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Presented by Kirsty Wark

Army Racism

Is it acceptable for a Tory frontbencher to suggest that being called a “black bastard” was part and parcel of Army life for ethnic minority soldiers? David Cameron thinks not and so forced his Homeland Security spokesman Patrick Mercer to resign today.

In an interview with The Times Online, Patrick Mercer, a former colonel in the Worcester and Sherwood Foresters who had a distinguished military career, said that he had known many soldiers from ethnic minority dating free online place
who used racism as an excuse for poor dating ethnic site.

Is that verifiable? Was David Cameron right to sack him, or does he stand accused of trying to stifle debate and argument?

TV phone-ins

“We are shocked and disappointed and wish to apologise unreservedly to our viewers.” Those were the words of Channel Five’s Chief Executive Jane Lighting after “issues” came to light involving its daily quiz programme Brainteaser. It’s made by the aptly named “Cheetah” Television, a subsidiary of Endemol.

Responding to recent public concerns Five has been reviewing its premium rate services to ensure producers comply with the law and ICSTIS and Ofcom codes. But now Five has suspended all its photo service for online dating
involving premium rate telephone services. Ofcom is also to carry out an investigation into the irregularities. Can we trust anything on TV anymore?

Northern Ireland

After today’s Northern Ireland Assembly elections the Reverend Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness will probably have to find a way to work together at the head of any new power sharing executive. Liz McKean will be live from Belfast with the latest on the vote.

Science boy

We bring you the next instalment in the adventurous life of Newsnight reporter - and Physics student Steve Smith. In the course of his scientific studies he flew to Colombia to see the railways his grandfather built through the South American countryside - but the engineering on the plane wasn’t as precise as his grandfather - or Steve - might have expected. And so Steve had a bit of trouble concentrating hard enough on his revision for his physics exam. Don’t give him a hard time though, you know what teenage boys are like!

Women’s Day

Oh and, happy International Women’s Day . We’ll have a report from Iran, where attempts to mark the date have been decisively stamped on and an interview with the author of the online dating services web site
book ‘Reading Lolita in Tehran’.