Month: May 2011

BBC World Service News 09:00 GMT Saturday 21st May 2011

BBC World Service News
09:00 GMT Saturday 21st May 2011
Newsreader: Zoe Diamond

Tens of thousands of people are continuing their protest in the centre of the Spanish capital, in defiance of a ban on demonstrations on the eve of local elections. The protests began six days ago, as a spontaneous sit-in at a main square in Madrid by young Spaniards, frustrated at youth unemployment. They filled the square with tarpaulins and banners demanding an end to what they call the dictatorship of the markets. One protestor, Juan Lopez, said unemployment was affecting an entire generation. (TAPE) “For the general population, it’s already 21.3% that is unemployed, which is almost five million people. And for the young people, it’s 43% of our generation that is unemployed. So we are already starting to speak about a lost generation of Spanish people.”(LIVE)

The World Food Programme says that it’s having to cut the rations being distributed in Somalia, leaving hundreds of thousands of people without any food at all. Our Africa editor Martin Plaut reports. (TAPE) The World Food Programme says a lack of funding has forced it to cut rations to Somailis since February, to eke out supplies. The WFP told the BBC it only has about a third of the food it needs to feed one million people. 40% are getting nothing at all. Even those being fed are getting less than half the food they need. In the next few weeks the WFP will be meeting international donors, to try to find $53 million to meet the needs of Somalis until the end of this year. (LIVE)
Continue reading “BBC World Service News 09:00 GMT Saturday 21st May 2011”

A Rose by Any Other Name

This is a welcome opportunity to clear up a mystery surrounding the Peterborough Development Partnership. It was pointed out here that despite the fact that they were deeply involved in developing the Peterborough District Hospital site, there seems to be little trace of them out there on the Internet.
Continue reading “A Rose by Any Other Name”

BBC World Service News 05:00 GMT Friday 20th May 2011

BBC World Service News
05:00 GMT Friday 20th May 2011
Newsreader: David Legg

President Obama’s statement of support for a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders with Israel has received a cool response. In a major Middle East policy speech, he said a continguous Palestine should be the goal, after mutually agreed land swaps. (TAPE) President Obama: We believe the borders of Israel and Palestine should be based on the 1967 lines, with mutually agreed swaps, so that secure and recognised borders are established for both states. The Palestinian people must have the right to govern themselves, and reach their full potential, in a sovereign and contiguous state. (LIVE) The Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip, called the speech “empty words”. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the 1967 borderlines as “indefensible”. President Obama also said that in the wider Middle East region, the United States’ top priority was to back democratic reforms. He expressed support for those who took part in recent uprisings, and he outlined a region-wide initiative to support economic development.
Continue reading “BBC World Service News 05:00 GMT Friday 20th May 2011”

Use of Consultants – Council Statement

08:35 Friday 25th March 2011
Peterborough Breakfast Show BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

ANDY GALL: Yesterday we brought you the outcome of the inquiry into whether Peterborough City Council is spending too much money on consultants. The three-man panel made 31 recommendations to the Scrutiny Committee, and called for the process of hiring consultants to be made more transparent. PCC couldn’t put someone up to talk to us, because the report will be discussed at a Cabinet meeting in June, but they did send a statement.

VO: “Peterborough City Council has some of the best controls in the country for managing and monitoring its use of consultants. We are already implementing many of the recommendations in the report as part of our drive for greater transparency, and ensuring we are always providing the best value for money for our taxpayers. Over the past 4 years we’ve been able to take £68 million out of our budget because of this work. We’d like to thank the consultants who’ve worked for us in the past, and those who continue to work for us, for sharing their expertise with our staff to enable us to improve the skills and knowledge we have within our own workforce.”

ANDY GALL: And in today’s Evening Telegraph you can get Council Leader Marco Cereste’s thoughts and comments on the report.

Related Posts

Flack Magazine in Cambridge

10:08 Thursday 19th May 2011
Mid-Morning Show BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

ANDY HARPER: As we heard earlier from some people locally, they’re learning new skills, and it’s been a way of turning their lives around. This is all part of Adult Learner’s Week, when thousands of activities are being held across the County to inspire us to do something new. Well Carol went to an event yesterday afternoon, and joined in the celebration of the achievements of some.
CAROL CARMAN: I did Andy. It was really heartening. It was indeed a celebration of, if you like, various forms of adult education, whether it’s going back to college and getting your O-Levels and A-Levels or whatever, apprenticeships, or, as we’re going to hear pretty soon, homeless people getting involved in producing a magazine called Flack. It’s just finished its pilot stage. It’s a What’s On listing magazine, and it’s been put together by homeless people. And they’ve written articles for it, and gained new IT skills, and things like that. Kevin Appleby is one of those people. Continue reading “Flack Magazine in Cambridge”

Nuclear Safety in Eastern Europe

05:32 GMT Thursday 19th May 2011
The World Today
BBC World Service

TOM HAGLER: In the wake of the Fukushima disaster in Japan, a number of countries are taking a fresh look at the security of their own nuclear facilities. And that includes member states of the European Union. 143 nuclear reactors within the EU are due to undergo a set of so called “stress tests”, a move likely to be discussed at today’s meeting of the Nuclear Energy Forum in Prague. Our Eastern Europe correspondent Nick Thorpe has visited Romania’s one and only nuclear power station in Cernavodă near the Black Sea, and Nick joins us now. Nick, tell us first of all what sort of tests are under discussion within the EU at the moment. Continue reading “Nuclear Safety in Eastern Europe”

BBC World Service News 05:00 GMT Thursday 19th May 2011

BBC World Service News
05:00 GMT Thursday 19th May 2011
Newsreader: Julie Kantor

The detained head of the International Monetary Fund, Dominique Strauss-Khan, has resigned with immediate effect. He’s been in custody in New York since the weekend, accused of attempted rape of a hotel chambermaid. Nora Trevelyan reports. (TAPE) Dominique Strauss-Khan says that it’s with “infinite sadness” he feels compelled to resign as managing director of the IMF. In his statement he denies, with the greatest possible firmness, all of the allegations agsinst him. The former IMF chief states that he wants to protect the institution he’s served, and devote all his strength and energy to proving his innocence. Later today, Mr Straus-Kahn’s lawyers will try once again to convince a judge to release him on bail. They’ll argue that he’s prepared to be electronically tagged, and confined to a Manhatten location.(LIVE)
Continue reading “BBC World Service News 05:00 GMT Thursday 19th May 2011”

Nick Sandford and Nazim Khan on Marco Cereste

07:13 Wednesday 18th May 2011
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: In yesterday’s show we were speaking to the Leader of Peterborough City Council, Marco Cereste, after he made changes to his Cabinet at the Council. One of the changes involved Councillor Cereste taking on extra portfolios regarding business engagement, taking over from Councillor Gavin Elsey. Here’s what Mr. Cereste had to say, as he explained his thinking behind the move. (TAPE) “I’ve brought all the business bits and pieces under my portfolio. So now any businessman, any business person, investor, developer, entrepreneur wants to come to the city. You know, that’s my portfolio. It’s my responsibility. And they know where to go.” (LIVE) He went on to admit that the extra workload will be a challenge, so he’s asked the Cabinet Adviser to help him. (TAPE) “It’s far too much for me to do on my own, so we’ve reorganised the support that we had for the Cabinet. And we’ve put a Cabinet adviser in to help me .. And she will have .. personal responsibility for international links, business engagement and tourism” (LIVE) It means Marco is the key decision maker on growth, strategic planning, economic development and business engagement. It’s a lot. So has he taken on more than he can chew? Or do you agree with his plan to make it easier for investors by dealing with just one person? Later in the show we’ll be talking to a man who agrees with Marco’s decisions after eight o’clock. But first let’s hear from two local councillors who have very big concerns over the move, Councillor Nick Sandford Leader of Peterborough’s Liberal Democrat Group, and Councillor Nazin Khan, Leader of Peterborough’s Labour Group. Good morning gentlemen. Nick first of all, what’s your problem? It’s a one-stop shop for businesses coming to the city. Continue reading “Nick Sandford and Nazim Khan on Marco Cereste”