Tuesday, 01 August, 2006

By Simon Enright
Programme producer, BBC Newsnight

Presented by Jeremy Paxman

Israeli tactics

Israel is set to resume its air offensive

At midnight tonight Israel will restart its aerial bombardment of southern Lebanon. It has already warned some residents north of the Litani river - about 20kms into Lebanon - to leave the area.

Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has already said this evening that once this campaign is over Hezbollah will never be able to threaten Israel again. But given the continuing strength of its opposition, what military tactics will Israel employ? Tonight, our Diplomatic Editor Mark Urban gives us his view of how Israel intends to push the campaign forward.

And how will Hezbollah respond? Robin Denselow is out in Beirut and tonight interviews a Hezbollah MP.

Diplomacy

We got the European equivalent of fudge this afternoon, when EU foreign ministers stopped short of calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East - instead asking for an end to hostilities.

And what is the UK's position in this? This evening Tony Blair will address an American audience on the need for "a complete renaissance of our strategy". What can he mean? Michael Crick has more.

The best health service in the world?

Which country do you think has the best health service in the world? Some Scandinavian shangri-la? The wealthy United States? ? Or how about Cuba? Tonight we launch a series of films looking at what Britain can learn from the the best public services around the world. Tonight we launch a series of films on "the best public services in the world".

It will look at what may well be the best run schools, hospitals and transport systems anywhere on earth. Tonight we look at the Cuban health service - and why it may be the best in the world - just as the Cuban President proves he trusts the system by undergoing surgery.