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04/08/2015

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

3 hours

Last on

Tue 4 Aug 2015 06:00

Today's running order

0650

The Sunday Times and German broadcaster ARD/WDR obtained access to International Association of Athletics Federations results of 12,000 blood tests from 5,000 athletes. The files show a third of all medals in endurance events at Olympics and World Championships were won by athletes who recorded suspicious tests. Hajo Seppelt is producer of the ARD/WDR documentary Doping.

0710

George Osborne has received the green light to begin selling Β£600 million of shares in the Royal Bank of Scotland, representing just under 5.2% of its overall stake in the bank. We hear from shadow treasury minister Barbara Keeley and business presenter Joe Lynam.

0715

The police watchdog is to investigate whether officers failed to pursue allegations of child abuse made against former Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath. Mike Hames is a retired detective superintendent who was head of the MET police paedophilia unit 1989-1994.

0720

Sinn Fein government minister John O’Dowd says there needs to be greater scrutiny of the relationship between MI5 agents and dissident republicans in Northern Ireland. Our Ireland correspondent Chris Buckler reports.

0730

A former palliative care nurse who was not suffering from a terminal disease has ended her life at a Swiss suicide clinic because she did not want to become β€œan old lady hobbling up the road with a trolley”. We hear from her partner John Southall and Colin Harte, who cared for his chronically ill friend for 14 years.

0745

Nearly a quarter of a million fewer people took part in sport once a week, every week, from October to March than the previous 6 months. Dan Whitworth reports.

0750

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon was in Baghdad yesterday to talk to the Iraqi Prime Minister and defence minister about the ongoing fight against the so-called Islamic State.Β  We hear from Mr Fallon.

0810

George Osborne has received the green light to begin selling Β£600 million of shares in the Royal Bank of Scotland, representing just under 5.2% of its overall stake in the bank. Harriet Baldwin is economic secretary to the Treasury.

0815

The police watchdog is to investigate whether officers failed to pursue allegations of child abuse made against former Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath. We speak to Brian Binley, a former Conservative MP for Northampton South.

0820

On Monday’s Today programme, John Birt mentioned whilst paying tribute to Cilla Black that she was not the first choice to present Blind Date. How common is it for presenters and formats to be changed between pilot episodes and broadcast? We hear from Duncan Norvelle, the original choice to host Blind Date, and David Liddiment, former director of programmes at ITV.

0830

President Barack Obama challenged America and the world to step up efforts to fight global warming on Monday. Heather Zichal is former deputy assistant to President Obama for Energy and Climate Change.

0840

Nearly a quarter of a million fewer people took part in sport once a week, every week, from October to March than the previous 6 months. We hear from sports minister Tracey Crouch.

0850

Britain is to extend the life of its air operations against ISIS by an extra year, until March 2017. Sima Kotecha reports.

0855

British schoolchildren are rude, disruptive and demotivated by the welfare state, according to a group of Chinese teachers who spent a month at a comprehensive school as part of a ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ documentary. Xinran Xue has taught modern history both in China and at SOAS. Simon Jenkins is a journalist and author.

All subject to change.

Broadcast

  • Tue 4 Aug 2015 06:00