Podcasts about bureau international

Surveillance au travail : la CTSP prévoit de saisir le Bureau International du Travail sur la situation à Maurice by TOPFM MAURITIUS

Caspar Jacobs on why the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures is wrong Read the essay here: www.thebsps.org/short-reads/dimensions-are-real-jacobs/

Pour cet épisode, nous sommes enchantés d'accueillir Pierre Van Den Dungen pour parler d'Henri La Fontaine, un homme intense et fascinant gratifié du prix Nobel de la Paix en 1913. Pierre Van Den Dungen, docteur en Philosophie et Lettres (Histoire), a consulté la totalité des papiers personnels de La Fontaine au Mundaneum, à Mons, afin de rédiger la biographie intitulée « Henri La Fontaine, prix Nobel de la Paix 1913 : une vie » publiée aux Editions Samsa en 2022. Pierre Van Den Dungen nous présente les grandes lignes de la personnalité de La Fontaine, en mettant en lumière son entourage, ses réseaux et sa sphère intime. Il explore ensuite les convictions pacifistes et mondialistes de La Fontaine, ainsi que son long mandat de 36 ans à la présidence du Bureau international de la Paix. Il traite également de la période de la vie de La Fontaine durant la Première Guerre mondiale, de son implication au sein de la Société des Nations, pour finalement évoquer les dernières années de sa vie durant la Seconde Guerre mondiale.   Ressources Van den Dungen, Pierre. (2022) Henri La Fontaine, prix Nobel de la Paix 1913 : une vie. Bruxelles. Editions Samsa. https://www.henrilafontaine.be/ouvrage/henri-la-fontaine-2/ Rencontre avec Pierre Van Den Dungen : https://www.henrilafontaine.be/2023/01/07/chaire-hlf-rencontre-avec-pierre-van-den-dungen/ Fondation Henri La Fontaine : https://www.henrilafontaine.be/la-fondation/ Mundaneum : http://www.mundaneum.org/fr Discours d'Henri La Fontaine, 8ème séance plénière de la première Assemblée de la Société des Nations, 20 novembre 1920 (p. 171 du PDF) : https://archives.ungeneva.org/the-records-of-the-first-assembly-plenary-meetings Description des archives du Bureau International de la Paix (1891-1951) : https://archives.ungeneva.org/international-peace-bureau Où écouter cet épisode Apple podcasts:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-next-page/id1469021154 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/10fp8ROoVdve0el88KyFLy YouTube: Contenu Invité : Pierre Van den Dungen Hôte : Hermine Diebolt Réalisation : Amy Smith Enregistré et réalisé à la Bibliothèque & Archives des Nations Unies à Genève

Êtes-vous familier avec le Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (BIPM)? Cet organisme joue un rôle central dans nos vies: c'est lui qui définit ce qu'est un kilo, un mètre mais aussi et surtout ce qu'est une seconde.Nous l'avons découvert en lisant le dossier «Les Mystères du Temps» publié par Europa Star, partenaire de cet épisode. Patrizia Tavella, la directrice du Bureau Temps du BIPM, nous a accordé de son temps afin de vous expliquer son travail et ses effets sur nos vies. Saviez-vous par exemple que le temps a un effet direct sur nos GPS?Je vous laisse le découvrir en écoutant cet épisode. Pour découvrir le dossier d'Europa Star : https://www.europastar.ch/le-dossier/les-mysteres-du-temps/Ouvrages conseillés par Patrizia Tavella :•⁠ ⁠https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/Legacy/MONO/nistmonograph155e1999.pdf•⁠ ⁠https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1681-7575/ad17d2•⁠ ⁠https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1681-7575/ac9da5/pdfPour rappel, Tourbillon Watch est un média horloger qui va à la rencontre de celles et ceux qui font l'horlogerie. Ces artisans, ces chefs d'entreprises, ces designers et ces horlogers indépendants qui donnent vie à ces montres qui animent notre passion. Tout au long d'une discussion amicale vous découvrirez leurs histoires de vie, leurs parcours et leurs aventures au coeur de l'entrepreneuriat, du design, du luxe et de la créativité ! Hébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

L'Expo 2030 si terrà a Riad, in Arabia Saudita. Tanta amarezza per Roma, che ha ottenuto appena 17 voti ed è stata sconfitta anche da Busan, in Corea del Sud (29 voti). Per la vincitrice Riad ben 119 preferenze. I voti espressi a Parigi dai delegati dei paesi membri del Bie, Bureau International des Expositions, hanno fatto ottenere alla città saudita oltre due terzi di preferenze al primo turno, sufficienti a evitare il ballottaggio. Delusione per Roma che puntava proprio al ballottaggio ma che invece ha ottenuto solo 17 voti, arrivando terza. Le nostre tre testimonial, Sabrina Impacciatore e Bebe Vio, e la moglie di Sting, Trudy Stiler, erano molto emozionate e hanno dato il massimo per promuovere la nostra Capitale. Purtroppo non è bastato. Mentre sono in corso grandi festeggiamenti fra gli arabi, tra canti tradizionali, baci e abbracci.mrv/abr/

L'Expo 2030 si terrà a Riad, in Arabia Saudita. Tanta amarezza per Roma, che ha ottenuto appena 17 voti ed è stata sconfitta anche da Busan, in Corea del Sud (29 voti). Per la vincitrice Riad ben 119 preferenze. I voti espressi a Parigi dai delegati dei paesi membri del Bie, Bureau International des Expositions, hanno fatto ottenere alla città saudita oltre due terzi di preferenze al primo turno, sufficienti a evitare il ballottaggio. Delusione per Roma che puntava proprio al ballottaggio ma che invece ha ottenuto solo 17 voti, arrivando terza. Le nostre tre testimonial, Sabrina Impacciatore e Bebe Vio, e la moglie di Sting, Trudy Stiler, erano molto emozionate e hanno dato il massimo per promuovere la nostra Capitale. Purtroppo non è bastato. Mentre sono in corso grandi festeggiamenti fra gli arabi, tra canti tradizionali, baci e abbracci.mrv/abr/

L'Expo 2030 si terrà a Riad, in Arabia Saudita. Tanta amarezza per Roma, che ha ottenuto appena 17 voti ed è stata sconfitta anche da Busan, in Corea del Sud (29 voti). Per la vincitrice Riad ben 119 preferenze. I voti espressi a Parigi dai delegati dei paesi membri del Bie, Bureau International des Expositions, hanno fatto ottenere alla città saudita oltre due terzi di preferenze al primo turno, sufficienti a evitare il ballottaggio. Delusione per Roma che puntava proprio al ballottaggio ma che invece ha ottenuto solo 17 voti, arrivando terza. Le nostre tre testimonial, Sabrina Impacciatore e Bebe Vio, e la moglie di Sting, Trudy Stiler, erano molto emozionate e hanno dato il massimo per promuovere la nostra Capitale. Purtroppo non è bastato. Mentre sono in corso grandi festeggiamenti fra gli arabi, tra canti tradizionali, baci e abbracci.mrv/abr/

ROMA (ITALPRESS) - "La candidatura di Roma sui temi della sostenibilità e inclusione é considerata da tutti gli esperti indipendenti la migliore e quella più in sintonia con lo spirito di Expo. Purtroppo i metodi di campagna per raccogliere il consenso da parte dei 170 paesi votanti lasciano molti dubbi sulla trasparenza". Alfonso Pecoraro Scanio, presidente della Fondazione Univerde, già ministro che aiutò Milano per Expo2015 e tra i primi a sostenere la candidatura di Roma a sede di Expo2030 lanciata dalla sindaca Raggi rilanciando un allarme alla vigilia della decisione del Bureau International des Expositions che voterà domani a Parigi. "Vorremmo sapere chi ha pagato viaggi e soggiorni a Parigi per molti piccoli stati e con quali modalità si sono mosse le istituzioni pubbliche e le grandi company private. Il Bureau International des Expositions rappresenta stati non imprese private e deve garantire trasparenza specie dopo le opache vicende dei mondiali in Qatar. Va apprezzato il lavoro unitario e serio fatto dal Comune di Roma con Governo e Regione. Dobbiamo confidare nella serietà e trasparenza del voto".pc/gtr

진행자: 최시영, Ali Abbot [1] Samsung chief touts ‘meaningful trip' to France, Vietnam 기사요약: 6박7일 출장에서 부산 엑스포 유치 활동과 경제사절단 활동을 마치고 귀국한 이재용 Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong returned home Saturday after a seven-day business trip to France and Vietnam. He accompanied President Yoon Suk Yeol on his latest state visits to the two countries. *accompany: 동행하다 *state visit: 국빈방문 /공식방문(official visit) 실무방문(working visit) 사적방문(private visit) Lee traveled to Paris to attend a general assembly of the Bureau International des Expositions, the international body in charge of overseeing the World Expo, on Tuesday and Wednesday, to promote South Korea's bid to host the 2030 World Expo in its southeastern city of Busan. *in charge of: 담당하다 /be responsible for *oversee: 관리감독하다 /supervise, run, administer *bid: 응찰, 입찰 *promote: 홍보, 지원 Three more chiefs of Korea's top conglomerates -- SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Euisun and LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo -- also engaged in meetings and discussions to woo support for Busan's Expo bid for two days. *chief: 단체나 기관의 대표 /head, leader *engage in: 참여하다 /participate, take part in *woo: 이끌어내다 /attract, get The Samsung chief reportedly met with French President Emmanuel Macron to engage in discussions about mainstay businesses such as semiconductors and batteries. *reportedly: 보도에 따르면 /according to reports, is believed to *mainstay: 핵심의 /chief, main, central, key *semiconductor: 반도체 /chip 기사전문: http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20230625000159&np=3&mp=1 [2] Is Korea's college entrance exam too difficult? 기사요약: 최근 ‘킬러문항'으로 논란이 된 수능의 적절 난도에 대한 문제제기 The Suneung also tests students on a wide array of concepts. The math section, for example, delves into complex equations and requires students to solve questions without a calculator, unlike the internationally recognized International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement tests that approve of calculator use. *wide array of: 다양한 /selection of *delve into: ~를 다루다 /deals with, explore *approve of: ~를 허락하다 The language questions, in particular, have faced criticism for testing students based on how diligently they have memorized the dictionary, rather than assessing how well they comprehend the subject matter. The notoriously difficult English questions are famous for leaving even native English speakers puzzled. *assess: 평가하다 /evaluate, estimate *notoriously: 끔찍히 *leaving someone ~ed: ~이렇게 만들다 /make someone ~ed *puzzled: 어리둥절, 얼떨떨한 /confused, perplexed It is typical here for students to resort to private academies, known locally as hagwon, for years to boost their proficiency in understanding the test and to know what to expect with the help of A-list teachers. *typical: 전형적인 *resort to: ~에 기대다 *boost: 신장시키다, 밀어올리다 The questions put students' thinking skills to the test, frequently leaving them stumped, according to Woo. Aside from the English section, questions for other subjects are even more challenging because each question is designed to assign students a specific ranking, he added. *put something to the test: 시험하다 *stumped: 당혹스럽다 *challenging: 어려운 /difficult, hard 기사전문: http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20230625000149&np=3&mp=1 [코리아헤럴드 팟캐스트 구독] 아이튠즈(아이폰):https://itunes.apple.com/kr/podcast/koliaheleoldeu-paskaeseuteu/id686406253?mt=2 네이버 오디오 클립(아이폰, 안드로이드 겸용): https://audioclip.naver.com/channels/5404 팟빵 (안드로이드): http://www.podbbang.com/ch/6638 위 팟캐스트 에피소드에는 스포티파이의 후원광고를 포함하고 있습니다. 지금 바로 스포티파이 포 팟캐스터에서 팟캐스트를 만들어보세요! http://podcasters.spotify.com

In this news show, we've got the latest on the ongoing scandal at Phuket Airport, where taxi scammers are getting caught left and right.Since the start of the year, Phuket Airport has been the scene of a series of taxi scams. Instead of taking you to your destination, these scammers will take you on wild rides, often costing you a lot of money. In this latest episode of Thailand News, we've got the latest on the investigation into these scams and how to avoid them. watch and learn!--Governor Narongsak dies of cancer at 58Pathum Thani Governor Narongsak Osottanakorn, who was hailed for his role in coordinating the “Wild Boars” rescue operation in Chiang Rai over four years ago, has died after unsuccessful treatment for cancer, according to a senior official of the Interior Ministry.Source - Thai PBS WorldPhuket fails bid to host Specialised ExpoThailand has not won its bid for Phuket to host the World Specialised Expo 2027/28 following the final voting held at the 172nd general assembly of the event organizer, the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), in Paris.Source - The Phuket News Phuket airport limo co-op fined B180k for tour shop stopsAn airport limousine co-operative has been fined “about B180,000” for its drivers stopping at tour shops before delivering passengers to their hotels or other destinations, in breach of the terms of its concession to serve tourists at Phuket International Airport, Tourist Police have announced.Source - The Phuket News Tourism firms cash in on travel boomSource - The Bangkok PostOverstaying Algerian Man Trying to Evade Thai Immigration An Algerian man was arrested in Bangkok for 251 days of overstaying his legal visa after he allegedly tried to dress as a woman in order to avoid Thai Immigration officers.Source - The Pattaya News--Want to support the show? Then why not buy me a coffee! You can do so by following the link belowhttps://www.buymeacoffee.com/thaiexpatshow--Interested in starting your own podcast like the Thai Expat Daily Show? I use Buzzsprout and I can't recommend it highly enough. It makes everything super easy. Sign up today to get on the path to making great podcasts!https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1751572--Check out our website and forum - https://www.thaiexpatdailyshow.com--LIKE & SUBSCRIBE for new videos every dayhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCB8khQ_NapVMDiW09oqL-rw--Listen to our podcast on Spotify, Apple, and Amazon or on our podcast website: https://thaiexpatdailyshow.buzzsprout.com--Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/thaiexpatdailyshow--#thaiexpatdailyshow #thailandnews #phuketnewsSupport the show

Cyberpolitik: A Recurring Payments Nightmare— Bharath ReddyHave you tried to make a recurring card payment to a foreign merchant only to find that your card gets declined? This is not an issue with the card being maxed out; most international payments using Indian credit or debit cards don't work because merchants find it too cumbersome to comply with India-specific regulations. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) mandated that from October 1st, 2021, for every recurring transaction below ₹5,000, banks must send a notification at least 24 hours before the renewal date. For amounts over ₹5,000, banks require a one-time password to authorise every transaction. The transaction mandate continues to be a recurring nightmare a year and a half since its introduction. While all recurring transactions faced severe disruptions initially, banks resolved the teething issues, and domestic payments worked after a few months. However, international payments continue to face issues. Publishing an impact assessment study and holding stakeholder consultations could have helped anticipate some problems beforehand. But since these mandates have already been implemented, some exemptions must be made so international payments can be functional again. Exiting from subscriptions is often deliberately complicated, and people often remain subscribed to services they don't use. Free trial periods sometimes turn into indefinite subscriptions when users forget to cancel. RBI's mandate aimed to help customers keep track of their subscriptions and exit unwanted ones. However, implementing these requirements requires coordination across the value chain of consumers, banks, mandate processing platforms, payment aggregators, and merchants. This coordination has not been seamless, and the fallout has caused much pain to businesses and consumers.The most significant impact has been on businesses whose subscription revenue dried up. Despite the adequate notice given by the RBI, companies, both big and small, had little recourse. The list included OTT platforms, news organisations, non-profits, cloud service providers, and many others. The most significant impact has been on small bootstrapped businesses, which depend on revenue from subscriptions for their day-to-day operations. An additional burden for small subscription-based businesses is the effort that now goes towards manually processing the payments for what was once an automated process.The mandate also creates hurdles for Indians who subscribe to global content and services. Most international merchants do not comply with RBI's regulations. In response to queries about declined payments from Indian subscribers, The New York Times has recommended using a valid US credit card for payments! International merchants with a significant Indian customer base might now start supporting UPI. Some might have a mobile app through which one can subscribe, but that would attract a 30% markup due to the commissions charged by Apple or Google. However, for most others, customers have no option. Such hurdles in transacting with global merchants limit customer choice and hinder the ease of doing business. During the transition period, individuals and organisations had to deal with the overhead of manually paying for subscriptions. To date, this continues to be a burden for international subscriptions or for transactions above the threshold for which a one-time password is required for each renewal. The threshold, however, has subsequently been revised to ₹15,000, which has eased some of the burdens.Before the mandate, there were problems with opting out of subscriptions in some situations, but it worked for most people. The impact of the mandates is unknown, but it has imposed concentrated costs on many businesses and consumers. Holding open consultations and inviting stakeholder comments can help anticipate most of these consequences. Publishing an impact assessment report also helps to build a consensus on the scope of the problem, the costs and benefits involved, and evaluate the impact of the policy.Since this involves multiple stakeholders across the value chain, coordination has been a challenge. Lower-cost interventions, such as requiring banks to provide consumers with the ability to view and manage their subscriptions, might have also addressed the issue without as many disruptions. However, it's worth considering whether this is the RBI's responsibility. As Andy Mukherjee says, “lopsided buyer-seller relationships are a consumer protection problem. The job of a central bank is to provide a well-oiled payment system while safeguarding the integrity of the financial network from money launderers, terrorists, scammers, and hackers. Its targets should not include Netflix Inc. or the New York Times”.It is unlikely that international merchants without a significantly large Indian customer base will take on the burden of complying with the mandates. It can get quite complex to comply with different regulatory requirements across geographies for the same payment service. Standards that have evolved might not be the most foolproof solution, but they are based on a consensus and ensure seamless interoperability. Given that these mandates have already been implemented across the country, RBI must create an exemption to ensure that international transactions can continue.Biopolitik: Growing US-China Competition in Biotechnology— Saurabh TodiDuring his remarks at the Special Competitive Studies Project Global Emerging Technologies Summit in February 2021, US NSA Jake Sullivan expressed concern about the potential risks associated with biotechnology. He stated that while biotechnology holds great promise for advancing science and medicine, it also enables the possibility of accidental or intentional misuse. Sullivan further emphasised the need for the responsible and ethical development of biotechnology, including robust regulatory frameworks and international cooperation to prevent the proliferation of dangerous biotechnology. He also called for increased investment in research and development to ensure that the US remained at the forefront of biotechnology innovation.These remarks indicated the seriousness with which the United States wants to maintain its biotechnology dominance vis-à-vis China. The US President, in September 2021, issued an Executive Order on Advancing Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Innovation. The order aims to promote innovation and growth in the biotechnology and biomanufacturing industries. It established a national strategy for biotechnology research and development and initiatives to increase access to funding and support for small and disadvantaged businesses in the field. The order also aims to strengthen the biomanufacturing supply chain and promote collaboration between industry, government, and academic institutions to advance research and development in biotechnology. In September 2022, The United States government announced $2 billion in new investments and resources to advance its National Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Initiative. The investment includes $1.5 billion in funding for research and development, including establishing seven new biomanufacturing institutes across the US. The remaining $500 million will be used to create public-private partnerships to help support the development of new biotechnology products and solutions.More recently, The US Department of Commerce added several units of Chinese genomics company BGI to its trade blacklist, citing concerns about their alleged ties to the Chinese military and its role in human rights abuses. The move follows earlier restrictions on BGI due to concerns about potential national security risks. The US government has expressed concerns about the Chinese government's ability to access sensitive personal data collected by companies like BGI, as well as the potential for these companies to use their technologies for military or strategic purposes. The trade blacklist restricts US companies and organisations from exporting certain technologies to the listed companies without a licence from the US government.These steps seem to align with this report in the New York Times, which indicated last year that the Biden administration is mulling further export controls that would clamp down on China's ability to access cutting-edge technologies. Just as US-China competition in semiconductors got accelerated due to sanctions imposed by the US, there is a possibility that similar export-control restrictions could be imposed on high-tech biotechnology. The new biotech competition is something to keep an eye on.Antariksh Matters: Setting your watch to Moon Time— Aditya RamanathanOver the last couple of weeks, even casual followers of outer space news likely came across stories about scientists calling for a standard time for the Moon. Comments from Pietro Giordano, an engineer at the European Space Agency, prompted the most recent spurt of stories. However, discussions began in earnest at least a year ago. More importantly, the need to agree upon a time-keeping standard is implicit in the ambitious plans that states and private enterprises have outlined for the Moon. GPS for the MoonThe most ambitious plans for lunar exploration come from the United States, led by its Artemis Program, which looks to create a sustained human presence on the Moon and use it as a springboard for the exploration of Mars. We've discussed Artemis and the governance problems it creates in previous editions of this newsletter. What is clear, however, is that Artemis, as well as other more modest programmes outlined by the Europeans, Japan, China, and Russia, would benefit from a reliable lunar navigation, timing and communications infrastructure. In theory, at least, such a system would greatly increase our ability to dispatch crewed and uncrewed missions to the far side of the Moon and the lunar South Pole. It would also be crucial to the planned Lunar Gateway, a US-led project to establish a space station orbiting the Moon. Another project that would need lunar satellite-based support is the European Large Logistics Lander, which is meant to provide uncrewed logistics support to Artemis missions.  The American space agency, NASA, is already pursuing what it calls the Lunar Communications Relay and Navigation Systems or LCRNS. As the name suggests, LCRNS is an effort to put a smaller version of the Earth-bound GPS and communications satellites into lunar orbit. The ESA has a similar project of its own, dubbed Moonlight. Together they form what's called LunaNet, which, according to NASA, is meant to offer a “set of standards that can enable an open, evolving, cooperative lunar communications and navigation architecture”.Who Sets the Clocks?Earth-bound Global Navigation Satellite Systems such as GPS, the European Galileo, China's BeiDou, and India's NavIC use onboard atomic clocks and radio signals to determine positions. While accurate timing is an inherent function of any such orbital navigation system, what's undecided is how to set a time standard for the Moon. The obvious option is to link lunar time to Earth time. The International Space Station uses Universal Coordinated Time or UTC, essentially the same as Greenwich Mean Time or GMT and is maintained by the Bureau International de Poids et Mesures in Paris, with the help of an array of atomic clocks. The challenge with linking Moon time with Earth time is the effects of gravity. Because the Moon has only 16.6% of Earth's gravity, it gains about 56 microseconds per Earth day. While such time discrepancies mean little in our daily lives, they can create complications for susceptible systems like satellite navigation. Ultimately, the business of keeping time on the Moon is both technical and political. Giordano's call to create a time-keeping standard is evidence that there's real value to the complexities and drudgery of multilateral lunar governance that draws in all major players, including China, Russia, and India. The US-led Artemis Program and Artemis Accords are no substitutes for formal laws, agreements, and treaties.Our Reading Menu[Book] Great Power Politics in the Fourth Industrial Revolution by Glenn Diesen[Article] Defining the scope of AI regulations by Jonas Schuett[Discussion Document] Strengthening research, promoting innovation through richer collaboration by Shambhavi Naik This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hightechir.substack.com

Le Esposizioni universali, oppure Esposizioni internazionali, sono l'insieme di mostre di carattere scientifico-culturali e di fiere commerciali, solitamente allestite nelle principali città del mondo, attualmente organizzate e supervisionate dal Bureau International des Expositions (BIE). In questa pillola faremo un viaggio attraverso le principali edizioni dell'Expo, e scopriremo quali siano state quelle particolarmente importanti nella storia.Se vuoi approfondire, puoi farlo qui: https://www.studenti.it/esposizione-universale-cos-e-significato-date-luoghi.htmlColonna sonoraBlippy trance / Poppers and prosecco - Kevin Mac Leod https://incompetech.com/

1:00 -- Saudi Arabia's incredible, award-winning pavilion at Dubai's Expo 2020 signed off with a big ceremony. Will Saudi Arabia host Expo 2030? Of the top 5 candidate-cities, two are in Russia and Ukraine. The Russian invasion of Ukraine weakens their candidacy, leaving Saudi Arabia in competition with only Italy (which hosted in 2015) and South Korea. So, what would an Expo 2030 Riyadh Saudi Arabia look like? Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced the Saudi bid to host Expo 2030 in October last year and the Kingdom submitted its formal application in December to the Bureau International des Expositions, the organization behind the expo.In its presentation to the BIE in December, Saudi Arabia outlined bold plans to transform Riyadh and the rest of the country into a world-class venue for global connectivity, culture and climate action.Indeed, Riyadh is a fast-changing city, and the hosts agree, could make for an excellent host to Expo 2030.7:07 -- Trojena in Saudi Arabia at Neom: You have to see this ambitious new tourism project in the mountains along Saudi Arabia's northwest coast.Trojena is newly announced year-round tourist destination that will consist of a series of facilities such as the ski village, ultra-luxury family and wellness resorts, a wide range of retail stores and restaurants, in addition to sports activities, including a ski slope, watersports and mountain biking, as well as an interactive nature reserve, according to Saudi Press Agency. The project is set to be ready by 2026.The location has some winter-feeling temperatures: the temp in the mountains above NEOM frequently drops below zero celcius. Located at approximately 2,600 meters above sea level, outdoor skiing will be a unique feature of Trojena which is positioning itself as the GCC's first outdoor skiing destination.14:38 -- The 966 talks with Col. Brad Gandy, former Chief of the US Training Mission in Saudi Arabia (USMTM) about the U.S.-Saudi security relationship and the ongoing transformation in Saudi Arabia's military. Col. Gandy has one of the more impressive resumes out there. Before serving as head of USMTM in Saudi Arabia, he served as the senior US defense official and defense attache to Yemen, and he has spent years in the region and in Saudi Arabia in various capacities. He also served as U.S. army attache to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between 2006 and 2010...The hosts ask Brad to help us better understand what the USMTM is and the role it plays, how the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) process works, and more.The hosts also ask about the ongoing military transformation in Saudi Arabia and the role USMTM plays in it. The Saudi defense transformation plan is coordinating with the USMTM by embedding, for the first time ever, U.S. military and civilian advisors throughout the Saudi Ministry of Defense, and that included select U.S. defense companies to implement advice, assist, and mentor components of the project.As chief of the USMTM from 2019-2021, Col. Gandy oversaw this process.1:08:47 - Yallah! Six storylines to get you up to date on Saudi Arabia headed into the Weekend. •Riyadh Season 2021, the marquis festival of the Saudi Seasons program closes today after a 5-month run begun on October 20, 2021. It has welcomed over 15 million visitors to its 13 zones, spanning 5.4 million square meters. With the slogan 'Imagine More' this Riyadh Season included several concerts performed by the likes of Sean Paul, Pitbull, Amr Diab, and Mohamed Hamaki, among many others. According to Trade Arabia it also hosted the kingdom's first cosplay event, attended by hundreds of Saudi nationals, residents and visitors who dressed up as their favorite movie and cartoon characters.•The second phase of Saudi Arabia's decision to localize professions in grocery stores and supermarkets came into force on Monday, according to a report in the Saudi Gazette. This phase aims to reduce the number of foreign staff in sales by half in the roles of department manager, deputy branch manager, and branch manager. As of 2021, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD) announced the localization of 20 professions and activities from a variety of sectors, as well as the establishment of nearly 378,000 employment openings.•Saudi budget airline flynas is in negotiations with both Boeing and its current supplier Airbus to buy aircraft worth $13 billion to $15 billion, according to a report in Reuters. The carrier has increased the number of planned new orders to 250 aircraft and also plans to increase the number of destinations to 165 from 70.•About 499,000 Saudis entered the employment market in 2021; an average of 1,367 Saudis per day, according to an Okaz/Saudi Gazette study of recently released government reports. The total number of male and female Saudi employees in the local labor market reached about 2.25 million in 2021, marking a 28.51% increase from 2020, when their number reached about 1.75 million.•FDI inflows totaled $19.3 billion, the most since 2010, according to data published by the Saudi central bank on Monday. according to Bloomberg. The bulk of last year's FDI total was from state oil company Saudi Aramco selling a $12.4 billion stake in an oil pipelines entity to investors led by EIG Global Energy Partners LLC. A new national investment strategy last year set an FDI target of more than $100 billion annually by 2030.•SPA announced on Wednesday that Saudi Arabia deposited $5 billion in Egypt's central bank as the Egyptian economy faces new economic pressures as a result of the war in Ukraine. On March 21 Egypt devalued its currency by around 14% after investors had pulled billions of dollars out of Egyptian treasury markets. Saudi Arabia said last October it had deposited $3 billion with Egypt's central bank and extended the term of another $2.3 bln in previous deposits. This new deposit would bring the total to $10.3 billion, this according to a report in Reuters.

Many people make the mistake of thinking that Expos are one-off events that nations host at random every five years or so. There's a logic, however, to World Expos - and the source of that logic is the BIE, the Bureau International des Expositions. His Excellency Dimitri Kerkentzes, Secretary-General of the BIE, explains the BIE's role in organising World Expos, and what goes into making each World Expo different from the last. This podcast is by Expo 2020 Dubai and produced by Kerning Cultures Network.

La protection du climat a eu un impact majeur sur la campagne électorale pour le Bundestag. C'est l'une des raisons pour lesquelles elle a été le thème du séminaire de suivi des élections organisé par le Bureau International de Liaison et de Documentation (BILD) et la Gesellschaft für übernationale Zusammenarbeit e.V. (GÜZ) en coopération avec l'Office franco-allemand pour la Jeunesse. Pour leur épisode podcast, Camille, Paula, Elies, Christian et Benedikt se sont penchés sur les différentes positions des partis politiques concernant la lutte contre le changement climatique : Leurs mesures garantissent-elles la justice sociale ? Klimaschutz hat den Wahlkampf zur Bundestagswahl maßgeblich geprägt. Auch deshalb war er das Thema des Wahlbeobachtungsseminars, das vom Bureau International de Liaison et de Documentation (BILD), der Gesellschaft für übernationale Zusammenarbeit e.V. (GÜZ) und in Kooperation mit dem Deutsch-Französischen Jugendwerk veranstaltet wurde. Die Teilnehmer*innen Camille, Paula, Elies, Christian und Benedikt haben sich für ihre Podcast-Episode mit der Frage beschäftigt, wo gerade der Zeiger der politischen Parteien steht, was den Willen zur Begrenzung des Klimawandels und sozial gerechte Maßnahmen zum Klimaschutz angeht.

Pour les élections au Bundestag, les participant.e.s au séminaire de suivi des élections de 2021 se sont également rendus dans les locaux de plusieurs partis le soir des élections afin de documenter les premières réactions. Le séminaire de suivi des élections à Berlin était organisé par le Bureau International de Liaison et de Documentation (BILD) et la Gesellschaft für übernationale Zusammenarbeit e.V. (GÜZ) en coopération avec l'Office franco-allemand pour la Jeunesse. Zur Bundestagswahl haben die Teilnehmer*innen des Wahlbeobachtungsseminars 2021 auch die Partys einiger Parteien am Wahlabend besucht und fleißig mitgeschnitten. Das Wahlbeobachtungsseminar in Berlin wurde vom Bureau International de Liaison et de Documentation (BILD) und der Gesellschaft für übernationale Zusammenarbeit e.V. (GÜZ) in Kooperation mit dem Deutsch-Französischen Jugendwerk veranstaltet.

Une série de podcasts a été créée lors du séminaire d'observation électorale organisé par le Bureau International de Liaison et de Documentation (BILD), la Gesellschaft für übernationale Zusammenarbeit e.V. (GÜZ) et en coopération avec l'Office franco-allemand pour la Jeunesse ! En six épisodes traitants de sujets différents, les 24 jeunes adultes de France et d'Allemagne nous emmènent dans un voyage biculturel dans les rues de Berlin pour vivre l'ambiance des élections au Bundestag allemand. Während des Wahlbeobachtungsseminars, das vom Bureau International de Liaison et de Documentation (BILD), der Gesellschaft für übernationale Zusammenarbeit e.V. (GÜZ) und in Kooperation mit dem Deutsch-Französischen Jugendwerk veranstaltet wurde, ist eine Podcast-Serie entstanden! In sechs Episoden, die unterschiedliche Themen behandeln, nehmen uns die 24 jungen Erwachsenen aus Frankreich und Deutschland mit auf eine bikulturelle Reise durch die Straßen Berlins, um die Atmosphäre rund um die Wahlen zum Deutschen Bundestag mitzuerleben.

Interview de Laurence Dubois, directrice de projet au Bureau International du Travail et spécialiste du travail des enfants dans le monde.

On this episode I'm joined by Nicolas Roche. Nicolas and I were colleagues for a short while, in another lifetime it seems, at Editions Stock. I am glad I got to interview him in his capacity as Managing Director of the Bureau International de l'Edition Française, or in short, the BIEF. Together with his team, Nicolas is charged with promoting French publishing abroad. We discuss in detail what this really entails, how his publishing career got started, a brief history of the BIEF, and how the pandemic has impacted his day-to-day activities. In normal, non-pandemic times his job requires a great amount of international travel, so as you can imagine, things have changed quite a bit since March 2020. Here are some of the questions I asked Nicolas: When was the BIEF established and what was the main cultural or practical goal in its creation? Where did you work before your position at the BIEF, and how did your earlier work and/or personal passions prepare you for your role with the BIEF? What are the most crucial ways in which you as director nurture the international relationships that support the BIEF? How have these practices had to adjust during a time in which it is not possible to travel? Which aspects do you find most personally satisfying about directing the BIEF? Where do you find the greatest challenges in promoting French publishing abroad? How is the French publishing market doing at this moment, one year into the pandemic? What's the BIEF's involvement, if any, in the organization of the Paris Book Fair, aka. Livre Paris? Show Notes Nicolas' book recommendations: - Hervé Le Tellier, L'Anomalie (Gallimard, 2020; forthcoming in the US with Other Press in November 2021 as The Anomaly, in a translation by Adriana Hunter) - Tiffany Tavernier, L'Ami (Sabine Wespieser, 2021; we haven't been able to find any information about a forthcoming English translation) About Nicolas Nicolas Roche has more than thirty years' experience in publishing. First editor at Gallimard Jeunesse, he then had sales responsibilities in several publishing houses including Retz, Nathan, Magnard-Vuibert and Plon-Perrin, followed by his position as General Manager of Editions Stock (Hachette book group). Prior to joining the BIEF, he was CEO of Centre Pompidou Publishing.

Comment a-t-on décidé qu’une heure durerait une heure ? Comment mesure-t-on exactement une seconde ? Les effets du temps, les humains les sentent dès leur naissance. À l’exacte minute où le nourrisson sort du ventre de sa mère, le marathon de la vie commence pour lui. Avant même le premier cri... tic… tac… Mais qui sont les maître·sse·s du temps ? Pourquoi les humains ont-ils décidé de caler la cadence de leur vie sur des mécanismes indiscutables ? Dans le premier épisode de 100 000 ans, Anne-Cécile Genre se rend au Bureau International des Poids et mesures, un lieu très spécial qui renferme les secrets du comptage du temps qui passe.CRÉDITS : 100 000 ans est un podcast Binge Audio en partenariat avec l'ANDRA, écrit et animé par Anne-Cécile Genre et réalisé par Adel Ittel El Madani. Musique : Alexandre Delmaere. Identité graphique : Upian. Direction de projet : Soraya Kerchaoui-Matignon. Production : Albane Fily. Édition : Dimitri Mayeur. Direction des programmes : Joël Ronez. Direction de la rédaction : David Carzon. Direction générale : Gabrielle Boeri-Charles. Coordination ANDRA : Anne Brodu. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Si les pays développés ont pu chercher à protéger les salariés mis sur le carreau par les conséquences économiques de la pandémie de Covid-19, cela n’a pas été le cas dans les pays en développement. Par manque de moyens, mais aussi parce que beaucoup des travailleurs de ces pays échappent à tout recensement, ce sont des travailleurs informels.On a appris cette semaine que la seconde économie africaine, celle d'Afrique du Sud s'était contractée de 51% au deuxième trimestre de cette année.Dans ce pays comme sur tout le continent africain, ceux qui subissent le plus durement cette crise économique, ce sont ceux qu'on appelle les informels, qui appartiennent à l'économie informelle, celle qu'on dit aussi souterraine et qui pourtant se manifeste au grand jour dans la plupart des pays en développement. Selon le Bureau International du Travail à Genève, deux milliards d'êtres humains travaillent aujourd'hui dans ce secteur informel. Qui sont-ils exactement ? Leur niveau de vie est-il gravement affecté par la pandémie actuelle ? Les États leur viennent-ils en aide ? Quel est l'apport de ces informels à la richesse générale ? Voilà quelques-unes des questions adressées par Jean-Pierre Boris aux invités qui ont accepté l’invitation de RFI.- Cecilia Garcia Peñalosa est directrice de recherche au CNRS, professeur d'économie et membre de l'École d'économie Aix-Marseille- Christophe Jalil Nordman est économiste du travail et du développement, directeur de recherche à l'IRD, l'Institut de Recherche pour le Développement. Au sein de l'IRD, il est membre permanent du Dial à l'Université Paris Dauphine. Reportages : - À Madagascar, la pandémie de coronavirus a eu un impact dramatique sur une économie très fragile. Dans la Grande île, le secteur informel qui occupe près de 75% des actifs, n’a pas échappé à la règle. Dans ce pays où près de 80% de la population vit avec moins de deux dollars par jour, selon la Banque Mondiale, quelles sont les stratégies mises en place pour échapper à la précarité induite par les mesures de confinement et de distanciation sociale ? C'est un reportage Eco d'ici Eco d'ailleurs signé Laure Verneau à Antananarivo. Un autre cas de figure de l'informalité : des travailleurs qui travaillent tous les jours pour le même patron, mais n'ont pas de contrat de travail et donc pas de couverture sociale. Au sud de l'Inde, dans l'État du Karnataka dont la capitale, Bangalore surnommée la « Silicon Valley Indienne » pour ses nombreuses entreprises du numérique, a connu une forte croissance depuis le début du siècle. Sa population a doublé, et il y a maintenant 12 millions d'habitants. L'une des manifestations de cette croissance démographique, c'est le boom du secteur de la construction dont les travailleurs ont été touchés de plein fouet par l'arrêt des activités pour cause de Covid-19. À Bangalore, en Inde, un reportage signé Côme Bastin. Ce sont des gens que la pandémie de Covid-19 a frappé de plein fouet. Au Mexique, les travailleurs informels, qui représentent plus de la moitié de la population active, affrontent une double crise. Ce secteur de la population a été durement touché par la pandémie de coronavirus, qui a fait 630 000 cas et 68 000 décès au 7 septembre, mais aussi par la crise économique inédite qui se fait déjà sentir au quotidien dans le pays. À Mexico, c'est un reportage signé Alix Hardy.

Plus, our exclusive chat with the Secretary General of the Bureau International des Expositions about the case for delaying Expo 2020 Dubai. 

Si Albert Cohen est considéré comme un écrivain suisse, nationalité qu’il obtient en 1919, on ne saurait dire qu’il s’inscrit dans la tradition littéraire helvétique. Né à Corfou de parents juifs ensuite émigrés à Marseille, Albert rejoint Genève en 1914 et y passera toute sa vie, développant son œuvre littéraire en marge de son activité au Bureau International du Travail. Ses romans "Solal", "Mangeclous", aux personnages picaresques, son récit autobiographique "Le livre de ma mère", sont salués par la critique, mais n’ont que peu de succès en librairie. Il lui faudra attendre le célèbre "Belle du Seigneur" pour atteindre une vraie consécration publique. Dans cet échange avec Benjamin Romieux en 1954, il parle avec une pudeur étonnante de son "Livre de ma mère", une mère qu'il n'ose guère évoquer au micro alors qu'il admet qu'il a bien écrit ce livre pour qu'il soit lu. Archive: Benjamin Romieux / 09.07.1954 Présentation : Blaise Dupasquier Réalisation : Jean-Philippe Zwahlen

Cette semaine, Émanuelle et ses invités discutent de la notion de justice. Autour de la table: l’ex-juge Andrée Ruffo, co-fondatrice du Bureau International des droits des enfants, Laurent Trépanier Capistran, avocat chez Juristes à domicile et Ghyslain Vallières du Service de police de l’agglomération de Longueuil. Animation: Émanuelle Robitaille Recherche: Catherine Bourderon (cbourderon@vuesetvoix.com) Mise en ondes: Jean-Sébastien Laliberté Cet article Qu’est-ce pour vous, la justice? est apparu en premier sur Canal M, la radio de Vues et Voix.

What are the biggest issues the major events sector faces right now and how will these impact its future? How are major sports, business and entertainment events evolving through the fourth industrial revolution? What are current trends telling us about the kind of content and formats that will be in demand in the future? What can event owners, organisers and hosts do to ensure major events become more financially and environmentally sustainable? Speakers:  Dr. Bridget McConnell CBE, Chief Executive, Glasgow Life Dimitri Kerkentzes, Deputy Secretary General, Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) Jon Dutton, Chief Executive, Rugby League World Cup 2021 Alban Dechelotte, Head of Sponsorships & Business Development EU Esport, Riot Games Ansley O’Neal, Olympic Programme Commission Manager, International Olympic Committee Moderator: Paul Bush OBE, Director of Events, VisitScotland

As Toronto's Executive Committee begins debate on whether to explore a possible Expo Bid in 2025, we hear that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau would be willing to support it, if the city wants one. It's a complete 180 from former Prime Minister Stephen Harper's stance after he wanted to withdraw Canada's membership into the Bureau International des Expositions. Senator Art Eggleton and Richard Joy, executive director of the Urban Lands Institute Toronto joined Libby to talk about the news.

What are 'Standard International units'? Where are you from? Send us a postcard! Strange Attractor, c/ PO Box 9, Fitzroy, VIC 3065, Australia The seven Système International d'Unités (SI) base units: second, mole, metre, kilogram, kelvin, candela, ampere (National Physical Laboratory) The seven Système International d'Unités (SI) base units: second, mole, metre, kilogram, kelvin, candela, ampere (Wikipedia) The base units (Bureau International des Poids et Mesures) The SI system kicked off after 1799 (The National Institute of Standards & Technology) Moon Unit Zappa, child of Frank Zappa (Wikipedia) The 'cubit' was the length from the tip of one's middle finger to the bottom of the elbow (Wikipedia) History of length measurement: From cubits to lasers (National Physical Laboratory) A history of all the weird units of measurement from ye olde ancient times (Encyclopaedia Britannica) A history of the kilogram (National Physical Laboratory) Standard time was introduced from the mid-1800s around the world with the coming of the railways (Wikipedia) The Allegheny Observatory used to provide accurate time updates via telegraph in North America (Wikipedia) A history of timekeeping devices (Wikipedia) The second used to be defined as 1/86,400 of a day, but now it's "the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom" (Wikipedia) A brief history of the second (The National Institute of Standards & Technology) "A new optical clock ticks so consistently that if it had started at the dawn of the universe, it would have lost less than two minutes" (The Independent) The strontium optical clock (OSA Publishing) Where are atomic clocks? They're everywhere now (HyperPhysics, Georgia State University) Clock synchronisation around the world is really important for computers & stuff (Wikipedia) International Atomic Time tells us at which speed our clocks should tick (Time and Date) What is needed to synchronise time across atomic clocks in the world? (Quora) How to improve time accuracy on iPhone & Apple Watch (iPhone Tricks) Security implications of the humble computer clock (Network World) Who invented the second? Claudius Ptolemy around 150 C.E. (Reference) Why is a minute divided into 60 seconds, an hour into 60 minutes, yet there are only 24 hours in a day? (Scientific American) The book Johnny was talking about by Dava Sobel: 'Longitude: The true story of a lone genius who solved the greatest scientific problem of his time' (Wikipedia) See John Harrison's original clocks in the museum at Greenwich, London (Royal Museums Greenwich) We had the second for ages, then the kelvin was first defined in 1743, the kilogram & metre followed in 1793, the amp in 1881, the mole in 1900, & the candela in 1946, but they've been refined now (Wikipedia) The metre was originally defined as one ten-millionth of the distance from the equator to the North Pole (Wikipedia) The metre is now defined as the distance travelled by light in 1/299,792,458th of a second (Wikipedia) A brief history of the metre (The National Institute of Standards & Technology) The speed of light: 299,792,458 metres per second (Encyclopaedia Britannica) People debating pool tolerance & why timing isn't more accurate in swimming (Reddit) Meet the kilogram - a.k.a 'La Grande K' or 'Big K' (Wikipedia) There did used to be someone who went around checking stuff - the 'city meter' - "checking both the weights of goods as sold & the accuracy of the metal weights used" (Hall Genealogy Website) The International Prototype Kilogram (IPK) & its copies - Australia has one (Wikipedia) If someone knocks a chunk off the IPK, the definition of a kilogram changes (Wikipedia) A list of the prefixes for metric units of measurement: e.g. 'kilo' just means a thousand (The National Institute of Standards and Technology) "The magnitude of many of the units comprising the SI system...are highly dependent upon the stability of a 137-year-old, golf-ball-sized cylinder of metal stored in a vault in France" (Wikipedia) The new kilogram is due out in 2018 - stay tuned (The National Institute of Standards and Technology) Redefining the kilogram: Mass, Planck & Einstein (The National Institute of Standards and Technology) Redefining the kilogram: The 'Watt balance' (The National Institute of Standards and Technology) After a fraught few years, experiments to redefine the kilogram have reached agreement (Nature) What is a mole? Not the burrowing kind with small eyes (The National Institute of Standards & Technology) Avogadro's number & the mole (Wikipedia) What is a mole & why are moles used? (About Education, Chemistry) Hello kelvin - this unit is 1/273.16 of the thermodynamic temperature of the triple point of water (The National Institute of Standards & Technology) What is the triple point of water? (Wikipedia) What is Celsius? (Wikipedia) Deep breath: "The ampere is that constant current which, if maintained in two straight parallel conductors of infinite length, of negligible circular cross section, & placed 1 metre apart in a vacuum, would produce between these conductors a force equal to 2 x 10-7 newton per metre of length" (The National Institute of Standards & Technology) What is the difference between voltage & current (amperes)? (The Charging Point) Everything you wanted to know about charging your iPhone or iPad (Apple, Communities) iPhone & iPad chargers appear to be around 1-2 amps according to this (Apple, Communities) I believe you now Johnny: Turns out the coloured rings for electric toothbrushes really are to tell family members' brush heads apart (Electric Teeth) Meet the candela, "the luminous intensity, in a given direction, of a source that emits monochromatic radiation of frequency 540 x 1,012 hertz & that has a radiant intensity in that direction of 1/683 watts per steradian" (The National Institute of Standards & Technology) What is black body radiation? (Cosmos, Swinburne University) We can use luminous intensity to measure how far away stars are (Science, How Stuff Works) 'Intrinsic luminosity' is how bright something is & 'apparent brightness' is how bright it looks - knowing these details helps us measure how far away stars are (Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics, Penn State) Stellar brightness (Department of Astronomy, The Ohio State University) Brightness, luminosity & the magnitude scale (Department of Astronomy, Cornell University) What is a standard candle? (Cosmos, Swinburne University) (non SI) Units for quantities that describe biological effects (Bureau International des Poids et Mesures) The future - proposed redefinition of SI base units (Wikipedia) A more fundamental International System of units (Physics Today) Corrections Sorry Johnny, you got latitude & longitude mixed up - latitude is north-south, longitude is east-west (Encyclopaedia Britannica) Cheeky review? (If we may be so bold) It'd be amazing if you gave us a short review...it'll make us easier to find in iTunes: Click here for instructions. You're the best! We owe you a free hug and/or a glass of wine from our cellar

The atomic clock runs on caesium, and has redefined the very meaning of time. But it has also introduced a bug into timekeeping that affects everything from computerised financial markets to electricity grids, to satellite navigation, to the Greenwich Meridian. Justin Rowlatt travels to the birthplace of modern time, the National Physical Laboratory in Teddington, England, to speak to Krzysztof Szymaniec, the keeper of the 'Caesium Fountain', and Leon Lobo, the man charged with disseminating time to the UK. He also hears from Felicitas Arias, director of Time at the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures in Paris, about plans to abolish the “leap second”. And the Astronomer Royal, Martin Rees, explains why even the atomic clock can never hope to provide an absolute measure of time.

The atomic clock runs on caesium, and has redefined the very meaning of time. But it has also introduced a bug into timekeeping that affects everything from computerised financial markets to electricity grids, and satellite navigation to the Greenwich Meridian. Justin Rowlatt travels to the birthplace of modern time, the National Physical Laboratory in Teddington, England, to speak to Krzysztof Szymaniec, the keeper of the 'Caesium Fountain', and Leon Lobo, the man charged with disseminating time to the UK. He also hears from Felicitas Arias, director of time at the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures in Paris, about plans to abolish the 'leap second'. And, the Astronomer Royal, Martin Rees, explains why even the atomic clock can never hope to provide an absolute measure of time.