Newsnight 2011
None | News | 140 episodes18 Seasons
Episode
01/03/2011 (2011)
John Galliano's anti-Semitic remarks could have turned into a full scale diplomatic crisis. Why? Because, as any fashionista knows, Dior - who he designs for - is the label worn by one Mrs Sarkozy. Carla Bruni started life as a Dior model and has remained loyal to the house ever since. As things turned out, Dior was not prepared to see a YouTube video start a new war in the Middle East. They sacked Galliano earlier today. And the first lady of France is now free to wear Dior again. Anyway, I write that in passing because there are, as you know, currently more pressing diplomatic affairs at hand. Tonight, Niall Ferguson, author of Civilization, will help us examine the role of the West in the revolution in the Arab world - and explain what history can tell us about why certain cultures appear to dominate the world at certain times. We'll also be asking whether the government's done enough in its adjustment to the international development aid budget to allay criticism that we are funnelling money into dodgy dictatorships and into countries that are economically far more successful than we are. Plus, the European Court of Justice has declared it is discriminatory to charge women less than men for their car insurance. Women are better drivers. Men die younger. What's wrong with discrimination within the free market?
02/03/2011 (2011)
Forces loyal to Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi have moved into eastern areas for the first time since towns there fell to protesters two weeks ago, with reports of heavy fighting between them and anti-Gaddafi rebels in the oil town of Brega, 100 miles south of the rebel stronghold of Benghazi. Earlier Col Gaddafi said on TV he would "fight until the last man and woman" and warned that thousands of Libyans would die if Western forces intervened. Tonight, as we will have the latest on the Gaddafi fight back from Lyse Doucet in Benghazi and Tim Whewell will be assessing whether there is any sign of a joined up global response to the crisis. Michael Crick is Barnsley ahead of tomorrow's by-election finding out what matters most to voters there. Also, more than 600 Oxbridge academics are demanding a halt to the £9,000 tuition fee rise, saying they have had no time to work out how it will be implemented. Universities Minister David Willetts and one of those critics will go head to head on the programme tonight.
03/03/2011 (2011)
Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation has been given government approval for its controversial bid to take over BSkyB. The green light follows News Corp's offer to spin off Sky News as an independent company. Rival media groups dismissed News Corp's offer as a "whitewash" and said they would "vigorously contest" it. We will be examining the decision and speaking to the man who made it, Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt. Lyse Doucet will bring us the latest on what is happening in Libya. Tim Whewell has a film on Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood - who they are and what they stand for. And we ask whether, despite all of the fanfare accompanying Saturday's World Book Night plan to give away one million books, there are any problems with a great book giveaway.
04/03/2011 (2011)
Mishal Husain is presenting tonight and she's been speaking exclusively to Nato Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen about how his organisation plans to respond to events in Libya. Meanwhile Lyse Doucet - who is in the country - will be asking Libyans what intervention they expect from the West. Then we'll be hearing from our Political editor Michael Crick who has been meeting people living in rural areas to ask them how rising fuel prices are affecting their lives. And Liz Mackean has had exclusive access to a report which has found that many local authorities will not be guaranteeing funding and will be cutting services for victims of domestic violence from the end of this month. Should local authorities be the sole providers of these services? We'll debate.
07/03/2011 (2011)
Tonight we have an amazing film from Jackie Long about Sarah Palin. Jackie has been to Alaska and got more than just a quick doorstep interview with the woman herself. She tells us how she is weighing up whether the US is ready for an "unconventional" presidential candidate like her. We also talk to Sarah Palin's parents who are concerned their daughter might be assassinated. David Cameron promised "the most pro-growth budget this country has seen for a generation" in his speech at the weekend, but what are the prospects for the British economy and what are the chances of real growth? We'll be hearing from our economics editor Paul Mason. Read Paul's blog. And Prince Andrew remains under pressure over his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, an American financier. Michael Crick has been following the Prince around today and will bring us up to date tonight.
