Today - 25/09/2009

Presented by John Humphrys and James Naughtie. Correspondent Kevin Connolly reports on what the summit between the leaders of the G20 countries in Pittsburgh could achieve. Economics editor Stephanie Flanders considers whether the 20 leaders can agree. One in ten of the prison population is a military veteran, the National Association of Probation Officers (Napo) estimates. Harry Fletcher, assistant secretary general of Napo, discusses whether this is because of a lack of support when they leave the Services. Since the Sri Lankan government's victory over the Tamil Tigers, nearly 280,000 Tamil civilians have been held in government-run camps. Correspondent Charles Haviland reports from eastern Sri Lanka, meeting a family that survived the end of the war and endured life in a government camp for Tamil refugees. Conservationists say there could be more spiders and daddy longlegs than usual this autumn because of favourable breeding conditions. Correspondent Sarah Mukherjee reports from Suffolk, the home of Britain's biggest spider. Fresh doubts have emerged over proposals to limit how long the DNA profiles of innocent people can be held on the national database. Home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw reports on why information on 850,000 people who were never charged, or charged and later cleared, are being kept. When the relics of St Therese of Lisieux were taken on tour around Ireland it was claimed they attracted bigger crowds than the Pope. North of England correspondent Danny Savage reports on the thousands of people in the UK now flocking to see, touch and pray by a casket containing some of the remains of the French nun who is admired by Catholics for her simple way of life. The parliamentary expenses scandal began because the mole behind the leak was angry about inadequate equipment for the armed forces, the Daily Telegraph said. Andrew Pierce, the paper's assistant editor, discusses the motivation for the leak. Thought for the day with the Chief Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks. The SNP government in Scotland is proposing a new broadcasting corporation to serve Scottish listeners and viewers, funded by money taken from the BBC licence fee and by advertising. Scottish Culture Minister Mike Russell and Labour MP Rosemary McKenna consider whether Scottish licence-fee payers are being short changed. Nations must cooperate to boost their economies or face the prospect of long-term slow economic growth, Gordon Brown has warned at the G20 summit. Business editor Robert Peston, Chief Economist at GLC Hedge Fund Steven Bell and Terry Smith, Chief Executive of Tullett Prebon, discuss what can be achieved at the meeting. 'Proof' that birds are directly descended from dinosaurs is to be unveiled in Bristol. Chinese fossil hunter Xu Xing claims he can confirm the 'dinosaur-bird hypothesis'. Science correspondent Tom Feilden considers the debate that has raged and reports on whether the latest discoveries leave much room for doubt. The Home Office has proposed plans for a six and 12-year time limit on holding the DNA profiles of innocent people on a national database. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Grayling explains what the Conservatives would do with the samples. How can people cope with an increase in the number of spiders and daddy long legs expected this autumn? Former arachnophobe Dave Clarke, now head of bugs at London Zoo, explains why no-one should be afraid of the 'harmless' spider. The play Our Class, currently at the National Theatre in London, tells the story of how one half of a class in Poland ends up murdering the other. Play director Bijan Sheibani and psychologist Dr James Thompson, of University College London, discuss how actors and audiences can deal with the portrayal of such harrowing events. In Dallas, Texas, the FBI has arrested a Jordanian national who, they say, was trying to blow up a skyscraper in the city. Correspondent Jonathan Beale reports on the third arrest on suspicion of terrorist activity in the United States in recent days. What would John Maynard Keynes make of the financial crisis and the credit crunch? Author Peter Clarke, former professor of modern British history at Cambridge University, and the former Conservative chancellor Lord Lamont consider whether Mr Keynes's ideas were twisted by modern politicians to support their desires to run big spending deficits.