±«Óãtv

Here's is Emily Maitlis with what is coming up on tonight's programme:

"In the end, this is going to be a powerful, heart-warming story, one that you're going to be really impressed by."

And the prize for denial tonight goes to Phillip Garrido, sex convict and kidnapper, speaking from jail in California.

His victim, 29-year-old Jaycee Lee Dugard has had the kind of life it is impossible to understand.

Snatched at the age of 11 on the way to school, locked up, raped and forced to have her captor's children.

After 18 years she is now "free" - but what does that mean? We'll be piecing together what more we now know of this horrific case and asking what happens to women like Natasha Kampusch, Elizabeth Fritzl and now Jaycee after the cameras have gone away.

It is a fascinating subject, but I can't promise it will be "heart-warming".

MURDOCH AND MACTAGGERT

James Murdoch is giving the keynote speech at the Edinburgh Television festival's hottest event - the MacTaggert lecture.

It has been suggested that he will have a serious message for the ±«Óãtv.

Is the broadcaster an anomaly in this day and age? Does its presence dull the potential of the open market place?

We have a great line up of media moguls to respond to whatever Mr Murdoch throws up (as it were).

AFGHANISTAN COMMAND

And after all that, Sir Richard Dannatt went rather quietly yesterday. The new head of the Army, Sir David Richards steps into the job today.

The task ahead is a massive one - to convince the public that the war in Afghanistan is worth fighting - and then to win it.

The battle for public opinion is made more difficult by the rising casualty figures and this week, the success of the democratic process in Afghanistan looks decidedly questionable.

Mark Urban will give us his assessment of the war and the new man in charge.

Do join us at 10.30pm.
Emily

Here's Emily with details of tonight's special programme:

Blair's Babies

Education, education, education has become the most irritatingly oft-quoted mantra of New Labour. But tonight, I make no apology for it. Today's GCSE results in England, Wales and Northern Ireland mark the first generation of children to be educated entirely under New Labour. So we devote this programme to asking whether things got better in England - where Labour's education policies have been put in place.

on that exact issue makes pretty uncomfortable reading for the government. 67% believe it has not delivered. When asked if state education had got worse since 1997 marginally more people said that it had.

England is ranked below Kazakhstan on an International Average Maths Achievement table*. Yet, it will surprise no-one to see that results out today make our young look more promising than ever. So how do we even begin to deconstruct the figures?

In the first part of tonight's programme we'll be looking at the exam and school system under New Labour and asking whether the investment, the emphasis on league tables and choice, and the greater number of teachers has made for brighter children. Later we ask the wider, cultural question: Is it possible to characterise what it is to be a 'child of Blair' - in the same way people did with the Thatcher years?

We'll be concentrating on the comparisons in England between 1997 and today. But we'll also look at how the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland education systems have changed with devolution - and ask who appears to have the right answers.

Join us tonight, 10:30pm, as we consider whether Labour's record on education is something it can be proud of.

Emily

(*TIMSS report 2007)

Tonight we ask a cabinet minister whether a deal can be done on climate change, consider whether Edward Kennedy's political vision lives on in President Barack Obama, and have an extraordinary film which reveals the partnership between a company run by British businessmen and the secretive and repressive regime of North Korea, operating in a remote Russian forest.

Protestors are this afternoon gathering in London to set up a climate camp ahead of the Copenhagen summit. This morning John Prescott said that it was time to think about a "Plan B" on a deal over climate change. Speaking on behalf of the Council of Europe he says that developing nations are unlikely to accept the deal that's on the table for Copenhagen - and if the US also baulks at the proposals what next? I'll be speaking to Douglas Alexander, Secretary of State for International Development.

Senator Edward Kennedy's life was eventful, controversial and although his own presidential ambitions were thwarted, his endorsement of President Obama had the effect of propelling him towards the White House. "The good that he did lives on," said Barack Obama. His death marks the end of a great political dynasty, which was for some akin to a quasi-royal family in the US, but smitten by terrible tragedy and scandal. Edward Kennedy's nadir was Chappaquiddick, but did he retrieve his reputation? And might Obama's all important healthcare reforms pass more smoothly now, in remembrance of Kennedy and the work he did on the plans?

And then exclusive pictures from the North Korean logging camps located in the remote forests of Russia. We investigate the links between the Stalinist state and a timber company run by British businessmen. .

Join us later.

Here's Kirsty with news of what's happening tonight on the programme:

As I write we are awaiting Gordon Brown's press conference on the occasion of Benjamin Netanyahu's visit, but while he will want to focus on discussions over the Middle East, journalists will also want the PM to break his silence on Lockerbie. Alex Salmond might not need to hear his views one way or another but the fact that it was a decision of the Scottish Government doesn't mean that there isn't a desire to hear what the British leader has to say. For the prime minister's return we've assembled the Newsnight political panel to discuss Labour's summer and look ahead to the political challenges in the weeks ahead.

Caster Semenya returned to South Africa to a terrific welcome after the firestorm that broke following her fantastic victory in the women's 800 metres World Championships. The IAAF have announced they are subjecting Semenya to a "gender verification test". The head of South African athletics has described Semenya's treatment as "racism pure and simple." Tonight we'll be debating whether the questions surrounding her performance are justified or not.

And from Sue Lloyd Roberts a film from Spain which explores the legacy of Franco's repression 70 years after the end of the civil war: three years of conflict, half a million dead, and the brutality of a regime which tore children from their parents forever and placed them in orphanages or with nationalist parents. As volunteers excavate mass graves just kilometres from the tourist beaches of Malaga, the divisions and hatred have not disappeared but lie close to the surface. .

Join us later.

Here's Kirsty with details of what's happening on the programme at 10.30pm:

Tonight we'll be leading with the growing row over the release of Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi the Lockerbie bomber, and the general revulsion at the celebrations and Saltire waving that greeted his return to Tripoli.

We'll also be discussing the prime minister's continuing silence over the decision to send Megrahi home to Libya "to die". We'll be speaking to Alex Salmond, the Scottish first minister, following today's emergency session of the Scottish Parliament in which the Scottish justice secretary had to account for his decision. I've been looking through the partially redacted medical advice, in preparation for the interview and it makes fascinating reading.

Is the CIA about to come under scrutiny like never before over allegations of prisoner abuse? US Justice Department officials want to reopen inquiries into harsh interrogations in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the US Attorney General Eric Holder is also about to decide whether to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate allegations of abuse, including death threats. We've been excavating the origins of the instructions in the US Army Field Manual, and asking what limits will be put on the new expert team appointed by President Barack Obama to handle the interrogation of terrorist suspects.

I'll be interviewing the outgoing Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland Sir Hugh Orde about his job, the toughest challenges and where his officers have fallen short in cracking down on crime in a post-Troubles time.

And how are British companies coping with the shortage of arable land in the UK? Jeremy Cooke has a report from the Ukraine about one future source of our food supply.

.

Here's what is coming up in tonight's programme

The controversy surrounding the Scottish justice secretary's decision to release Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi continues to build.

The White House described scenes of celebration at his return to Tripoli as "disturbing". The Foreign Office indicated that Prince Andrew may cancel an official visit there, and it is has emerged that Gordon Brown wrote to Colonel Gaddafi asking that Megrahi be given a "low key" return.

But then the Westminster government was not the one making the decision over whether he be set free - that decision fell to Holyrood - and Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond says that the government there "did not consider matters of international politics from whatever source".

Tonight, our Political editor Michael Crick will be looking at what the decision means for Scotland, devolution and the prospects for future Scottish independence.

Our Economics editor Paul Mason will be examining the Libyan-Scottish rapprochement, and to what extent the diplomatic wheels were oiled by the rush for oil.

Ninety-five per cent of Libya's export earnings come from petroleum products, and, having taken itself out of the rogue states category, Libya is now ready to talk business.

How much will the Megrahi release benefit the major British oil and gas companies bidding for highly competitive contracts with the country?

Plus, in announcing that Megrahi would be freed, Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said that the bomber, who has terminal cancer, "now faces a sentence imposed by a higher power".

Was it right to invoke God when announcing a political decision?

Join Gavin Esler for all that and more at 10.30pm on ±«Óãtv Two.

Here is what is coming up in tonight's programme:

"Our justice system demands that judgment be imposed but compassion be available. Our beliefs dictate that justice be served, but mercy be shown."

So said Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill as he announced that for "these reasons, and these reasons alone" he had decided that terminally ill Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi should be allowed to return to Libya.

But was it really for "these reasons, and these reasons alone" that Megrahi was released?

Tonight we have an interview with Mr MacAskill and will be looking at what other factors came into his decision, who was involved and the future political ramifications.

How will Megrahi's release affect Scottish and UK relations with Libya? And what about relations with the US, where many of the victims of the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 came from, and which had fiercely resisted the move?

Also tonight, Brian Hanrahan will have the latest on the Afghan presidential election, where counting is already under way.

And we will be discussing efforts to bring security to Afghanistan with General David Petraeus, the man behind the US troop surge in Iraq and the recent boosting of US forces in Afghanistan.

Plus, Laura Trevelyan reports on divisions within the Democratic Party over President Barack Obama's controversial plan to reform healthcare by providing cover for the 47m Americans who have no health insurance and driving down costs.

Those very supporters who worked so hard to elect Mr Obama are now furious because the White House has suggested it might soften its proposals - while conservative democrats say the existing plan costs too much and will not work.

Do join Gavin Esler at 10.30pm on ±«Óãtv Two.

Here are the details of what is coming up on tonight's programme

On the eve of the Afghan presidential poll, fraught with intimidation and threats by the Taliban, we have an exclusive film which shows just how hard it is for US and British forces to battle the Taliban while at the same time building trust in an area like Helmand.

We are with US marines as they come under attack, and witness how debilitating the heat and conditions are for these men - some of who say that it's hard for them to work out why they are there at all.

We'll also hear from Stanley McChrystal, the new U.S. commander in Afghanistan and from International Development Secretary, Douglas Alexander.

We'll have the latest from Baghdad about today's bomb attacks which have killed at least 75 people.

Will the Lockerbie bomber be on a plane bound for Libya tomorrow? The ±«Óãtv's Scottish Political editor believes it is most likely he will be released on compassionate grounds as doctors treating Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi say his cancer is so aggressive he has less than three months to live.

Tonight , ±«Óãtv Security correspondent Gordon Correra takes a forensic look at the evidence against the man convicted of the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie.

Remember the Asbo, one of New Labour's most iconic policies? Courts are issuing fewer and fewer anti-social behaviour orders in England, but at the same time breach rates are increasing. So are Asbo's all but dead?

Join Kirsty at 10.30pm on ±«Óãtv Two.

Here are the details of what is coming up on Newsnight

Tonight as Afghanistan moves into the final days of campaigning for Thursday's presidential elections the violence continues. At least seven people were killed today in a suicide bombing on a military convoy in the capital, Kabul. But with the world's attention on the conflict zones are other parts of the country being ignored?

We have an extraordinary film from Lyse Doucet in the largely peaceful Bamiyan province - once famed for its colossal Buddha statues which the Taliban destroyed in 2001. Lyse is shown around the province by Afghanistan's first and only female governor. She describes the challenges they face to establish security and develop infrastructure and tourism. We ask whether more foreign aid should be spent in peaceful regions, rather than simply in the areas blighted by violence. Read more about Lyse's film

We will also look at the issues behind the Scottish court's decision today to accept the application by the Lockerbie bomber to drop his second appeal against conviction. It comes as the Scottish Government considers his requests for either release or transfer to a Libyan jail.

Our Political Editor Michael Crick will be asking how well the Scottish Government has handled this issue. Seven US senators have urged Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill to make Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi, who is terminally ill with cancer serve out his full sentence in Scotland. The Scottish Government is adamant it has made no deal with Megrahi in respect of his application to be returned to Libya on compassionate grounds. What will the legacy of this long protracted case be?

We'll also be looking at the growing number of Neets - that's the acronym for the government classification for people currently 'Not in Employment, Education or Training'. The statistics show that in total, 835,000 18 to 24-year-olds are now Neets, up from 730,000 for the same quarter last year. Our Economics Editor Paul Mason looks at what can be done to avoid creating a "lost generation" as figures show record numbers in England not in work or training.

Join Kirsty at 10.30pm.

Here's what's coming up in tonight's Newsnight:

At the beginning of a decisive week for Afghanistan, and with images of the British soldiers who have lost their lives there in many of today's newspapers, what has been the impact of the policy of liberal intervention and "nation building" promoted particularly by the USA and Britain since 2000? Where did the seed of this philosophy lie, and where is the evidence that it works? Have the attempts to establish human rights, democracy and security been realistic or would an alternative stratgey have delivered better results? Gordon Corera will report, plus we'll be speaking to international politicians and diplomats live.

Also tonight: one hundred public figures have joined calls for a High Pay Commission to curb "excessive" pay. Politicians, trade unions and academics are backing the centre-left Compass group's campaign for steps such as maximum wage ratios and taxes on bonuses. Our Political Editor Michael Crick will be considering how the political parties will respond.

We have a film from Ethiopia about how the life of one man - which has been chronicled for 25 years by a British documentary maker - is emblematic of Ethiopia's recent history. .

And Matt Prodger will be scouring the biographies which undermine the reputations of the literary greats. Revelations in a new biography of Lord of the Flies author William Golding claim he tried to rape an underage girl, Evelyn Waugh is said to have had three homosexual affairs, and Arthur Ransome led a very exotic life, . So does it matter if the reputations of our literary greats are undermined?

Do join Kirsty at 10.30pm on ±«Óãtv Two.

Here's Gavin with news of tonight's programme:

Quote for the Day:

"I would not wish it on anybody. We have a system where the most salient facts of it are that you get huge waiting lists, you have bad survival rates and you would much rather fall ill in the United States" - Tory MEP Daniel Hannan criticising the NHS on Fox News in the United States.

In Newsnight tonight we will debate not so much Daniel Hannan's views as the political ructions they have caused for the Conservative party. Is he an "eccentric" as David Cameron called him, a maverick with rather odd views? Or does he represent - as Labour claim - the hidden side of the Conservative party when it comes to the NHS? We'll debate with the Health Secretary and his Conservative opposite number.

Plus, somebody recently asked one of my friends what the word "culture" means to the British. He suggested that to many of us "culture" is a kind of mouldy growth in a petri dish. Even if that is not quite right the British "Cultural Olympiad" was supposed to be a kind of arts centrepiece leading up to the London Olympics in 2012. But is it turning out to be a kind of Millennium Dome of the head - expensive and wasteful? We'll discuss.

Gavin

Here are the details for Thursday's programme, to be presented by Gavin Esler.

Why have the French and German economies come out of recession and the economy of the UK has not? Our Economics Editor Paul Mason is in Paris.

Lynddie England became the poster-girl for American abuse in Abu Ghraib jail. Now in her first UK TV interview since leaving prison the disgraced former US soldier talks about the death threats she's received, her agony over how to tell her five-year-old son about the photographs and her refusal to accept that she did anything wrong. Watch a sneak preview .

Professor Stephen Hawking has defended the National Health Service from attacks by the American Right, claiming that he would not be alive without it. He was speaking after Republican politicians labelled the NHS as "evil" in their effort to stop President Obama's reforms of US health care which will widen the availability of treatment but at a cost to higher earners.

And we'll be looking at the extraordinary double life of Swallows and Amazons author Arthur Ransome. A new book about his life reveals that he was married to Trotsky's personal secretary; had close links with the Bolsheviks and at one stage was considered so dangerous that while on a visit to London he was arrested, with a view to prosecution for treason.

Here are the details for Wednesday's programme, to be presented by Kirsty Wark:

The Bank of England has warned that the UK economy still has some way to go before it recovers from the effects of the financial crisis. The Bank's governor, Mervyn King today hinted that further fiscal stimulus - in addition to the policy of quantitative easing - may have to be implemented.

Tonight our Economics Editor Paul Mason will give us his take on QE (is it working and what can the bank do next if it's not?), and we'll be joined by Professor David Blanchflower, formerly of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee, to debate.

As unemployment figures reach their highest level since 1995, Graham Satchell has been to Newark in Nottinghamshire to find out how the recession is affecting people there.

And what do you make of Alan Duncan's comments that MPs are forced to live on "rations"? He's apologised, but should we have any sympathy with him that MPs are treated "like shit"? We'll debate.

Plus we have a film from Ethiopia about how the life of one man - which has been chronicled for 25 years by a British documentary maker - is emblematic of Ethiopia's recent history. Read more about that story

Do join Kirsty at 10.30pm on ±«Óãtv Two.

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

Better services for less money... and maybe tax rises? The Shadow Chancellor George Osborne's big sell today was that the Conservatives are now the progressive force in British politics. He said they planned to reform public services while being "fiscally responsible" and without harming frontline services.

Paul Mason will be looking at what this means for their spending plans. Will they raise taxes, and which ones? And what will they cut?

Can the West do anything for the Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi? She has been sentenced to an additional 18 months' house arrest by a court in Rangoon. Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he was "saddened and angry" by the verdict and described the trial as a "sham". He has called for the UN Security Council to impose a worldwide ban on the sale of arms to the regime. But with India and China heavily involved in enterprise in the country what chance is there of change?

Tonight we'll discuss whether this is a turning point for Burma, or business as usual for the Generals.

"I am not channelling my husband!" Hilary Clinton delivered a tongue-lashing to a poor student at a university in the Democratic Republic of Congo when a mistranslation of a question to the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton came out as what her husband thought of an issue. (Rather than Obama as it should have been). "My husband is not Secretary of State, I am." She might be the most powerful woman in the world but is she still defined by her husband? And was her outburst understandable?

And we have an unusual insight into the weird world of the Uzbek secret service.

Do join us at 10.30pm on ±«Óãtv Two.

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

Global food production needs to rise by a whopping 70% by 2050 to meet the demands of a growing world population, climate change, and a worldwide battle for limited natural resources. The Environment Secretary Hilary Benn is demanding a radical rethink on food production in the UK. Tonight we'll discuss the future for food as the government
launches a national debate on food security.

Did the England badminton team overreact when it pulled out of the World Championships in India? The move followed reports in an Indian newspaper that the Hyderabad tournament could face a terrorist threat. The Scottish and Welsh teams are still at the competition and the Indian authorities insist they were in control of the situation. So, good decision or bad?

Also tonight we launch the first in our season of films about "The Noughties" - assessing the changes in big areas of our lives in the past decade. To come: politics, science, fashion and media. But tonight it's all about religion and the changing attitudes to it. Scientist and author Richard Dawkins tells Newsnight his literary agent advised against the publication of The God Delusion in the 1990s, believing the time to be wrong... but it got the green light in the Noughties. So what had changed?

and leave your thoughts on how religion has fared in the past decade by clicking here.

And after 11pm a court order will allow us to reveal the identities of the couple who were responsible for the death of Baby P.

Do join us at 10.30pm on ±«Óãtv Two.

Newsnight kicks off its series What Have the Noughties Done for Us? with a look back at religion...

The Noughties has been a controversial decade for religion. With secularism on the rise, churches closing down and religion finding itself increasingly at odds with artistic expression, athiests have seized the chance to promote their message of a godless universe. So, how do you think religion has fared in the noughties? Leave your comments below.

Here are the details of tonight's programme

"I am not going to be a shrinking violet" - Labour's deputy leader, Harriet Harman.

We'll get to the non-shrinking violet in a moment, but we expect to lead tonight with news that Pakistan's most wanted man, Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud, has reportedly been killed by a US missile. President Barack Obama's spokesman greeted the news with "If he is dead, without a doubt, the people of Pakistan will be safer as a result".

We'll be asking what this means for stability in the region. The news comes as the MoD confirmed that three members of the Parachute Regiment have been killed while in southern Afghanistan. They were killed when their Jackal armoured vehicle was hit by an explosion and small-arms fire.

to watch Barbara Plett 2008 Newsnight report from Pakistan on the growing strength of the Taliban when she was taken to see Baitullah Mehsud.

Plus, while the prime minister's away... Harriet Harman and Peter Mandelson (among others) are taking it in turns to occupy the headlines while Gordon Brown enjoys his summer break. Are they running the country or making the running for a post-Brown Labour party?

At the time of writing, it seems that England are on the brink of disaster in Leeds. We've got a film from New York about how the police department there are using cricket to help improve relations with the city's ethnic minorities.

Gavin will be joined by Joseph O'Neill, author of "Netherland", the story of cricket in a post-9/11 New York - the book Barack Obama describes as "brilliant".

And on Newsnight Review at 11pm, Kwame Kwei Armah is joined by comedians Natalie Haynes and David Schneider, and the politician Michael Gove to look at your best cultural options for a staycation this summer.

The Junior Officers' Reading Club tops a reading list given out to Conservative MPs for the summer recess. Patrick Hennessey's memoir of his time serving in Afghanistan is an account of the highs and the horrors of army life. With the deaths of three more British soldiers announced today, his frank assessment couldn't be more timely. But can policy makers learn from it?

Frank McGuinness' new version of Euripides' play, Helen at London's Globe Theatre nods towards ideas of the futilty of war too, meanwhileTom Payne's book Fame traces the origins of celebrity culture to 500BC. There has been a flurry of renewed interest in the classics on stage and page - is it because they particularly chime with our times?

We'll also be looking at a new road movie staring Isabelle Huppert where no-one leaves ±«Óãtv, and asking whether summer entertainment phenomenon Big Brother has had its day.

Join us from 10.30pm on ±«Óãtv Two tonight.

Just as we all thought the economic weather was improving with a string
of indicators today suggesting signs of recovery, the Bank of England
comes along and rains on the parade. What they've seen of the economy
has led them to decide to continue with the policy of Quantitative
Easing - pouring in another £50bn to shore up Britain's economy. So just
where are we in the recession? We'll be speaking to experts here, and
we'll be joined live from Paris by the President of the European Central
Bank, Jean-Claude Trichet.

The police have been told to make immediate changes to the way they
control public protests after it emerged that officers refused to allow
a woman who was bleeding to leave a cordoned area for five hours. The
incident took place during the G20 demonstration in London four months
ago. A report from the Independent Police Complaints Commission says
doctors believe the woman may have suffered a miscarriage. Tonight the
woman in question - who cannot be identified - has given her only
interview to Newsnight about the events at the protests in April in the
City of London. .

It's been Labour Deputy Leader Harriet Harman's turn to step into Gordon
Brown's shoes this week, while he's on holiday. Her outspoken comments
about rape, women in politics and bank bonuses have led to vitriolic
attacks from some sections of the press. Why does Harriet Harman always
attract such criticism? Our political editor Michael Crick's been
finding out.

Plus, what ever happened to Woolies? After 99 years of trading on the
British high street, the company went into administration last year and
Woolworths stores across the country closed their doors. Graham Satchell
has travelled across the UK to find out what, if anything, has replaced
the pic 'n' mix, and what the fate of old Woolies stores tells us about
where we live. We'll be showing on air some of the many photos you've
sent in of former Woolworths premises, .

Do join Gavin Esler at 10.30pm on ±«Óãtv Two.

Here's Kirsty Wark with news of what's happening tonight on Newsnight:

A happy story from North Korea? A publicity coup for one of the world's toughest dictators in a closed country where labour camps are full of North and South Koreans, where there is widespread poverty and starvation, and where the threat of an attack on South Korea is ever present. United States citizens Laura Ling and her sister, Euna Lee, (who work for Al Gore's Current TV) were arrested in March and found guilty of entering the country illegally, and then sentenced to 12 years hard labour. Today former US President Bill Clinton brought them home after meeting with Kim Jong Il, many photo ops, and a resultant special pardon for the two women. Tonight we'll be asking who has come out of this deal on top.

Is an amazing phenomenon, catapulting communication and journalism into a new era? Or simply an extension of text messaging that has captured the public's attention because of such diverse things as the Obama campaign, Demi Moore, and the Iranian uprising? We'll be speaking to the CEO and co-founder of Twitter, Evan Williams, about why he thinks it's so popular in the UK (second only to the US), what he thinks of China banning Twitter, how the company makes money with a free site, and what happens next. Click here if you have a question of your own for the Twitter CEO.

And if you are a regular viewer you will know about our group of care leavers whom our reporter Liz McKean has been following - Cherish, Jareth, Cass and Phil - as they try to take greater control of their lives. As we've seen it's been tough for each of them as they struggle without much of the emotional, physical and financial support that the majority of young people enjoy - and take for granted. In tonight's film Cherish is turning 18, something she's been preparing for with driving lessons. What will happen when she comes of age? And we catch up with Jareth as he deals with the dizzying responsibilities of a tenancy in a council flat. .

Finally Prime Minister Putin of Russia has not let us down again this year with his . We will playout the programme tonight with some of the footage. Leave your ideas for what cheesy music you think should accompany it below!

We're interviewing the CEO of Twitter, Evan Williams, tonight at 10.30pm on ±«Óãtv Two and we're keen to gather any questions you'd like to put to him.

If you're a 'micro-blogging' pro, you can send us a .

If, on the other hand, you find the whole thing a bit baffling, please send us your 'Twitter-style' question (ie in 140 characters or less) by adding it below..

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

Happy birthday Mr President - it's Barack Obama's birthday, but if the opinion polls are to be believed the American people will not have the bunting out. Why is he tripping up on the domestic front? And who is giving him a hard time over his flagship policies - healthcare reform and climate change?

The devil is in the detail and he is apparently short on clarity and decisiveness. Has he failed to stamp his authority on Congress and the Senate? Today the President is attempting to win round opponents of his plans from his own party.

Northern Rock is showing some serious cracks with its three quarters of a billion losses on its half year results - and the repayments of nearly 4% of its mortgage book three months behind. Add to that it now owes the government £10.9 billion, do ministers need to intervene on our behalf and do they have a plan for the Rock?

Should the Trust that owns the Guardian and the Observer newspapers, ditch The Observer as a Sunday newspaper, which has been printed for 218 years? The Guardian Media Group has failed to deny rumours that its closure is a possibility as the group faces £90 million losses. Will The Observer be strangled to save The Guardian which is perhaps more interested in building up its online presence?

Tonight we'll be discussing whether The Observer just doesn't cut it anymore, and whether investigations and campaigns can ever be as effective simply using new media rather than hoary old and young hacks.

Will the state of Pakistan survive? Tim Whewell has a unique film from Rawalpindi and Pakistan.

Tonight at 10.30

Kirsty

From the web team:

Despite the worst recession in decades, banking giants Barclays and HSBC have announced multi-billion half-year profits. Both banks managed to shore up their finances without government bailouts, but they have benefited from the UK government's massive support of the banking system as a whole. Much of the profit at Barclays comes from the bank's investment arm - where the average six month salary is £100,000. Can that be right and has anything actually changed after the banking crisis? Tonight Richard Watson will be investigating if the bankers are cashing in when the rest of us are paying for their mistakes.

Seven weeks after the disputed presidential poll which prompted mass protests and deep divisions within Iran's elite, the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has formally endorsed Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as winner of the election. Senior Iranian political figures appear to have snubbed the ceremony - former presidents Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and Mohammad Khatami were absent, as were defeated election candidates Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi. Gordon Corera reports on the divisions faced by Ahmadinejad within his own political support base, and the rifts exposed within the clergy.

The Rorschach test, a psychological evaluation comprising a series of 10 inkblot plates created by a Swiss psychiatrist nearly 90 years ago has been reproduced on the online encyclopedia Wikipedia complete with how to interpret patients' responses. It is a move which has sparked a furious debate between psychologists who argue that prior exposure to the images and the interpretations of them could render them ineffective as a psychological assessment tool and supporters of the free access ethos who oppose suppression of any information. We'll debate.

And David Grossman is in California where Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has approved spending cuts of more than half a billion dollars to the state's budget. Deep cuts will be made in child welfare, health care for the poor, and HIV/Aids initiatives.

Do join Kirsty Wark for all that and more at 10.30pm on ±«Óãtv Two.