Ontelly

Today - 31/07/2009

Logo for Today - 31/07/2009

Presented by James Naughtie and Evan Davis. England's Chief Medical Officer Sir Liam Donaldson discusses whether swine flu is peaking. Ander Chinchurreta reports on the aftermath of a bomb explosion in Majorca, which has been blamed on the Basque separatist group Eta. Correspondent Rajini Vaidyanathan talks to computer hacker Gary McKinnon's mother Janis Sharp about why she believes her son should not be extradited to the US. Elisabeth Buggins, former Chair of the Organ Donation Taskforce, discusses a ban on private organ transplants. Multiple sclerosis sufferer Debbie Purdy and her husband Omar Puente discuss the end of their long legal battle to clarify the law on assisted suicide. Arts correspondent David Sillito reports on the two million pound restoration project at Dover Castle. Thought for the Day with the writer Rhidian Brook. Treasury Select Committee chair John McFall discusses what needs to be done to shore up the banking system. The Director of Public Prosecutions is to clarify the law on assisted suicide. Professor David Jones and Liberal Democrat peer Lord Goodhart discuss the landmark judgement. Author Victor Sebestyen and lecturer Mark Almond discuss whether the relatively hardline policies of Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher should be given the credit for the fall of the Iron Curtain. Financial Secretary to the Treasury Stephen Timms discusses who is responsible for financial stability in the banking system. Middle East correspondent Tim Franks reports on the haredim riots which stem from the Jerusalem mayor's plans to open a car park on Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath, and the arrest of an ultra-orthodox mother suspected of starving her toddler. A GP who was struck off the medical register after he tried to help his friend to commit suicide is involved in a fresh right-to-die case, it has been revealed. Dr Michael Irwin discusses the possibility of facing a long prison sentence for 'aiding and abetting' a suicide. Economics editor of the Telegraph Edmund Conway and Andrew Lilico, chief economist at the Policy Exchange think tank, debate whether the the so-called 'efficient markets hypothesis' remains intact.