VoiceofRussia UK

What is science doing to address climate change?

Title: What is science doing to address climate change?
Runtime: 30:01
Date posted: 12 years ago
Description: In Britain many people are still recovering from what the Met Office has said are the wettest conditions for more than a hundred and fifty years. The Met Office chief scientist has said the wake of severe floods and Atlantic storms, there is a clear evidence to link the extreme weather to climate change. What is science doing to address the issue? VoR's Tim Ecott hosts a discussion.
Joining Tim are:
Dr Benny Peiser, Director of the Global Warming Policy Foundation, think tank focusing on socio-economic aspects of climate policy
Georgy Safonov, Director for the Centre of Environmental Economics at the National Research University
Tom Harris, Executive Director of the International Climate Science Coalition (ICSE) in Ottawa

Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_02_23/Climate-change-disco-audio-in-4842/

Title: Childbirth: Should men stay away?
Runtime: 30:16
Date posted: 12 years ago
Description: Some 40 years ago it wasn't always culturally acceptable for men to be present during childbirth. But today it's seen as normal practice for the partner to be with the mother throughout. Is this always a good idea? Some men might not want to be there, some may insist, but are couples feeling pressured into conforming to a modern, politically correct and western idea that a man must be present during labour? Juliet Spare hosts a discussion.
Joining Juliet were:
In the studio
Dr Michel Odent, former obstetrician and founder of the Primal Health Research Centre in London. He introduced in the 1970s the concepts of home-like birthing rooms and birthing pools in maternity hospitals
Professor Tina Miller, professor of Sociology at Oxford Brookes University and author of Maternal spheres, what are we doing with me?
Michael Preston, father of four-year-old Finn, who was present at his son's birth.
and by 'phone
Milli Hill, writer and columnist, as well...

Could the Swiss vote on EU immigration set a precedent for Britain?

Title: Could the Swiss vote on EU immigration set a precedent for Britain?
Runtime: 30:01
Date posted: 12 years ago
Description: German Chancellor Angela Merkel is calling for a cautious European response to the recent Swiss referendum which supported quotas on immigration from within the EU. The Swiss vote could have an impact in Britain, where the prime minister is seeking to renegotiate the country's relationship with the bloc. VoR's Brendan Cole hosts a discussion.
Brendan was joined by:
David Coburn: London chairman of the UK Independence Party (UKIP)
Petros Fassoulous: UK chairman European Movement
Robert Oulds: Director Bruges Group

Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_02_19/Could-the-Swiss-vote-on-EU-immigration-set-a-precedent-for-Britain-4974/

UK floods: Where does the buck stop, politically speaking?

Title: UK floods: Where does the buck stop, politically speaking?
Runtime: 29:59
Date posted: 12 years ago
Description: Severe flooding continues to affect parts of southern Britain, triggering a political storm over the response to the floods, how prepared the country was and -- essentially -- who's going to carry the blame, politically speaking. VoR's Scott Craig hosts a discussion.

Scott was joined by:
Sunny Hundal, political commentator, editor of the Liberal Conspiracy
Ben Harris Quinney, chairman of the Bow Group - a Conservative think tank, director at Tory Grassroots
Jane Guise, chief executive of the Royal Bath & West Society, based in Somerset
John Rentoul, chief political commentator for The Independent on Sunday
Karl Davis, writer, stand-up comedian, train driver & trade union activist

Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_02_17/UK-floods-Where-does-the-buck-stop-politically-speaking-9301/

Western media coverage of Sochi: "The worst form of poor sportsmanship"

Title: Western media coverage of Sochi: "The worst form of poor sportsmanship"
Runtime: 31:45
Date posted: 12 years ago
Description: Politicisation of sports is a problem that has plagued the Olympic Games since the first half of the 20th century, but it seemed to reach fresh heights in the run-up to the Sochi Winter Games, now in their second week. VoR's Jay Johnson hosts a discussion on the trend.
Jay Johnson was joined by:
In Washington:
Amos Gelb, director of Broadcast at Medill School of Journalism
In London:
Alexander Mercouris, a legal expert and media analyst
In Moscow:
Robert Bridge, a former editor-in-chief of The Moscow News weekly

Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_02_17/Western-media-coverage-of-Sochi-The-worst-form-of-poor-sportsmanship-9458/

Gove's schools reform: Policy or politics?

Title: Gove's schools reform: Policy or politics?
Runtime: 30:01
Date posted: 12 years ago
Description: The well-being and prosperity of any nation is underwritten by the strength of its education system.

And depending on your take, Education Secretary Michael Gove is either bravely tackling institutional inertia and injecting a healthy dose of competition in Britain's education system, or is guilty of imposing a political agenda on what should be a purely educational debate. VoR's Scott Craig hosts a discussion.

Scott is joined by:
Diane Shawe, vice chair and secretary of the Conservative Education Society Executive Committee
Shaun Humphreys, policy advisor to the National Association of Head Teachers
Professor James Tooley, head of Education Policy at Newcastle University
Margaret Heffernan, an author and speaker who has written widely about education

Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_02_17/Competitive-schools-in-Britain-pretty-uninspiring-author-5023/

Antarctica: VoR's hotline to the coldest place on Earth

Title: Antarctica: VoR's hotline to the coldest place on Earth
Runtime: 13:57
Date posted: 12 years ago
Description: Lake Vostok has been hidden underneath four kilometres of ice for tens of millions of years. Scientists want to reach it in order to find out more about the climate of the past - and the future.

They also want to find out whether the lake contains any forms of microbial life. In 2012, after decades of trying, a Russian team drilled through to Lake Vostok. Vostok is widely regarded as one of the most exciting scientific projects in the world today and the breakthrough was met with great excitement.

Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_02_04/Antarctica-We-speak-to-scientists-scrambling-to-finish-work-before-winter-0675/

Best approach to prostitution - tolerance, prevention, legalisation?

Title: Best approach to prostitution - tolerance, prevention, legalisation?
Runtime: 30:01
Date posted: 12 years ago
Description: A leaked Amnesty International (AI) document says that the human rights organisation is opposed to the criminalisation or punishment of activities related to the buying or selling of consensual sex between adults. Laws against prostitution undermine the right to freely chosen gainful work, and any legislation that targets men who pay for sex will leave prostitutes vulnerable to violence and abuse, it claims. Is paying for sex a human right? Juliet Spare hosts a discussion.
The document is called Decriminalisation of Sex Work - Background Policy.
An AI spokesperson told VoR that they were aware of the sensitivity of the issue and that's why they are encouraging discussion with members around the world. They confirmed the document had been leaked and needed revision in some areas.
For this discussion, we're joined by:
Charlie Daniels - sex worker and author of Priceless: My Journey Through a Life of Vice
Dr Belinda Brooks-Gordon - sex law expert, author of...

Smoking ban in cars with children: state intrusion or essential protection?

Title: Smoking ban in cars with children: state intrusion or essential protection?
Runtime: 28:31
Date posted: 12 years ago
Description: The controversial move to ban smoking in cars carrying children has won the backing of the health secretary. Jeremy Hunt says there is a compelling case for a ban on smoking when youngsters are in the vehicle -- and the House of Lords has backed the Labour plan, despite opposition from the government. VoR's Brendan Cole leads a discussion.
Labour peers have tabled an amendment to the children and families' bill detailing their proposal -- which they say is about protecting children. Ministers have argued that the law is a blunt instrument and public information campaigns are preferable.
Nick Clegg says he does not support the ban saying he does not want to subcontract parenthood. Is the state going too far -- most parents are unlikely to smoke in such an enclosed space, so is legislation necessary? And what does this mean for the state's involvement in public and private space.
Brendan Cole is joined by:
Dr Alan Stanton, Consultant Paediatrician of the Royal Co...

Young living at home "an intergenerational transfer in the wrong direction"

Title: Young living at home "an intergenerational transfer in the wrong direction"
Runtime: 28:31
Date posted: 12 years ago
Description: More than three million British people aged in their 20s and early 30s still live at home -- a 25 percent increase since 1996. New figures from the UK Office of National Statistics show one in four young adults still live with mum or dad, as rising house prices and the recession prevent them from moving out. VoR's Vivienne Nunis and her guests discuss what that means for families and for society today.
With VoR's Vivienne Nunis are:-
Matthew Pointon, a property economist at Capital Economics
Angus Hanton, Economist and the co-founder of the think tank, Intergenerational Foundation
Ed Cumming, a feature writer at the Daily Telegraph, and a member of the Boomerang Generation who himself has been forced back home
Harriet Bradley, Professor of Women's Employment at Bristol University.

Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_02_03/Young-living-at-home-an-intergenerational-transfer-in-the-wrong-direction-4144/

Sex-selective abortion in the UK - is it happening, and if so, why?

Title: Sex-selective abortion in the UK - is it happening, and if so, why?
Runtime: 30:01
Date posted: 12 years ago
Description: An investigation by the Independent newspaper has revealed that illegal abortion is being widely used by some UK ethnic groups to avoid having daughters. Its statistical analysis of data from the 2011 census also suggests widespread discrepancies in a sex ratio of children in some immigrant families. Meanwhile, the British Pregnancy Advisory service has warned that the report could undermine women's rights. VoR's Juliet Spare hosts a discussion.
The analysis suggests that gender-based abortion may be occurring among women living in England and Wales who were born in India and Nepal.
Juliet is joined by:
Mara Clarke, founder and director of Abortion Support Network
Steve Connor, science editor of The Independent
Frances Ryan, journalist for the Guardian and New Statesmen
Ann Furedi, chief executive of BPAS - British Pregnancy Advisory Service
Priya Shah, Politics and International Relations finalist at Warwick University

Read ...

VoR Debate: Will Scotland be economically brave?

Title: VoR Debate: Will Scotland be economically brave?
Runtime: 30:01
Date posted: 13 years ago
Description: Later this year, voters in Scotland will face something of an existential question -- to be or not to be -- an independent state that is. Alex Salmond's governing Scottish National Party, in what might be one of the longest referendum campaigns in history, has been making their case for independence. VoR's Scott Craig leads a discussion.

The Better Together campaign -- including Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and Labour -- among others have been making their case against the vote.
In the run-up to that vote, Radio VR is holding a series of discussions, examining some of the key arguments in the debate.
Today, we're looking at the business and economic case with a panel of experts -- looking not at what the SNP or the Better Together campaigns say -- but rather how their claims stand up.
So what would the impact of a Yes vote for independence be on Scotland's economy -- and those of the UK and EU?
Scott Craig is joined in the studio by:
Dr S...

VoR Debate: Is the West too lenient with its radical allies?

Title: VoR Debate: Is the West too lenient with its radical allies?
Runtime: 33:19
Date posted: 13 years ago
Description: In this discussion, our guests in Moscow and London take a look at the nature of radical nationalism in Ukraine, the similarities the current unrest there shares with other conflicts, such as that in Syria, and the role of geopolitical interests in how the western powers treat their radical allies.

Joining VoR's Jay Johnson were:
In Moscow:
Dmitry Suslov, Deputy Director, Centre for Comprehensive European and International Studies, HSE
Valery Engel, First Vice-President of World without Nazism - International Human Rights Movement
In London:
Neil Clark, UK-based journalist, writer and broadcaster

Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/2014_01_23/VoR-Debate-Is-the-West-too-lenient-with-its-radical-allies-8297/

Title: On the Trail of Genghis Khan
Runtime: 28:31
Date posted: 13 years ago
Description: Australian by birth, author and adventurer Tim Cope decided to train as a wilderness guide in Finland. That led to an adventure riding across Russia to China by bicycle and then to a bolder journey on horseback across Mongolia all the way east to Kazakhstan and Ukraine eventually ending up in Hungary. The journey took three years and his story is told in On the Trail of Genghis Khan: An Epic Journey through the Land of the Nomads. VoR's Tim Ecott talks to Tim Cope.

Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2013_12_29/In-Conversation-On-the-Trail-of-Genghis-Khan-4418/

Legal aid cuts: a miscarriage of justice?

Title: Legal aid cuts: a miscarriage of justice?
Runtime: 30:01
Date posted: 13 years ago
Description: Criminal case lawyers in England and Wales staged an unprecedented walkout in early January over cuts to the legal aid budget which they said would compromise justice. Members of the Criminal Bar Association have warned the government that the cuts pose the most serious threat to the British legal system in over 400 years. VoR's Juliet Spare hosts a debate on the subject.
Joining Juliet for the discussion are:
Rachel Knowles, Senior Education and Community Care Solicitor at Just for Kids Law
Wendy Pettifer, Senior Supervising Solicitor at Hackney Law Centre
Harry Mount, author and journalist, The Spectator
Professor Stephen Mayson from the Centre for Ethics and Law at University College London

Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_01_22/Legal-aid-cuts-a-miscarriage-of-justice-6433/

Telling It Like It Is: Sex, power and "useless" Obama

Title: Telling It Like It Is: Sex, power and "useless" Obama
Runtime: 29:08
Date posted: 13 years ago
Description: Broadcaster James Delingpole and former Kremlin adviser Alexander Nekrassov discuss the week's news, poring over the alleged affair of French President Hollande, the death of Ariel Sharon and they take a swipe at President Obama, following criticism of him from a former Defence Secretary.

Former Kremlin adviser and editor of stirringtroubleinternationally.com Alexander Nekrassov is joined by journalist and broadcaster James Delingpole

On French President Hollande's alleged affair
AN: "I think it's an exciting story for the French because they actually pretend that they don't care what their leaders do, when they DO care. Obviously, Hollande is in trouble with everything, the economy, foreign policy -- everything. And suddenly he gets into this mess. And the press conference in the palace was a joke".
JD: "I would have thought that he ought to be really grateful for this distraction from his disastrous economic performance. He ought to be paying m...

VoR debate: Can the Vatican deal credibly with child abuse scandal?

Title: VoR debate: Can the Vatican deal credibly with child abuse scandal?
Runtime: 30:01
Date posted: 13 years ago
Description: The United Nations has criticised the Vatican for failing to protect children from paedophile priests as investigators in Geneva probe the global scandal that rocked the Catholic Church to its foundations. The hearing in Geneva was the first time that the Vatican has been confronted publicly over the sexual abuse of children by clergy. VoR's Brendan Cole hosts a discussion on the subject.

Pope Francis has set up a Vatican committee to fight sexual abuse of children in the Catholic Church and offer help to victims.
Campaigners say the inquiry investigating institutional child abuse by members of the clergy in Northern Ireland needs to be extended to England and Wales.
Stop Church Child Abuse welcomed the opening of the investigation into 13 orphanages and children's homes but said it was now time for the government to roll the inquiry out across Britain.
Pope Francis has said dealing with sex abuse is vital for the Church's credibility but how effectively...

Title: Ariel Sharon, his life and legacy
Runtime: 28:04
Date posted: 13 years ago
Description: Former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's funeral took place earlier this week in Jerusalem after he died on January 11 at the age of 85. VoR hosts a discussion on the complicated legacy he leaves behind, one which shows a dedication to the peace and security of Israel, but also a callousness in the pursuit of his objectives.
VoR's Rob Sachs was joined by:
Guest in Moscow:
Dmitry Maryasis, research fellow at the Israel department at the Institute for Asian and Oriental Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences.
Guest in Washington:
Dan Arbell, scholar-in-residence at the Center for Israeli Studies at American University, a veteran of the Israeli foreign service.
Guest in London:
Jonathan Sacerdoti, political commentator and Middle East analyst.

Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_01_17/3-Way-Ariel-Sharon-his-life-and-legacy-3859/

South Sudan: "We're a young nation and should be supported"

Title: South Sudan: "We're a young nation and should be supported"
Runtime: 30:01
Date posted: 13 years ago
Description: South Sudan is less than three years old and it is certainly going through some growing pains. Nearly 200,000 people have been displaced and at least 1,000 killed in fighting between the Dinka and Nuer communities. VoR's Brendan Cole hosts a discussion.
South Sudan's army is advancing on the key rebel-held centres of Bentiu and Bor. Regionally brokered talks to declare a ceasefire have stalled.
Earlier, rebels in South Sudan were confident that "full reconciliation" can be achieved with the government as the two sides hold ceasefire talks in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa.
President Salva Kiir is a Dinka and rebel leader Riek Machar is a Nuer, although each has prominent allies within the other's ethnic group.
The violence was sparked last year after Salva Kiir sacked Machar as his deputy. South Sudan declared independence in July 2011 to much fanfare following a brutal civil war that pitted it with the north.
It had oil and the backing of a number of ...

Video games: "Healthy enthusiasm adds to life, addictions take away from it"

Title: Video games: "Healthy enthusiasm adds to life, addictions take away from it"
Runtime: 28:31
Date posted: 13 years ago
Description: An addiction to video gaming is more difficult to treat than alcohol or drug abuse, according to experts. VoR's Juliet Spare hosts a discussion on the serious side of gaming addiction.

Juliet was joined by:
Steven Noel-Hill -- former addict and founder of Alchemy clinic that treats video game addiction
Will Freeman -- video game journalist, former editor of Develop magazine, a video game trade publication
Milo Yiannopolous- founder and editor-in-chief of online technology magazine The Kernel
Professor Mark Griffiths - director of the International Gaming Research Unit at Nottingham Trent University and specialises in video game addiction

Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_01_02/Videogames-Healthy-enthusiasm-adds-to-life-addictions-take-away-from-it-0627/

Title: 2013: The natural world
Runtime: 28:33
Date posted: 13 years ago
Description: We covered an amazing range of news about giant chickens, rare camels, biting spiders, endangered African elephants, and of course the plight of the English badgers over the course of the year. Here are some of the highlights from reports by VoR's Tim Ecott.
Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2013_12_31/2013-The-natural-world-9106/

Revealing Russia III: Russian nationalism in the Soviet period

Title: Revealing Russia III: Russian nationalism in the Soviet period
Runtime: 28:31
Date posted: 13 years ago
Description: VoR's three-part series of programmes Revealing Russia was inspired by the eminent historian and author Orlando Figes' book Natasha's Dance, which describes the history of Russia from the 17th century to the demise of the Soviet Union. In part III VoR's Brendan Cole and Orlando Figes explore the impact of exile on the works of Russian artists and the formation of Russian nationalism in the Soviet period.
More: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2013_12_31/Revealing-Russia-III-Russian-nationalism-in-the-Soviet-period-5191/

VoR's Culture Review of the Year Part 4: The Bolshoi

Title: VoR's Culture Review of the Year Part 4: The Bolshoi
Runtime: 28:31
Date posted: 13 years ago
Description: The world-famous Bolshoi Theatre hit the headlines in a big way over the course of 2013. Here, VoR's Alice Lagnado takes a look at her exclusives on the Bolshoi: She spoke to Lilian Hochhauser, who, with her husband Victor, has been bringing the theatre to the UK for decades, and went behind the scenes with the Bolshoi tour at Covent Garden.
Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2013_12_31/VoRs-Culture-Review-of-the-Year-Part-4-The-Bolshoi-5229/

Revealing Russia II: Emancipation and the discovery of who Russians are

Title: Revealing Russia II: Emancipation and the discovery of who Russians are
Runtime: 28:31
Date posted: 13 years ago
Description: VoR's three-part series of programmes Revealing Russia was inspired by the eminent historian and author Orlando Figes' book Natasha's Dance, which describes the history of Russia from the 17th century to the demise of the Soviet Union. In part II VoR's Brendan Cole and Orlando Figes explore the origins of what it is to be Russian.

More: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2013_12_31/VoRs-Culture-Review-of-the-Year-Part-4-The-Bolshoi-5229/

VoR's Culture Review of the Year Part 3: Edinburgh Fringe, Rape of Lucretia

Title: VoR's Culture Review of the Year Part 3: Edinburgh Fringe, Rape of Lucretia
Runtime: 28:31
Date posted: 13 years ago
Description: VoR's three-part series of programmes Revealing Russia was inspired by the eminent historian and author Orlando Figes' book Natasha's Dance , which describes the history of Russia from the 17th century to the demise of the Soviet Union. In part II VoR's Brendan Cole and Orlando Figes explore the origins of what it is to be Russian.

More: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2013_12_29/VoRs-Culture-Review-of-the-Year-Part-3-Edinburgh-Fringe-Rape-of-Lucretia-5045/

Title: VoR's Culture Review of the Year Part 2
Runtime: 28:31
Date posted: 13 years ago
Description: Welcome to the second of our roundups of arts stories from 2013. In this edition, VoR's Alice Lagnado reports on the opening of the new Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg, talks about sexism in classical music with music writer Jessica Duchen, and finds out more about how Russian Orthodox priests are getting involved in social projects to help those in need.

More: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2013_12_27/VoRs-Culture-Review-of-the-Year-Part-2-4194/

VoR's Culture Review of the Year Part 1: Antarctica

Title: VoR's Culture Review of the Year Part 1: Antarctica
Runtime: 28:31
Date posted: 13 years ago
Description: In the first of a series of four, VoR's Alice Lagnado looks back at some of VoR's most popular exclusive features of 2013. One tale that clearly captured the imagination of many was her meeting with one of the team of Russian scientists from St Petersburg who penetrated the sub-glacial Lake Vostok in Antarctica, which has been isolated for 14 million years and may contain new forms of life.
Spare a thought for the scientists working away in freezing and very basic conditions as you enjoy Christmas -- they do celebrate New Year but the food isn't exactly gourmet.
But it's not altogether without romance at the Vostok research station -- according to tradition, every third toast is drunk to love.
Listen to the audio above to enjoy a story about the science behind the Lake Vostok drilling with Dr Alexey Ekaykin, as well as an in-depth interview with Professor Nikolai Vasiliev, the head driller, who's dedicated his life to finding ways to drill through four miles of ice.

VoR's Sports Review: 2013 marked more by scandal than success

Title: VoR's Sports Review: 2013 marked more by scandal than success
Runtime: 28:30
Date posted: 13 years ago
Description: 2013 has had its fair share of highs and lows - sensational doping revelations which shook the world, record-breaking achievements and some of the biggest sporting giants in history taking a bow. Kick back and enjoy Tim Walklate's two-part special looking back on this year's biggest sporting events.

2012 was always going to be a hard act to follow with its record-breaking London Olympic and Paralympic Games. In fact, the past year has been one where sensationalism and scandal have been more in the headlines than success in sport.

The Lance Armstrong doping scandal, numerous revelations about match-fixing in football and a dispute over the Qatar 2022 World Cup all left a sour taste in the mouth.

However, from a British point of view Andy Murray, Chris Froome and the British and Irish Lions all flew the flag for their nation, giving their countrymen something to cheer about once again.

Meanwhile, in Russia, the final preparations are b...

Telling It Like It Is: 2013 Review - part 1

Title: Telling It Like It Is: 2013 Review - part 1
Runtime: 28:31
Date posted: 13 years ago
Description: In this edition of Telling It Like It Is, the former Kremlin adviser and editor of stirringtroubleinternationally.com Alexander Nekrassov and the journalist and broadcaster James Delingpole look back at the stories that were making the headlines in 2013.
Topics include the hostage crisis in Algeria, Lance Armstrong's doping scandal and Pope Benedict's resignation.

On the hostage crisis in Algeria

AN: "The issue is that Libya became a total mess as a result of the invasion by the West. They call it a no-fly zone, saving innocent civilians, but basically they turned the country into a jihadist-controlled state, and it started to supply weapons and manpower to all those jihadist groups and as a result we had an attack on the BP-owned petrochemical plant in Algiers. That just proves again - the UN and western powers should not be allowed to meddle in other people's affairs."
JD: "I think this is further evidence of the so-called 'Arab Spring' mutating...

Cycling in London: "The cyclist doesn't have a space at the moment"

Title: Cycling in London: "The cyclist doesn't have a space at the moment"
Runtime: 28:31
Date posted: 13 years ago
Description: The deaths of 14 cyclists in London over 2013 have sparked debate over how the city deals with its cycling traffic. VoR's Juliet Spare chairs a discussion on the topic.

Juliet is joined by:
James Moore, Associate Business Editor at the Independent and victim of a tragic cycling accident that left him mobility impaired

Dr German Dector-Vega, Sustrans director for London

Michael Hodges, Executive Editor, Time Out, London

Soundbites:
James Moore:
"The cyclist doesn't have a space at the moment. The cycle lane is not the cyclist's place like the road is the car's space and the pavement's the pedestrian's space. If you're going to create cycle lanes then back it up with legal force. You'll see on the back of HGVs 'cyclists stay back' - because you've got a sticker the lorry driver doesn't think they have to think about someone on a bike. That is not good enough. Give cycle lanes legal force and put sensors in the trucks ...

VoR Debate: New plans for mums and dads to share paternity leave

Title: VoR Debate: New plans for mums and dads to share paternity leave
Runtime: 28:31
Date posted: 13 years ago
Description: The coalition government has announced plans to allow parents to share paternity leave when they've had a baby. New mothers and fathers will be allowed to take 52 weeks off work after having or adopting a baby. VoR's Juliet Spare hosts a discussion.

At the moment, mothers can hand some of their leave to fathers but only when the child is five months old.
But under these new rules, a new mum could choose to return to work more quickly and hand over unused allowance to the father. Dads will still be entitled to their two weeks' paternity leave at the beginning.

Juliet is joined by:
Dominic Ceraldi, HR director at Pimlico Plumbers
Simon Smith, founder of Changing Dads blog
Lynne Burnham, secretary Mothers at Home Matter

Soundbites:
Lynne Burnham:
"None of the politicians have spoken about what the child needs and that must be at the top of the list. We need to value the care and the understanding that the father ...

Afghanistan - "The international community never became pro-active"

Title: Afghanistan - "The international community never became pro-active"
Runtime: 45:43
Date posted: 13 years ago
Description: British Prime Minister David Cameron has said it was "mission accomplished" in Afghanistan and told troops that they could return home "with their heads held high". VoR's Tom Spender hosts a discussion.
David Cameron said the task had been to create a "basic level of security" to prevent the country from "becoming a haven for terror".
But his comments have been greeted with scepticism. Al-Qaeda has long been vanquished in Afghanistan, but its most important area of activity is now further west, in Syria, Iraq and parts of Africa.
Meanwhile the Taliban remains a redoubtable force, opium production has flourished and it's not yet clear whether any achievements in security -- as well as in the drive to install democracy, functioning institutions and improved conditions for women -- will prove sustainable after foreign troops pull out of the country next year.
So was Mr Cameron right -- or has the 12-year western military occupation of Afghanistan instead been a ...

VoR Debate: Dreaming of a green Christmas

Title: VoR Debate: Dreaming of a green Christmas
Runtime: 28:32
Date posted: 13 years ago
Description: British households throw away the equivalent of two million turkeys, five million Christmas puddings and 74 million mince pies over the festive period. Then there's the packaging, Christmas trees and transport to add to the environmental damage mix. Listen in for a debate on the gene pool theory that drives us to buy, Coke and green Santas, and other thought-provoking approaches to breaking the "obscene" consumerism.

Joining Brendan Cole are:
Bruce Davis, founder and Retail Director of Abundance Generation
Nigel Berman, founder and director of the online eco-retailer Nigelsecostore.com
Julian Borra, creative strategist specializing in sustainability branding
Colin Palmer, member of the British Christmas Tree Growers Association

Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2013_12_24/VoR-Debate-Dreaming-of-a-green-Christmas-6889/

Loneliness: Is it an epidemic in Britain?

Title: Loneliness: Is it an epidemic in Britain?
Runtime: 28:31
Date posted: 13 years ago
Description: Some 800,000 people are said to be alone in the UK, with London topping the ranking as the loneliest place to be. Have we lost our ability to connect with our deeper inner selves, or is loneliness a very real condition that is still taboo in this country?
Joining Juliet for the discussion:
Trevor Littleton, chairman and founder of Contact the Elderly
Lucy Baena, a 28-year-old writer who was housebound earlier this year for four months with chronic back pain
Tony Lobl, Christian Science practitioner and a writer on spirituality and health http://tonylobl.com/
Dr Rebecca Harris, lecturer in psychology at the University of Bolton, specialising in the mental and physical effects of loneliness
Mrs Winifred Green, who is 88 and from Liverpool. She's lived alone since her husband died 15 years ago
Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2013_12_25/Loneliness-Is-it-an-epidemic-in-Britain-6533/

Debating Russia: "There is no master plan, Ukraine is in limbo"

Title: Debating Russia: "There is no master plan, Ukraine is in limbo"
Runtime: 28:30
Date posted: 13 years ago
Description: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/2013_12_12/Debating-Russia-There-is-no-master-plan-Ukraine-is-in-limbo-7569/

Stepping away from the breach, Ukraine's announcement to restart work on EU agreement after large street protest leaves the country and government in a sort of limbo. President Viktor Yanukovych suggests an agreement could be signed in the spring if Europe can offer better financial conditions. VoR's Peter Lavelle discusses Ukraine's future with a panel of international guests

VoR Debate: stereotypes and gender inequality

Title: VoR Debate: stereotypes and gender inequality
Runtime: 28:30
Date posted: 13 years ago
Description: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2013_12_17/VoR-Debate-stereotypes-and-gender-inequality-8143/

The book Cásate y sé sumisa (Get Married and Be Submissive) has become a bestseller in Spain and Italy, but does it mark a step backwards in the fight for gender equality? VoR's Juliet Spare hosts a facinating discussion among guests with strong and widely differing opinions, from a practitioner of 'biblical submission' to a feminist campaigner.

VoR debate: Israel and Palestine - what hope is there for next year?

Title: VoR debate: Israel and Palestine - what hope is there for next year?
Runtime: 28:30
Date posted: 13 years ago
Description: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2013_12_17/VoR-debate-Israel-and-Palestine-what-hope-is-there-for-next-year-4806/

This week, the weather cut off the Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank more effectively than anything four decades of Palestinian protests have managed. This division caused by inclement weather is a kind of metaphor for differences between the two sides in the Israeli-Palestinian debate. VoR's Brendan Cole hosts a discussion on what has been achieved this year and what next year might hold

VoR debate: Has BP paid the price for oil spills?

Title: VoR debate: Has BP paid the price for oil spills?
Runtime: 28:30
Date posted: 13 years ago
Description: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/2013_12_11/VoR-debate-BP-paid-price-oil-spills-4721/

The effects of the blow-out of the Deepwater Horizon oil well off the Louisiana coast in 2010 is still being felt to this day. It claimed 11 lives and the resulting oil spill damaged fishing and tourism as well as marine and wildlife habitats, forcing the company to sign a multi-billion dollar compensation deal. VoR's Brendan Cole hosts a discussion

VoR debate: British retirement age raised to 70 - is it a life?

Title: VoR debate: British retirement age raised to 70 - is it a life?
Runtime: 28:30
Date posted: 13 years ago
Description: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2013_12_10/VoR-debate-British-retirement-age-raised-to-70-is-it-a-life-8540/

The British coalition government has announced plans to tie the pension age to life expectancy, meaning that many will be forced to work until 70 before they can retire. That compares with 55 and 60 for women and men in Russia. Some people say the move is well overdue while others argue young people are once again being penalised while the baby boomers get off scot-free. VoR's Vivienne Nunis hosts a discussion

Debating Russia: An alternative to the EU

Title: Debating Russia: An alternative to the EU
Runtime: 28:30
Date posted: 13 years ago
Description: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2013_12_05/Debating-Russia-An-alternative-to-the-EU-8953/

Ukraine, the EU, political crisis in Russia are all for in the news in a big way for a reason. Kiev's decision to walk away from the EU Association Agreement has infuriated Brussels. Many are pointing the finger at Russia. And Ukraine is in turmoil. But what is not talked about much is Russia's idea of a Customs Union comprising of post-Soviet states - an alternative of sorts to the EU

Living symbol against racism: political legacy of Nelson Mandela

Title: Living symbol against racism: political legacy of Nelson Mandela
Runtime: 28:31
Date posted: 13 years ago
Description: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2013_12_06/symbol-racism-political-legacy-Nelson-Mandela/

The life of Nelson Mandela, South Africa's first black president, was by any measure extraordinary. Imprisoned in 1962 and held for 27 years on charges of 'sabotage and conspiring to overthrow the government', he became the very symbol of the anti-apartheid movement. Mandela died on December 5 at the age of 95. VoR's Tim Ecott hosted a discussion on his achievements and whether that reputation will be preserved by history.

Title: VoR Debate: UK and the EU - united?
Runtime: 28:30
Date posted: 13 years ago
Description: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2013_12_05/VoR-Debate-UK-and-EU-0322/

Last week the Observer newspaper published the results of a poll of 5,000 Europeans in four different countries -- the UK, Germany, France and Poland. It showed Britons are far more hostile to the European Union and its policies than people from the other three nations. VoR's Hywel Davies hosts a debate.

Gibraltar: when is a diplomatic pouch not a diplomatic pouch?

Title: Gibraltar: when is a diplomatic pouch not a diplomatic pouch?
Runtime: 28:30
Date posted: 13 years ago
Description: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2013_12_03/Gibraltar-when-is-a-diplomatic-pouch-not-a-diplomatic-pouch-0852/

The Foreign Office says it has received an assurance from Spain there will be no repeat of the bag-opening incident at the centre of a diplomatic row. UK official baggage was opened by the Spanish Guardia Civil at the Gibraltar border on November 29, prompting a formal protest by the British government. VoR's Brendan Cole hosts a discussion on a spat that is over a bag that certainly packs plenty of baggage.

Title: VoR debate: Tackling slavery in Britain
Runtime: 28:31
Date posted: 13 years ago
Description: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/2013_11_30/VoR-debate-Tackling-slavery-in-Britain-4145/

Every day, four people are trafficked into the UK and exploited for sex, manual labour or forced into a life of crime -- and that number is rising. Home Secretary Theresa May says that tackling modern slavery in Britain is a personal priority and that victims are 'hidden in plain sight'. VoR's Juliet Spare leads a discussion.

Title: Debating Russia: Who lost Ukraine?
Runtime: 28:30
Date posted: 13 years ago
Description: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2013_11_28/Debating-Russia-Who-lost-Ukraine-4271/

Last week Ukraine suddenly put on hold its association and free trade deal with the EU. Ever since, there has been a barrage of accusations against Russia, Ukraine's political establishment, and Brussels in mainstream media. Lots of finger pointing and the blame game. Essentially - and for western pundits - it all boils down to "Who lost Ukraine" -- assuming this is even possible

Debating Russia: Defining happiness in Russia

Title: Debating Russia: Defining happiness in Russia
Runtime: 28:31
Date posted: 13 years ago
Description: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2013_11_22/Debating-Russia-Defining-happiness-in-Russia-1224/

How contented or discontented are Russians? The western media often portray life in Russia in a dark way, yet a recent study by Columbia University for the UN found that Russia has become a relatively happy country. Peter Lavelle and his studio guests discuss Russian happiness and the difficulty of defining what is meant by it.

VoR Debate: What's the point of the Commonwealth?

Title: VoR Debate: What's the point of the Commonwealth?
Runtime: 28:32
Date posted: 13 years ago
Description: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2013_11_20/VoR-Debate-What-point-Commonwealth-3215/

The organisation contains 53 mostly former British colonies with a total population of 2.2 billion people, with the queen as its head. Membership is growing, with Rwanda and Mozambique recently joining. Yet critics argue the Commonwealth does not live up to its stated aim of promoting democratic values, and instead confers legitimacy on governments accused of abuses. VoR's Tom Spender hosts a discussion.

Title: VoR Debate: Is Britain's NHS in A&E?
Runtime: 28:30
Date posted: 13 years ago
Description: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2013_11_19/VoR-Debate-Is-Britains-NHS-in-A-E-2919/

In 2010 the coalition government announced sweeping changes to the National Health Service (NHS) aimed at cutting administrative costs by one third. Some say the changes sound the death knell for the NHS - renowned for its core principle, 'free at point of use'. Others argue that reforms are necessary. VoR's Vivienne Nunis hosts a debate on how the reforms are working

VoR Debate: Artist nailing scrotum to Red Square - art or activism?

Title: VoR Debate: Artist nailing scrotum to Red Square - art or activism?
Runtime: 30:00
Date posted: 13 years ago
Description: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2013_11_15/VoR-Debate-Artist-nailing-scrotum-to-Red-Square-art-or-activism-5851/

Police have opened a criminal case against a Russian performance artist who nailed his scrotum to the cobblestones in Moscow's Red Square last week in what he said was a protest against apathy and political indifference in Russian society. VoR's Miguel Santiago hosts a debate on whether this is a new strain of protest or a new form of art, and whether the two are necessarily linked

Debating Russia: Is the economy stagnating?

Title: Debating Russia: Is the economy stagnating?
Runtime: 28:31
Date posted: 13 years ago
Description: http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2013_11_14/Debating-Russia-Is-the-economy-stagnating-2470/

After a decade of growth, Russia's economy has slowed down, however, although there are some differences of opinion, it is still set to continue growing, but at a slower rate. VoR's Peter Lavelle discusses the implications of this with his guests

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