As the first events of the 2012 Olympic Games begin today, the Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt tells Jim Naughtie how the government is dealing with the security challenges and the planned strike action by border staff. The Syrian government is sending thousands of troops to the second city, Aleppo, and fighting is also continuing in Damascus. And also on Today's programme, why today is flying ant day.
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0615 Business news with Lesley Curwen, looking ahead at the UK's latest growth figures.
0714 A cross-party committee of MPs wants the code covering the re-employment of former civil servants in the private sector to be put on a statutory basis. The Conservative Bernard Jenkin, who chairs the committee, explains why they want the change.
0718 Opinion polls are suggesting a rise in support for the UK Independence Party. The BBC's Ben Wright spoke to some former Tories who are now in UKIP at the weekend, at a conference called "the next big step."
0743 The Society of Biology wants to find out why huge numbers of flying ants are expected to take to the air and is organising a survey to map what happens. Mark Downs, the society's chief executive, explains how the survey will work.
0747 Thought for the day with Reverend Joel Edwards, international director of Micah Challenge.
on how the government is hoping to deal with the security challenges and the planned strike action by border staff.
0816 The Reuters news agency has been reporting this morning that the Syrian government has sent thousands of troops surging towards Aleppo, the country's biggest city and commercial capital. The BBC's Ian Pannell, who is with those forces, reports.
0820 The Olympic Lanes have opened this morning and motorists are banned from using them on penalty of a £135 fine, which has brought to mind the Zil Lanes of the Soviet era which used to allow the politburo to move freely around. The BBC's Moscow correspondent Daniel Sandford has been delving into their history and Edward Lucas, former Moscow Bureau chief of the Economist, compares Zil Lanes and Olympic Lanes.
0826 Sport news with Garry Richardson.
0835 An eleven year old boy has been found on a flight from Manchester airport to Rome after boarding without a ticket or passport. John Greenway, a spokesman for Manchester Airport, explains how this was able to happen.
0838 Analysts are saying that America's worst drought for 50 years could mean that rising food prices could hit some of the world's poorest countries. Joe Kelsay of the Indiana Department of Agriculture explains how bad the situation is, and Dr Alice Bows, senior lecturer in Energy and Climate Change at the Sustainable Consumption Institute, explains what needs to be done.
0845 Business news with Lesley Curwen.
0848 Michael Clarke, director of the Royal United Services Institute, on the situation in Syria.
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