VoiceofRussia UK
US policy on Russia: Engagement or derailment?
- Title
- US policy on Russia: Engagement or derailment?
- Date posted
- 9 years ago
- Description
- The West, notably the United States, has been putting an enormous amount of pressure on Russia, most recently over Ukraine. But it all began much earlier. What exactly is Washington’s goal - is it to bring some sort of positive change to Russia, or is it to cast Russia as an ‘evil empire’, to mould Russia as the perfect enemy? VoR's Dmitry Linnik hosts a discussion.
- Title
- Sex education in schools: Can this help tackle sexual abuse?
- Date posted
- 9 years ago
- Description
- Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_10_24/Sexual-education-in-schools-Can-this-help-tackle-sexual-abuse-0086/
Sex education remains a controversial subject in Britain. Politicians and parents worry about the over sexualisation of children in the digital age, while some parents worry that schools are failing to provide proper guidance to pupils and other parents believe information being given is too graphic.
- Title
- Playing in Moscow, cancelled in London: the censorship of Exhibit B
- Date posted
- 9 years ago
- Description
- Full discussion: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_10_11/Playing-in-Moscow-cancelled-in-London-the-censorship-of-Exhibit-B-9301/
"Both unbearable and essential" was The Guardian’s review of Exhibit B which is defined by the London Barbican Arts Centre as a work of performance art. However, it was described by others as racist art that "fetishises the black body". The performance has drawn controversy wherever it goes.
- Title
- Where does Turkey stand in the fight against ISIS?
- Date posted
- 9 years ago
- Description
- Full discussion: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_10_16/Where-does-Turkey-stand-in-the-fight-against-ISIS-6611/
US-led forces have stepped up air strikes against Islamic State or ISIS fighters threatening the Syrian town of Kobane, near the Turkish border. This comes after Turkish officials denied reaching an agreement with the US to use its Incirlik airbase in the southern city of Adana, 100 miles from the Syrian border. So what will the US-led coalition’s strategy to tackle ISIS be, and what of Turkey’s role? VoR's Brendan Cole hosts a discussion.
- Title
- VoR Debate: What claim does America have to global dominance?
- Date posted
- 9 years ago
- Description
- Full discussion: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_10_14/photo-VoR-Debate-What-claim-does-America-have-to-global-dominance-9950/
In his address to the United Nations president Obama said of the United States of America: “We are heirs to a proud legacy of freedom, and we are prepared to do what is necessary to secure that legacy for generations to come. Join us in this common mission, for today’s children and tomorrow’s…” So, what sort of claim does America have to global domination? VoR’s Dmitry Linnik hosts a discussion.
- Title
- What's next for Hong Kong as it struggles to find its identity?
- Date posted
- 9 years ago
- Description
- Full discussion: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_10_09/Whats-next-for-Hong-Kong-as-it-struggles-to-find-its-identity-1276/
Protests, democracy demands, outside meddling, regime change and the future of China - all of these issues have put Hong Kong in the spotlight. Have the students and Beijing both blinked at this point? VoR's Peter Lavelle hosts a discussion.
Peter Lavelle is joined by:
Martin Jacques, author of When China Rules the World
Andrew Leung, CEO of Andrew Leung International Consultants Limited – a company founded in London and re-incorporated in Hong Kong
Mark Sleboda, international affairs and security analyst
- Title
- 'Honour' killings in Britain: Culture of shame masks violence against women
- Date posted
- 9 years ago
- Description
- Full story: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_10_04/Honour-killings-in-Britain-Culture-of-shame-masks-violence-against-women-7201/
Sexual and physical abuse of women in ethnic faith-based communities is hugely under-reported in Britain. A culture of honour and shame exists which is so powerful it stops victims from speaking out, leaving them more vulnerable to abuse. This has led to fears that concerns about upsetting or offending Britain’s diverse communities have taken priority over the safety of women and girls. VoR's Juliet Spare has this special report.
- Title
- Why does the West always fail to create an 'inclusive government'?
- Date posted
- 9 years ago
- Description
- Full discussion: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_09_21/Why-does-the-West-always-fail-to-create-an-inclusive-government-1635/
Since the United States tried its new technology of regime change at the end of the 1990s, there has been a lot of talk about the need for new pro-western regimes to be inclusive – meaning representative of all the minorities and political forces in a country or region. However, the success stories of ‘inclusive’ regimes are few. Washington itself does not concede that the latest violence in Iraq was due to the country not having an inclusive government under former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. So what is an inclusive government, and why does the West fail to create it wherever it tries, from Iraq to Ukraine?
- Title
- Russia and Cuba – the resurgence of an old friendship?
- Date posted
- 9 years ago
- Description
- Full discussion: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_09_20/Russia-and-Cuba-the-resurgence-of-an-old-friendship-0125/
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Cuba over the summer - during which he announced Russia would write off $32 billion of Cuba's Soviet debt - stirred plenty of speculation as to its motivation.
VoR's Nikolai Gorshkov hosts a discussion on whether Russia's newfound interest in Cuba is a rekindling of an old geopolitical game, or a search for new business opportunities.
- Title
- Telling It Like It Is: "America looks at NATO as a Cold War instrument"
- Date posted
- 9 years ago
- Description
- The protests in Hong Kong, the air strikes against ISIS, the Conservative Party Conference, drugs and prostitution boosting the UK economy, NATO’s new Secretary General, the White House intruder are some of the topics covered in this week’s edition of Telling It Like It Is. Joining political analyst Alexander Nekrassov are journalist Maggie Pagano and New York-based writer and broadcaster Jeffrey Robinson.
http://bit.ly/1oGOcNk
- Title
- Islamic State: A backlash of US interventions?
- Date posted
- 9 years ago
- Description
- US president Barack Obama says he wants to obliterate Islamic State (IS) without the help of Iran or Assad, and he doesn't want to offend the region's Sunnis. This is a tall order. VoR’s Peter Lavelle hosts a discussion on whether there are other ways of dealing with IS.
To discuss IS (also known as ISIS), Peter Lavelle is joined by:
Professor Saad Jawad, senior visiting fellow at the Middle East Centre, London School of Economics
Kamal Alam, fellow for Middle Eastern Regional Defence & Security at the Institute for Statecraft and advisor to the British military on Syrian Affairs
Mark Sleboda, international affairs and security analyst
http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_10_02/Islamic-State-A-backlash-of-US-interventions-7609/
- Title
- French politics: Hollande, Sarkozy and the 'Marmite effect'
- Date posted
- 9 years ago
- Description
- Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has re-launched his political career while the current President Francois Hollande’s approval rating has plummeted to 13 percent. Can Hollande last until his term expires in 2017? What's next for France, which is seeing a resurgence in the far right as it capitalises on the vacuum left by a Socialist party in disarray? VoR's Brendan Cole hosts a discussion.
George Bush wasn’t exactly a popular American president, but even his ratings would be the envy of France’s President Francois Hollande.
Just over one in 10 French people think he is doing an adequate job.
His Socialist government’s policies have been a failure. Economic growth in the first two years of his presidency has been only 0.8 per cent. Unemployment is even worse – it has swelled 15 percent to 3.3 million. Even his punitive tax on the super-rich did little more than lead to an exodus of showbiz stars and footballers. Catastrophic Euro...
- Title
- Russia and its image in the world
- Date posted
- 9 years ago
- Description
- The West’s mainstream media consistently paints Russia in the darkest colours. Why is this? It is merely force of habit? Is it a Cold War legacy? And finally, does Russia do a good job of presenting itself? Peter Lavelle and his guests discuss a knotty issue.
To discuss this Peter Lavelle is joined by:
Dmitry Linnik, Voice of Russia’s London bureau chief
Dr Marcus Papadopoulos, publisher and editor of Politics First and Russia First
Elizabeth Lukin, editor of CrossTalk
http://bit.ly/1pq4Aki
- Title
- Devolution in England: "It's the people versus the elites"
- Date posted
- 9 years ago
- Description
- Now that Scotland has voted no to devolution, the fallout is being felt over questions of how fairly the UK is represented. Downing Street insists more powers will be handed to Scotland but it has raised the issue over whether only English MPs should vote for English laws. VoR's Brendan Cole hosts a discussion.
Another consequence of the Scottish referendum is the argument for more powers to be spread across different regions of England. Just days before the Scottish ballot, the think-tank Republica said that the city of Manchester should be given income-tax raising powers and complete control of spending within five years. They said it was a blueprint for full devolution to English cities.
So what kind of narrative has the Scottish referendum thrown up, not just north of the border but across the UK? Where does it put arguments surrounding the West Lothian question, and English parliament and a federal UK?
To discuss this, VoR's Brendan Cole is j...
- Title
- Sexual harassment: "No culture of consent in Britain"
- Date posted
- 9 years ago
- Description
- A photo of a woman from Notting Hill Carnival went viral a few weeks ago – the only reminder of a good time are smeared remnants of gold glitter around her left eye. Her right eye is swollen shut, bloodied and bruised. Mary Brandon was punched in the face for telling a man to stop repeatedly groping her. She uploaded the picture, with an explanation, to Facebook. VoR's Juliet Spare hosts a discussion on sexual harassment.
http://bit.ly/1tXocmn
- Title
- Scottish referendum: "The world will not be the same on Friday…”
- Date posted
- 9 years ago
- Description
- Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_09_17/Scottish-referendum-The-world-will-not-be-the-same-on-Friday-5991/
It is the decision of a lifetime for Scotland, as Thursday sees its residents go to the polls when they decide whether to vote for independence.
VoR's Brendan Cole hosts a discussion on what the political landscape might look like when the dust settles.
Other independence movements around the world, from Catalonia to Corsica, are eyeing the referendum in Scotland very closely, as it could set a significant precedent. There was a velvet divorce between the Czech Republic and Slovakia in 1993, but that was driven more from above, while Scotland’s independence battle is a grassroots one.
To discuss the issues, VoR’s Brendan Cole is joined by:
Ian Dunt, editor of politics.co.uk
Michael Gardiner, professor of English and Comparative Literary Studies at the University of Warwick and author of The Constitution o...
- Title
- The day the world changed: Jihad and the West 13 years after 9/11
- Date posted
- 9 years ago
- Description
- Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/2014_09_11/The-day-the-world-changed-Jihad-and-the-West-13-years-after-9-11-8126/
The Day the World Changed: that was the headline in one British newspaper after the twin towers attack 13 years ago today. If you hadn’t heard of Al Qaeda by then, after 9-11 you certainly did. Those numbers themselves not just etched onto the world’s memory, but figures which now stand as a symbol of a civilisational struggle that we are fighting to this day. VoR's Brendan Cole hosts a discussion.
From it spawned the catchphrase the war against terror, two wars, one in Afghanistan and one in Iraq, and a host of franchises that exist throughout the world, from western Africa to the Middle East via the Horn of Africa.
From the march of Boko Haram in Nigeria, Al Qaeda in the Maghreb, the Al Shabbab militia in the Horn of Africa are just some of the versions of this movement which aims to install a global caliphate under Sharia law. But of c...
- Title
- Where next for NATO, Russia and Ukraine?
- Date posted
- 9 years ago
- Description
- This week's NATO summit was originally expected to be a dull, mundane affair of discussing lessons learnt from Afghanistan and some brainstorming in the search for new raison d’etre after Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya. But so much more happened. So where to now for NATO, Russia and Ukraine? VoR's Nikolai Gorshkov hosts a discussion.
One might suggest that if there was no Ukraine crisis, it should have been invented – or was it?
Some tough words were spoken at the summit and some tough
action is pending.
So where to now for NATO, Russia and Ukraine?
To discuss this Nikolai Gorshkov joined by:
Sunny Hundal, journalist, Political Commentator, Editor of the political blog Liberal Conspiracy
Dr. Ian Kearns, co-Founder and Director of the European Leadership Network
Chris Nineham, co-Founder and Vice Chair of Stop The War Coalition
And on the line from Moscow by
Dmitry Babich, political analyst with Voice of Rus...
- Title
- How can Britain respond to terror threat from home-grown Islamic jihad?
- Date posted
- 9 years ago
- Description
- Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_08_30/How-can-Britain-respond-to-terror-threat-from-home-grown-Islamic-jihad-2074/
Britain has been put on severe alert for terrorism following the killing of US journalist James Foley by Islamic State, overseen by a man with a London accent. PM David Cameron has warned of 500 Britons fighting for Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL), but faces a greater threat at home. VoR's Brendan Cole hosts a debate.
Footage of the American journalist James Foley with a knife to his neck by a man with a London accent highlighted how the Islamic State was a brutal as well as a media savvy organisation.
They scored their propaganda goal – it was on the front pages of the newspapers around the world and made the top story on every news bulletin.
The fact that a British voice was heard in the footage highlighted the extent to which this vicious battle in the Middle East had links to Britain.
According to some estimates, there...
- Title
- VoR Debate: Stop and Search: A controversial practice
- Date posted
- 9 years ago
- Description
- Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_09_02/Stop-and-Search-A-controversial-practice-0040/
New restrictions are being introduced in England and Wales to curtail one of the most controversial powers in policing, Stop and Search. Concern remains over the most controversial aspect of Stop and Search - the claim that it is disproportionately applied to people from a black or minority ethnic (BME) background. VoR's Juliet Spare hosts a discussion.
Stop and Search is when a police officer stops someone that they have reasonable grounds to suspect is carrying drugs, weapons, or stolen property, or items which could be used to carry out a crime or used in connection with violence. The officer searches the suspect’s clothing or their bag, and must explain why they have grounds for the search.
According to Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, 27 percent of searches conducted last year did not contain reasonable grounds for suspicion.
Britain...
- Title
- VoR Debate: Last orders for Britain's boozers?
- Date posted
- 9 years ago
- Description
- Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_08_29/Last-orders-for-Britains-boozers-4357/
Pubs in Britain are closing at the rate of 28 a week. To its supporters, the pub is a great British institution that is part of the fabric of society. While not quite on the endangered species list just yet, what is the future of the British pub? VoR's Brendan Cole discusses the fate of the great British boozer.
Pubs have had to face a number of barriers: the smoking ban, VAT on food sales, the beer duty escalator, and competing with supermarkets that sell alcohol at reduced prices.
They employ hundreds of thousands of people, and have been a way for people to socialise for hundreds of years. So should the government do something to save them?
Joining VoR's Brendan Cole to discuss this is are:
Martyn Hillier, owner of the Butcher's Arms, the smallest free house in England. Martin coined the term "micropub"
Dr. Ignazio Cabras, lecturer in economics, b...
- Title
- Ireland's abortion laws: Religion, history, and impact on today's society
- Date posted
- 9 years ago
- Description
- Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_08_23/Irelands-abortion-laws-Religion-history-and-impact-on-todays-society-5847/
Outrage over Ireland’s abortion laws is nothing new, and the most recent case concerning what many call unworkable legislation this week triggered fresh protests worldwide. In London, more than 150 people gathered outside the Irish Embassy holding posters bearing slogans such as ‘I am not a vessel’ and ‘this brutality makes me ashamed to be Irish’. VoR's Natasha Moriarty hosts a discussion.
- Title
- Men and mental health: The untold story
- Date posted
- 9 years ago
- Description
- Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_08_20/Men-and-mental-health-The-untold-story-1552/
Suicide is three times as common in men than women. And men suffer from mental health issues just as much as women. But do we acknowledge that, and do
- Title
- Royal Ballet’s Steven McRae: “Ballet’s live, there’s no backup”
- Date posted
- 9 years ago
- Description
- Royal Ballet principal dancer Steven McRae grew up in the world of drag car racing in Australia which gave him a lifelong love of speed and adrenalin. He challenged his energy into dance, becoming a versatile and ambitious dancer at Covent Garden, where he has performed with leading ballerinas like Alina Cojocaru, Sarah Lamb, Evgenia Obraztsova, Natalia Osipova, and Iana Salenko. VoR’s Alice Lagnado caught up with Steven in between rehearsals.
Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_07_21/Royal-Ballet-s-Steven-McRae-Ballet-s-live-there-s-no-backup-0480/
- Title
- New world order: Robots and their ability to take over your job
- Date posted
- 9 years ago
- Description
- Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_08_20/New-world-order-Robots-and-their-ability-to-take-over-your-job-7916/
Exponential growth in the power of silicon chips, digital sensors and high-bandwidth communications are changing what robots can do. And the field is the target of mammoth investment from some of the world’s biggest companies. VoR's Natasha Moriarty hosts a discussion.
Born in science fiction books - and since then exhaustively imagined on screen – robots and artificial intelligence have long been a way of exploring our hopes and fears about technology.
Yet in real life, robots have been something of a disappointment. Robots that can be trusted are hard to find, and even the most generous estimates rate their intelligence as about the same as a small bug.
But many scientists think that’s about to change, which has also attracted interest from such giants as Google and Amazon.
While we may benefit from robotic prowess as c...
- Title
- Why are we so afraid to discuss death?
- Date posted
- 9 years ago
- Description
- Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/2014_08_17/Why-are-we-so-afraid-to-discuss-death-6373/
More than 70 percent of people in Britain are uncomfortable talking about death, says a survey by the charity Dying Matters. VoR’s Juliet Spare asks the experts why we are so bad at talking about something so important.
A poll of 2,000 adults for Dying Matters, a coalition of care organisations, indicates that only 21 percent of people have discussed their end-of-life wishes. And of the half a million people who die in England each year, half that number die in hospital - although most of us are clear that we would prefer to die at home.
But only a quarter of men and one in three women in England have told anyone about the arrangements they would like to be made for after they die.
For this discussion, Juliet was joined in the studio by Joe Levenson, Director of Communications at the Dying Matters Coalition and National Council for Palliat...
- Title
- Where next for Erdogan and Turkey?
- Date posted
- 9 years ago
- Description
- Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_08_11/Where-next-for-Erdogan-and-Turkey-6141/
Recep Tayyip Erdogan has secured a historic win in Turkey's first presidential elections cementing his role as the nation's leader for the next five years. But what is the future for Turkey, what do these elections signify? VoR's Brendan Cole hosts a discussion.
With almost all the votes counted, Mr Erdogan led with 52 percent, 13 points ahead of his main opponent, Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, a Turkish diplomat with a low domestic profile, who held 38.8 percent of the ballot.
The election marks the first stage of an ambitious plan by Mr Erdogan to transform Turkey's government into one led by presidential politics, with himself as leader.
Erdogan wants to secure more power for the presidency but his opponents fear increasingly authoritarian rule.
Until now the presidency has been largely ceremonial but this is set to change.
To discuss this VoR's Br...
- Title
- Girls in gangs sexually exploited: boys confident they’ll get away with it
- Date posted
- 9 years ago
- Description
- For some young people in Britain sexual violence is a fact of everyday life. It’s so commonplace that victims are often unable to recognise that they are being abused or exploited. VoR in London invited four guests to take part in a panel discussion with Juliet Spare on the exploitation of girls by gang members.
Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_08_09/Girls-in-gangs-sexually-exploited-boys-confident-they-ll-get-away-with-it-3892/
- Title
- Gaza: What do Jewish people on both sides of the debate think?
- Date posted
- 9 years ago
- Description
- Britain's Liberal Democrats are calling for the suspension of arms export licences to Israel. It comes after Baroness Warsi resigned as a Foreign Office minister, arguing Downing Street's stance on Israel's actions was "morally indefensible". Amid the claims and counter-claims, what do Jewish people think about the conflict? Is it reported fairly? What about the western response and British policy on Israel? VoR's Brendan Cole hosts a discussion.
Israel launched Operation Protective Edge last month with the stated aim of ending rocket attacks and destroying tunnels used by Palestinian militants. Gaza officials say the conflict has killed 1,800 Palestinians, while 67 Israelis have also died.
Brendan is joined by:
Glyn Secker, member of the executive committee of Jews for Justice for Palestinians, captain of the boat to Gaza in 2010
Geoffrey Alderman, professor of politics and contemporary history at the University of Buckingham, author of the book ...
- Title
- Edinburgh Fringe shows Russia’s irreverent side
- Date posted
- 9 years ago
- Description
- Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_08_06/Edinburgh-Fringe-shows-Russia-s-irreverent-side-2285/
Long sighs, pained entreaties and deep discussions of life and love are what many people expect when they see a Russian play in the UK. But the Edinburgh Fringe is taking a lighter look at Russia this year - through comedy, farce, and a touch of Fawlty Towers. VoR’s Alice Lagnado takes a look.
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- Urban living is on the rise - how will it change our lives and planet?
- Date posted
- 9 years ago
- Description
- Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_08_04/Urban-living-is-on-the-rise-how-will-it-change-our-lives-and-planet-2702/
The latest forecast from the United Nations now predicts that two thirds of the world’s people will live in cities by 2050. The global population is set to reach almost 10 billion by that point and the UN say that at least 6 billion people will live in cities. VoR’s Simon Parker discusses the challenges posed by urbanisation and asks if the world will be able to cope with an increasingly urban population.
Simon is joined by:
Erinch Sahan, a private sector adviser at Oxfam;
Dr Alice Evans, a fellow in Human Geography at the London School of Economics and Political Science
Melissa Sterry, a design scientist, futurist, writer and speaker
- Title
- "Atrocities in Gaza go on due to the international conspiracy of silence”
- Date posted
- 9 years ago
- Description
- Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_08_04/Atrocities-in-Gaza-go-on-due-to-the-international-conspiracy-of-silence-4182/
Health officials in Gaza say 1,800 Palestinians, most of them civilians, have been killed and more than 9,000 injured since the conflict began nearly four weeks ago. Sixty-six Israelis have died, all but two of them soldiers. Already this conflict between Hamas and Israel has outlasted previous ones, but with Israel not present at talks in Cairo, what hope for an end to the violence? VoR's Brendan Cole hosts a debate.
To discuss this Brendan Cole is joined by:
Yousef al-Helou, Palestinian journalist
Jonathan Sacerdoti, commentator and political analyst on the Middle East
Vijay Mehta, chair of the group Uniting for Peace and author
Dr Atef Alshaer, lecturer in Arabic Studies at the University of Westminster
And on the line from Jerusalem:
Gil Hoffman, chief political correspondent at The...
- Title
- MH17: "There is a propaganda war around the plane"
- Date posted
- 9 years ago
- Description
- Sanctions slapped on Russia, Israel's actions in Gaza, and fears of an Ebola outbreak are among the topics discussed in this week's Telling It Like It Is. The guests are writer and broadcaster Tim Ecott, and former Kremlin adviser and political analyst Alexander Nekrassov, who both join Brendan Cole.
- Title
- Iran's nuclear deal: Progress or a pact of silence?
- Date posted
- 9 years ago
- Description
- Read More: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_07_26/Irans-nuclear-deal-Progress-or-a-pact-of-silence-8324/
The United Nations Nuclear Agency says Iran has turned all of its enriched uranium closest to the level needed to make nuclear arms into more harmless forms. The conversion of its stock of 20 percent was part of a deal to curb Iran’s nuclear programme. VoR’s Brendan Cole leads a discussion.
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- VoR Debate: Is Britain a nation of monoglots?
- Date posted
- 9 years ago
- Description
- Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_07_23/VoR-Debate-Is-Britain-a-nation-of-monoglots-4123/
Is Britain a nation of monoglots? The British Council, which promotes English language-learning around the world, seems to think so. Also, the CBI says that Britain lacks foreign language speakers, which "threatens the UK" economy. VoR's Brendan Cole leads a discussion.
- Title
- "FGM is a universal issue"
- Date posted
- 10 years ago
- Description
- Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_07_21/FGM-is-a-universal-issue-8231/
Female genital mutilation, or FGM, is defined by the World Health Organisation as a painful and traumatic procedure that intentionally alters and causes injury to female genital organs. It has been recognised as a violation of the human rights of girls and women. As the first Girl Summit kicks off in London on July 22, VoR's Juliet Spare hosts a discussion.
- Title
- Population crisis: Are insects the future of food?
- Date posted
- 10 years ago
- Description
- Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_07_18/Population-crisis-Are-insects-the-future-of-food-1281/
As global populations continue to rise around the world, concerns grow over how people will be able to feed themselves in the decades to come. VoR's Simon Parker hosts a discussion on the future of feeding a growing global population. And what we eat - and what we can produce - is central to the debate.
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- Isolating Russia: Does the reality match the rhetoric?
- Date posted
- 10 years ago
- Description
- Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_07_10/Isolating-Russia-Does-the-reality-match-the-rhetoric-4622/
Since the start of the political crisis in Ukraine, the West -- particularly Washington -- has stated that Russia must be 'isolated' on the international stage. This includes economic and financial sanctions.
However, has Russia, in any meaningful way, become isolated? Peter Lavelle's international guests debate the question.
Peter Lavelle is joined by:
Martin McCauley, Russia specialist at the University of London
James Thackara, novelist and human rights activist
Andrew Korybko, Moscow-based journalist and analyst
Charlie Bausman, director, head of Investor Relations at AVG Capital Partners
- Title
- Aviation security: "We are creating chokepoints, not checkpoints"
- Date posted
- 10 years ago
- Description
- Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_07_13/Aviation-security-We-are-creating-chokepoints-not-checkpoints-0587/
Security is being tightened at European and Middle East airports operating direct flights into the United States. It follows what is believed to be a "credible threat" from Syrian and Yemen-based al-Qaeda affiliates. VoR's Brendan Cole hosts a debate on the nature of the threat facing the UK, and the suitability of the new measures.
Brendan Cole is joined in the studio by:
Philip Baum, leading aviation expert from the Green Light Aviation Security consultancy firm;
John Gearson, professor of National Security Studies, Department of War Studies, King's College London;
Milo Yiannopoulos, columnist and broadcaster
- Title
- Young jihadists: Muslim women can help quell extremism
- Date posted
- 10 years ago
- Description
- Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_07_11/Young-jihadists-Muslim-women-can-help-quell-extremism-3124/
Radicalisation has been described by MI5 as the most serious danger to face the UK for the last century. Following the news that 16-year-old twin girls from Manchester left their family home and travelled to Syria a couple of weeks ago, reportedly pledging allegiance to ISIS forces, VoR's Juliet Spare hosts a discussion on the roles of women in jihad.
- Title
- Nudefest: Britain's biggest naturist event gets underway in Cornwall
- Date posted
- 10 years ago
- Description
- Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_07_06/Nudefest-Britains-biggest-naturist-event-gets-underway-in-Cornwall-2004/
British Naturism's Nudefest 2014, the UK's largest gathering of its kind, took place in Cornwall in south-west England. It follows on from World Naturist Week, whose celebrants across the globe spent last week breaking free from the confines of clothing.
VoR's Brendan Cole spoke to Andrew Welch, a spokesperson for British Naturism, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
- Title
- "Is there latent sexism in parliament? Probably yes, but not as much now"
- Date posted
- 10 years ago
- Description
- Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_07_09/Is-there-latent-sexism-in-parliament-Probably-yes-but-not-as-much-now-5833/
Claims of a Westminster paedophile ring, whether parliament is sexist and Britain's relationship with the EU are among topics discussed by Brooks Newmark, the Conservative MP for Braintree and Essex and the former Kremlin adviser Alexander Nekrassov. Joining them for this week's Telling it Like it Is, is VoR's Brendan Cole.
- Title
- Cults: "People underestimate how powerful they are"
- Date posted
- 10 years ago
- Description
- Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_07_09/Cults-People-underestimate-how-powerful-they-are-5207/
Academics estimate that there are tens of thousands of new religious movements - often referred to as cults - worldwide. The majority are said to be in Africa and Asia. Here in Britain, it's thought there are between 500 and 1,000 new religious movements, or cults - though some say that figure is a conservative estimate. VoR's Juliet Spare is joined by three guests - two of them former cult members - for this in-depth discussion.
- Title
- Child trafficking in Nepal highlighted in London film premiere
- Date posted
- 10 years ago
- Description
- Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_07_08/Child-trafficking-in-Nepal-highlighted-in-London-film-premiere-9576/
A new film premieres in London this week. Called simply Sold, the film tells the story of a Nepali teenager who was trafficked to an Indian brothel. According to the charity Childreach International, the majority of the trafficked Nepalese children are girls aged between 12 and 18, who are primarily sold into the Indian sex industry. VoR's Juliet Spare reports.
- Title
- European Court stands firm on French full veil ban
- Date posted
- 10 years ago
- Description
- Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_07_01/European-Court-stands-firm-on-French-full-veil-ban-9346/
The European Court of Human Rights has upheld France's ban on wearing full face veils in public. The case was brought by a young French woman who said stopping her wearing the niqab violated her freedom of religion and expression. VoR's Carmen Cracknell reports.
- Title
- Syria, Iraq, a caliphate - and a lesson in history for the West
- Date posted
- 10 years ago
- Description
- http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_07_03/Syria-Iraq-a-caliphate-and-a-lesson-in-history-for-the-West-1049/
The Islamist group ISIS is continuing to make gains in Iraq as the western world tries to deal with the violent group. The leader of ISIS has declared a caliphate which stretches across parts of northern Iraq and Syria.
VoR's Brendan Cole spoke to Kamal Alam, an analyst of the region who has written extensively about Syria.
- Title
- Nine years on from 7/7 bombings, is UK ready for the global jihad threat?
- Date posted
- 10 years ago
- Description
- Monday sees the ninth anniversary of the bombings in London that shook the UK to the core. Known as the 7/7 attacks, they raised for the first time the prospect of home-grown British terrorism.
Now, the country is faced with another global jihadi threat. How is the West - and Britain in particular - going to deal with it? VoR's Brendan Cole hosts a debate.
While western leaders look at how to grapple with the rising threat of the group Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant or ISIS, in Britain fears are growing that the terror that ISIS is wreaking across Iraq and Syria could find its way back to these shores.
Added into the mix are the investigations by Ofsted and the Department for Education targeted five schools in the inner city with largely Muslim pupils, placing them in special measures.
Four of the schools are academies and are likely to be handed over to new management by the Department for Education early next month.
To ...
- Title
- Ukraine and the EU Association agreement: gain or pain?
- Date posted
- 10 years ago
- Description
- Ukraine and the EU Association agreement: It is hotly debated whether Kiev's signature on this agreement will result in a more modern and prosperous Ukraine or a country that will experience extreme economic pain and long term austerity.
VoR's Peter Lavelle hosts a discussion.
Peter Lavelle is joined by:-
Alexander Mercouris, political commentator and legal expert
Christopher Walker, former bureau chief of The Times in Moscow
Ben Aris, editor of Business New Europe
Chris Weafer, Senior and founding partner at Macro Advisory
Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/2014_07_02/Ukraine-and-the-EU-Association-agreement-gain-or-pain-3287/
- Title
- "Britain is a petri dish for potential child abuse"
- Date posted
- 10 years ago
- Description
- Roland Peter Wright, the former headmaster of Caldicott Preparatory School in Buckinghamshire, was sentenced to eight years in prison after being found guilty in December of sexual abuse of boys during the 1960s and '70s.
Voice of Russia UK spoke to Tom Perry, who suffered at the hands of the staff at Caldicott as a boy and now campaigns to make the reporting of sexual abuse in schools mandatory.
Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_02_06/Britain-is-a-petri-dish-for-potential-child-abuse-9121/
- Title
- Opera on film -- the death of live singing?
- Date posted
- 10 years ago
- Description
- Full Story: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_04_28/Opera-on-film-the-death-of-live-singing-4039/
As increasing numbers of people watch opera in the cinema or online, paying a fraction of the price of tickets to an opera house or nothing at all, will anyone bother going to see live singing any more? VoR's arts editor Alice Lagnado reports.
