VoiceofRussia UK
European politics: a shift to the right?
- Title
- European politics: a shift to the right?
- Runtime
- 15:55
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- In November, the UK independence Party (UKIP) celebrated its best ever performance in a Westminster election, pushing the Conservatives into third place. This is the latest in a recent series of gains made by UKIP at the polls, sparking calls for an electoral pact with the Tories.
UKIP's recent success in harnessing people's growing disenchantment with the three mainstream parties also reflects a shift in right wing politics in the UK and Europe.
VoR's Abla Kandalaft discusses this with Simon Darby, ex Vice Chairman of the BNP; Vidhya Ramalingam, projects coordinator at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue; Gawain Towler, press officer for UKIP; Daniel Trilling, co-editor of the New Statesman; Dr Robert Ford, lecturer at the University of Manchester and researcher with the Extremis project; Alp Mehmet, Vice Chairman of Migration Watch; Sarah Mulley, Associate Director for Migration, Trade and Development at the Institute for Public Policy Research.
Photo...
- Title
- Where is Egypt heading?
- Runtime
- 28:44
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- Egypt is in crisis, with unrest growing over President Mohamed Morsi's decision to grant himself immunity from the courts and his efforts to push through a controversial new constitution.
A special panel has produced a draft constitution but without the participation of liberal and Christian members, who walked out over concerns that the document does not protect political and religious freedoms and women's rights.
Morsi wants to hold a referendum on the draft constitution later this month. Meanwhile, deadly clashes have taken place between opposition supporters - who fear Morsi could be installing a new dictatorship - and supporters of Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood organisation - who say Egypt's judges could derail the country's transition to democracy.
With all this going on, the big question is - where is Egypt heading?
VoR's Tom Spender disucsses this with Mohamed Omara, an Egyptian opposition activist, Dr Mohamed Ghanem, a member of the Mu...
- Title
- European politics: a shift to the right?
- Runtime
- 15:54
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- In November, the UK independence Party (UKIP) celebrated its best ever performance in a Westminster election, pushing the Conservatives into third place. This is the latest in a recent series of gains made by UKIP at the polls, sparking calls for an electoral pact with the Tories. UKIP's recent success in harnessing people's growing disenchantment with the three mainstream parties also reflects a shift in right wing politics in the UK and Europe.
VoR's Abla Kandalaft discusses this with Simon Darby, ex Vice Chairman of the BNP; Vidhya Ramalingam, projects coordinator at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue; Gawain Towler, press officer for UKIP; Daniel Trilling, co-editor of the New Statesman; Dr Robert Ford, lecturer at the University of Manchester and researcher with the Extremis project; Alp Mehmet, Vice Chairman of Migration Watch; Sarah Mulley, Associate Director for Migration, Trade and Development at the Institute for Public Policy Research.
- Title
- Press freedom versus press restriction
- Runtime
- 28:31
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- What does the Leveson inquiry into the culture, practices and ethics of the UK press mean for media freedom and media intrusion?
VOR's Brendan Cole discusses this with Des Freedman, lecturer at Goldsmiths, University of London and founder of campaign group Media Reform; Lis Howell, director of broadcasting at City University, London; Rob Lyons, deputy editor of Spiked; James Alan Ansow, academic researching tabloid journalism at University of Essex and former Sun and News of the World journalist.
- Title
- Sober times for Britain's drinkers
- Runtime
- 28:32
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- The British Government is proposing a minimum price of 45p per unit of alcohol. It's an attempt to tackle problem drinking, with the Home Office saying that the minimum price will reduce alcohol-related crime and alcohol-related health problems. So what would that mean in real terms?
Wine would cost a minimum of £4.22 per bottle. Strong cider would cost at least £1.66 a can, while a litre of Vodka would retail for a minimum of £16.88.
Critics, including the British Retail Consortium, say that the controls are unfair and penalise the majority, who are responsible drinkers.
VoR's Daniel Cinna discusses this with his guests: Campbell Evans, Director of Government & Consumer Affairs at the Scotch Whisky Association; Andrew Langford, the Chief-Executive of the British Liver Trust; Chris Snowdon, Fellow from the Adam Smith Institute and co-author of a report on minimal alcohol pricing; and Dr John Middleton, Vice-president for Policy at the UK Facult...
- Title
- The rise and rise of Chelsea's Roman Empire?
- Runtime
- 28:28
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- Chelsea Football Club are currently Champions of Europe and third in the Premier League. They're also FA Cup Champions. And of course, they are famously owned by the Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich.
He's passionate about football -- but not so passionate about his team managers. Last week he sacked Roberto Di Matteo immediately after the team were defeated 3-0 by Juventus.
Over the past six seasons Chelsea has had no less than eight managers and Di Matteo was arguably the most successful of them all. So does that make Mr. Abramovich a good club owner or a bad one?
The Voice of Russia's Tim Walklate discusses this with Michael Jarman, Chief Equity Strategist at H20 Markets and a former professional footballer; Mihir Bose, an award-winning sports journalist and author; Tim Rolls, a blogger who writes for the Chelsea fanzine CFCUK; and Kevin Roberts, Editorial Director at Sport Business.
Photo: Getty Images
- Title
- Artificial intelligence: an existential threat?
- Runtime
- 28:31
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- How much of a risk do robots represent for humanity? Enough, apparently, to persuade Cambridge University to open a so-called 'Terminator Centre' to examine the threat. The Centre for Existential Risk will open next year and look at whether advanced technology could pose a threat to humans by directing resources towards their own goals.
Although some observers dismiss such concerns as the stuff of science fiction, the centre's founders say we don't know what the risks or when they might arise.
There is also concern about already existing systems, such as robots designed to wage war. In a recent report, Human Rights Watch called for a ban on such systems, which it argues could not distinguish between soldiers and civilians.
VoR's Tom Spender discusses the threat posed by artificial intelligence with his guests: Dr Mark Bishop, Professor of Cognitive Computing at Goldsmiths College in London; Wendy Grossman, technology writer and founder of The Skeptic mag...
- Title
- Drones: eyes in the sky that are watching you
- Runtime
- 28:32
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- Unmanned aircraft or drones have gained notoriety especially in recent conflicts in Afghanistan and Somalia where remotely operated aircraft have been used for surveillance and air strikes. But that same technology is now being used for civilian purposes.
In Britain, Merseyside police are already using the first remote controlled helicopter fitted with cameras. They say its main purpose is to tackle anti-social behaviour and public disorder.
Merseyside's assistant chief constable says the drones help put more officers on the streets and maximising technology is a powerful way of achieving this.
But what do they look like? The one being used by Merseyside police is 1m wide and weighs less than a bag of sugar.
Civil liberties groups are concerned about how the technology could be developed -- and say they're worried about an invasion of privacy.
VoR's Daniel Cina discusses civilian use of drones with is Steven Harris, Senior R...
- Title
- Secret courts: unequal justice or a necessary evil?
- Runtime
- 28:31
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- The British Government wants to introduce Closed Material Procedures or 'secret courts' for civil cases involving sensitive information about national security. In the controversial procedures, the defendant won't know what evidence is brought against them and neither will their lawyer.
Critics say the principles of fair and open justice would be eroded by the Bill, currently before Parliament.
But the Government says it would only affect a small number of cases currently settled out of court and though not ideal, some justice is better than none.
The Voice of Russia's Vivienne Nunis discusses the conflict between open justice and national security with the QC Lord Edward Faulks, a member of Parliament's Joint Committee on Human Rights; Keith Best, a former Conservative MP and the Chief Executive of Freedom from Torture; and Stephen Tall, the co-editor of the Liberal Democrat Voice.
Photo: Getty Images
- Title
- Savita tragedy: campaign grows to change Irish abortion law
- Runtime
- 28:31
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- A campaign called Savita's Law has been set up after a 31 year old woman died in an Irish hospital in Galway on 28th October 2012. Savita Halappanavar, who was 17 weeks pregnant, was having a miscarriage.
Savita's husband Praveen said that the hospital told them the foetus was not viable, but they could not perform an abortion, because Ireland was a Catholic country and the foetal heart was still beating.
During the next several days, Savita developed septicaemia and multiple organ failure which led to her death.
Her husband believes that she would be alive today if she had had an abortion
The death of Savita has led to protests all over the world calling for a review of the abortion laws in Ireland.
There is now pressure on the Irish Government to legislate for safe and legal access to abortion where the mother's life is at risk has increased.
Joining Juliet Spare to discuss abortion laws in Ireland and Savita's de...
- Title
- Drones: eyes in the sky that are watching you
- Runtime
- 28:31
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- Unmanned aircraft or drones have gained notoriety especially in recent conflicts in Afghanistan and Somalia where remotely operated aircraft have been used for surveillance and air strikes. But that same technology is now being used for civilian purposes.
In Britain, Merseyside police are already using the first remote controlled helicopter fitted with cameras. They say its main purpose is to tackle anti-social behaviour and public disorder.
Civil liberties groups are concerned about how the technology could be developed -- and say they're worried about an invasion of privacy.
VoR's Daniel Cina discusses civilian use of drones with is Steven Harris, Senior Reporter for the Engineer magazine; Harry Rogers, a local peace activist from Wales and Robert Dewar, Emeritus Professor of Computer Science at New York University and President of AdaCore -- who provide software for commercial aviation and defence companies.
- Title
- Corporation tax: easy to avoid?
- Runtime
- 28:31
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- Earlier this month senior executives at Starbucks, Google and Amazon were savaged by MPs accusing their companies of avoiding tax on a huge scale. A senior MP has even urged consumers to boycott these companies. But is such outrage justified since none of the companies broke the law after all?
VoR's Hywel Davies discusses this with Abhijit Pandya, blogger for Daily Mail and director of the Center for Democratic Studies; Miles Dean, Founder of Milestone International Tax Consultants; John O'Connell, research Director at TaxPayers' Alliance, and Professor Philip Booth, editorial and programme director at the Institute of Economic Affairs, who's on the phone.
http://ruvr.co.uk/2012_11_23/Corporation-tax-easy-to-avoid/
Photo: Getty Images
- Title
- In Conversation → Peter Hitchens - the modern Puritan
- Runtime
- 28:36
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- The political commentator and author Peter Hitchens says that government drug policy in the UK is flawed. In his new book 'The War We Never Fought', published by Continuum, he claims that a liberal elite which includes both Conservatives, Labour and Liberals has been unwilling to truly promote a legal war against drugs -- especially cannabis.
Tim Ecott talks to him at length about why he chose to write the book now.
- Title
- Voice of Russia UK: Two birds disappear in UK every minute
- Runtime
- 5:10
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- The British bird population has declined by around 44 million since 1966. The shocking statistics have been published in the 'State of the UK's Birds 2012' report on Monday. The population of house sparrows is down more than 20 million, and many seabirds are declining rapidly.
Experts say breeding birds have vanished from the British countryside at an average rate of one pair every minute.
VOR's Tim Ecott asked Graham Madge, the Head of Species Monitoring for the RSPB, what was behind the decline.
Photo: Lip Kee
- Title
- Children's debit card launched
- Runtime
- 28:32
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- Parents can put money on the cards via an online website. It's believed to be the first prepaid debit card developed for 8-16s. Parents preload the card with cash for their children, who in turn can use the card in a limited range of shops, and for withdrawing cash from banks.
But should children have access to plastic money at such a young age?
Juliet Spare discusses the digitisation of pocket money with chief executive of PKTMNY (Pocket Money), the organisation behind the new debit card, Mark Timbrell; Becky Goddard-Hill, blogger and mother of two children; Stephen Hopwood, head of the children's department at the Stowe Family Law firm; and Professor Agnes Nairn, a consultant on ethics and children and co-author of UNICEF's September 2011 report on children's well-being.
Photo: Getty Images
- Title
- Russian musicians come together
- Runtime
- 5:20
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- http://ruvr.co.uk/
Many Russian classical musicians live and work in Europe, where there are more jobs - and sometimes higher salaries - than at home.
To bring this community together, Yuri Zhislin, professor of violin and viola at the Royal College of Music in London, and his wife Natalia Lomeiko, who is also a professor of violin at the Royal College, set up the Russian Virtuosi of Europe.
The orchestra brings together some of the finest string players from Russia and the former USSR, who now live in western Europe. They are playing at London's Cadogan Hall on November 23. Alice Lagnado invited Yuri and Natalia into the studio to find out more.
Photo: The Russian Virtuosi of Europe
- Title
- Winter is coming: UK government to redefine fuel poverty
- Runtime
- 3:28
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- http://ruvr.co.uk/
More than 25 000 elderly people die each year in the UK due to the cold - that's more than many other European countries.
VoR's Tim Ecott spoke to Stephen Hammersley, Chief Executive of the Community Foundation Network, and asked him how many people are likely to suffer in the event of a cold winter.
Photo: Getty Images
- Title
- Big Brother is watching you
- Runtime
- 28:32
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- http://ruvr.co.uk/
Photographs of millions of people are being put on a national police database to try to stop criminals escaping detection simply by moving around the country. From March next year detectives will be able to compare images of suspects with around 16 million photos.
The new photo system is an extension of the police national database. The database was established in 2011 following the murder of two schoolgirls -- Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in Cambridgeshire.
Their killer, Ian Huntley, was able to get a job working in a school even though he had a criminal record.
Currently the national database holds information on millions of people who have been convicted, cautioned or arrested, as well as others not suspected or convicted of crimes.
Detectives say the new photographic technology is a 'game changer'.
But civil liberties groups are concerned about what data should be held on the databa...
- Title
- Should divorced fathers have a legal right to see their children?
- Runtime
- 28:33
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- http://ruvr.co.uk/
More than 3.8 million children in Britain are growing up without a father. According to a top judge, the country is facing an epidemic of family breakdown. When it comes to divorce or separation cases, either member of the couple can be forced to pay maintenance to their partner, if their partner has depended on them for money.
However in practice, more children are likely to live with their mums after separation than their dads.
The children's minister is now proposing new legislation to ensure judges give fathers a legal right to spend time with their children after a divorce or separation. But campaign group Fathers 4 Justice says the 'legislation won't be worth the paper it's written on'. The laws are expected to come into effect next year.
VoR's Juliet Spare discusses the rights of fathers, mothers and children, as well as the Government's new proposals with Ken Sanderson, Chief Executive from Families...
- Title
- Tackling Assad through unified opposition
- Runtime
- 28:33
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- http://ruvr.co.uk/
Syria's opposition have agreed to form a coalition to oppose president Bashar al-Assad but how effective and how representative will it be?
VoR's Brendan Cole discusses the latest from the conflict in Syria with Kristyan Benedict, campaign manager from Amnesty International UK; Harry Phibbs, journalist with the Conservative Home website; Dr Nadim Nassar, Syria's only Anglican priest and director of the Awareness Foundation; and Sami Haddad, activist for the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Photo: Getty Images
THE VOICE OF RUSSIA, London
- Title
- Homosexuality in sport: tackling the taboo
- Runtime
- 27:17
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- In recent years, basketball, rugby and cricket have all seen high-profile stars come out as homosexuals. Meanwhile, a recent National Union of Students survey has revealed that less than 40% of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students who play organised sport at university are open about their sexuality with their teammates.
So is progress being made in combating homophobia in sport, or is an issue that is simply not being addressed?
The Voice of Russia's Tim Walklate discusses this with Andrew Warshaw, Chief Football Reporter for Inside World Football; Chris Basiurski, Chair of the Gay Football Supporters' Network and Tony Fenwick, Co-Chair of Schools Out and LGBT History Month.
- Title
- Hundreds of stateless children live in the UK
- Runtime
- 4:43
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- A startling number of children are living in the United Kingdom as stateless citizens with no formal documentation. Many of the children have been brought into the country as illegal immigrants while others have been born here and never registered. More than 100,000 children probably fall into the definition of 'statelessness'.
VOR's Tim Ecott spoke to Nando Sigona, a senior research officer at the Refugee Studies Centre, and asked him how serious the problem is.
Photo: Getty Images
- Title
- New leader, new policies? China opts for change
- Runtime
- 28:31
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- Beijing is a city on high alert - with thousands of extra police officers deployed and vehicle checkpoints set up across the capital. It's all because China is about to see momentous change.
More than two thousand two hundred delegates from all the country have gathering for a Communist Party Congress that will see a new leader anointed. The Congress itself will play little part in deciding on who that will be. But Xi Jinping, the son of a former comrade of Mao Tse-tung, is universally expected to replace President Hu Jintao at the top of the ruling Communist party. His accession to the post has been decided upon by the party elite, while he's expected to assume the Presidency in March next year.
So who is Xi Jinping -- and will he take China in a new direction?
VoR's Hywel Davies discusses this with Joseph Cheng, Professor of Political Science at the City University of Hong Kong; Zhengxu Wang, Associate Professor of Contemporary Chinese Studies a...
- Title
- UK on target to meet overseas aid pledge, but is it justified?
- Runtime
- 28:30
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- David Cameron has reiterated his pledge to increase overseas aid to developing countries to 0.7% of the UK's annual income. But given cuts elsewhere at home, should the UK continue to give as much to poorer countries?
VOR's Brendan Cole discusses this with Alex Scrivener, policy officer for the World Development Movement; Laura Taylor, head of public policy at the relief agency Tearfund; Robert Oxley, campaign manager at Taxpayers' Alliance and Lord Lipsey from the House of Lords' economic affairs committee.
- Title
- Documentary accuses Britain of taking children away from Slovak families
- Runtime
- 4:59
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- A Slovak TV channel has screened an emotional documentary accusing Britain's social services of taking children away without good cause. Distraught Slovak families told of their children being taken from homes or from the street.
A Czech family also came forward saying they had had a similar experience. Now the journalist behind that programme is in London making a sequel to explain the story.
Photo: Thomas Quine http://www.flickr.com/people/quinet/
- Title
- White foreign children targeted for forced adoption, says UK MP
- Runtime
- 13:25
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- Social services are targeting white children from Eastern European families because they are more likely to be adopted by white British families. That's the claim by Liberal Democrat MP for Birmingham Yardley, John Hemming. It's a serious allegation denied by social workers.
But foreign embassies in the UK say they are worried about reports of forced adoption, turning a domestic issue into a potential diplomatic row.
Rebecca Burns reports on the latest scandal to hit social services in England and Wales.
http://ruvr.co.uk/2012_10_27/92563999/
Photo: Matthew Hale http://www.flickr.com/people/matthewjhale/
- Title
- Brits on the breadline: should the living wage be universal?
- Runtime
- 28:32
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- A new report has revealed that nearly five million people in Britain don't earn enough to maintain a decent standard of living. Their incomes fall below the level set as the UK living wage by the prominent think tank, the Centre for Research in Social Policy.
It says £7.20 per hour is the minimum needed for those in work to support themselves. The figure is higher for London, standing at £8.30 per hour.
A new report from accountancy firm KPMG has found that 20% of workers in the UK are paid less than those levels. Nearly 90% of waiters and bar staff are not paid the living wage.
This rate is voluntary, unlike the National Minimum Wage, the amount that employers must pay by law, which is set at £6.19 per hour for those aged 21 and over.
Anti-poverty activists say it is far too low. They want the living wage to be adopted by all employers.
But can the country afford it?
VOR's Daniel Cinna discusses this with Micha...
- Title
- What's the cost of stopping care home abuse?
- Runtime
- 28:31
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- Workers at Winterbourne Care home, near Bristol, were convicted of abusing residents in a case that shocked the country. It has raised questions over whether the British government is able to handle the treatment of vulnerable people, both young and old.
The concerns have increased especially after criticism of the Dilnot Commission report which caps care costs at £35,000.
VoR's Brendan Cole discusses this with Randeep Ramesh, social affairs editor at The Guardian newspaper; Simon Peyton, communications manager at the care provider Anchor; Judy Downey, chairwoman of the Relatives and Residents Association; and Emily Holzhausen, director of policy at Carers UK.
Photo: Getty Images
- Title
- Can you tell a woman how many children she can have?
- Runtime
- 28:31
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- The British Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith wants to cap child benefits for mothers after their second child, saying the welfare system encourages poorer families to have more children rather than get a job.
But would this measure work?
VOR's Juliet Spare discusses this with Tina Boyd from Project Prevention, a US group which pays addicts to use birth control, Tina chose to be sterilised. Jad Adams, chairman of London homeless charity Nightwatch; Kirstie Douse, head of legal services at drug legal service release and Anthony Ozimic from the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children.
Photo: Getty Images
- Title
- Time Out goes free: what's the future of the magazine industry?
- Runtime
- 28:31
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- London's leading entertainment Time Out is the latest magazine to go free. It began life in 1968, peeked in the late 1990s but has seen numbers dwindling since changes in magazine consumption trends. So what is the impact of free titles and will free publications overtake paid-fors?
VoR's Brendan Cole discusses this with his guests Greg Miall, project director at Time Out; Robert Picard, director of research at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at Oxford University; Lisa O'Carroll, journalist for The Guardian newspaper and Scott Rodgers, lecturer in Media Theory at London's Birkbeck University.
Photo: VoR Collage
- Title
- The Square Mile: a city of secrets
- Runtime
- 28:32
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- The 'Square Mile', officially known as the City of London, is the centre of global finance. It holds around 9.4 trillion pounds in banking assets from global institutes. But unlike anywhere else in the UK, the City has exclusive powers and privileges dating back to mediaeval times.
The Corporation holds such power that they have a senior representative with a seat in the House of Commons who keeps an eye on all legislation passing through. The Remembrancer -- as he is known -- is the city's eyes in Parliament and its lobbyist. The city is the only place in UK where businesses have a vote in local elections.
And with finance as the UK's second largest industry after manufacturing it holds sway at home as well as abroad. But is this an outdated set of privileges and does the City wield too much political power and influence?
VoR' Daniel Cinna discusses this with Dr Lee Salter, the senior lecturer in journalism at the University of the West of England and c...
- Title
- Climate change: too hot to handle
- Runtime
- 28:32
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- The challenge facing the world from climate change has been described by Professor Stephen Hawking as 'the greatest ever threat to humanity'. The Government's Department of Energy and Climate Change says average temperatures may rise by up to 6C by the end of this century - and yet many people are sceptical that climate change is real.
VoR's Tim Ecott discusses this with his guests; Christopher Monckton, British politician and public speaker (UK Independence Party); Bob Ward from the London School of Economics; and Joan Whally MP, Chair of the House of Commons Environmental Audit Select Committee.
http://ruvr.co.uk/
Photo: Keoni Cabral http://www.flickr.com/people/keoni101/
- Title
- THE VOICE OF RUSSIA, LONDON: Jimmy Savile -- the victims' view
- Runtime
- 28:33
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- Police have begun a criminal inquiry after allegations that the former TV presenter sexually abused many people, including young girls, for over four decades. Officers are looking into 400 lines of inquiry. We wanted to take a look at the effect this abuse by a well-known celebrity had on his many victims.
Joining Juliet Spare on the Voice of Russia are Dr Jon Bird, operations manager at the National Association of People Abused in Childhood; Abbie Wightwick, a journalist in Wales who interviewed Savile at the beginning of her career; Ian Dunt, political editor of the website www.politics.co.uk; and Alan Collins, lawyer and partner at Pannone.
http://ruvr.co.uk/
Photo: Getty Images
- Title
- Britain's royal family: is there room for political neutrality?
- Runtime
- 28:31
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- The British Attorney General has vetoed the release of letters that Prince Charles sent to ministers in the last Labour government. Was he right to do so and does the case undermine the supposed political neutrality of Britain's royal family?
VOR's Brendan Cole discusses this with Guardian journalist Robert Booth; Chairman of the British Monarchist Society Thomas Mace Archer-Mills; royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams; and reporter for the Independent newspaper, Tom Peck.
Photo: Getty Images
http://ruvr.co.uk/
- Title
- Sport: giving the red card to drugs?
- Runtime
- 28:31
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- The afterglow of London's triumphant Olympic Games is only now fading away. It was a Games marked by heroic sporting achievements. Remarkably few of them tainted by worries that athletes might be taking performance enhancing drugs.
But any complacency the sporting world may have felt has been stripped away by the US anti-doping agency and the comprehensive dossier it released on Lance Armstrong. It provided details of drugs taken, team-mates corrupted and officials hookwinked as the American cyclist rode to seven victories in the Tour de France -- all without publically failing a drugs test.
So is sport getting on top of the trade in banned substances -- or will some athletes always seek an advantage? And is doping necessarily a bad thing?
VOR's Hywel Davies discusses this with Andy Parkinson, Chief Executive of UK Anti-Doping -- the main agency fighting drugs in sport here in Britain; Tim Rolls, sports blogger at plainsofalmeria.co.uk; Dan Travis...
- Title
- VOICE OF RUSSIA, LONDON: Teens at the ballot box?
- Runtime
- 28:31
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- The Scottish referendum on independence will be open to those aged 16 and 17- years-old. Could this one day lead to under-18s voting in British elections?
VOR's Brendan Cole discusses this with Marc Kidson, a trustee from the British Youth Council; Sylvia Kritzinger, head of the department in social sciences at the University of Vienna; Dr Jay Giedd, chief of the unit on brain imaging at the Child Psychiatry Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Maryland, USA and Darren Hughes, director of campaigns and research at the Electoral Reform Society.
http://ruvr.co.uk/
Photo: Getty Images
- Title
- The Prosecutor is now following you on Twitter..?
- Runtime
- 28:32
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- The Director of Public Prosecutions Kier Starmer is drawing up guidelines on how prosecutors should react to abusive comments made on sites such as Facebook and Twitter. He says the document will help prosecutors decide whether criminal charges should be brought against people who make offensive comments online.
The consultation comes after a series of high profile cases where social network users have made insulting remarks about the Olympic diver Tom Daley and the footballer Fabrice Muamba.
Only last week Matthew Woods, a 19-year-old man from Lancashire was jailed for 12 weeks for his Twitter comments about the missing 5-year-old schoolgirl April Jones.
So how should prosecutors react to comments online -- and how will the guidelines shape the future of social networking in Britain?
VOR's Daniel Cinna discusses this with his guests: Kirsty Hughes, Chief Executive of Index on Censorship; Rob Lyons, the Deputy Editor of the online mag...
- Title
- Protecting homeowners who use violence against burglars is 'dangerous'
- Runtime
- 28:31
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- Michael Turner QC, the Chairman of the Criminal Bar Association of England and Wales, says that a new initiative to give homeowners more power to use force against intruders is 'unnecessary and dangerous' and should be dropped 'immediately'.
It follows an announcement by the Justice Secretary Chris Grayling to change the law in Britain to give homeowners more legal protection if they react violently towards burglars who break into their home.
In the latest discussion on the Voice of Russia in London, Juliet Spare is joined by a former - and once prolific - burglar, Steve Cattel; barrister Michael Turner QC, who is also Chair of the Criminal Bar Association; Simon Foy, former head of the homicide unit at the Metropolitan Police; and Conservative Party supporter and blogger David Breaker.
Image: Tim Samoff http://www.flickr.com/people/timsamoff/
- Title
- Victory for Chavez but what next for Venezuela?
- Runtime
- 28:31
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- Venezuela's leader Hugo Chavez this week won a fourth term of office, greeting his re-election as what he termed 'a perfect victory'. Ten of thousands of his supporters thronged the streets in Caracas to celebrate that win.
But in contrast to previous polls, this time the poll was relatively close. Mister Chavez won just under 55 per cent of the vote, his challenger Henrique Capriles won almost 45 per cent.
So will Mister Chavez be able to press ahead -- or will he be forced to come to terms with the fact that almost half the electorate wanted a different President?
VOR's Hywel Davies discusses this with his guests: Alvaro Sanchez, Deputy Ambassador at the Embassy of Venezuela in London; Matt Ince, project manager at Royal United Services Institute; and Dr Lee Salter, Senior Lecturer at the University of the West of England.
Image: Getty Images
- Title
- VOICE OF RUSSIA, LONDON: should the UK abortion limit be cut?
- Runtime
- 28:32
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- The debate about when women should be able to terminate their pregnancies has been reignited. The British government's new women's minister, Maria Millar, said she would vote to lower the abortion limit from the current 24 to 20 weeks. It has also emerged that Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt favours cutting the abortion limit from 24 to 12 weeks.
Why are the abortion laws in Britain coming under fire now?
Juliet Spare discusses this with her guests: founder of the Comment on Reproductive Ethics group Josephine Quintavalle; Anne Scanlan from the LIFE Charity; and the founder of Justice for Women and Pro-Choice, Julie Bindel.
http://ruvr.co.uk/
Photo: Quinn Dombrowski http://www.flickr.com/people/quinnanya/
- Title
- Curtain Up: Hermitage masterpieces come to Norfolk
- Runtime
- 14:52
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- In this week's edition of our weekly arts programme, Curtain Up, Alice Lagnado and Pushkin House director Julian Gallant talk to curator Dr Thierry Morel, who is the driving force behind a fantastic upcoming exhibition of Baroque masterpieces from St Petersburg's State Hermitage Museum.
The paintings are being brought back to their original home at Houghton Hall in Norfolk. The display will include masterpieces by Van Dyck, Poussin, Albani, Rubens, Rembrandt, Velazquez, Murillo and others.
The collection was originally brought together by Britain's first prime minister, Robert Walpole, and sold to Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia, in 1779.
Alice Lagnado and Julian Gallant started the conversation by asking Dr Morel to explain the story behind this unusual exhibition.
The exhibition is open from May to September 2013.
Images: Paris Bordone 'Two Women, a Cupid and a Soldier', Luca Giordano 'Vulcan's Forge', Sir Anthony van Dyck 'Portrait of Sir ...
- Title
- After the rose revolution: has Georgian dream come true?
- Runtime
- 28:31
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- For the first time, the ballot box has been the decider over a change in government in Georgia. Will election winner Bidzina Ivanishvili lead his country more towards the EU and the west, or to Russia?
VOR's Brendan Cole discusses this with Ziba Norman, founder of the Transatlantic and Caucasus Studies Institute; Ben Judah, policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations; Anna Matveeva, visiting senior research fellow in the department of war studies at King's College London and Nick Clayton, senior editor at Canal PIK in Tblisi.
http://ruvr.co.uk/
Photo: Getty Images
- Title
- VOICE OF RUSSIA, LONDON: Britain's broken rail system
- Runtime
- 28:31
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- 'The way we manage our railways in Britain is fatally flawed', that's according to one of the architects of the privatisation system. In Britain the train lines are franchised and sold off to private companies to run for a fixed amount of time.
However, last week the decision to award the west coast main line to the company FirstGroup was scrapped by the government.
The company had beaten current operator Virgin Trains owned by Richard Branson to win the 13-year franchise.
But the British transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin said there were 'significant technical flaws' in the bidding process. The estimated cost of reimbursing four companies for the cost of their bids will be £40 million.
Now Chris Stokes, the former deputy director of franchising at the department of transport, says 'the system is convoluted, complicated and inefficient.'
Nearly 20 years ago his department sold all 25 franchises, with each bid co...
- Title
- VOICE OF RUSSIA, LONDON: UK teachers should help spot child sex exploitation
- Runtime
- 28:31
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- A child sexual exploitation ring uncovered in the north west of England has raised many serious issues. How and why were the girls at the heart of the scandal ignored?
A national coalition of women's organisations is now campaigning to get parents, young people and women's groups to ask schools to take urgent action to address abuse of girls in schools.
Juliet Spare discusses the recent exposures in the British media that revealed police and social services knew about a child sex ring in England a decade ago.
VOR's Juliet Spare discusses this with professor of law at City University Jennifer Temkin; Jon Brown, head of sexual abuse programs at children's charity, the NSPCC,and England professional officer at the British Association of Social Workers, Nushra Mansuri.
http://ruvr.co.uk/
Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/liamrichardsx/4575330711/sizes/m/in/photostream/
- Title
- VOICE OF RUSSIA, LONDON: After Trident - a new future for Britain's nukes?
- Runtime
- 28:31
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- Until last month, Britain's nuclear deterrent -- currently the Trident submarine missile system - was low down the agenda in most newsrooms.
But the suggestion by the Liberal Democrat, Sir Nick Harvey, that the replacement for Trident could be a cheaper, downgraded version has ignited the debate over Britain's nuclear weapons.
Sir Nick's words had added punch because until last month he was a minister in the Ministry of Defence, leading a government review of Trident's successor.
He's argued that there's a strong financial and military imperative for that downgrading, arguing it's possible to save money, while keeping the country safe.
So is that possible? And, more fundamentally, is the end of Trident an opportunity to discuss getting rid of Britain's nuclear weapons altogether?
VOR's Hywel Davis discusses this with Dr Kate Hudson, General Secretary for the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND); Toby Fenwick, research ...
- Title
- Should Page 3 girls be banned?
- Runtime
- 28:32
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- More than 40,000 people have signed a petition calling for the editor of The Sun newspaper in the UK to stop putting topless women on Page 3. This has been The Sun's editorial practice for 40 years and some call it a British institution.
Lucy Holmes began her anti-Page 3 campaign after buying the newspaper during the Olympics. The biggest image in the paper was of topless women, although this was at the time when athlete Jessica Ennis won gold for Team GB.
VOR's Juliet Spare discusses the anti-Page 3 campaign with bloggers Charlotte Henry and Caroline Criado-Perez; former psychiatrist and medical journalist Dr Rita Pal and writer Terence Blacker.
http://ruvr.co.uk/
Photo: Getty Images
- Title
- The EU debt crisis: will Germany leave the eurozone?
- Runtime
- 28:32
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- Last week France and Spain unveiled their budgets. President Francois Hollande increased taxes on companies and French households and introduced a controversial 75% tax rate on those earning more than a million euros a year.
Mr Hollande called it France's 'most important fiscal effort in 30 years'.
Meanwhile in Spain, prime minister Mariano Rajoy introduced spending cuts and tax rises of 40 billion euros next year in an effort to cut its deficit.
Mr Rajoy also extended a wealth tax and introduced a 20% gambling tax to boost revenues by 4.7 billion euros over two years.
Will the Spanish budget be sufficient to reduce their deficit and cut the high unemployment rate?
VOR's Daniel Cinna discusses this with Len Shackleton, Professor of economics at the University of Buckingham; Vincent Forest, a Western Europe analyst from the Economist Intelligence Unit; Vicky Pryce, an economist and former Joint Head of the UK Government Ec...
- Title
- Does greater EU integration spell the end for sovereign democracy?
- Runtime
- 28:31
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- VOR's Brendan Cole discusses this with Stephen Haseler, Director of the Global Policy Institute; Tim Congdon, a spokesperson for the UK Independence Party; Andrew Duff, a Liberal Democrat MEP and president of the Union of European Federalists; Chris Clarke, former Goldman Sachs chief executive and founder of the blog economicperil.com
http://ruvr.co.uk/
Photo: Getty Images
- Title
- Should drug trials be televised?
- Runtime
- 28:31
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- Juliet Spare asks whether drug trials should be televised after a recent research project exploring the effects of ecstasy was broadcast live on British TV.
Juliet is joined by Consultant Addiction Psychiatrist Tim Williams; Director for the Institute for Research in Child Development Professor Derek Moore; David Raynes, a drug preventions campaigner and lead author on The Ecstasy study; and Professor Val Curran from University College London.
Image: http://www.flickr.com/people/diebmx/
- Title
- Japan, China - could tension between them lead to war?
- Runtime
- 28:31
- Date posted
- 14 years ago
- Description
- Japanese and Chinese diplomats met on Wednesday for urgent talks over a group of disputed islands in the East China Sea. Those negotiations, on the fringes of the UN General Assembly meeting, seem to have had little success. At the heart of the dispute are five small, largely barren islands, called Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China.
The latest row over them began this month when the Japanese government said it would buy three of them from a businessman. That move triggered angry protests in cities across China, forcing Japanese businesses there to close and a warning from China that economic ties could be affected.
So does this tussle over the islands illustrate that relations between Asia's two biggest economies are at a particularly low ebb -- or is this a minor blip in their often stormy relations?
VOR's Hywel Davies discussed this with his guests: Professor James Woudhuysen of De Montfort University in the UK; Dr Ramon Pacheco Pardo, of Kings Coll...
