Today - 19/09/2008

Presented by Sarah Montague and Evan Davis. Miriam Rosen, Director of Education at Ofsted, discusses whether criticism of maths lessons is justified. Mark Easton explains why the UK will sign the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in full. Brian Paddick, former Deputy Assistant Commissioner at the Met, discusses whether the police service is in crisis. James Rodgers reports on how the stock market in Russia has been suspended several times. The Bush administration is reviewing its war strategy in Afghanistan because of the problems there. UK Defence Secretary Des Browne discusses how this will affect Britain. Tom Feilden reports from beneath the dramatic new Corpus Clock in Cambridge. Thought For The Day with the writer Rhidian Brook. Ian Cheshire, chief executive of Kingfisher, says that leading retailers 'have a responsibility' to take action to tackle climate change. Alistair Milne, George Magnus and Martin Wolf discuss whether the worst is over for the US economy. Children's Commissioner Sir Al Aynsley-Green and Jasmine Whitbread of Save the Children discuss whether children seeking asylum should be treated just like all other children. Kate Bellingham, former maths teacher and presenter of Tomorrow's World discusses whether maths is taught just to pass tests. Chris Dearden reports from Wales on just how high a mountain has to be. Tony Blair will begin a teaching course on faith and globalisation at Yale University. President of Yale Richard Levin discusses how Blair will be received by the students. Mike Sergeant reports from Baghdad on how Ali Hamed has rebuilt his life after his family were killed by a bomb. Michael Morpurgo and Seni Glaister discuss the return of the children's magazine Puffin Post.