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23/04/2015

Morning news and current affairs. Including Sports Desk, Weather and Thought for the Day.

3 hours

Last on

Thu 23 Apr 2015 06:00

Today's running order

0645

Friday marks the 100th anniversary of the start of the massacres of Armenians in Turkey, (1915-1922), in which 1-1.5 million are thought to have died, involving horrific atrocities and crucifixions. 23 countries including France and Russia - and the Pope - say it was genocide, but the USA and Britain still won't use that word. Turkey refuses to acknowledge it, and drew flack for announcing it would stage its Gallipoli landing centenary commemorations a day early, on the Friday, which critics say is a spoiler. Our correspondent Mark Lowen reports from Istanbul.

0650

John Humphrys is presenting from MIRA this morning, a company known for testing all types of vehicles in industries such as defence and aeronautical engineering, but mainly it’s where cars come to be put through their paces before hitting the production line. Everything is tested here using complex computers and high tech purposed built machinery. John inspects one of the special rigs used by engineers to stretch cars suspensions.

0655

The producer of a Punjabi film 'Nanak Shah Fakir' has withdrawn it from cinemas worldwide after it caused controversy in many countries. The film, a biopic of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak, sparked protests because the Sikh religion prohibits any personification of the Guru. Earlier this week Odeon and Cineworld cancelled screenings of it in the UK following a series of sit-in protests. Davinder Singh is an advisor to the Sikh Federation UK  and attended four of the protests over the weekend at the Empire cinema in Slough and Sunny Hundal is a journalist and writer and from a Sikh family.

0710

John speaks to the MIRA Chief Executive Dr George Gillespie.

0715

A couple from Cardiff say they are "incredibly proud" of their son who became Britain's youngest organ donor, when he died, after living for only one-hundred minutes. Jess Evans and Mike Houlston decided to donate Teddy's kidneys before he was born because they'd been told he wouldn't survive. A senior doctor described their determination to donate their son's organs as inspirational. The donation was successful and one year on, the recipient of Teddy’s kidneys is alive and well. Angharad Griffiths is a specialist nurse in organ donation working for NHS Blood and Transplant who worked with Teddy’s parents to see if a donation could take place.

0720

A Â鶹ԼÅÄ team has witnessed heavy and persistent shelling by pro-Russian forces on Ukrainian army positions, which completely undermines the peace agreement signed more than two months. Our Correspondent Tom Burridge, reports from the frontline in Eastern Ukraine.

0730

One of the biggest political crises that faced the coalition during its time in power were the 2011 riots. Violence erupted across London, Manchester and Birmingham. Was what happened a one off? One of the most striking images of the riot was when Tariq Jahan whose son was run over by a car in Birmingham appealed for peace and was widely seen as dampening the appetite for violence...he joins us.

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We are used to the idea politicians identify a particular voter who symbolises what their message is all about. Appealing to them is a vote winner, but who is this election’s archetype voter? John Humphrys goes looking for them.

0750

EU leaders will hold an extraordinary European Council meeting to address the situation in the Mediterranean in Brussels today. David Cameron will be attending. They will discuss short terms measures to stop human traffickers and to step up efforts of rescuing people in need, but also how to step up international cooperation with countries of origin. But what are the main factors pushing migrants to cross the sea? Our correspondent Paul Adams reports from Sicily and Professor Francis Teal is an economist and a former deputy director from the Centre for the Study of African Economies at Oxford University.

0810

Today, the Institute for Fiscal Studies - regarded as an independent referee on the economy - will publish its own analysis of the parties' plans for the public finances. George Osborne is Chancellor of the Exchequer.

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It is 800 years since one of the most important documents in British history, The Magna Carta, was sealed. The 13th century document is widely seen as the cornerstone of the British constitution. It established the rule of law and said, for the first time, that the King was beneath the law. It has long been seen as a pioneering and radical document. But Historian David Starkey argues that it was not as radical as many believe. Instead, it was a very English compromise – evolving through the more significant revisions of 1216 and 1225 to become the bedrock of the English constitution enabling the monarchy to continue. David Starkey is a historian and author of ‘Magna Carta: The true story behind the charter’ and Baroness Helena Kennedy is a human rights barrister and Labour peer who presented a R4 programme on the Magna Carta earlier this year.

0830

Today, the Institute for Fiscal Studies - regarded as an independent referee on the economy - will publish its own analysis of the parties' plans for the public finances. Ed Miliband will accuse the Conservatives planning spending cuts that will be bigger than in any of the world's most advanced economies. Chris Leslie is the Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury.

0835

Birmingham is Britain's second biggest city but has nowhere near as much devolution as Manchester and is lagging behind in terms of the control it has over how it spends taxes and runs services. Earlier this month Michael Heseltine the former Deputy Prime Minister who has taken a long interest in devolution said that Birmingham would be the next place to get powers. Sir Michael Lyons is a former Chief Executive of Birmingham City Council and Professor Alan Trench is a leading expert on devolution.

0840

Friday marks the 100th anniversary of the start of the massacres of Armenians in Turkey, (1915-1922), in which 1-1.5 million are thought to have died, involving horrific atrocities and crucifixions (see 0645). Caroline Koundarjian who is 75 years old, lost her uncle and grandfather in the deportations.

0845

A financial trader told a court in London yesterday he'll fight against extradition to America where he's wanted for allegedly manipulating share prices.  36 year old Navinder Singh Sarao is accused of playing a big part in a share market crash in 2010. But very little is known about the man who's been accused...  Sima Kotecha reports from outside his home in Hounslow, West London.

0850

It's the tenth anniversary of YouTube, the video sharing site that has irreversibly changed the media landscape. It's shaken some monopolies that previously held sway such as the music market. But it's also made celebrities out of the ordinary man on the street - some more prolific now than Hollywood.

0855

John is presenting from MIRA, an engineering firm in Nuneaton, this morning. He speaks to three local workers.

All subject to change.

Broadcast

  • Thu 23 Apr 2015 06:00