  Duration:
  5 mins

  Are young people turning to Islamic, Pakistani, Middle Eastern channels in Britain for news on their loved ones and events in Pakistan? Zubeida Malik spoke to British Pakistanis.

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• 'A lot more to do' in Afghanistan

  Fri, 13 Nov 09

  Duration:
  22 mins

  Gordon Brown's leadership has been dictated by the war in Afghanistan. 232 British lives have been lost, the majority under his government. Public opinion is mounting against continued British presence in Afghanistan, and the Obama administration's position on the war is undecided. Gordon Brown discusses the future of his Afghanistan policy.

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• Is shorthand a dying skill?

  Thu, 12 Nov 09

  Duration:
  4 mins

  The use of shorthand has long been an important journalistic tool, but the growing use of recording devices is threatening the skill. Kim Fletcher, chairman of the National Council for the Training of Journalists, comments on the future of shorthand, and Today presenter John Humphrys tests his shorthand skills.

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• New nursing rules 'will add skills to compassion'

  Thu, 12 Nov 09

  Duration:
  7 mins

  All new nurses in England will need to have a degree from 2013. The minimum level for pre-registration courses will be raised from diploma to degree level, making nurses better equipped to improve the quality of patient care. Chief nursing officer Christine Beasley, and Gail Adams, head of nursing at trade union Unison, discuss the implications of increasing the educational level of nurses.

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• Tories outline DNA profile policy

  Wed, 11 Nov 09

  Duration:
  10 mins

  The DNA profiles of innocent people arrested in England and Wales will be kept for six years and not indefinitely under new government proposals. The changes will be put before the European Court of Human Rights, which had ruled the current policy unlawful. Police have defended the system, which it says has led to the solving of crimes, but human rights groups are unhappy with the compromise. Julie Bindel from the campaign group Justice for Women and the shadow home secretary Chris Grayling debate the DNA policy.

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• Bosnia's 'heightened tensions'

  Wed, 11 Nov 09

  Duration:
  8 mins

  Bosnian leaders are meeting tomorrow to try and resolve long-standing divisions which many fear could lead to a new civil war. Correspondent Edward Stourton reports from the Bosnian Serb town of Banja Luka.

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• Crime: Worse in the UK or Baltimore?

  Tue, 10 Nov 09

  Duration:
  6 mins

  How dangerous are Britain's streets? In a speech in August the Shadow home secretary, Christopher Grayling, claimed that "The Wire used to be just a work of fiction for British viewers. But under this government, in many parts of British cities, The Wire has become a part of real life in this country too. Far too many of those features of what we have always seen as a US phenomenon are now to be found on the streets of Britain as well". To put Mr Grayling's words to the test the Independent have swapped their crime correspondent for that of the Baltimore Sun. The Independent's Mark Hughes and The Baltimore Sun's Justin Fenton comment on their experiences.

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• Tories 'will look at causes of poverty'

  Tue, 10 Nov 09

  Duration:
  12 mins

  David Cameron has long accused Labour, and what he describes as "big government", of failing the poor. Today he will set out his party's policies to combat poverty and reform the welfare system. Mr Cameron will say the government is guilty of a moral failure, creating a welfare system that tells young girls having children before finding work and a loving relationship means a home and cash. Shadow secretary for work and pension Theresa May, and Work and Pensions Secretary Yvette Cooper debate their party's poverty policies. Political editor Nick Robinson comments on the changes to the Conservative's welfare plans.

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• Afghan soldier: 'I'm happy to go back'

  Mon, 9 Nov 09

  Duration:
  11 mins

  We spend a lot of time talking to politicians about the strategy in Afghanistan, but we spend very little time talking to the people who are sent there to fight. Captain Andrew Tiernan of the Grenadier Guards, who came back from Afghanistan on leave on Friday and will be back there next week, gives his insights into the conflict.

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• Good parenting is 'experiential'

  Mon, 9 Nov 09

  Duration:
  8 mins

  What approach to parenting works best? The Demos think tank are giving their advice on parenting - saying both warmth and discipline builds a good character in children. The report suggests children of married couples and wealthier backgrounds also tend to fare better. Co-author of the report Richard Reeves and Camila Batmanghelidjh of charity Kids Company, discuss the report.

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• Jan Morris's 'glimpses of people'

  Sat, 7 Nov 09

  Duration:
  5 mins

  Travel writer Jan Morris has changed tack for her latest book, by writing about people instead of the places she visits. Miss Morris comments on her latest travels.

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• UK 'is real frontline' in terrorism fight

  Sat, 7 Nov 09

  Duration:
  7 mins

  Britain's presence in Afghanistan has been seriously questioned this week following the deaths of seven army personnel, and calls from former junior Foreign Office minister Kim Howells MP to withdraw all troops from the country. Prime Minister Gordon Brown yesterday defended Britain's continued presence, saying that troops there are "our first line of defence" against terrorist attacks on British streets. Shadow security minister Baroness Pauline Neville Jones and the chairman of the Royal United Services Institute, Sir Paul Lever, debate the government's Afghan policy and whether the fight against Islamic extremism should be concentrated at home or abroad.

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• Today:'Rude, whimsical and late'

  Fri, 6 Nov 09

  Duration:
  5 mins

  A selection of unpublished letters sent to the Telegraph is being released. Am I Alone in thinking? is a collection of some of the letters sent the the newspaper that were not appropriate for publication. Deputy head of the Telegraph letters page, Iain Hollingshead, and author Robert Popper, comment on the letters.

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• RBS recovery 'a marathon not a sprint'

  Fri, 6 Nov 09

  Duration:
  9 mins

  RBS has made a loss in the last quarter, despite the government pumping billions of pounds into the failing bank. Profitable parts of the bank will have to be sold off under news measures imposed by EU competition commissioner Neelie Kroes. RBS chief executive Stephen Hester discusses the bank's future.

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• 'Nerves miraculously disappear'

  Fri, 6 Nov 09

  Duration:
  4 mins

  What is it like for the soldiers on the front line in Afghanistan? Major Richard Streatfeild has been keeping a diary for the Today programme as he leads his troops in the Sangin Valley, which has seen some of the heaviest fighting in the war. The latest instalment describes how his first patrol was hit by an roadside bomb.

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• Afghan police are 'undisciplined, badly trained and corrupt'

  Thu, 5 Nov 09

  Duration:
  13 mins

  The killing of five British soldiers in Afghanistan by a police officer has raised questions over security progress in the country. The British army has been training Afghan security and police forces to enforce the rule of law for the long-term future of the country. Mark Grant-Jones, padre with 2 Rifles Battle Group, and Mark Christian a padre serving with British soldiers in Helmand, comment on the implications of the killings on the British cause in Afghanistan, and Afghan journalist Nadene Ghouri discusses the Afghan reaction to the incident.

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• Russia's admiration for Stalin

  Thu, 5 Nov 09

  Duration:
  5 mins

  Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev has made an unusually outspoken condemnation of attempts to rehabilitate the reputation of Joseph Stalin. In a message posted on his blog President Medvedev called on people to remember the "millions who died because of Stalin's terror". Last year, in a nation wide television poll to name the greatest Russian ever, Joseph Stalin came third. Moscow correspondent Rupert Wingfield Hayes reports on how Russians view their former leader.

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• Five British troops die in 'rogue' attack

  Wed, 4 Nov 09

  Duration:
  7 mins

  Five British soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan after a policeman they were training opened gunfire. Defence correspondent Caroline Wyatt reports on the latest in the incident.

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• Is Obama losing his charm

  Wed, 4 Nov 09

  Duration:
  4 mins

  It is the first anniversary of Barack Obama's victory in the US presidential elections. But in the intervening year, the Democrats have lost gubernatorial seats in both Virginia and New Jersey to the Republicans. The Republican's chairman, Michael Steele, says the results are a rejection of President Obama's reckless spending, and what he calls "the far-left policies that are hurting our nation." North America editor Mark Mardell examines President Obama's popularity a year after his election.

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• Does the US still want Obama?

  Tue, 3 Nov 09

  Duration:
  5 mins

  The first anniversary of President Obama's election takes place tomorrow. A year after his election, Washington correspondent Kevin Connolly went to Colorado to talk to some of President Obama's supporters, to see if they are happy with his presidency.

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• Bank shake-up creates 'more competition'

  Tue, 3 Nov 09

  Duration:
  14 mins

  New plans for a big shake up of banks have been announced. Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Banking Group are to sell off a large number of their branches after the European Commission demanded that banks bailed-out by taxpayers should be scaled down. The changes will, it is hoped, ensure there is more competition for loans and mortgages in the banking industry. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling, outlines the banking reforms.

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• Tall tale from storyteller laureate

  Mon, 2 Nov 09

  Duration:
  6 mins

  Are you sitting comfortably? Then we'll begin. Britain is to have its first laureate for storytelling. The new post is being filled by Taffy Thomas, who discusses his repertoire of 300 stories culled from oral sources as a professional story teller for the past 30 years.

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• Clarke: Brown 'error' led to drug row

  Mon, 2 Nov 09

  Duration:
  12 mins

  The Home Secretary Alan Johnson is coming under pressure to make a Commons statement following his sacking of the chair of the Advisory Council on the misuse of drugs Professor David Nutt. But what is the correct relationship between scientific advisors and policy makers? Former home secretary Charles Clarke, home affairs editor Mark Easton and political editor Nick Robinson analyse the issue.

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• Colonel's Iraq warning leaked

  Sat, 31 Oct 09

  Duration:
  9 mins

  The most senior British officer to be killed in Afghanistan Rupert Thorneloe, who commanded the 1st Battalion, Welsh Guards, had warned about the risks posed to his troops by a shortage of helicopters. It has emerged that Lt Col Thorneloe, killed by a roadside bomb in July, had written to the Ministry of Defence (MoD) warning that a lack of helicopters meant that too many trips were being made by road, leaving forces vulnerable to improvised explosive devices. The memos were leaked by an official to the Conservative MP and former officer Adam Holloway. Mr Holloway and Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, Chief of the Defence Staff, examine the quality of the MoD's resources.

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• 'Take drug laws out of party politics'

  Sat, 31 Oct 09

  Duration:
  10 mins

  The government's chief drug adviser has been sacked after claiming cannabis, ecstasy and LSD are less dangerous than alcohol and cigarettes. Professor David Nutt, chairman of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, responded by lashing out at the government's "Luddite" attitude to science. Professor Nutt, and the government's former chief scientific adviser Sir David King, discuss the relationship between the government and its advisers.

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• What makes a hero?

  Fri, 30 Oct 09

  Duration:
  6 mins

  What is the nature of heroism? Captain Sully Sullenberger has been hailed a hero for safely landing 155 passengers and crew on the Hudson River but is he a hero, or simply showing courage while doing a job he was trained for? Alexandra Shackleton, grand-daughter of the explorer Ernest Shackleton and the Evening Standard's defence correspondent Robert Fox discuss what makes a hero.

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• Kaminski 'today against anti-semitism'

  Fri, 30 Oct 09

  Duration:
  14 mins

  A wartime massacre in the Polish town of Jedwabne came the centre of debate between Foreign Secretary David Miliband and shadow foreign secretary William Hague on the Today programme yesterday. The argument centred on the views of Polish MEP Michal Kaminski, leader of a new group in the European Parliament, which includes Tory MEPs. The Foreign Secretary claimed that Mr Kaminski is an anti-semite, and cited the Chief Rabbi of Poland and Mr Kaminski's controversial statements on Jedwabne, in support of his argument. A subsequent statement from the Rabbi appears to support the Tories' claim that Mr Kaminski is not a racist. The Chief Rabbi of Poland discusses the argument and clarifies his views, and political editor Nick Robinson comments on the Conservative's policy in Europe.

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• Miliband and Hague clash over Blair EU role

  Thu, 29 Oct 09

  Duration:
  19 mins

  European Union leaders are meeting in Brussels to discuss a wide ranging agenda, from climate change to the economy. Foreign Secretary David Miliband and shadow foreign secretary William Hague discuss the EU summit's agenda.

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• Inside the life of the Coen Brothers

  Thu, 29 Oct 09

  Duration:
  7 mins

  The Coen brothers are among America's most prolific and inventive film directors, and are releasing a new film in November. A Serious Man will join the brothers' long list of successes, which include the Oscar winners Fargo and No country for Old Men, to Raising Arizona, Barton Fink and Blood Simple. The new film tells the story of the unbearable pressures on a Jewish academic in the mid-west in the sixties. Evan Davis spoke to Joel and Ethan Coen about their new movie, and whether the film was true to their own Jewish upbringing in the American Midwest.

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• Nimrod review to be published

  Wed, 28 Oct 09

  Duration:
  5 mins

  On 2 September 2006 an RAF Nimrod aircraft exploded in the air over Afghanistan due to a fuel leak. All 14 servicemen on board were killed. A coroner's inquest called for the entire fleet to be grounded. The then defence secretary, Des Browne, apologised for failings on the part of the Ministry of Defence and the Royal Air Force and set up an independent review to be headed by Charles Haddon-Cave QC, which is published today. Reporter Angus Stickler has been speaking to a relative of one of the men who died in the incident.

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• MPs 'might baulk' at new mortgage rules

  Wed, 28 Oct 09

  Duration:
  6 mins

  The BBC understands that the review of MPs' allowances will recommend a number of measures to reform the current system. MPs will no longer be able to employ family members on the parliamentary payroll and will be banned from claiming expenses for mortgages for their second homes. And MPs who represent constituencies within a reasonable distance of London will no longer be able to claim expenses for a second home. The changes will be phased in over five years. Labour MP Sir Stuart Bell, who is on the Members' Estimates Committee, discusses how MPs have reacted to the expenses review's recommendations.

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• English as it might have been spoken

  Tue, 27 Oct 09

  Duration:
  5 mins

  A new book has been published that examines into our language might have changed if King Harold had defeated William the Conquerer at the battle of Hastings. David Cowley, author of How We'd Talk If The English Had Won In 1066, and Professor Clive Upton, head of modern English at the University of Leeds discuss how the battle affected the English language.

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• Women 'catapulted into the turmoil'

  Tue, 27 Oct 09

  Duration:
  11 mins

  More babies with Down's syndrome are being aborted. The number of women deciding on abortion after being told their child has the condition is three times higher than it was 20 years ago. Reporter Nicola Stanbridge met one mother who had a positive test result and decided against having an abortion. Rob Llewellyn, consultant obstetrician in Swansea and Carol Boys, chief executive of the Down's Syndrome Association, discuss why more women are choosing to abort their babies with the syndrome.

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• Warren Buffett 26 Oct 09

  Mon, 26 Oct 09

  Duration:
  11 mins

  Warren Buffett is the world's most successful investor. He was the richest man on the planet last year, and is number two this. Evan Davis met Warren Buffett and discussed the investor's success and the role the rich play in society.

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• 0810 Twin Baghdad blasts 26 Oct 09

  Mon, 26 Oct 09

  Duration:
  8 mins

  A double suicide bomb attack in Baghdad has killed at least 132 people. Gabriel Gatehouse reports on the aftermath of the attacks and Saad Yussuf al Mutalibi, international affairs director at Iraq's Ministry of Dialogue and Reconciliation, reflects on whether the attacks will lead to a change in the US military's withdrawal strategy.

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• 'Wildlife corridor of the countryside'

  Sat, 24 Oct 09

  Duration:
  3 mins

  The ancient craft of maintaining hedges is being celebrated today at the National Hedgelaying Championships in Herefordshire. More than 130 competitors will be participating. Nigel Adams, deputy chairman of the National Hedgelaying Society, discusses the historical importance of hedging.

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• 'Rome should not treat CofE as junior partner'

  Sat, 24 Oct 09

  Duration:
  4 mins

  Lord Carey, former Archbishop of Canterbury, has criticised the Pope's announcement to welcome to the Catholic Church those from the Anglo-Catholic wing of the Church of England. Lord Carey discusses his views.

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• Griffin 'still has questions to answer'

  Fri, 23 Oct 09

  Duration:
  12 mins

  Several hundred people protested outside the BBC's Television Centre against BNP leader Nick Griffin's appearance on Question Time. While many have criticised the BBC for allowing the BNP to appear on the programme, others have praised the BBC. The morning after, how did the leader of the British National Party Nick Griffin perform? David Aaronovitch, columnist for the Times, and Kelvin Mackenzie, former editor of The Sun, examine who won the won the debate.

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• Is it time for a change in time?

  Fri, 23 Oct 09

  Duration:
  5 mins

  The clocks go back this Sunday and there are the usual complaints that the move only benefits Scottish farmers. Historian Sir Alistair Horne has been arguing that, with devolution and increasing Scottish powers to make their own legislation, Scotland should have its own time zone. Sir Alistair discusses his suggestions.

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• Tories 'have met potential Royal Mail bidders'

  Thu, 22 Oct 09

  Duration:
  14 mins

  Workers at Royal Mail have begun a two-day strike after talks between the company and the Communication Workers Union (CWU) over broke down. It is the first nationwide strike in two years, with more dates expected to be announced. Correspondent Nick Ravenscroft reports from a business that has been badly affected by the strike action, and the CWU's general secretary Billy Hayes and shadow business secretary Kenneth Clarke, discuss the future of Royal Mail.

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• The BBC's Mike Wooldridge reports from Ethiopia on the impact of a new famine

  Thu, 22 Oct 09

  Duration:
  8 mins

  It is 25 years since the world learned of the terrible famine in Ethiopia. Michael Buerk's television news reports were the inspiration for Bob Geldof and Live Aid and all those pledges that it would never be allowed to happen again. But our reporter Mike Wooldridge had actually broken the story of the famine on this programme 48 hours earlier and he's been back to Ethiopia to find that it is happening again.

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• Skin-deep struggle

  Wed, 21 Oct 09

  Duration:
  5 mins

  One of the most extraordinary books ever written about relations between the races is being published to mark Black History Month. Black Like Me tells the story of how the white American writer John Howard Griffin took drugs to darken his skin and then embarked on a dangerous journey through the then-segregated Deep South of the United States, exactly 50 years ago. Correspondent Kevin Connolly has been reflecting on the book's impact.

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• Miliband: Afghan election run-off 'can be credible'

  Wed, 21 Oct 09

  Duration:
  11 mins

  Afghanistan will hold a deciding round of its presidential poll on 7 November, pitting Hamid Karzai against his rival Abdullah Abdullah. News of the run-off vote came a day after a UN-backed panel said it had clear evidence of fraud in August's first round, lowering Mr Karzai's vote share below 50%. Mr Karzai told a news conference that he accepted the findings, adding they were a "step forward" for democracy. Foreign Secretary David Miliband discusses whether a second election will be more democratic than the first.

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• Unsung war hero 'deserved VC'

  Tue, 20 Oct 09

  Duration:
  8 mins

  Freddie Spencer Chapman is one of the greatest unknown war heroes. Mr Chapman spent three years of World War II living behind enemy lines in Malaya, attacking Japanese soldiers. He took field notes on birds, and picked up seeds to send to Kew Gardens. Lord Mountbatten recommended Mr Chapman for a Victoria Cross, but without success. Brian Moynahan, former Sunday Times correspondent and author of Jungle Soldier: The True Story of Freddy Spencer Chapman, and the principal historian at the Imperial War Museum, Nigel Steel, comment on Mr Chapman's life and importance of his work.

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• 'Horror' over prisoner transfer revelations

  Tue, 20 Oct 09

  Duration:
  6 mins

  Five senior prison managers are facing serious disciplinary charges after vulnerable inmates were transferred between two jails in London to manipulate inspections. The inmates were transferred between Pentonville and Wandsworth prisons for the duration of the inspections. Two prisoners at Wandsworth prison self-harmed as a consequence of the move. Phil Wheatley, director-general of the National Offender Management Service, examines the report's accusations and the impact on prisoners.

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• 0845 Jensen Button 19 Oct 09

  Mon, 19 Oct 09

  Duration:
  3 mins

  Jenson Button sealed the F1 drivers' championship yesterday with a sublime recovery drive at a dramatic Brazilian Grand Prix won by Red Bull's Mark Webber. Commentator Murray Walker discusses Button's championship victory.

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• 0810 FSA announces new rules 19 Oct 09

  Mon, 19 Oct 09

  Duration:
  13 mins

  New rules to ensure that mortgages are only given to people who can afford the repayments are due to be announced by the banking regulator the Financial Services Authority (FSA). Economics editor Stephanie Flanders discusses the implications of this announcement and Hector Sants, chief executive of the FSA, outlines their findings.

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• Murderer 'is known by everybody'

  Sat, 17 Oct 09

  Duration:
  5 mins

  Police in the American state of Indiana have reopened a 23 year-old murder enquiry after a novelist wrote about the case. Author Thomas Crowell spent three years conducting his own amateur investigation into the cold case of Brandie Peltz, who was found strangled in a small farming community. The book's success has reopened old wounds. Reporter Jack Izzard examines the unsolved case.

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• Afghan government 'would collapse' without US and UK help

  Sat, 17 Oct 09

  Duration:
  5 mins

  An independent panel backed by the UN is announcing the results of the disputed presidential election in Afghanistan. The elections were riddled with allegations of vote fraud. The panel's decision could trigger a run-off election between President Hamid Karzai and his main challenger, Abdullah Adbullah. Associated Press reporter, Jason Straziuso, discusses the implications of a second presidential election on security in Afghanistan.

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• The future of America's cowboys

  Fri, 16 Oct 09

  Duration:
  5 mins

  Ranchers in America's northern mid-west are facing tough times. The high price of feed and low prices for cattle is making their lives, and the future of the cowboys who manage the cattle, uncertain. Correspondent Kevin Connolly, went to Medora North Dakota, an old frontier town turned tourist attraction to see what the future holds.

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• Primary education is 'too narrow'

  Fri, 16 Oct 09

  Duration:
  9 mins

  The biggest review of primary school teaching in England in 40 years says children should not begin formal learning until they reach the age of six. "Children, their world, their education" took three years to compile and concludes that pupils are taught too narrowly, with too much emphasis on the basics of Maths and English. Professor Robin Alexander, the lead author of the report, explains its findings.

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• Glaswegian translated

  Thu, 15 Oct 09

  Duration:
  5 mins

  A translation company in Scotland has advertised for Glaswegian interpreters to help business clients who are struggling to understand the local dialect. The firm says it is looking for speakers of what it describes as "Glaswegian English". The advertisement in The Herald newspaper produced a flood of applications. Jurga Zilinskiene, CEO of Today Translations who are recruiting Glaswegian interpreters and Glaswegian actor Bill Patterson, discuss the dialect.

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• Lahore attacks leave many dead

  Thu, 15 Oct 09

  Duration:
  7 mins

  Pakistani authorities say that at least 18 people have been killed after a police station and two training academies in Lahore were attacked by gunmen. There has been an upsurge in violence in Pakistan in recent weeks, as the Pakistani army prepares to launch an offensive against the Taliban in the country's South Waziristan tribal region. Danyal Hasan from Dawn News in Pakistan and the BBC's Islamabad correspondent, Aleem Maqbool, report on the attacks.

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• Mussolini's British support

  Wed, 14 Oct 09

  Duration:
  4 mins

  New evidence reveals how Benito Mussolini came into politics. It appears he was helped by the British. Dr Peter Martland of Cambridge University, has been doing some digging into the Italian dictator's early career.

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• Harman: Commons 'will sort out' MPs' expenses

  Wed, 14 Oct 09

  Duration:
  15 mins

  The development of the expenses scandal has damaged the reputation of MPs and political institutions. Despite threats from the party leaders, many MPs are still refusing to admit they may have been greedy and pay back what the auditor Sir Thomas Legg says they should pay back. Deputy political editor James Landale, and the Leader of the House of Commons, Harriet Harman, examine the anger felt by MPs and what parliament needs to do to bring the affair to a conclusion.

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• Books 'are fluid and malleable'

  Tue, 13 Oct 09

  Duration:
  7 mins

  Kane and Abel was Jeffrey Archer's breakthrough novel, selling 30 million copies and being translated into 37 languages. Published 30 years ago, Lord Archer has now "re-crafted" the novel. Many literary figures have gone back and tinkered with their works including Henry James and Samuel Richardson. Lord Archer and John Sutherland, Professor of Modern English Literature at University College, London, discuss why authors like to reconstruct their works.

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• MPs' 'grievance' over expenses letters

  Tue, 13 Oct 09

  Duration:
  19 mins

  Today has been struggling to find MPs to discuss the letters they have received about their expenses. Reporter Jack Izzard went to the Huntingdon constituency of the Conservative MP Jonathon Djanogly, who did not break the rules but has volunteered to pay back £25,000, to see if his constituents have any sympathy for MPs. Labour MP Sir Stuart Bell, a member of the committee that deals with MPs' pay and allowances, examines whether the repayments will go some way to appeasing voters.

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• Is it really 'grim up North'?

  Mon, 12 Oct 09

  Duration:
  6 mins

  "The north" was once populated by pinch-faced men with cloth caps and whippets whose diet consisted of dripping sandwiches: or so legend has it. The Guardian's Martin Wainwright, who has written a book on the subject, and comedian Arthur Smith, a Londoner who married a northerner, debate whether it really is "grim up north".

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• Afghan change 'hard to deliver'

  Mon, 12 Oct 09

  Duration:
  13 mins

  Eight years after allied forces invaded Afghanistan, the Taliban are once more in effective control much of the country once again and Nato forces - 9,000 of them British - are engaged in a bloody war with no obvious end in sight. John Humphrys asked the American Secretary of State Hillary Clinton about how the US hopes to end the war, restore stability to Afghanistan and, even more crucially, to neighbouring Pakistan.

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• Swearing 'is a human universal'

  Sat, 10 Oct 09

  Duration:
  6 mins

  The BBC Trust has told the corporation to cut back on swearing. Peter Silverton, author of Filthy English, the How Why When and What of Everyday Swearing discuss the use of swear words in language.

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• Obama 'should have declined Nobel Peace Prize'

  Sat, 10 Oct 09

  Duration:
  9 mins

  The Nobel committee has come under criticism for awarding its Peace Prize to President Obama, who many see as not having achieved anything to warrant receiving the prize. Former UK ambassador to Washington, Sir Christopher Meyer and former foreign office minister, Lord Mark Malloch-Brown, examine whether this decision has damaged the honour's prestige.

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• Scary children's books are 'educative'

  Fri, 9 Oct 09

  Duration:
  4 mins

  Are children's books too scary? John Connolly, author of children's novel The Gates of Hell discusses how scary children's books should be.

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• UK faces energy 'horror show'

  Fri, 9 Oct 09

  Duration:
  11 mins

  Energy industry regulator Ofgem, has released a report warning there could be a fall in the supply of gas and electricity. It warns prices could rise by between 14% and 25% over and above inflation, within the next six years as power stations are forced to shut down and the volatility of supply from gas producing countries. Shadow energy secretary Greg Clark, and energy analyst David Hunter, discuss the future of the UK's energy supply.

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• Royal Mail has 'got to do better' with workforce

  Thu, 8 Oct 09

  Duration:
  9 mins

  The postal workers' union is expected to announce that Royal Mail staff have voted for a national strike. A series of regional postal strikes is already taking place in England and Scotland. Reporter Andrew Hosken speaks to a postman about his feelings on the postal service, and Paul Tolhurst, operations director of Royal Mail, discusses the issues postal workers have been voting on.

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• Soldiers 'harden their hearts'

  Thu, 8 Oct 09

  Duration:
  3 mins

  Over the next few months, Today will be following the journey of Major Streatfeild who leaves for Afghanistan for a six month tour of duty today. He will command "A company" of the 3rd Battalion, the Rifles, from a base in the upper Sangin valley, where the heaviest of the fighting has been so far. The first part of the series joins Major Streatfeild as he prepares to leave with the 3 Rifles - the third battalion of the Rifles regiment.

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• Iraqi poet's 'victory of words'

  Wed, 7 Oct 09

  Duration:
  5 mins

  A documentary has been made about Iraqi poet, Nabeel Yasin. Mr Yasin was persecuted by Saddam Hussain and spent 27 years in exile. Mr Yasin and the documentary's maker, Georgie Wheedon, discuss the film.

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• Osborne: 'Progressive reform or frontline cuts'

  Wed, 7 Oct 09

  Duration:
  11 mins

  Shadow Chancellor George Osborne's speech at the Tory Party conference warned voters of tough times ahead. He said we will all have to work longer, receive fewer benefits, and a pay freeze for public sector workers. Mr Osborne discusses his speech and his party's policies.

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• Thoughts 'could control machinery'

  Tue, 6 Oct 09

  Duration:
  5 mins

  Scientists at Southampton University have discovered a way to communicate the thoughts of one person to another across the internet, without the use of a key-board or even voiced instructions. It is hoped the technique, "brain computer interfacing", could one day allow individuals to communicate and control machines by the power of thought alone. Science correspondent Tom Feilden reports on the new development.

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• Cameron outlines Tories' 'sober' pension plans

  Tue, 6 Oct 09

  Duration:
  16 mins

  The Conservative leader briefly addressed his party conference yesterday, ahead of his speech on Thursday. He told the party that this was not a week of celebration, but a time to look the British people in the eyes. David Cameron outlines his aim to reform the state pension, his views on the Lisbon Treaty and how he views the prospect of being the country's next prime minister.

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• 0830 The Taliban's influence 05 Oct 09

  Mon, 5 Oct 09

  Duration:
  4 mins

  This time last year, the Taliban and its "shadow governments" operated in mainly in its traditional strongholds. Now, they are spreading their influence across the country. Afghanistan correspondent Martin Patience reports from Kabul about the growing influence of the Taliban on the country.

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• 0810 Tory social 'crusade' 05 Oct 09

  Mon, 5 Oct 09

  Duration:
  10 mins

  Michael Gove, the Conservatives' shadow schools secretary, says the party is committed to a "crusade" on social policy to deal with the "deep social structural problems" that keep 20 to 30% of the UK population in poverty.

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• History preserves Clinton years

  Sat, 3 Oct 09

  Duration:
  5 mins

  The Clinton presidency needs to be reassessed, a man who conducted 79 taped interviews with the president during his time in the White House says. Taylor Branch discusses how he came to get the job of documenting the Clinton years.

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• Conservatives unveil care home guarantee

  Sat, 3 Oct 09

  Duration:
  8 mins

  A scheme to prevent older people having to sell their houses to fund their care is being unveiled by the Tories. Andrew Lansley, shadow health secretary, explains a fee of £8,000 at age 65 to waive lifetime residential fees.

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• Dr Stuart Gray and health minister Mike O'Brien

  Fri, 2 Oct 09

  Duration:
  12 mins

  The son of a man who died after being given a lethal dose of painkiller by a doctor flown in from Germany to provide weekend cover has called for vetting procedures to be tightened. The comments by Dr Stuart Grey, whose father David died in February 2008, follow the publication of an interim report into out-of-hours GP care by a health watchdog which found primary care trusts may be failing to spot patient safety issues because of a lack of scrutiny.

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• Archives reveal Australia child migrants fears

  Fri, 2 Oct 09

  Duration:
  7 mins

  Documents at the National Archives show the Home Office was warned as early as 1947 against sending child migrants to Australia. Up to 10,000 children were sent to Australia between 1922 and 1967 to boost the white population and the workforce. Many were abused. Sanchia Berg reports on their calls for an apology from the British government.

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• Alistair McGowan

  Thu, 1 Oct 09

  Duration:
  5 mins

  Impressionist Alistair McGowan explains how he gradually weaned himself off football

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• Serious Fraud Office to charge BAe Systems

  Thu, 1 Oct 09

  Duration:
  9 mins

  The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) is announcing that it intends to prosecute Britain's biggest defence contractor, BAe Systems, for corruption. It is expected to demand the confiscation of a sum of between £500m and £1bn. Andrew Hosken reports on the breakdown of talks after the company refused to plead guilty to bribery charges and pay a significant sum in confiscation.

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