April 29th 2008:

You can listen to this story and hear the views of Goldsmiths students here:

Some of the most intelligent minds in fact and fiction come together tonight to debate the question, has America lost its moral authority.

The London debate forum, Intelligence Squared hosts the event where amongst others, writers Will Self, Matthew Parris, Simon Schama and Martin Amis will be arguing over whether the US’s days as global moral arbiter are over.

George Bush meets criticism over Hurricane Kartina

Internationally America’s position as moral touchstone has been fragile for some time, the country’s own self image is suffering like never before. At the Security and Prosperity Summit held last week in New Orleans, George Bush’s plans for greater US collaboration between Canada & Mexico on security and economic issues, were met with fearsome criticism over the administration’s handling of Hurricane Katrina. The leaders of the Alternative People’s Summit, held at the same time, highlighted the growing tensions and disparity between the country’s poor and their elected leaders:

“[After Katrina] we were doing community work, doing activist work, trying to make a difference… Every time we got work, usually white people were always in charge of the work and in many ways, they’re still in charge.”

Students speak out against Government

And this dissatisfaction is spreading. The SPP summit was attended by large numbers of middle class university students, keen to speak out against what they see as an uncaring government. Seamus Wolff, Vice President of student affairs at the Student Federation, University of Ottowa highlighted why campuses were taking such a firm stance against the SPP:

“Fundamentally we believe it to be undemocratic. We as students know that our role in society is to make sure that our voices are heard and that we are creating a society we want to live in.”

And in this election year, even the President’s own party turns against him, after Republican nominee John McCain launched his own scathing attack on Bush’s actions post-Katrina. Tonight’s speakers are promising to fan the flames of an already fiery debate.

Tonight’s debate will take place at the Royal Geographical Society, 1 Kensington Gore, London. Doors open at 6.30pm.

With only days to go until London votes for its new Mayor, 24 Gold reporter Ann Scantlebury asks students whether they’ll be voting:

Today is the last day to send off postal votes in the race to elect London’s new mayor. All the candidates are campaigning hard as the competition goes into its final stages. While there are 11 contenders for the Mayoral title, those looking at it objectively see this as a two horse race. Conservative Boris Johnson is attempting to topple ‘Red Ken’ Livingstone, the current mayor. Bookmakers across the country have drawn up odds to reflect who they think will come out victorious.

Johnson favourite to win

Lawrence Foley, the Political Odds Compiler for online betting company IG Index, says the betting industry is currently backing Boris to win.

“When Boris originally announced he was going to run most bookmakers priced him up at about 2-1 and he’s now odds on, which is a big move. Ken’s been as short as 2-5, which is very short, as short as anybody’s been.”

As for other contenders, Liberal Democrat Brian Paddick is the only one that has ever been a serious threat, but he has always been an outsider with the bookies, even going as low as 25-1.

‘Ignored’ students not heading to polls

In an election that may go down to second votes, every cross of the box is important. With a large student community in London those votes may be all important. Speaking to young people studying at Goldsmiths University, New Cross, there was no feeling that the candidates had done anything to make them want to vote. One student commented that he didn’t “know if they really reach out to students that much,” an opinion apparently shared with the politically diverse students in London.

Whatever your political persuasion, your vote is important. If you don’t vote, the next time you complain about London Transport you’ll only have yourself to blame.

LISTEN TO THIS REPORT:

The accident occurred just outside Zibo city in Shandong province. One train was on its way from Beijing to the summer resort of Qingdao, the other was travelling from Yantai. Ten carriages were sent off the tracks and veered into a ditch.

Transport Under Scrutiny

The cause of the crash is still unknown but it is believed to be the worst train incident in China in ten years. As a result of this the safety of the country’s transport system is being placed under scrutiny.

It was only in January that 18 maintenance workers died when they were hit by an oncoming train near the city of Anqiu.

“Not Quite Up to Maintenance”

Broadcast journalist Jenny Steel has travelled across many parts of Asia and spent six months in China teaching English.

She discussed the security of China’s train system with 24Gold. Steel said the cheapest of the train fares in the third class are “really uncomfortable and people are sort of piled on top of one another - you can imagine if there was a crash it could be quite dangerous”.

Whilst during her time in China ten years ago she didn’t feel unsafe, Steel had the impression that the system was “not quite up to maintenance”.

Recently though there has been rapid development in the way trains operate in China - but Jenny worries there may have to be “some concessions as to how safe, especially the workers are that are involved in making it”

Eating chocolate could actually be good for you, especially if you are female.

Recent Studies show there is a compound found in the cocoa that can help the body to fight heart disease.

LISTEN TO JEAN GRAHAM’S REPORT

Protect Against Heart Disease

In a study carried out by The University of East Anglia the amount of flavonoids in chocolate were increased to combat the risk of heart disease in post-menopausal women with Type 2 Diabetes.

Nice Flavonoids

Cocoa in chocolate contains flavonoids are thought to be beneficial for the heart. The University of East Anglia worked with a Belgian chocolatier to create a specially enriched chocolate bar. The modified bar had three and a half times the good flavonoids found in very good quality 70% dark chocolate, Dr Curtis said, the milk based, caramel flavoured chocolate “is very nice”.

Why Women?

University of East Anglia’s Dr. Peter Curtis explains why they are concentrating on this group of women “Evidence has shown that as women go through the menopause their risk of heart disease increases to almost be the same as men. At an even greater risk are those women who have Type 2 Diabetes, they are three and a half times more likely to suffer from heart disease than those without diabetes.

Looking Long Term

The chocolate will be used as added protection for heart disease on top of prescription drugs. Dr. Curtis points out that the study is one which will concentrate on the long term benefits “This is a study which will potentially benefit those taking part but will hopefully give greater benefit for planning future studies and the care of these women who we consider to be at risk of cardiovascular disease.

Too Good to be True?

The study requires women to eat a bar of chocolate every day for a year. Sounds like a good test. But as one woman we asked said “I’d do it if it reduced my risk of heart disease but it sounds a bit too good to be true. You know, if it’s too good to be true it normally is.”

Avon is having its own facelift.

Reese Witherspoon has become the new face of Avon as part of their revamp to bring the Avon image up to date.

24Gold reporter Ruth Mitchell spoke to Natalie Deacon from Avon and then found out what Goldsmiths students thought of the beauty brand.

Listen to Hannah Ratcliffe’s report on Stephen’s story…

Click here to vist the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust

22nd April 2008

Memorial Service

A memorial service was held today to mark the 15th anniversary of the death of Stephen Lawrence. The service was held at the St. Martins-in-the-Field Church in Trafalgar Square. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, spoke to invited guests at the service. Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Conservative Leader David Cameron and Lib Dem Leader Brian Paddick were amongst the congregation.

Unsolved Murder

It is fifteen years ago today since Stephen Lawrence was murdered and still, no one has been convicted of his murder. Stephen had been waiting for a night bus with a friend in Eltham, South East London when he became the victim of a fatal stabbing. The attack was unprovoked and is thought to have been racially motivated.

Vandalisim haunts the Stephen Lawrence Centre

Based in Deptford, the Stephen Lawrence Centre is a place where young people from deprived backgrounds can make a start in careers in urban design, building and architecture. Just a week after it opened the glass front of the Centre was vandalised, causing over £100,000 worth of damage. Doreen Lawrence, Stephen’s mother, has found it difficult to deal with the damage to the Centre. She says, “it is really hard, especially over the last few months with what’s been happening at the Stephen Lawrence Centre.”

Missing targets

The 15th anniversary of Stephen’s death comes at a time when targets, set by the inquiry into the investigation of his murder, look unlikely to be met by Police forces across the country. The MacPhearson Inquiry set ethnic minority recruitment targets, Forces across England and Wales had nine years to reach these targets. The Association of Chief Police Officers insists the police are no longer institutionally racist, despite almost two thirds of England and Wales’ Police forces looking likely to miss their ethnic minorty recruitment targets.

LISTEN TO THIS POST:

Who knows best?

It’s a familiar problem: the London mayoral election is just days away, but you don’t know who to vote for.

One group claims to have the answer: today sees the launch of Vote Match - a program that matches your views with those of the candidates.

It’s the product of campaigning website Unlock Democracy, and part of an attempt to get the public to reengage with the political process.

Agree, Disagree or Neither

Unlock Democracy’s Press and Communications Officer James Graham explained: “Vote Match is a quiz of 25 statements that you go through and then we match your answers with the candidates themselves.”

Naomi reads English and Drama at Goldsmiths College in South London. Her research prior to today has been looking through the elections booklet, and that has led her to the Green Party.

But will Vote Match uphold that decision?

25 questions later: “Oh!” says Naomi, “the U-K-I-P.”

Getting out of the EU didn’t seem on her mind: is this result a surprise? “Not really – they’re weren’t many questions about Green issues.”

Mainstream v Single Issue

Whilst it might draw your attention to other candidates, Naomi does raise an important caveat: does Vote Match favour the single-issue party over Ken, Boris and Brian?

“Yes, sometimes it might favour the Congestion Charge Party” says Graham, “but what it also does is to force those parties to come up with policy positions on other issues as well.

“So it’s the candidate with the broadest basket of policies that have tended to come out the best.”

At any rate, Naomi’s friends are a stark warning of what Unlock Democracy is up against: “None of them are voting. If people have decided not to vote, they’re not going to.”

Pollution. It’s everywhere, isn’t it?

Especially in Lewisham, South East London. A blanket chimney ban over the city has helped to reduce the smog of the 1950’s, but as traffic is at a daily increase the pollution levels are rising and causing thousands of deaths.

Chelle Parker reports.

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