VoiceofRussia UK

Title: Might women wear the mitre?
Runtime: 28:31
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: The Church of England has adjourned a decision on whether to allow women to become bishops. Would not allowing female bishops enshrine discrimination? Or, does it go against what is taught in the Bible?

VOR's Brendan Cole discusses this with Father Martyn Neale, the vicar of Hawley Parish in Hampshire; Reverend Canon Rosie Harper, vicar of Great Missenden and chaplain to the Bishop of Buckingham; Reverend Marjorie Brown, vicar of St Mary's Church, Primrose Hill, London; and Alison Ruoff, lay member of the General Synod of the Church of England and representative to the London diocese.

Image:Getty Images

UK defence cuts: An uncertain future for the British Armed Forces?

Title: UK defence cuts: An uncertain future for the British Armed Forces?
Runtime: 28:31
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: Over the next two years The Ministry of Defence say they plan to cut 29 000 military personnel and 25 000 civilian staff from the British Armed Forces.The Army is bearing the brunt of the cuts, losing around 19 000 soldiers while the Royal Navy and the RAF will each lose about 5 000 posts.
The Government says it has to reduce the size of the Armed Forces to tackle the massive defence budget deficit it inherited from the previous Labour government.The cuts will bring the Army's numbers down from 101 000 to 82 000 - half the size it was during the Cold War era, and its lowest level since Britain fought Napoleon.

Critics, including Labour's shadow defence secretary, say the losses would have an impact on the military's capabilities.

Guests: Colonel Richard Kemp, a former British Commander in Afghanistan; Richard Norton Taylor, The Guardian's security editor; and Allan Mallinson, a former brigadier-general and now a defence commentator for the Times and aut...

Title: Mali monuments in danger
Runtime: 13:41
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: In this edition Tim Ecott speaks to the journalist and broadcaster Jane Labous about the extraordinary mosques and libraries of Mali - now under threat from political unrest.

The West African country of Mali is perhaps best known for being the home of Timbuktu, sitting on the edge of the Sahara. But in recent months northern Mali and Timbuktu have been off limits to visitors because of rebel activity and armed revolts by the nomadic Tuareg, who want some form of self-governance.

In the last few weeks there have been reports that the ancient mud temples, mosques and libraries of Timbuktu have been vandalised by the Ansar Dine who may be connected to Al-Qaeda.

The cities of Timbuktu and Djenné are World Heritage Sites. There are fears that these mud buildings - some of them six hundred years old - could be permanently damaged.

Tim Ecott started the conversation by asking Jane Labous why these historical sites in Mali are so special.

Title: Al-Qaeda's African aspirations
Runtime: 28:31
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: Militant activity from Somalia to Mali and Nigeria has raised fears that Africa is where the western focus on Islamist activity should be. So is Africa the new front for Al-Qaeda?
VOR's Brendan Cole discusses this with Abdul Bari Atwan, editor-in-chief of the London-based newspaper Al Qudds Al Arabi and author of the book, After Bin Laden, The Next Generation.

Dr Brooke Rodgers, senior lecturer in risk and terror at King's College London and Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens, research fellow at the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation also join the discussion.

London 2012: Commercialisation of the Games

Title: London 2012: Commercialisation of the Games
Runtime: 28:31
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: In just over a fortnight, the greatest multi-sport spectacle of them all comes to London. The 2012 Olympics have been welcomed by the UK government not just as a celebration of sporting excellence but also as a way of regenerating East London, boosting the national economy, and rekindling the nation's enthusiasm for sport. But even as the games draw closer, there has been a barrage of criticism.

They're too commercial, critics say, with companies like MacDonald's and Coca-Cola demanding preferential treatment for sponsoring London 2012.It will also be heavily militarized games, with 13 500 soldiers deployed, along with 40 000 private security guards.

And for many Londoners it will be games that disrupt their daily lives, with transport networks overloads and Olympic officials zooming past in special car lanes, like party officials in a banana republic.

Hywel Davies discusses the issues surrounding London 2012 with his guests: Professor Iain MacRur...

Britain's future in the European Union: In or out?

Title: Britain's future in the European Union: In or out?
Runtime: 28:31
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: Britain has been part of the European Union for nearly 40 years, but the trade-based European Community Britain joined in the 1970s is vastly different from the European Union we have today. With pan-European courts, common employment rules and shared energy and agriculture policies, many now argue this isn't what Britain signed up for.

Amid the backdrop of the continuing Eurozone crisis, support for EU membership is waning. A poll this week shows just one third of Britons want to remain within the Union. UK Prime Minister David Cameron has ruled out a referendum on the issue for now... angering many Tory backbenchers.

The Voice of Russia's Vivienne Nunis is joined in the studio by Stephen Tall, the Editor of the Liberal Democrat Voice, Charles Crawford, a political commentator with more than three decades in the UK diplomatic service; Robert Oulds, the director of the Bruges Group, Petros Fassoulas, the Chairman of Euromove UK.

Title: Should drugs be legalised in the UK?
Runtime: 28:30
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: Juliet Spare debates the issue of drugs decriminalisation in the UK with the Director of the International Centre on Human Rights and Drugs Policy, Damon Barrett.

Juliet is also joined in the studio by Niamh Eastwood, the director of Release which is a national centre of expertise on drugs and drugs laws, economist and Chair of East London NHS Foundation Trust Baroness Molly Meacher and a Somali youth worker called Mohammed Dualeh who is campaigning to criminalise the currently legal high -- Khat.

Image: Chuck Schneider http://www.flickr.com/people/elston/

Title: Fresh start: Libya holds elections
Runtime: 28:31
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: More than 60 per cent of eligible voters cast their ballots in Libya's first parliamentary election for nearly 50 years. What does the election mean for the oil-rich country's future? Will it be able to function effectively as a democracy, with so many disparate regional and ethnic groups?

VOR's Brendan Cole discusses this with Nureddin Waiheishi, who has been exiled in London from Libya for three decades, Dr Alan George, Libyan expert from Oxford University's St Antony's College and VOR's political analyst in Moscow, Dmitry Babich.

Photo: Getty Images

Brit forced into sex slavery: VOR exclusive interview

Title: Brit forced into sex slavery: VOR exclusive interview
Runtime: 28:31
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: Sophie Hayes, which is not her real name, was lured to the Mediterranean by an Albanian man who had befriended her in the UK. The man convinced Sophie to travel to Italy for what she thought would be a holiday. But she ended up working as a sex slave for six months.

Juliet Spare discussed the issue of human trafficking with Sophie, as well as Mary Buckley, Cambridge academic and author of Public Opinion in Russia on the Politics of Human Trafficking; Robin Brierley, a consultant specialising in human trafficking who used to work for the Serious Organised Crime Agency; and Martha Jean Baker, vice president of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom. Sophie's voice is disguised in order to protect her identity.

Title: The Future of Publishing
Runtime: 28:29
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: Thanks to the internet and the so-called digital revolution it's often said that anyone can now write and distribute a book. The fusty and secretive world of publishing is open to everyone. While e-books sales continue to climb - the evidence suggests that fewer titles overall are being sold, with just a handful of high selling titles accounting for the majority of publishing profits.

So what does the future hold?

The Voice of Russia's Tim Ecott hosts a discussion in an attempt to answer this question. He is joined in the London bureau's studios by Max Bollinger, the Chief Creative Officer and Publisher at Interactive Media, Jonathan Ruppin, a web editor at Foyles, as well as Nicola Solomon, General Secretary of the Society of Authors and John Mitchinson, founder of the world's first crowd funded publisher unbound.co.uk.

Image by Danny McLaughlin @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/dmcl/

EU embargo on Iranian oil comes into effect

Title: EU embargo on Iranian oil comes into effect
Runtime: 28:29
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: The Voice of Russia's Daniel Cinna hosts a discussion on the European Union's ban on importing Iranian crude oil. Joining him in the studio are the Guardian journalist Saeed Kamali Dehghan, Dr Mamdouh G Salameh, an International Oil Economist & Consultant to the World Bank on Oil & Energy, David Patrikarakos, a writer, essayist and journalist and Andrey Baklitskiy, the Project Director at Russian Center for Policy Studies.

Image by http://www.flickr.com/photos/dynamosquito/

Egypt's future as Morsi becomes first post-revolution president

Title: Egypt's future as Morsi becomes first post-revolution president
Runtime: 28:29
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: Voice of Russia's Brendan Cole hosts a panel discussion on Egypt's future, as Mohamed Morsi wins the Egyptian presidential elections. Brendan is joined in the London bureau's studio by a panel of guests: Dr Omar Ashour, Director of the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies at the University of Exeter, on the line from Cairo, Victor Nadein-Raevsky, Senior Research Assistant at the Institute of World Economy and International Relations, on the line from Moscow, Mustafa Ragab, Director General of the Egyptian House in London, and Mohammed Chahin, a Muslim Brotherhood supporter.

Image by Ahmed Abd El-fatah - http://www.flickr.com/photos/ahmedcarlos/

Note - This discussion was recorded on June 25th.

Title: EURO-2012 FINAL: SPAIN OR ITALY?
Runtime: 28:29
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: Voice of Russia's sports correspondent Tim Walklate looks at the championship's final game between Italy and Spain, held on June 1st. Andrew Warshaw, the chief football correspondent for Insideworldftootball.biz, Philippe Auclaire, a football writer and broadcaster and England correspondent of France Football and RMC, as well as Sasha Goryunov, a sports blogger on the line from Rome, join Tim at the London bureau's studios.

Image by POLANDMFA http://www.flickr.com/photos/polandmfa/

Note - This discussion was recorded on Friday 29th June.

Sexualized violence in fashion advertising

Title: Sexualized violence in fashion advertising
Runtime: 28:29
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: The Voice of Russia hosts a discussion on images portraying violence towards women in fashion advertising. A photo-shoot by the Bulgarian magazine 12, picturing beautiful women with black eyes, burns and torn out piercings, titled 'Victim of Beauty', has caused a stir . Daniel Cinna is joined in the London studio by a panel of guests, including Huben Hubenov, the editor in chief of 12, Alison Meldrum, the Communications Director of the charity Standing Together, as well as Julie Bindel, a feminist and journalist and Sofia Shershunovich, a fashion journalist and contributor to Vogue.

Image by Vasil Germanov for 12
http://12mag.net/beauty/victim-beauty/

Title: Do we have the right to choose to die?
Runtime: 28:29
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: The Voice of Russia in London discusses euthanasia and assisted suicide and in particular the case of Tony Nicklinson, a man suffering from Locked in Syndrome who is campaigning for a change in the murder law so he can lawfully be helped to end his life. Juliet Spare leads a panel of guests including Dr. Michael Irwin from the Society of Old Age Rational Suicide, Dr. Dan Boucher of Christian CARE and Kate Allatt, a survivor of Locked in Syndrome.

Title: Curtain Up: Vladimir Nabokov
Runtime: 14:37
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: Curtain Up is a show about Russian culture in London and the UK. It's brought to you by Voice of Russia's London radio station, and hosted by Alice Lagnado and Julian Gallant, the director of Pushkin House, the mecca for Russians and Russophiles in London. In our third edition, we talked to Nabokov scholars Anastasia Tolstoy and Dr Thomas Karshan about their new verse translation of The Tragedy of Mister Morn, which Nabokov wrote in 1923 when he was only 24 years old. The play will be published in early July; this is the first time that it is appearing in English. You can see a fully-rehearsed dramatic reading of the play at Pushkin House on 26-27 June. Please visit http://www.pushkinhouse.org/en/events/ for further details.
This piece was first broadcast on Voice of Russia's London station, which you can find on DAB digital radio from 4-7 pm daily. We welcome your feedback. Please write to me, Alice Lagnado, at lagnado@ruvr.ru if you have any comments or suggestions.
The p...

Anna Pavlova - an interview with Leonard Newman

Title: Anna Pavlova - an interview with Leonard Newman
Runtime: 9:36
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: 2012 marks the centenary of Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova making Ivy House in north London her permanent home from 1912 until her death in 1931. It was here that she taught young English students, rehearsed ballets for her world tours, and entertained Russian émigré friends from her earlier life in St Petersburg.
The London Jewish Cultural Centre, the current resident of Ivy House, is celebrating this centenary with the Pavlova 2012 season of special events including workshops, talks and performances. Pavlova 2012 has become part of the cultural Olympiad that parallels the London 2012 Olympic Games.
On 24 June the Centre held a 'Pavlova Day' of events, and for those that missed that, the Centre is also holding a free exhibition about Pavlova's life and times, which continues until the end of August. To find out more, please visit www.ljcc.org.uk
Alice Lagnado invited Leonard Newman, the former curator of the Pavlova Museum at Ivy House, into Voice of Russia's Lond...

Interview with Dr. Barbara Block: one of the winners of the Rolex Awards for Enterprise

Title: Interview with Dr. Barbara Block: one of the winners of the Rolex Awards for Enterprise
Runtime: 13:42
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: Dr. Barbara Block from Stanford University is one of this year's winners of the prestigious Rolex Awards for Enterprise. Her project to raise public awareness of the marine ecosystem off the Pacific Californian coastline involves tagging and tracking some of the most important marine predators - great white sharks, seals, whales and tuna. Voice of Russia's Tim Ecott interviews her about the importance of one of the world's most vital marine systems and how it can be protected.

Communications Data Bill 2012: Security versus Liberty

Title: Communications Data Bill 2012: Security versus Liberty
Runtime: 28:31
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: VoR London's Daniel Cinna hosts a debate on whether or not the Communications Data Bill should be passed in the UK. Joining him in the studio: Nick Pickles, the director of Big Brother Watch; Laurence Kaye, leader of the UK Pirate Party; Annesley Abercorn, a British parliamentary advisor, and Gary Beutridge, lead on data communications at ACPO.

Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/43132185@N00/1260354095/

Euro 2012: the Group Stages and Quarter Finals

Title: Euro 2012: the Group Stages and Quarter Finals
Runtime: 28:29
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: VOR London's Tim Walklate hosts a discussion reviewing the group stages of Euro 2012 and looking ahead to the quarter finals. The European Championships have already thrown up some shocks and surprises so far and is promising to be one of the most exciting international tournaments in recent memory. Joining him was blogger and journalist Sasha Goryunov, football writer and broadcaster Philippe Auclair, freelance journalist Matthew Barker, Russia Today's Andrei Yaroshevsky, and Ben Knight from www.thelocal.de.

Image Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/drabikpany/7216774234/sizes/c/in/photostream/

Iran's nuclear programme: Can Moscow talks make a difference?

Title: Iran's nuclear programme: Can Moscow talks make a difference?
Runtime: 28:29
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: VoR London's Brendan Cole asks just what is Russia's role in the so-called P5 plus one talks held in Moscow, aimed at finding a solution to Iran's disputed nuclear programme. He was joined in the studio by Shirin Shafaie, from the group Campaign against sanctions and military intervention in Iran, and from the School of Oriental and African Studies at London University. Matthew Harris, a blogger on the Middle East. He was joined over the phone by David Hartwell, the senior Middle East and North Africa analyst from IHS Janes and Dmitry Kosyrev, political analyst from the RIA Novosti News Agency.

Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/48399297@N04/6350348285/

Title: The 17th Russian Summer Ball!
Runtime: 4:55
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: The 17th Russian Summer Ball was held in London on Saturday, attended by glamorous guests from the Russian emigré community in London and descendants of the Imperial Romanov family. Alice Lagnado of Voice of Russia radio caught up with the event's organiser, Alexander Suscenko, just before the formal dances began.
This programme was first aired on 18 June on Voice of Russia's London station. You can listen to us on DAB digital radio from 4-7 pm daily. We welcome your feedback. Please write to me, Alice Lagnado, at lagnado@ruvr.ru if you have any comments or suggestions.

China and Britain: tension over the Dalai Lama's visit to the UK

Title: China and Britain: tension over the Dalai Lama's visit to the UK
Runtime: 28:29
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: The Voice of Russia's James Reinl hosts a debate on the low-level diplomatic tussle between China and Britain over the exhiled Tibetan buddhist leader's visit to the UK. James is joined in the London bureau's studio by Rod Wye, Associate Fellow at the Asia Programme - China, Patrick Hayes of Sp!ked magazine, Dr Ramon Pacheco Pardo, a lecturer at King's College London, as well as Andrey Karneyev, Deputy Director Of the Institute of Asia and Africa at Moscow State University and Andrew K P Leung, International and Independent China Specialist over the phone.

Image of the Dalai Lama by Bruce Bortin @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/dumbeast/

Title: Zhenya Strigalev, jazz saxophonist
Runtime: 5:26
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: As part of her series of interviews with Russians living in London for Voice of Russia radio, Alice Lagnado interviewed Zhenya Strigalyov, the composer and jazz saxophonist. To find out more about Zhenya Strigalev, his work and his new album, please visit www.zhenyastrigalev.com
This programme was first broadcast on Voice of Russia's London station. You can listen to us on DAB digital radio from 4-7 pm daily. We welcome your feedback. Please write to me, Alice Lagnado, at lagnado@ruvr.ru if you have any comments or suggestions.
The photograph shows the cover of Zhenya's new album, Smiling Organizm.

An encyclopaedia of Russian religious life

Title: An encyclopaedia of Russian religious life
Runtime: 5:28
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: Researchers at The Keston Institute, which studies religion in former Communist countries, have spent years travelling the length and breadth of Russia to document modern religious life in the country. The result is an encyclopaedia about religious life in Russia today. Alice Lagnado invited the chairwoman of the Keston Institute, Ksenia Dennen, into the studio to talk about the project.
You can find out more about this project at http://www.keston.org.uk/encyclopaedia.php
The photograph shows Ksenia Dennen in Saratov, by the Volga river.
This programme was first broadcast on Voice of Russia's London station on 8 June 2012. You can listen to us on DAB digital radio from 4-7 pm daily. We welcome your feedback. Please write to me, Alice Lagnado, at lagnado@ruvr.ru if you have any comments or suggestions.

Will full criminalisation push forced marriages underground?

Title: Will full criminalisation push forced marriages underground?
Runtime: 28:29
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: VOR London's Juliet Spare hosts a discussion about the full criminalisation of forced marriage in the UK. She was joined by Sameem Ali, a victim of forced marriage and author of 'Belonging'; Diana Nammi, the director of IKWRO 'Iranian and Kurdish Women's rights organisation'; Anne Marie Waters, from the National Secular Society, and over the phone Dr Aisha K Gill, a reader in Criminology from Roehampton University.

Image Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/92435716@N00/3595407518

Egypt's Presidential Election Controversy (14 June 2012)

Title: Egypt's Presidential Election Controversy (14 June 2012)
Runtime: 28:29
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: VOR London's James Reinl hosts a discussion on Egypt's presidential election, and asks whether Egyptian voters are being ripped off by a choice between an Islamist and a relic from the Mubarak era. He was joined by journalist Nabila Ramdani; Dr. Reem Abou-El-Fadl, a junior research fellow from Oxford University in International Relations & Conflict Resolution in the Middle East; Ilia Fabrichnikov an independent expert and managing Partner at Unitedcom Consultancy, and over the phone from Cairo Dr Omar Ashour, the director of the Middle East Studies in the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies at Exeter University.

Image Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/94588149@N00/5403697692/

Title: EURO-2012: THE FIRST ROUND OF MATCHES
Runtime: 28:25
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: Voice of Russia's Tim Walklate hosts a discussion reviewing the first round of games in the group stages of Euro 2012 and looking ahead to the coming week. With every team in the tournament playing at least once, the European Championships have thrown up some shocks and surprises just five days into the competition. Joining him was Russia Today's Richard Van Portvlied, freelance football writer Andrew Warshaw, blogger Tim Rolls and the Voice of Russia's Tom Hedegard.

Image by POLANDMFA http://www.flickr.com/photos/polandmfa/

Curtain Up - the radio show about Russian culture in London

Title: Curtain Up - the radio show about Russian culture in London
Runtime: 15:17
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: Curtain Up is a new show about Russian culture in London and the UK. It's brought to you by Voice of Russia's London radio station, and hosted by Alice Lagnado and Pushkin House director Julian Gallant. In our second edition, we talked to Oleg Kogan, a Ukrainian-born cellist who in 1998 founded the Razumovsky ensemble, a group of soloists and section leaders from the world's leading orchestras who specialise in chamber music. On June 18 Oleg and his ensemble will appear at the Wigmore Hall in London. You can find out more about the Razumovsky Ensemble at www.razumovsky.org.uk
We also talked to Alex Dower, a theatre director who has been working in Russian prisons. He and the prisoners have staged Russian plays with great success, and his work has a great rehabilitative effect on the inmates. You can find out more about Alex Dower and his work at www.creatingfreedom.co.uk
Finally we touched on the debate surrounding the exciting new productions of A Midsummer Night's Dream ...

Russia's Protest Bill - help or hindrance to freedom of expression?

Title: Russia's Protest Bill - help or hindrance to freedom of expression?
Runtime: 28:29
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: VOR's Brendan Cole discusses the controversial protest bill in Russia signed into law last week by president Vladimir Putin. Is it aimed at curbing the protest movement, or is it simply bringing protest laws into line with other countries in Europe?
He was joined by: Abhijit Pandya, a daily mail blogger and executive director of "DiscourseUK"; Aleksandr Nekrassov, a former Kremlin advisor; Elena Bezrodnova, a specialist in Information law, and Alex Pravda, a fellow in the Russian and Eurasian Studies Centre at the University of Oxford.

Image source: © Chuew | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos

Title: Operatic intrigues
Runtime: 6:09
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: A short piece by Alice Lagnado for Voice of Russia radio in London on the debates surrounding two current operatic stagings in Russia - A Midsummer Night's Dream at Moscow's Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Theatre, and Boris Godunov at St Petersburg's Mariinsky Theatre. Includes an interview with arts reporter Galina Stolyarova in St Petersburg.
The photograph shows the production of A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Theatre, courtesy of Vadim Lapin.
If you would like to find out more about A Midsummer NIght's Dream, please visit the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Theatre's website at /www.stanmus.com and to find out more about Boris Godunov, please visit the Mariinsky Theatre's website at www.mariinsky.ru/en
This piece was first broadcast on Voice of Russia's London station, which you can find on DAB digital radio, on 11 June.

Norman Surplus - first person to fly a gyrocopter around the world

Title: Norman Surplus - first person to fly a gyrocopter around the world
Runtime: 13:15
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: Norman Surplus from Northern Ireland is attempting to be the first man to fly around the world in a gyrocopter. The aircraft was invented in 1923 but was generally replaced by the helicopter - even though the gyrocopter has several advantages. Norman has already visited 18 of the 24 countries on his world circumnavigation - and has already set the world record for distance covered by a gyrocopter. Tim Ecott spoke to him on the line to northern Japan while he awaited permission to fly into Russian airspace. Norman Surplus is a survivor of bowel cancer and is raising awareness of the disease and its treatment.
Follow his progress at www.gyroxgoesglobal.com/

Mubarak, Taylor, Mladic: Fair Tribunals or Show-Trials?

Title: Mubarak, Taylor, Mladic: Fair Tribunals or Show-Trials?
Runtime: 27:59
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: VOR London's James Reinl hosts a discussion on prosecutions against errant leaders -- such as the former presidents of Egypt and Liberia, Hosni Mubarak and Charles Taylor -- and questions whether these are fair tribunals or modern-day show-trials. He was joined by Dr Mohamed Elewa Badar, an Egyptian jurist from Brunel University, Juergen Schurr, from REDERESS, which campaigns on behalf of torture victims, John Laughland, author of A History of Political Trials from Charles I to Saddam Hussein and Sergei Strokan, a commentator for Russia's Kommersant newspaper.

Image source: © Keilaneokow | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos

Title: Pianist Natalie Gourman - an interview
Runtime: 5:03
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: Natalie Gourman started playing the piano at the age of seven. Now, at 25, she's already a fully fledged performer. Natalie is giving a solo piano concert, including pieces by Russian and western composers, on June 13th at St John's, Smith Square. Alice Lagnado interviewed Natalie at Voice of Russia's London studio.

If you would like to find out more about the concert, please visit http://sjss.org.uk/pages/Diary/june.htm

Israel: Iran's nuclear programme and the Palestinian question

Title: Israel: Iran's nuclear programme and the Palestinian question
Runtime: 28:29
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: VOR London's James Reinl hosts a debate on Israel, Iran and the Palestinian question to discuss Israel's warnings over Iran's nuclear programme, and peace talks with Palestine. He was joined by David Patrikarakos - contributor to the Guardian and Financial Times and author of 'Nuclear Iran: The Birth of an Atomic State' (coming out in August), Jaafar Elahmar -- journalist and expert on Middle Eastern affairs, Matthew Harris - Vice-Chairman of Liberal Democrat Friends of Israel, and over the phone from Moscow, Dmitriy Mariasis -- Senior Research Fellow at the Department of Israeli Studies, Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Image source: © Grauzikas | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos

Title: The Queen's Diamond Jubilee
Runtime: 3:37
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: Final preparations are under way in London for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations this weekend. Central London roads were closed for a rehearsal of Tuesday's carriage procession, which included two thousand servicemen and women. Alice Lagnado of Voice of Russia radio in London went down to Buckingham Palace to take a look.

Teaching kids about sex: What to say when?

Title: Teaching kids about sex: What to say when?
Runtime: 27:57
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: VOR London's Polina Boiko hosts a debate about sex-education for youngsters, when is it appropriate to start, and how much should they know? She was joined by Emma Clarke, founder member of Truth & Hope; Anne Scanlan, the London Region Education Officer of LIFE; Lisa Handy, from the Sex Education Forum at the National Children's bureau, and Barbara Hastings-Asatourian, who started her own social enterprise called Contraception Education CIC.

Image source: http://www.womenshealthcaretopics.com/Blog/conception-sperm-meets-egg/

Deadlock on Syria: Time to Ditch the UN Security Council?

Title: Deadlock on Syria: Time to Ditch the UN Security Council?
Runtime: 28:29
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: VOR London's James Reinl hosts a debate on the United Nations Security Council, and asks whether the 15-member body's failure to save lives in Syria means the institution needs a shake-up. He was joined Steve Crawshaw, from the rights group Amnesty International, Jonathan Steele, a correspondent for The Guardian newspaper, Stephen Schlesinger, from the liberal think tank, the Century Foundation, and Mark Entin, from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations.

Does Britain's biggest airport need to get bigger?

Title: Does Britain's biggest airport need to get bigger?
Runtime: 28:29
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: The Voice of Russia's Brendan Cole hosts a debate on whether Britain's biggest airport should get bigger. The guest panel discussing Heathrow expansion includes: Robert Oxley from the Taxpayer's Alliance, Kurt Janson, policy director of the Tourism Alliance, John Stewart of Heathrow Association for the Control of Aircraft Noise (HACAN) and Andrew Lambourne from Hertfordshire against Luton Expansion (HALE).

Image source: © Geckophoto | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos

Egyptians Headed for Divisive Presidential Run-Off?

Title: Egyptians Headed for Divisive Presidential Run-Off?
Runtime: 28:29
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: VOR London's James Reinl hosted a debate on Egypt's presidential elections, as an Islamist and a survivor from the Mubarak era emerged as likely run-off rivals. He was joined by Dareen Khalifa, an Egyptian human rights campaigner, Ian Black, the Middle East editor for The Guardian, Mostafa Ragab, director of the community centre, Egyptian House London and Mikhail Roshin, a research fellow at the Russian Academy of Sciences, in Moscow.

Image source: © Valex61 | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos

Should same-sex couples and 40+ women receive IVF on the NHS?

Title: Should same-sex couples and 40+ women receive IVF on the NHS?
Runtime: 28:29
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: VOR London's Juliet Spare hosts a panel debate on whether or not the NHS should offer IVF treatment to sames-sex couples and women over the age of 40. Joining her in the studio are: Giorgio Severi from Pink Parenting magazine, Anthony Ozimic the Communications manager at Society for the Protection of Unborn Children, Dr David Albert Jones the Director of the Anscombe Bioethics Centre in Oxford, and Susan Tollefson who went to Russia for IVF treatment aged 57.

Image source: © Alexpurs | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos

Should prisoners have the right to vote?

Title: Should prisoners have the right to vote?
Runtime: 28:01
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: VOR London's James Reinl hosts a panel discussion on whether prisoners should have the right to vote. Joining him in the studio are Juliet Lyon, director of Prison Reform Trust, Abhijit Pandya, executive director of the Freedom of Speech Institute Discourse UK, Michael Greaves, the UKIP Party Secretary and John Hirst, a convicted killer and prisoners' rights campaigner.

Image Source: © Polarstargrower | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos

Should prostitution be legalized in the UK?

Title: Should prostitution be legalized in the UK?
Runtime: 28:28
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: VOR London's Daniel Cinna asks a panel of guests, including feminist and writer Julie Bindel, porn star Jonny Anglais, English Collective of Prostitutes representative Sarah Walker and professor Roger Matthews at the University of Kent about whether prostitution should be legalized in the UK.

Image source: © Tea | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos

Title: The House of Lords Reform
Runtime: 28:29
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: VOR London bureau's Vivienne Nunis hosts a panel discussion on the House of Lords reform. Darren Hughes, Director of Campaigns and Research at the Electoral Reform Society, Lord Phillips of Sudbury and Tim Black from Sp!ked join the debate.

Image source: © Markwr | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos

Rochdale Child Sex Grooming Case and Racial Accusations

Title: Rochdale Child Sex Grooming Case and Racial Accusations
Runtime: 28:29
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: The Voice of Russia's Brendan Cole hosts a debate on the religious and ethnic dimensions of the Rochdale child sex ring grooming case, and whether it has wider consequences for race relations in the UK. The guest panel includes: Fiyaz Mughal, founder and director of Faith Matters; Wendy Shepherd, from children's charity Barnardo's; Tommy Robinson, leader of the EDL (English Defence League), and Professor Roger Griffin -- Professor in Modern History at Oxford Brookes University + specialist in modern extremism.

Image source: © Maxcrepory | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos

Syria: Headed for Iraq-Style Sectarian Chaos?

Title: Syria: Headed for Iraq-Style Sectarian Chaos?
Runtime: 28:31
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: Voice of Russia's James Reinl hosts a debate on the bloodhsed in Syria and asks whether the country is descending into an Iraq-style insurgency with religious-based violence. He was joined by Yossi Mekelberg, an analyst from the foreign policy think tank Chatham House and an academic at Regent's College, James Denselow, a blogger and commentator on the Middle East, Abdul Wahab Omar, the Syrian opposition activist, and Viktor Mizin, from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations.

Title: Can Russia kick racism out of football?
Runtime: 28:29
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: The Voice of Russia's Tim Walklate hosts a debate which asks 'Can Russia kick racism out of football?' following a string of racist events that have recently taken place in Russian football. The guest panel includes: Paul Mortimer, former top-flight professional footballer and campaigner for 'Show Racism the Red Card'; Richard Van Portvlied, sports correspondant for RT ('Russia Today'), and Fedor Turbin - press-manager of 'Spartak' Moscow and employee of the Fund to fight xenophobia, racism and anti-semitism in Russian stadiums.

Image source: © Anderson5ca | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos

Afghanistan: Repeating the Soviet-Era Pull-Out?

Title: Afghanistan: Repeating the Soviet-Era Pull-Out?
Runtime: 27:47
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: The Voice of Russia's James Reinl on the 2012 withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan and asks whether the country will suffer a breakdown comparable to that after the Soviet pull-out in the late 1980s. He was joined by Matthew Willis, a researcher from the Royal United Services Institute, Chris Nineham, from the Stop the War in the Coalition, and Nikita Mendkovich, an analyst from the Centre for Contemporary Afghan Studies in Moscow.

Image source: © Thanatonautii | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos

Should the genders be taught separately?

Title: Should the genders be taught separately?
Runtime: 28:28
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: The Voice of Russia's Daniel Cinna hosts a debate on whether or not single-sex schools benefit pupils.With a panel of guests including: Janette Wallis, Senior Editor of the Good Schools Guide; Alan Smithers, Director of the Centre for Education and Employment Research at the University of Buckingham, and Louise Robinson -- Head of Merchant Taylors' Girls' School and President of the Girls' Schools' Association.

Image source: © Benettor | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos

Ukraine's Jailed Princess and the Euro Soccer-Row

Title: Ukraine's Jailed Princess and the Euro Soccer-Row
Runtime: 28:29
Date posted: 14 years ago
Description: The Voice of Russia's James Reinl hosts a debate on Ukrainian politics and a boycott of the Euro 2012 football championship over the treatment of jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko. He was joined by Orysia Lutsevych, from the foreign policy think tank Chatham House, Jana Kobzova, an analyst for the European Council on Foreign Relations and Maxim Eristavi, VOR's Kiev correspondent.

Image source: © Kamchatka | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos

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