Thursday 8 February, 2007

By Kirsty Wark
Presenter, BBC Newsnight

Presented by Kirsty Wark

Comment on this programme

CHARLES CLARKE

It's time to pay up for health and education - so said the former Home Secretary Charles Clarke in a speech to the LSE. He argued that there should be some level of charging along the lines of university tuition fees, or dentistry charges. Charles Clarke has not ruled out standing for the leadership - we'll be debating his big pitch live with Clarke himself - and yet to be decided other big guns.

CHINA IN AFRICA

China's munificence in Africa is going down very badly with the West - Hilary Benn the International Development Secretary has warned the Chinese President that billions of dollars of unconditional aid and soft loans could undermine all the work that's been done in trying to tackle unsustainable debt. But as Hu Jintao heads for home after twelve days touring Africa, could it be that the West's model of aid, and the World Bank's preconditions for loans, are being trumped by a country whose economy is on the march, and who is thirsting for influence abroad?

JOHANNESBURG VIOLENCE

John Simpson has returned to an African city he knows well - Johannesburg, on the eve of President Mbeki's state of the Union address. In a recent interview Thabo Mbeki caused a furore in the south African press when he insisted that violence in the country was not out of control. John Simpson finds a very different story in Jo'burg where black on black violence is creating mayhem....

ABORTIONS

There were more abortions in England and Wales in January 2007 than any other month in the 32 year history of the Marie Stopes organisation. They are blaming Britain's Christmas booze culture. We investigate whether this is the real reason, and if there is one group of women in particular who are having terminations.