| Tuesday 17 November from 2230 GMT - BBC Two Presented by Jeremy Paxman The 21st Century has been dubbed the Asian Century - the era in which Western domination will end and the countries of Asia, particularly China, will grow in strategic, political and economic power. Tonight, we will be looking at the challenge the West faces and our Economics Editor Paul Mason will be explaining how the Toyota Prius - the world's first mass-produced hybrid car - could be key. At the heart of the hybrid is a rechargeable battery, and at the heart of the battery is a metal - one of 17 so-called Rare Earths which are at the heart of so many of the world's new technologies that they have the potential to bring about a shift in global power. Plus, the other day Jeremy Paxman asked Conservative MEP Daniel Hannan whether he "fancied" Herman Van Rompuy. He was, of course, asking if the Belgian prime minister would be suitable for the EU presidency. Tonight, David Grossman will be taking a closer look at the man who is in the running to become the most powerful man in Europe, and assessing whether we should all be fancying his chances. Also tonight, a second group of Newsnight viewers face the panel in our Politics Pen. Last week, three intrepid members of the audience went up against the political animals pitching their ideas for easing the public finances - but all to no avail, as all of their suggestions were roundly rejected. How will the next three fare? Join Jeremy at 10.30pm on BBC Two. | 
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