Today - 07/03/2009

With Evan Davis and James Naughtie. Prime minister of Zimbabwe Morgan Tsvangirai has survived a car crash in which his wife was killed. Peter Biles reports. Joe Lynam reports on the details of the deal between the Treasury and Lloyds Banking Group to insure many of Lloyds' assets. Kim Ghattas reports on the first US high level contact with Syria for four years. Chairman of the Bar Council Desmond Browne and Justice minister Bridget Prentice discuss legal representation in the family courts. Current operations in Afghanistan are worthless, a former SAS commander there says. Correspondent Caroline Wyatt considers Major Sebastian Morley's claims. Historian Sean Lang discusses the tradition of political protest. Thought for the Day, with Canon David Winter. General secretary of the Pensioners' Convention Joe Harris and undercover economist for the FT Tim Harford discuss the battle of interests between savers and borrowers. Two senior US envoys are due to travel to Syria. Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen and Ambassador Sami Khiyami, Syria's ambassador to London, consider the significance of this step. Correspondent Matthew Price visits the Magnolia Bakery in New York City. Baker Martha Swift and baking tutor Kath Mepham discuss the difference between fairy cakes and cupcakes. The government is expected to announce that it will take a majority stake in the troubled Lloyds Banking Group. Financial secretary to the Treasury Stephen Timms discusses the liability to the taxpayer. Biographer Sarah Huddlestone discusses the death of Susan Tsvangirai, the wife of Zimbabwe's prime minister Morgan Tsvangirai. Astronomer Andrew Coates discusses what Nasa's latest mission will attempt to discover. Dr Andrew Hartle and Dr Helen Watt discuss whether people should be given more rights to commit suicide. Chief executive of the Town and Country Planning Association Gideon Amos and James Milne of the British Retail Consortium discuss whether Tesco should be encouraged to invest in the High Street.