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7 episodes with Westminster Bridge
2 episodes with Westminster Bridge
2 episodes with Westminster Bridge
3 episodes with Westminster Bridge
2 episodes with Westminster Bridge
2 episodes with Westminster Bridge
2 episodes with Westminster Bridge
2 episodes with Westminster Bridge
2 episodes with Westminster Bridge
What is the secret of the curiously empty seat on the Embankment between the Avenue and Westminster Bridge?This original recording is an audio presentation by Jasper L'Estrange for EnCrypted Horror. “ON THE EMBANKMENT” by Hugh E. Wright (1919).CREATOR'S NOTE: Due to some copyright confusion, Spotify have alerted me to the fact that 61 episodes of the podcast (basically most of the early episodes that feature a piece of music called "The Black Waltz" as a theme tune) may soon disappear from the platform. I am trying to resolve this. The composer allows his music to be used under a creative commons licence provided he receives attribution, so I'm not sure what's going on. But if you find episodes disappearing from Spotify...that's what's happened!
In this episode, we're joined by Paramedic Adam Desmond, an experienced paramedic who has been on the frontline of some of the UK's most devastating major incidents, including the Brixton nail bombing on 17th April 1999, the Soho nail bombing on 30th April 1999, the Ladbroke Grove rail crash on 5th October 1999, the London terror attacks on 7th July 2005, commonly known as 7/7, and the Westminster Bridge terror attack on 22nd March 2017.With 30 years of experience in pre-hospital emergency care, Adam will take us through the evolving landscape of major incident response, unpacking the differences in injury patterns from traditional road traffic collisions to modern blast injuries. We'll explore the human factors that influence decision-making under pressure, the importance of shared situational awareness, and the critical lessons learned from past events that continue to shape emergency response today. Additionally, we explore the psychological impact of responding to mass casualty incidents, examining how trauma, imposter syndrome, and mental resilience affect the lives of ambulance staff. Through Adam's insights, we'll unpack the balance between policy and real-world decision-making.***Trigger Warning*** Adam recollects some detailed accounts of suffering from major incidents in this episode that some listeners may find distressing. This podcast is sponsored by PAX.Whatever kind of challenge you have to face - with PAX backpacks you are well-prepared. Whether on water, on land or in the air - PAX's versatile, flexible backpacks are perfectly suitable for your requirements and can be used in the most demanding of environments. Equally, PAX bags are built for comfort and rapid access to deliver the right gear at the right time to the right patient. To see more of their innovative designed product range, please click here:https://www.pax-bags.com/en/
By William Wordsworth
A 29-year-old who scaled Big Ben's Elizabeth Tower at the Palace of Westminster in central London has been charged by police after the incident took place. Daniel Day has been charged with causing a public nuisance and trespassing on a protected site after climbing the clock tower - resulting in the closure of Westminster Bridge and Bridge Street. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says Day is expected to appear in court in the coming hours. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Have you ever wondered about COBRA? Not the snake or the yoga pose — but Cabinet Office Briefing Room A, the place at the heart of Whitehall where a highly sensitive, critical government committee meets when a crisis hits the U.K. This week, host Patrick Baker takes you inside these mysterious meetings to find out how those in charge take crucial decisions — often on matters of life and death. One of the original architects of COBRA, David Omand, who went on to become director of spy agency GCHQ, explains how the Munich Olympics hostage crisis triggered alarm in the U.K. and highlighted the need to build COBRA. Lucy Fisher from the Financial Times explains how to access the secret bunker under the Ministry of Defense that would be home to its duplicate in case of nuclear attack. Tony Blair's former Cabinet Secretary Richard Wilson describes how he convened what was a very busy COBRA on 9/11, a day that exposed the U.K.'s own vulnerabilities and led to rapid changes to the UK's guidebook for handling terror attacks. In an age of heightened tensions, Susan Scholefield, a former COBRA director, recalls how drills and exercises became more common and how it was her job to make sure the Pope was safe, monitoring his state visit from the U.K.'s version of the Situation Room. Former Defence Secretary Michael Fallon describes being in COBRA in response to multiple atrocities on U.K. soil in 2017, and recalls how ministers scrambled to work out whether more attacks were on the way. Fallon also reveals the person he wouldn't trust to chair a COBRA meeting (or anything, really). Katie Perrior, ex-No 10 comms chief under Theresa May, remembers rushing into COBRA after the Westminster Bridge attack amid fears that offices in Parliament might be unsafe. With the arrival of the pandemic, a crisis of a wholly different order, emergency planner Lucy Easthope sets out some of COBRA's pitfalls. Easthope, who co-founded the After Disaster Network at Durham University, believes too much emphasis is put on state-of-the-art nerve centers rather than simple honesty, in the midst of crises for which ministers are generally not very well prepared. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode of the Bridge Series, Danny Hurst reaches Westminster Bridge, Central London's second-oldest bridge. Danny explains why at certain times of the day, the shadows cast by the bridge look like huge phallic symbols, why many paintings of the bridge are not accurate and why 12 nightwatchmen had to be stationed on the bridge. He also explains why it is painted green, what that little hut on the edge of Westminster Pier is used for and its connection with the Daleks, Blofeld and Danny Boyle. If you can´t get enough of these podcasts, head to https://www.patreon.com/DannyHurst to access my exclusive, member-only, fun-filled and fact-packed history-related videos. KEY TAKEAWAYS Pressure from the Archbishop of Canterbury and the ferrymen meant that Westminster Bridge nearly did not get built. Many of the early paintings of the bridge include architectural features that the bridge does not have. The design of the bridge made it a dream location for muggers and pickpockets. BEST MOMENTS ‘This poem can be found on a plaque halfway across the bridge. ´ ‘These are among the few remaining gas lamps in the UK and are maintained by a specialist team.' ‘Boudicca has been inaccurately represented as an English hero for generations.' HOST BIO Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can. CONTACT AND SOCIALS https://instagram.com/dannyjhurstfacebook.com/danny.hurst.9638 https://twitter.com/dannyhurst https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720 Podcast Description "History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake." James Joyce. That was me at school as well. Ironically, I ended up becoming a historian. The Unusual Histories podcast is all about the history you don't learn at school, nor indeed anywhere else. Discover things that you didn't know that you didn't know, fascinating historical luminaries and their vices and addictions, and the other numerous sides of every story. Danny continues his Unusual Histories podcast with the Bridge Series, remaining in London travelling east to west to look at the bridges which span the Thames. He looks at their design, construction and history, along with the history of the areas in which they're located on both sides of the river. This series kicks off with an exclusive interview with Dirk Bennett of the City Bridge Foundation, the organisation which looks after London's bridges. Tower Bridge is marking its 130th anniversary this month and Dirk talks to Danny about the history of the bridge as well as the new exhibition that is opening for it. If you love history; or indeed if you hate history, this is the podcast for you…
RETRO RHLSTP #85 - The Shreks of Westminster Bridge - Slightly worse for wear after having lunch with Alice Cooper at the Q awards, Richard is delighted to welcome a man he thinks might be him from another time stream, David 'Mitch' Mitchell. He's certainly met his match in pedantry and both men accidentally reveal some shocking details about their respective psyches. Never have two men discussed at such length the vagaries of choosing between a ham hand and a sun lotion arm pit. And that is GUARANTEED. The Peep Show stationery cupboard, romantic subterfuge and the Daily Mail readers' internet comments are all up for discussion and we'll find out how an early discussion about Eric Morecambe almost brought the pair to blows. Did Rich really meet some Shreks and a Justin Lee Collins in the street? And what was Tim from The Office like before he became Tim from The Office? Is Richard as bitter and mean as he seems and will he ever get a Googlewhack audience? What's it like to play Aerosmith at table tennis? Will Rich ever forgive his mum for her Brideshead Revisited Alfresco trump? Why don't the audience understand any of Richard's obscure 1980s references? What would you do if God granted you the power of having exactly the same hands as Hermione from Harry Potter? And just how many David Mitchells are there anyway? It's a marathon of a podcast, but there's no cheating and we both stay in it for the whole thing. It'd be nice if there was a happy ending. But there's a slightly unhappy ending. See if you can make it to the ending.Come and see the new show on tour - https://richardherring.com/ballback/tourSUPPORT THE SHOW!Check out our website http://rhlstp.co.ukSee details of the RHLSTP tour dates http://richardherring.com/gigsBuy DVDs and Books at http://gofasterstripe.com Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/rhlstp. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Under The Microscope is our series of bonus episodes - revealing more about the world of forensic science and the experts who use it to hep serve justice.In episode one, Tracy is joined by Dr Fiona Jane Wilcox, HM Senior Coroner for Inner West London. Together they discuss the role of the coroner and where they fit in the scene of crime hierarchy. They discuss several of Fiona's high-profile cases, including her work on the site of the 2017 Westminster Bridge terrorist attack and her efforts to identify victims in the aftermath of the notorious Grenfell Tower fire. Plus, we'll hear about Fiona's unusual career path and some of the most common misconceptions the general public have about the work a coroner does. The remaining episodes of Under The Microscope will only be available to subscribers of What's The Story Crime. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Nach der Fahrt mit dem Ausflugsschiff von der Westminster Bridge bis zum Tower of London in der vergangenen Episode schippern Alexander-Klaus Stecher und Claus Beling in dieser Folge die Themse weiter nach Süd-Osten. Sie machen Stop in Greenwich: Hier verläuft durch die königliche Sternwarte der frühere Nullmeridian. Die Zeitzone Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) wird hier gemessen und war bis 1928 die offizielle Weltzeit. Das Ziel unserer Podcast-Macher ist allerdings ein anderes: Direkt am King William Walk in Greenwich befindet sich ein Trockendock, in dem ein gigantischer Koloss vergangener Zeiten liegt. Die Cutty Sark - ein 2.100 Tonnen schweres Segelschiff mit 85 Metern Länge und über 3.000 Quadratmetern Segelfläche. Als es 1869 zum ersten Mal in See sticht, ist es das größte und schnellste Handelsschiff seiner Art. -- WhatsApp: Ab sofort kannst Du Alexander und Claus direkt auf ihre Handys Nachrichten schicken! Welche Ecke Englands sollten die beiden mal besuchen? Zu welchen Themen wünschst Du Dir mehr Folgen? Warst Du schon mal in Great Britain und magst ein paar Fotos mit Claus und Alexander teilen? Probiere es gleich aus: +49 8152 989770 - einfach diese Nummer einspeichern und schon kannst Du BRITPOD per WhatsApp erreichen. -- Ein ALL EARS ON YOU Original Podcast.
Londons spektakulärste drei Meilen auf der Themse: Alexander-Klaus Stecher und Claus Beling fahren mit dem Ausflugsschiff von der Westminster Bridge bis zum Tower of London am östlichen Rand der "City of London". An keinem zweiten Ort auf der Welt können auf so kurzer Strecke derart viele historische Bauten, Denkmäler und architektonische Sehenswürdigkeiten entdeckt werden: Das Parlamentsgebäude Westminster mit Big Ben, das gigantische Riesenrad London Eye, das Märchenschloss Whitehall Liberal Club, unzählige berühmte Brücken, das National Theatre und das einzigartige Shakespeare Globe Theatre, Londons ältester Pub aus dem Jahr 1615, Westeuropas größtes Gebäude The Shard und der Tower mit den Kronjuwelen. Jede Sehenswürdigkeit hat ihre eigene Geschichte: Das berühmte Parlamentsgebäude Westminster war für tausend Jahre der Palast der Könige von England und beherbergt 34 Bars, in denen Alkohol steuerfrei ausgeschenkt wurde. Oder das älteste Objekt am Ufer der Themse: Kleopatras Nadel - ein dreieinhalb tausend Jahre alter Obelisk, den die Ägypter England nach dem Sieg Lord Nelsons über Napoleon geschenkt haben. Kurios: Die beschädigte London Bridge wurde 1968 für eine Million Pfund von einem Amerikaner gekauft und in der Wüste von Arizona wieder aufgebaut. Sightseeing auf der Themse - ein Muss für jeden London-Besuch. -- WHATSAPP-Telefonnummer: Ab sofort kannst Du Alexander und Claus direkt auf ihre Handys Nachrichten schicken! Welche Ecke Englands sollten die beiden mal besuchen? Zu welchen Themen wünschst Du Dir mehr Folgen? Warst Du schon mal in Great Britain und magst ein paar Fotos mit Claus und Alexander teilen? Probiere es gleich aus: +49 8152 989770 - einfach diese Nummer einspeichern und schon kannst Du BRITPOD per WhatsApp erreichen. -- BRITPOD - England at its Best - wird präsentiert von Romance TV. Dem Zuhause der Rosamunde-Pilcher-Filmreihe und romantischer Serien. -- Ein ALL EARS ON YOU Original Podcast.
On this episode hosts Jennie and Zoe chat to Kris Aves, a former Metropolitan police officer who was paralysed from the Westminster Bridge terror attack in March 2017, when he was hit by the van driven by the terrorist. We talk about the attack, how his life has changed, his relationships and more.
On Monday 27th August of 1923 at 12:45am, 18-month-old Dorothy Kaslofski drowned in the river Thames having been thrown from Westminster Bridge. Only she didn't fall, she was thrown by her mother in an act of mercy, having been given some devastating news by a doctor that her daughter's life wouldn't be worth living. But was he wrong, had she misheard, or was this a lie?Murder Mile is researched, written and performed by Michael of Murder Mile Walks with the main musical themes written and performed by Erik Stein and Jon Boux of Cult With No Name and additional music, as used under the Creative Commons License 4.0. A full listing of tracks used and a full transcript for each episode is listed here and a legal disclaimer.For LINKS CLICK HERETo subscribe via Patreon, click hereSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/murdermile. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
JOHN SUTHERLAND chats to Paul Burke about his new thriller THE FALLEN, 25 years a policeman, hostage and crisis negotiation, fact and fictionTHE FALLEN ARE YOU READY TO SAVE A LIFE?WHY HER?Becca Palmer has just lost her job as assistant to Simon Jones MP - the highly-regarded Policing Minister, tipped as a future Prime Minister. But Becca claims that Simon was more than her boss, that she is in love with him. WHY HERE?When a heartbroken Becca leaves the Home Office, she heads to Westminster Bridge, intending to take her own life. Which is where hostage negotiator Alex Lewis meets her for the first time. It is his job to try to talk her back from the edge.WHY NOW?In the negotiation that follows, Becca suggests that she may know something about the Policing Minister that she shouldn't. Something that could prompt a serious fall from grace were it to come out.But can Alex save Becca - and get to the bottom of an alleged conspiracy that goes deep inside the highest levels of government - before it's too late?JOHN SUTHERLAND is a father of three who lives with his wife and children in south London. For more than twenty-five years he served as an officer in the Metropolitan Police, rising to the rank of Chief Superintendent before his retirement on medical grounds in 2018. John is a sought after public speaker and commentator on a broad range of issues, who regularly appears on TV and radio and writes for major newspapers. His first book, BLUE, written and published while he was still serving in the Met, was a Sunday Times bestseller. It tells the remarkable stories of his policing life and describes his long road to recovery following the serious nervous breakdown that ended his operational policing career.RecommendationsNovels - Mick Herron Slow HorsesTV - Shrinking Apple+Paul Burke writes for Crime Time, Crime Fiction Lover and the European Literature Network. He is also a CWA Historical Dagger Judge 2023.Produced by Junkyard DogMusic courtesy of Southgate and LeighCrime TimeCrime Time FM is the official podcast ofGwyl Crime Cymru Festival 2023CrimeFest 2023&CWA Daggers 2023
Host Aggie Chambre speaks to Westminster spouses from across the political spectrum about the ups and downs of life married to a British MP.Felicity Mercer, wife and constituency aide of Tory MP Johnny, tells of her pride in her husband's work, but also of the political abuse they receive — and what happens when that reaches your front door.Tory MP Mark Fletcher and his charity worker husband Will discuss the struggle of life in such a long-distance relationship, while vet Kate Carmichael, wife of Orkney and Shetland MP Alistair, explains how she copes with being the furthest-flung political spouse of all.Opera singer — and avid tweeter — Nevana Bridgen, wife of former Tory MP Andrew, explains why she feels the need to defend her husband's explosive comments on COVID vaccines, and opens up about extra-marital affairs in Westminster and what it's like watching women hit on your husband.And Labour MP Cat Smith and SNP MP David Linden discuss how they found love in SW1 across party lines, as they walked together hand in hand across Westminster Bridge. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Book your conference ticket here: https://www.leahboden.com/conference Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802 BY WILLIAM WORDSWORTH Earth has not any thing to show more fair: Dull would he be of soul who could pass by A sight so touching in its majesty: This City now doth, like a garment, wear The beauty of the morning; silent, bare, Ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples lie Open unto the fields, and to the sky; All bright and glittering in the smokeless air. Never did sun more beautifully steep In his first splendour, valley, rock, or hill; Ne'er saw I, never felt, a calm so deep! The river glideth at his own sweet will: Dear God! the very houses seem asleep; And all that mighty heart is lying still!
Travis Frain is one of a few (although, sadly, a growing number of) people who can say that they have survived a terrorist attack. When he was 19 years old, on a university trip to London, he was attacked on Westminster Bridge in an attack which injured more than 50 people, killing four. The attacker mounted the pavement, driving his van into pedestrians before crashing his car into the fence of the Palace of Westminster and attacking a police officer. Today, Travis works as the National Chair of the Counter Terrorism Police Advisory Group and campaigns on behalf of terrorism survivors. Daisy Maskell sits down with Travis Frain to hear about how becoming a survivor changed his life, the treatment of terrorist survivors by the media and his experience with disaster trolls. Follow Daisy Maskell - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daisylmaskell/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/daisy_maskell_ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
CLIMATEACTION SHOWMAY 1ST 2023PRODUCED BY Vivien LangfordUNITE TO SURVIVE +Fear and Wonder Part 1 MAYDAY is an internationally recognised radio word to signal distress.Our MAYDAY show highlights the 4 day Extinction Rebellion event in London. The Big One.Their banner on Westminster Bridge said "UNITE TO SURVIVE".The distress already felt by workers is shown in thiscomment by NHS Spokesperson Holly Blackler:"We've experienced a pandemic and a heatwave that took us to the limits of our endurance. These two issues are intertwined. The climate crisis unfolding in front of us... and we are deeply concerned for our patients. For that reason XR has our unfailing support" FEAR AND WONDER Episode 1By kind permission of The Conversation we bring you interviews with climate scientists. IPCC Author Joelle Gergis is our guide in this episode created by journalist Michael Green. We meet paleoclimatologist Kim Cobb underwater with the corals and learn about modelling and citizen science from Ed Hawkins.
Read by Lesley Donne Production and Sound Design by Kevin Seaman
Chief Inspector Ed Anrude has spent nearly 20 years at the tip of the spear with regard to UK policing and access to police leaders with his experience is rare. Ed had the unique experience of being the on-the-ground commander during the abhorrent Westminster Bridge attack in 2017 which killed 5 people and injured over 50 more. Ed talks with Gaz about all things leadership, role models, taking opportunities, how to deal with difficulty as a leader and what to do when it seems everything is going wrong - enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncFy1zRA9HM 28 DAYS LATER Written by Alex Garland CLOSE ON A MONITOR SCREEN: Images of stunning violence. Looped. Soldiers in a foreign war shoot an unarmed civilian at point- blank range; a man is set on by a frenzied crowd wielding clubs and machetes; a woman is necklaced while her killers cheer and howl. Pull back to reveal that we are seeing one of many screens in a bank of monitors, all showing similar images... Then revealing that the monitors are in a... INT. SURGICAL CHAMBER - NIGHT ...surgical chamber. And watching the screens is a... ...chimp, strapped to an operating table, with its skull dissected open, webbed in wires and monitoring devices, muzzled with a transparent guard. Alive. Behind the surgical chamber, through the wide doorframe, we can see a larger laboratory beyond. INT. BRIGHT CORRIDOR - NIGHT A group of black-clad ALF Activists, all wearing balaclavas, move down a corridor. They carry various gear - bag, bolt cutters. As they move, one Activist reaches up to a security camera and sprays it black with an aerosol paint can. INT. LABORATORY - NIGHT The Activists enter the laboratory. CHIEF ACTIVIST Fucking hell... The Chief Activist takes his camera off his shoulder and starts taking photos. The room is huge and long, and darkened except for specific pools of light. Partially illuminated are rows of cages with clear perspex doors. They run down either side of the room. In the cages are chimpanzees. 2. Most are in a state of rabid agitation, banging and clawing against the perspex, baring teeth through foam-flecked mouths. They reach the far end of the lab, where on a huge steel operating table they see the dissected chimp. FEMALE ACTIVIST Oh God... The dissected chimp's eyes flick to the Activists. Blood wells from around the exposed brain tissue. Tears starts to roll down the Female Activist's cheeks. CHIEF ACTIVIST (to Female Activist) Keep your shit together. If we're going to get them out of here... The Finnish Activist is checking the perspex cages. FINNISH ACTIVIST I can pop these, no problem. CHIEF ACTIVIST So get to it. The Finnish Activist raises his crowbar and sticks it around the edge of one of the doors - about to prise it open. At the moment, the doors to the laboratory bang open. The Activists all turn. Standing at the entrance is the Scientist. A pause. The Scientist jumps to a telephone handset on the wall and shouts into the receiver. SCIENTIST Security! We have a break-in! Get to sector... A hand slams down the disconnect button. SCIENTIST ...nine. The Chief Activist plucks the receiver from the Scientist's hands, and then rips the telephone from the wall. A beat. 3. SCIENTIST I know who you are, I know what you think you're doing, but you have to listen to me. You can't release these animals. CHIEF ACTIVIST If you don't want to get hurt, shut your mouth, and don't move a fucking muscle. SCIENTIST (BLURTS) The chimps are infected! The Activists hesitate, exchanging a glance. SCIENTIST (continuing; stumbling, FLUSTERED) These animals are highly contagious. They've been given an inhibitor. CHIEF ACTIVIST Infected with what? SCIENTIST Chemically restricted, locked down to a... a single impulse that... CHIEF ACTIVIST Infected with what? The Scientist hesitates before answering. SCIENTIST Rage. Behind the Activists, the bank of monitors show the faces of the machete-wielding crowd. SCIENTIST (desperately trying to EXPLAIN) In order to cure, you must first understand. Just imagine: to have power over all the things we feel we can't control. Anger, violence... FINNISH ACTIVIST What the fuck is he talking about? 4. CHIEF ACTIVIST We don't have time for this shit! Get the cages open! SCIENTIST No! CHIEF ACTIVIST We're going, you sick bastard, and we're taking your torture victims with us. SCIENTIST NO! You must listen! The animals are contagious! The infection is in their blood and saliva! One bite and... FEMALE ACTIVIST They won't bite me. The Female Activist crouches down to face the wild eyes of the infected chimp behind the perspex. SCIENTIST STOP! You have no idea! The Scientist makes a desperate lunge towards her, but the Chief Activist grabs him. FEMALE ACTIVIST Good boy. You don't want to bite me, do you? The Female Activist gives a final benign smile, then the Finnish Activist pops open the door. SCIENTIST NO! Like a bullet from a gun, the infected chimp leaps out at the Female Activist - and sinks its teeth into her neck. She reels back as the chimp claws and bites with extraordinary viciousness. At the same moment, a deafening alarm begins to sound. FEMALE ACTIVIST (SHRIEKING) Get it off! Get if off! The Finnish Activist rips the ape off and throws it on to the floor. The infected chimp immediately bites into the man's leg. He yells with pain, and tries to kick it off. 5. Behind him, the Female Activist has started to scream. She doubles up, clutching the side of her head. FEMALE ACTIVIST I'm burning! Jesus! Help me! SCIENTIST We have to kill her! FEMALE ACTIVIST I'm burning! I'm burning! CHIEF ACTIVIST What's... SCIENTIST We have to kill her NOW! Meanwhile, the Female Activist's cries have become an unwavering howl of pain - and she is joined by the Finnish Activist, whose hands have also flown to the side of his head, gripping his temples as if trying to keep his skull from exploding. CHIEF ACTIVIST What's wrong with them? The Scientist grabs a desk-lamp base and starts running towards the screaming Female Activist... ...who has ripped off her balaclava - revealing her face - the face of an Infected. She turns to the Scientist. SCIENTIST Oh God. She leaps at him. He screams as they go tumbling to the ground. The Chief Activist watches in immobile horror as she attacks the Scientist with amazing ferocity. INT. CORRIDOR - NIGHT Another ACTIVIST makes his way down the corridor towards the lab. ACTIVIST (HISSES) Terry? Jemma? 6. No answer. ACTIVIST Mika? Where are you? He reaches the door to the lab, which is closed - and... ...as he opens it, we realize the door is also soundproofed. A wall of screaming hits him. He stands in the doorway - stunned by the noise, and then the sight. Blood, death, and his colleagues, all Infected. ACTIVIST Bloody hell. The Infected rush him. FADE TO BLACK. TITLE: 28 DAYS LATER INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - LATE AFTERNOON Close up of Jim, a young man in his twenties, wearing pale green hospital pyjamas. He has a month's beard, is dishevelled, and asleep. We pull back to see that Jim is lying on a hospital bed, in a private room. Connected to his arms are multiple drips, a full row of four or five on each side of his bed. Most of the bags are empty. Jim's eyes open. He looks around with an expression of confusion. Then he sits up. He is weak, but he swings his legs off the bed and stands. The attached drips are pulled with him and clatter to the floor. Jim winces, and pulls the taped needles from his arm. JIM Ow... His voice is hoarse, his mouth dry. Massaging his throat, he walks to the door. 7. INT. COMA WARD - LATE AFTERNOON The door to Jim's hospital room is locked. The key is on the floor. He picks it up and opens the door. Jim exits into a corridor. At the far end, a sign read: COMA WARD. There is no sign of life or movement. Jim walks down the corridor. One of the doors is half-open. From inside, there is the sound of buzzing flies. INT. HOSPITAL WARDS - LATE AFTERNOON Jim moves as quickly as he can through the hospital, still weak, but now driven by adrenaline. All the wards and corridors are deserted. Medical notes and equipment lie strewn over the floors, trolleys are upended, glass partition doors are smashed. In a couple of places, splashes of dried blood arc up the walls. He reaches A&E. On one wall is a row of public pay phones. He lifts a receiver, and the line is dead. He goes down the line, trying them all. In the corner of the A&E reception is a smashed soft-drinks machine, with a few cans collected at the base. Jim grabs one, rips off the ring-pull and downs it in one go. Then he grabs another, and heads for the main doors. EXT. HOSPITAL - LATE AFTERNOON Jim exits and walks out into the bright daylight of the forecourt. The camera begins to pull away from him. JIM Hello? Aside from a quiet rush of wind, there is silence. No traffic, no engines, no movement. Not even birdsong. EXT. LONDON - SUNDOWN Jim walks through the empty city, from St. Thomas's Hospital, over Westminster Bridge, past the Houses of Parliament, down Whitehall, to Trafalgar Square. 8. A bright overhead sun bleaches the streets. A light drifts litter and refuse. Cars lie abandoned, shops looted. Jim is still wearing his hospital pyjamas, and carries a plastic bag full of soft-drink cans. EXT. CENTRAL LONDON ROAD/CHURCH - NIGHT Jim walks. Night has fallen. He needs to find a place to rest... He pauses. Down a narrow side street is a church. He walks towards it. The front doors are open. INT. CHURCH - NIGHT Jim walks inside, moving with the respectful quietness that people adopt when entering a church. The doors ahead to the main chamber are closed. Pushing them, gently trying the handle, it is obvious they are locked. But another open door is to his left. He goes through it. INT. CHURCH - STAIRWELL - NIGHT Jim moves up a stairwell. Written large on the wall is a single line of graffiti: REPENT. THE END IS EXTREMELY FUCKING NIGH INT. CHURCH - GALLERY LEVEL - NIGHT Jim moves into the gallery level, and sees, through the dust and rot, ornate but faded splendor. At the far end, a stained- glass window is illuminated by the moonlight. Jim pads in, stands at the gallery, facing the stained-glass window for a moment before looking down... Beneath are hundreds of dead bodies. Layered over the floor, jammed into the pews, spilling over the altar. The scene of an unimaginable massacre. Jim stands, stunned. Then sees, standing motionless at different positions facing away from him, four people. Their postures and stillness make their status unclear. Jim hesitates before speaking. 9. JIM ...Hello? Immediately, the four heads flick around. Infected. And the next moment, there is the powerful thump of a door at the far end of the gallery. Jim whirls to the source as the Infected below start to move. The door thumps again - another stunningly powerful blow, the noise echoing around the chamber. Confused, fist closing around his bag of soft drinks, Jim steps onto the gallery, facing the door... ...and it smashes open. Revealing an Infected Priest - who locks sight on Jim, and starts to sprint. JIM Father? The Priest is half way across the gallery JIM Father, what are you... And now the moonlight catches the Priest's face. Showing clearly: the eyes. The blood smeared and collected around his nose, ears, and mouth. Darkened and crusted, accumulated over days and weeks. Fresh blood glistening. JIM Jesus! In a movement of pure instinct, Jim swings the bag just as the Priest is about to reach him - and connects squarely with the man's head. JIM Oh, that, was bad, that was bad... I shouldn't have done that... He breaks into a run... INT. CHURCH - STAIRWELL - NIGHT Down the stairwell... 10. INT. CHURCH - NIGHT ...into the front entrance, where the locked door now strains under the blows of the Infected inside. JIM Shit. EXT. CHURCH - NIGHT Jim sprints down the stone steps. As he reaches the bottom the doors are broken open, and the Infected give chase. EXT. CENTRAL LONDON ROAD - NIGHT Jim runs - the Infected have almost reached him. A hand fires up a Zippo lighter, and lights the rag of a Molotov cocktail. As Jim runs, something flies past his head, and the Infected closest to him explodes in a ball of flame. Jim turns, and sees as another Molotov cocktail explodes, engulfing two in the fireball. He whirls, now completely bewildered. WOMAN'S VOICE HERE! Another Molotov cocktail explodes. The Infected stagger from the blaze, on fire. WOMAN'S VOICE OVER HERE! Jim whirls again, and sees, further down the road... ...Selena, a black woman, also in her twenties. She wears a small backpack, a machete is stuck into her belt - and she holds a lit Molotov cocktail in her hand. ...Mark, a tall, good-looking man - throwing another bottle. It smashes on the head of the last Infected, bathing it in flame... The burning Infected bumps blindly into a car. Falls. Gets up again. 11. Blindly, it staggers off the road, into a petrol station - where an abandoned car has run over on the pumps. The ground beneath it suddenly ignites, and the petrol station explodes. EXT. SIDE STREET - NIGHT Selena and Mark lead Jim into a side street. JIM (DAZED) Those people! Who were... who... MARK This way! Move it! Jim allows himself to be hurried along. EXT. SHOP - NIGHT Selena stops outside a newsagent's shop. The shop's door and windows are covered with a metal security grill, but the grill over the door lock has been prised away enough for Selena to slip her hand through to the latch. INT. SHOP - NIGHT Inside, most of the shelves have been emptied of confectionery. Newspapers and magazines litter the floor. The magazine covers of beautiful girls and sports cars have become instant anachronisms. At the back of the shop, a makeshift bed of sheets and sleeping bag is nestled. This has obviously been Selena and Mark's home for the last few days. INT. NEWSAGENT - NIGHT Jim, Mark and Selena enter the newsagent's and pull down the grill. MARK A man walks into a bar with a giraffe. They each get pissed. The giraffe falls over. The man goes to leave and the barman says, you can't leave that lying there. The man says, it's not a lion. It's a giraffe. 12. Silence. Mark pulls off his mask and turns to Selena. MARK He's completely humorless. You two will get along like a house on fire. Selena, who has already taken off her mask, ignores Mark. SELENA Who are you? You've come from a hospital. MARK Are you a doctor? SELENA He's not a doctor. He's a patient. JIM I'm a bicycle courier. I was riding a package from Farringdon to Shaftesbury Avenue. A car cut across me... and then I wake up in hospital, today... I wake up and I'm hallucinating, or... MARK What's your name? JIM Jim. MARK I'm Mark. This is Selena. (BEAT) Okay, Jim. We've got some bad news. Selena starts to tell her story, and as the story unfolds we see the images she describes. SELENA It began as rioting. And right from the beginning, you knew something bad was going on because the rioters were killing people. And then it wasn't on the TV anymore. It was in the street outside. It was coming through your windows. We all guessed it was a virus. An infection. You didn't need a doctor to tell you that. It was the blood. 13. Something in the blood. By the time they tried to evacuate the cities, it was already too late. The infection was everywhere. The army blockades were overrun. And that was when the exodus started. The day before the radio and TV stopped broadcasting there were reports of infection in Paris and New York. We didn't hear anything more after that. JIM Where are your families? MARK They're dead. SELENA Yours will be dead too. JIM No... No! I'm going to find them. They live in Greenwich. I can walk. (heading for the exit) I'm going to... to go and... SELENA You'll go and come back. JIM (pulling at the grill) Yes! I'll go and come back. MARK Rules of survival. Lesson one - you never go anywhere alone, unless you've got no choice. Lesson two - you only move during daylight, unless you've got no choice. We'll take you tomorrow. Then we'll all go and find your dead parents. Okay? EXT. TRAIN TRACKS - DAY Jim, Selena and Mark walk along the Docklands Light Railway in single file. Ahead is a train. Behind the train, as if spilled in its wake, are abandoned bags, suitcases, backpacks. Mark drops pace to let Jim catch up. 14. MARK How's your head? Fucked? No reply. MARK (gesturing at the city) I know where your head is. You're looking at these windows, these millions of windows, and you're thinking - there's no way this many people are dead. It's just too many windows. Mark picks up a handbag from the tracks. MARK The person who owned this bag. Can't be dead. Mark reaches in and starts to pull things out as they walk, discarding the personal possessions. MARK A woman - (car keys) - who drove a Nissan Micra - (teddy) - and had a little teddy bear - (condoms) - and carried protection, just in case. Marks tosses the condoms behind him. MARK (DRY) Believe me, we won't need them anymore than she will. He hands the bag to Jim and walks ahead. Jim pulls out a mobile phone. He switches it on. It reads: SEARCHING FOR NETWORK. The message blinks a couple of times. Then the screen goes blank. Jim looks left. He is now alongside the train. The inside of the windows are smeared with dried blood. Pressed against the glass is the face of a dead man. 15. Jim drops the phone and breaks into a run - running past Mark and Selena. MARK (HISSING) Hey! EXT. GREENWICH COMMON - DAY Jim, Selena and Mark jog across Greenwich Common. Jim gestures towards one of the streets on the far side of the green. JIM (LOW VOICE) Down there. Westlink Street. Second on the left. EXT. WESTLINK STREET - DAY The street is modest red-brick semi-detached houses. They stand outside Number 43. Jim waits while Selena scans the dark facade. SELENA If there's anyone in there who isn't human... JIM I understand. SELENA Anyone. JIM I understand. Selena shoots a glance at Jim. Jim is gazing at the house. MARK Okay. EXT. BACK GARDEN - DAY Jim uses the key under the flowerpot to open the back door. INT. HOUSE - DAY Jim, Selena and Mark move quietly through the kitchen and the downstairs of the house. 16. Surprisingly, everything is neat and tidy. Washed plates are stacked by the sink, newspapers on the table are neatly piled. The headline on the top paper reads simply: CONTAINMENT FAILS. They reach the bottom of the stairs. Selena gestures upwards, and Jim nods. They start to ascend. At the top of the stairs, Selena sniffs the air, and recoils. Jim has noticed it too. His eyes widen in alarm. MARK (WHISPERS) Wait. But Jim pushes past and advances along the top landing, until he reaches a door. By now the smell is so bad that he is having to cover his nose and mouth with the sleeve of one arm. Jim pushes open the door. Inside, two decomposed bodies lie side by side on the bed, intertwined. On the bedside table are an empty bottle of sleeping pills and a bottle of red wine. Mark appears behind him. Jim stares at his parents for a couple of moments, then Mark closes the door. INT. BATHROOM - DAY Jim sits on the toilet, alone. He is crying. In his hand is a piece of paper: "Jim - with endless love, we left you sleeping. Now we're sleeping with you. Don't wake up." The paper crumples in his fist. INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY Jim, Selena and Mark sit in the living room, on the two sofas. Jim looks dazed, uncomprehending. Selena watches Jim, her expression neutral. SELENA They died peacefully. You should be grateful. JIM I'm not grateful. Jim's words hang a moment. Then Mark talks, simply, unemotionally, matter-of-fact throughout. 17. MARK The roads out were all jammed. So we went to Paddington Station. Hoping: maybe we could get to Heathrow, maybe buy our way on a plane. My dad had all this cash, even though cash was already useless, and Mum had her jewellery. But twenty thousand other people had the same idea. (A MOMENT) The crowd was surging, and I lost my grip on my sister's hand. I remember realizing the ground was soft. I looked down, and I was standing on people. Like a carpet, people who had fallen, and... somewhere in the crowd there were infected. It spread fast, no one could run, all you could do was climb. Over more people. So I did that. I got up, somehow, on top of a kiosk. (A MOMENT) Looking down, you couldn't tell which faces were infected and which weren't. With the blood, the screaming, they all looked the same. And I saw my dad. Not my mum or my sister. But I saw my dad. His face. A short silence. MARK Selena's right. You should be grateful. SELENA We don't have time to get back to the shop before dark. We should stay here tonight. Jim nods. He isn't sure what he wants to say. JIM My old room was at the end of the landing. You two take it. I'll sleep down here. SELENA We'll sleep in the same room. It's safer. 18. EXT. LONDON - DAY TO NIGHT The red orb of the sun goes down; the light fades. As night falls, London vanishes into blackness, with no electric light to be seen. Then the moon appears from behind the cloud layer, and the dark city is revealed. INT. HOUSE - NIGHT Jim is on the sofa. In the moonlight, we can see that his eyes are open, wide awake. Selena is curled on the other sofa, and Mark is on the floor - both asleep. The house is silent. Jim watches Selena sleeping for a couple of moments. Then, quietly, he gets off the sofa and pads out of the living room, down the hall to the kitchen. INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT Jim enters, standing just inside the doorway. He looks around the room. On one wall, a faded kid's drawing of a car is framed. Above the counter, on a shelf of cookery books, an album has a handwritten label on the spine: "Mum's Favorite Recipes". Jim walks to the fridge. Stuck to the door is a photo of Jim with his parents, arm in arm, smiling at the camera. Jim is on his mountain bike, wearing his courier bag. FLASH CUT TO: Jim, sitting at the kitchen table as his Mum enters, carrying bags of shopping. Jim walks over to the bags and pulls out a carton of orange juice, which he pulls straight to his mouth and begins to gulp down. His Dad walks in from the garden. JIM'S DAD Give me a glass of that, would you? JIM (draining the carton, and giving it a shake) It's empty. CUT BACK TO: 19. Jim touches the photo, their faces, lightly. Jim is facing away from the back door, which has a large frosted-glass panel. Through the glass panel, unseen by Jim a dark silhouette looms against the diffused glow from the moonlight. Through the kitchen window, a second silhouette appears. Then there is a scratching noise from the back door. Jim freezes. Slowly, he turns his head, and sees the dark shapes behind the door and window. A beat - then the door is abruptly and powerfully smashed in. It flies open, and hangs loosely held by the bottom hinge. Standing in the doorframe is an Infected Man. Jim shouts with alarm as the Man lunges at him - and they both go tumbling to the floor. At the same moment, the figure behind the kitchen window smashes the glass, and an Infected Teenage Girl starts to clamber through the jagged frame. The Man gets on top of Jim, while Jim uses his arms to hold back the ferocious assault. A single strand of saliva flies from the Man's lips, and contacts Jim's cheek. JIM (SCREAMS) Help! Suddenly, Selena is there, holding her machete. The blade flashes down to the back of the Man's neck. Blood gushes. Jim rolls the Infected Man off, just in time to see... ...Mark dispatch the Girl half way through the kitchen window. The Girl is holding Mark, but her legs are caught on the broken glass. Mark jabs upwards into the Girl's torso - she stiffens, then slumps, and as Mark steps back we see he is holding a knife. Jim hyperventilates, staring at the corpse on the kitchen floor. JIM It's Mr. Bridges... Selena turns to Jim. She is hyperventilating too, but there is control and steel in her voice. 20. SELENA Were you bitten? JIM He lives four doors down... Jim turns to the Girl sprawled half way through the window. JIM That's his daughter... SELENA Were you bitten? Jim looks at her. Selena is still holding her machete at the ready. JIM No... No! I wasn't! SELENA Did any of the blood get in your mouth? JIM No! SELENA Mark? Jim turns to Mark. He is standing in the middle of the room. Stepped away from the window. The Girl's blood is on his arm - and he is wiping it away... ...off the skin... where a long scratch cut wells up fresh blood. A moment. Then Mark looks at Selena, as if slightly startled. MARK Wait. But Selena is swiping with her machete. Mark lifts his arm instinctively, defensively, and the blade sinks in. Selena immediately yanks it back. MARK DON'T! Selena swipes again - and the blade catches Mark hard in the side of the head. Mark falls. 21. Jim watches, scrabbling backwards on the floor away from them, as Selena brutally finishes Mark off. Selena looks at Mark's body for a couple of beats, then lowers the blade. She picks up a dishcloth from the sink counter and tosses it to Jim. SELENA Get that cleaned off. Jim picks up the rag and hurriedly starts to wipe the Infected's blood from around his neck. SELENA Do you have any clothes here? JIM (fazed, frightened of her) I... I don't know. I think so. SELENA Then get them. And get dressed. We have to leave, now. With practiced speed, Selena starts to open the kitchen cupboards, selecting packets of biscuits and cans from the shelves, and stuffing them into her backpack. SELENA More infected will be coming. They always do. EXT. HOUSE - NIGHT Jim and Selena exit the front door. Jim has changed out of his hospital gear into jeans and a sweatshirt. He also has a small backpack, and is carrying a baseball bat. EXT. LONDON ROAD - NIGHT Jim and Selena walk: fast, alert. But something is not being said between them... until Jim breaks the silence. JIM (QUIET) How did you know? Selena says nothing. Continues walking. JIM (INSISTENT) How did you know he was infected? 22. SELENA The blood. JIM The blood was everywhere. On me, on you, and... SELENA (CUTTING IN) I didn't know he was infected. Okay? I didn't know. He knew. I could see it in his face. (A MOMENT) You need to understand, if someone gets infected, you've got somewhere between ten and twenty seconds to kill them. They might be your brother or your sister or your oldest friend. It makes no difference Just so as you know, if it happens to you, I'll do it in a heartbeat. A moment. JIM How long had you known him? SELENA Five days. Or six. Does it matter? Jim says nothing. SELENA He was full of plans. Long-distance weapons, so they don't get close. A newsagent's with a metal grill, so you can sleep. Petrol bombs, so the blood doesn't splash. Selena looks at Jim dispassionately. SELENA Got a plan yet, Jim? You want us to find a cure and save the world? Or fall in love and fuck? Selena looks away again. SELENA Plans are pointless. Staying alive is as good as it gets. Silence. 23. They walk. Jim following a few steps behind Selena. A few moments later, Jim lifts a hand, opens his mouth, about to say something - but Selena cuts him off without even looking round. SELENA Shhh. She has seen something... A line of tower blocks some distance away, standing against the night sky. In one of them, hanging in the window of one of the highest stories, colored fairy lights are lit up, blinking gently. INT. TOWER BLOCK - NIGHT Jim and Selena walk through the smashed glass doors of the tower block. It is extremely dark inside. Selena switches on a flashlight and illuminates the entrance hall. It is a mess. The floor is covered in broken glass and dried blood. The lift doors are jammed open, and inside is a dense bundle of rags - perhaps an old corpse, but impossible to tell, because the interior of the lift has been torched. It is black with carbon, and smoke-scarring runs up the outside wall. Selena moves the flashlight to the stairwell. There is a huge tangle of shopping trolleys running up the stairs. Selena gives one of the trolleys an exploratory tug. It shifts, but holds fast, meshed in with its neighbor. Then she puts a foot into one of the grates, and lifts herself up. Shining her light over the top of the tangle, she can see a gap along the top. JIM Let's hope we don't have to get out of here in a hurry. She begins to climb through. INT. TOWER BLOCK - NIGHT Jim and Selena move steadily and quietly up the stairwell, into the building. Reaching a next landing, they check around the corner before proceeding. Through a broken window, we can see that they are already high above most London buildings, and on the wall a sign reads: LEVEL 5. 24. SELENA Need a break? JIM (completely out of breath) No. You? SELENA No. They continue a few steps. JIM I do need a break, by the way. Selena nods. They stop on the stairs. Jim slips off his backpack and sits, pulling a face as he does so... SELENA What's up? JIM Nothing. She gives him a cut-the-crap expression. JIM I've got a headache. SELENA Bad? JIM Pretty bad. SELENA Why didn't you say something before? JIM Because I didn't think you'd give a shit. A moment, where it's unclear how Selena will react to this. Then she slips off her own backpack. SELENA (going through the bag) You've got no fat on you, and all you've had to eat is sugar. So you're crashing. Unfortunately, there isn't a lot we can do about that... 25. Selena starts to produce a wide selection of pills, looted from a chemist. SELENA ...except pump you full painkillers, and give you more sugar to eat. She holds up a bottle of codeine tablets, and passes it to Jim. SELENA As for the sugar: Lilt or Tango? JIM (CHEWING CODEINE) ...Do you have Sprite? SELENA Actually, I did have a can of Sprite, but... Suddenly there is a loud scream, coming from somewhere lower down the building. Jim and Selena both make a grab for their weapons. JIM Jesus! SELENA Quiet. The scream comes again. The noise is chilling, echoing up the empty stairwell. But there is something strange about it. The noise is human, but oddly autistic. It is held for slightly too long, and stops abruptly. SELENA That's an infected. Then, the sound of metal scraping, clattering the blockade. SELENA They're in. INT. SHOPPING TROLLEY BLOCKADE - NIGHT Two Infected, a Young Asian Guy and a Young White Guy, moving with amazing speed over the blockade. 26. INT. STAIRS - NIGHT Jim and Selena sprint up the stairs. Behind them, we can hear the Infected, giving chase, howling. They pass level eight, nine, ten... Jim is exhausted. SELENA Come on! JIM (out of breath, barely able to speak) I can't. Selena continues, and Jim looks over the edge of the stairwell, to the landing below... ...where the two Infected appear, tearing around the corner. INT. STAIRWELL - NIGHT Selena sprints up the stairs... and Jim sprints past her, in an amazing burst of energy and speed. They round another bend in the stairwell... ...then both Jim and Selena scream. Standing directly in front of them is a Man In Riot Cop Gear - helmet with full visor, gloves, a riot shield in one hand, and a length of lead pipe in the other. The Man lunges past both of them, barging past, where the Infected White Man has appeared at the stairwell. The Riot Gear Man swings his lead pipe and connects viciously with the White Man's head. The White Man falls backwards against the Asian Man. Both fall back down the stairs. The Riot Gear Man turns back to Jim and Selena. MAN Down the corridor! Flat 157! Jim and Selena are stunned, but start to run down the corridor. The Asian Man is coming back up the stairs. Jim looks back over his shoulder in time to see the Riot Gear Man deliver a massive blow to the Asian Man's head. 27. INT. CORRIDOR - NIGHT Jim and Selena run towards Flat 157. The door is open, but as they approach, it suddenly slams shut. JIM AND SELENA (hammering on the door) Let us in! GIRL (O.S.) Who is it? SELENA Let us in! The door opens a fraction, on the chain. The face of a girl appears. She is fourteen, pale, solemn-faced. GIRL Where's Dad? Jim looks back down the corridor. At the far end, the Man appears. He is holding the limp body of one of the Infected - and he tips it over the balcony, where it drops down the middle of the stairwell. MAN (CALLS BACK) It's okay, Hannah. Let them inside. The door closes, we hear the chain being slipped off, then it opens again. INT. FLAT - NIGHT Jim and Selena enter past the pale-faced girl. The flat is council, three-bed, sixteenth floor of the block. It has patterned wallpaper, and nice but boring furnishings. It is lit by candles. The entrance hall leads straight to the living room, which has French windows and a small balcony outside. On one wall, a framed photograph hangs, which shows the Man standing beside a black taxi cab. Next to him is a middle aged woman - presumably the Man's wife. Hannah sits at the cab's steering wheel, beaming. Another photo, beside, show Hannah sat in the seat of a go- kart. The Man follows Jim and Selena inside. 28. MAN Come in, come in. They follow the Man through to the living room, and Hannah recloses the front door, which has an impressive arrangement of locks and dead-bolts. INT. FLAT - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT In the living room, the fairy lights hang in the window, powered by a car battery. Lit by their glow, the Man goes through a careful ritual of shedding his gear, helped by Hannah. First, he lays down the riot shield. Then he puts the bloodsmeared lead pipe on a small white towel. Next, he removes his gloves - and places them beside the bar on the towel. Then he folds the towel over the weapon and gloves, and puts it beside the riot shield. Finally he removes the visored helmet. Jim and Selena watch him. They look pretty rattled, not really knowing what to expect. After the Man has finished shedding his gear, he turns. MAN So... I'm Frank, anyway. He extends his hand to Jim and Selena. Jim hesitates very briefly, then shakes it. JIM I'm Jim. SELENA Selena. Frank beams, and suddenly he seems much less frightening and imposing. If anything, he is just as nervous as Jim and Selena. FRANK Jim and Selena. Good to meet you. And this is my daughter, Hannah. (turning to Hannah) ...Come on, sweetheart. Say hello. Hannah takes a step into the room, but says nothing. FRANK So... so this is great. Just great. It calls for a celebration. 29. I'd say. Why don't you all sit down, and... Hannah, what have we got to offer? HANNAH (QUIETLY) We've got Mum's creme de menthe. An awkward beat. FRANK Yes, her creme de menthe. Great. Look, sit, please. Get comfortable. Sit tight while I get it. Frank exits. Selena, Jim and Hannah all stand, until Selena gestures at the sofa. SELENA Shall we? Jim and Selena take the sofa. Hannah stays standing. FRANK (O.S.) Where are the bloody glasses? HANNAH Middle cupboard. FRANK (O.S.) No! The good ones! This is a celebration! HANNAH Top cupboard. Another short, uncomfortable pause. Hannah looks at Jim and Selena from her position near the doorway. Her expression is blank and unreadable. JIM This is your place, then. Hannah nods. JIM It's nice. Hannah nods again. Frank re-enters. Frank is beaming, holding the creme de menthe, and four wine glasses. 30. FRANK There! I know it isn't much but... well, cheers! EXT. TOWER BLOCK - NIGHT The moon shines above the tower block. INT. FLAT - NIGHT Jim, Selena and Hannah all sit in the living room, sipping creme de menthe. Frank is disconnecting the fairy lights as he talks, and pulling the curtains closed, rather systematically checking for cracks along the edges. FRANK Normally we keep the windows covered at night, because the light attracts them. But when we saw your petrol station fire, we knew it had to be survivors... So we hooked up the Christmas tree lights. Like a beacon. Finished with the sofa, he sits on the armchair. SELENA We're grateful. FRANK Well, we're grateful you came. I was starting to really worry. Like I say, we haven't seen any sign of anyone normal for a while now. JIM There aren't any others in the building? Frank shakes his head. SELENA And you haven't seen any people outside? Frank's eyes flick to Hannah. FRANK We haven't left the block for more than two weeks. Stayed right here. Only sensible thing to do. Everyone who went out... 31. SELENA Didn't come back. FRANK And there's two hundred flats here. Most of them have a few cans of food, or cereal, or something. SELENA It's a good set-up. FRANK It isn't bad. He puts a hand on Hannah's shoulder, and gives it a squeeze. FRANK We've got by, haven't we? INT. BATHROOM - NIGHT
Florence Nightingale and her team were nursing four miles of patients.
"the bridge was fiercely, indeed violently resisted"
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/nov/05/thousands-expected-attend-london-rally-demand-general-election-peoples-assembly-cost-living-crisis
Travis survived the Westminster Bridge attack, but he didn't expect what came next. Are victims of terrorism taken seriously enough when they seek help against abusive trolling? A terror attack outside the Houses of Parliament in March 2017 left five people dead, while 50 more - including Travis - were injured. As Travis lay recovering in hospital, he opened his phone and saw a death threat that accused him of being a “crisis actor” paid to fake the attack. More were to follow.But Travis says when he sought action to stop the abuse, he came up against a lack of awareness. He feels badly let down by the response he received. So is this a problem that society should be doing more to combat, and if so whose responsibility is it?In this BBC Radio 4 podcast series, the BBC's disinformation and social media correspondent Marianna Spring, investigates how survivors of UK terror attacks and tragedies are targeted with horrific conspiracy theories, online abuse and threats. Across this series - and in this episode - there are graphic descriptions of violence.Presenter: Marianna Spring Producer: Ant Adeane Editor: Ed Main
"it is proposed to call our king of bells, 'Big Ben'"
The queue to view the Queen lying in state has entered it final hours as final preparations for the State funeral are made. Tonight Westminister Abbey will be the setting for the historic event which will be on a scale not seen in Britain since the death of the Queen's father King George the 6th, 70 years ago in 1952. World leaders and dignitaries have arrived in London and given tributes to the Queen ahead of the funeral tonight New Zealand time. Morning Report presenter Corin Dan was at Westminster Bridge on the South Bank next to the queue.
ABIGAIL TRIPP has lived in London Waterloo for almost 25 years. She is an avid swimmer, cyclist and traveller and loves searching out the wild swimming and lido spots in and around London. “Being in touch with the water is so important to me.” Abigail is also a huge cycling fan and cycles all around London. Her idea of finding peace and quiet is going on early morning urban solos, a concept she first discovered while on a silent walking retreat on the west coast of Scotland near Inverie. Closer to London, one of Abigail's favourite camping and swimming destinations is to Brightlingsea Lido and to Mersea Island. Abigail is a founding member of Flux Soup, a collective musical and artistic group who initiate creative events around theatre, music and song. At last year's Waterloo Festival, they collaborated with writer Sarah Gray in a production of Sarah's written work, entitled Heartwood. On our walk from Archbishop's Park in London SE1 she took me to the Thames and along the path between Lambeth Bridge and Westminster Bridge passing the Covid Memorial Wall of red and pink hearts. Where our discussion turns to cycling and Abigail's involvement in Wednesday morning cycle rides for women, as well as the plans she has for community building at St John's Waterloo through art, and collective creativity. To contact Abigail at St Johns, Waterloo go to: https://stjohnswaterloo.org/ To go cycling with Abigail or others go to: https://www.letsride.co.uk/ To know more about Flux Soup go to: https://fluxsoup.weebly.com/ Facebook: Flux Soup ; Instagram: @fluxsouparts To find out about your podcast host EMMA go to https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/ A big thanks to MARISKA Martina at https://www.mariskamartina.com/ for creating our wonderful podcast jingle!
This is the reading of Composed Upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802 by William Wordsworth. If you like this content and you like to further support and make this podcast grow please head over to: www.patreon.com/shortstoryscene --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/shortstoryscene/support
William Wordsworth wrote no fewer than 523 sonnets over the course of his career. (By comparison, the second most prolific Romantic sonneteer was Keats with a paltry 67.) Two of Wordsworth's best-loved efforts in the form are both Petrarchan sonnets with the same rhyme scheme, written in the same year, published in the same volume. Yet their messages, at least at first blush, are fundamentally opposed; one admires London's cityscape and establishes a truce between the trappings of human innovation and the untouched features of the natural world, while the other laments a developed, industrialized, disenchanted England. How might we reconcile Wordsworth's two minds on city life? What characterizes his so-called pagan creed? And must devotion to an ideal alienate us from the tune—however discordant—of our own age? Wes & Erin discuss Wordsworth's “Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802” and “The World is Too Much With Us.”
"London was in a blind panic"
"Given that the ninth Earl was George II's Groom of the Stool, he was probably glad to get out in the fresh air at every opportunity"
Another week, another sunny day in the capital. We've moved along one bridge to Westminster this week. The picture of the Bridge is worth looking at... especially when the sun is shining through!!!!!! Our chat follows on from last week's and discuss who when one door shuts another one opens and how to embrace change even if you haven't chosen it. Life is funny like that. Our foreign phrase is worth remembering and the handy hint will blow your mind! Come walk with us.
The ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future paid Scrooge a visit. We borrow that concept of three as we embark in search of haunted bars, ghost stories and energy centers with a New Year's Eve and/or New Year connection. Places we explore this episode include: Sydney, Australia - We check out two haunted hotels in the Rocks: The Australian Heritage Hotel and the Russel Hotel. Both aren't far from the Circular Quay, a great place to watch New Year's Eve fireworks in Sydney. London, England - We briefly examine the story of a ghost who some say jumps from Westminster Bridge as Big Ben rings in the New Year. Some even say it's Jack the Ripper... (Though that's doubtful.) Speaking of the infamous serial killer, we briefly check out a haunted pub he may have a connection to, The Ten Bells. We also visit the Grenadier, one of London's oldest and many say most haunted pubs. Edinburgh, Scotland - It wouldn't be a proper New Year without checking out Hogmanay and a pub that proclaims itself Edinburgh's most haunted, the Banshee Labyrinth. New York City, New York - For NYE travelers, Times Square is often a priority destination. One of NYC's most luxurious and storied hotels is not far from Times Square, the Algonquin. NYC Ghosts shared that the Algonquin conducts a mini exorcism every New Year's Eve where staff dim the lights and march through the building banging pots and pans to try and ward off sinister spirits. Nashville, Tennessee - This booming city is an up-and-comer NYE travel destination. Hank Williams Sr. died on New Year's Day. Not in Nashville, and years before Tootsie's Orchid Lounge ever opened. But some say the ghosts of the honky tonk's proprietor, Tootsie Bess, and the country music legend haunts the Broadway bar. Chicago, Illinois - Legend has it that a woman jumped from the 10th floor of the Drake Hotel on New Year's Eve. Some believe that may be the woman in red thought to haunt the hotel. Anchorage, Alaska - Another tormented woman who took her life on New Year's Eve can be found in the last stall on the left in the women's bathroom at the Captain Cook Hotel. Except, for her peace of mind and those using the facility, the possessive potty poltergeist's stall has been bolted shut from the inside to try and appease her restless --and sometimes expressive-- manifestations. Energy vortexes around the world - For those interested in ushering in the New Year with good vibrations, a visit to an energy vortex might be just the thing. We mention eight: Sedona, Arizona; Mount Shasta in California; Maui's Haleakalā Volcano in Hawai; Glastonbury and Stonehenge in England; Es Vedra off Ibizia's coast in Spain; the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt; and the Mayan Ruins in Tulum, Mexico. NOTE Because this episode mentions suicide, we feel it's important to stress that if you suspect someone you know is contemplating suicide, or you yourself are, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-272-8255. You don't have to brave the darkness alone. SOURCES https://mysteriouschicago.com/the-woman-in-red-at-the-drake-hotel/ https://awol.junkee.com/haunted-bars-sydney-ranked/73888 https://www.bemytravelmuse.com/energy-vortexes-around-the-world/ https://www.ghosttours.com.au/haunted-accommodation/ https://www.hauntedplaces.org/item/westminster-bridge/ https://www.countryandtownhouse.co.uk/food-and-drink/londons-most-haunted-pubs/ https://www.timeout.com/london/bars-and-pubs/haunted-pubs-in-london https://www.london-ghost-tour.com/grenadier.htm https://www.visitscotland.com/see-do/events/christmas-winter-festivals/hogmanay/ https://www.thebansheelabyrinth.com/ https://nyghosts.com/the-algonquin-hotel/ https://countryrebel.com/blogs/videos/5-haunted-places-in-nashville/ Want more Haunt Jaunts? Jaunt with us online anytime at HauntJaunts.net. Host & Guide Courtney Mroch Music Burnt Spirit by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/3466-burnt-spirit License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Krampus's Workshop by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5518-krampus-s-workshop License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
This week, Jonathan speaks with Kris Aves, Metropolitan police officer, about the day of the Westminster Bridge attack in March 2017, the implication that Kris' injuries have had on his life, and how sports teams can better empower communities of people living with disabilities.
On 22 March 2017, 25-year-old Will Dyson was walking along Westminster Bridge, when a vehicle mounted the pavement and hit him from behind. The Terror Attack left five people dead and more than 50 injured. Will was one of the injured. In the lead-up to the year anniversary, producer Georgia Catt followed Will as he faced up to his changing views of the incident. She also witnessed him receive the devastating news that his doctors weren't happy for him to take part in the Hackney Half Marathon, a long-held personal goal. Three years later Georgia meets Will again to find out how life has been in the intervening years, and watch him finally taking part in the Hackney Half. Produced by Georgia Catt and Ellie Bury
When our Young Person's Mentor Greg spoke to BBC Radio 5 Live on 30 September about Shared Reading, many listeners wrote in to say it was the most inspiring thing they'd ever heard on the radio. We caught up with Greg for an extended conversation about his role at The Reader and to hear more about how Shared Reading fits into this and into Greg's own story so far. We'll also hear from another Reader staff member, Sue, who reads a poem by Wordsworth and talks about the powerful and unexpected sense of calm that this old poem can create in her groups. The Reader on BBC Radio 5 Live BBC Radio 5 Live Word Matters project Young Person's Mentoring Scheme at The Reader ‘Love After Love' by Derek Walcott from The Poetry of Derek Walcott 1948-2013 published by Faber & Faber. We have applied for permission of the publishers FSG to read this poem here. ‘Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802' by William Wordsworth ‘Spiderweb' by Kay Ryan Kay Ryan's poem 'Spiderweb' is from her collection Odd Blocks: New & Selected Poems published by Carcanet. We are grateful for the kind permission of the publishers to read it here.
Here's my latest Trusty Thursday Rant, I have a pop at all sorts of things from John Lewis woke Christmas advert to the Climate Emergency and the blizzard in the Alps to the antics of the Insult Britain idiots outside Parliament and Westminster Bridge whilst waiting for the verdict of the Webb sentence.
Here's my latest Trusty Thursday Rant, I have a pop at all sorts of things from John Lewis woke Christmas advert to the Climate Emergency and the blizzard in the Alps to the antics of the Insult Britain idiots outside Parliament and Westminster Bridge whilst waiting for the verdict of the Webb sentence. Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/TimHeale)
Människorna åkte in till städerna i en helt ny omfattning för så där 200 år sedan. När urbaniseringen och industrialismen tog verklig fart vid 1800-talets början beblandade sig människorna med varandra, buffades och knuffades, klättrade och gjorde klassresor. Det var också då som romanen, så som vi känner den idag, föddes. Mångröstad och detaljrik, som staden själv. Men plötsligt är inte städerna längre självklara magneter för lycksökare och klättrare klimat-kris och terrorhot, pandemi och segregation urholkar stadens position som alltings sjudande ursoppa. I dag hör vi ett långt kulturreportage där du får möta urbanhistorikern Håkan Forsell, författarna Pooneh Rohi och Daniel Gustafsson, litteraturvetaren Lisbeth Larsson och dramatikern Sasha Marianna Salzmann. När reportern Jenny Aschenbrenner undersöker vad det är som händer med staden och hur det syns i romanerna. SAMTAL: OPERANS FRAMTID I SVERIGE Imorgon drar Mötesplats Opera igång. Det är första gången alla delar av operasverige finns representerade på ett tvådagarssymposium arrangerad av Kungliga Musikaliska Akademien med anledning av deras 250 års jubileum. Tanken är att forskare, sångare, operachefer, studenter, dirigenter, tonsättare, librettister, regissörer och allmänheten ska mötas och diskutera operan idag och operan i framtiden. Men vilka utmaningar står operan inför? Susanne Rydén, preses för Musikaliska Akademin kommer till programmet och svarar. ESSÄ: VART TOG MÖRKRET VÄGEN 1812 fick London världens första gasverk, och redan nästa år kunde Westminster Bridge stoltsera med en sensationell nymodighet: permanent gatubelysning. Under århundradet som följde lystes världen upp, och det ogenomträngliga mörker som i alla tider hade ramat in vår tillvaro, fick ge vika. Vad gjorde det med oss? Och var tog allt detta mörker vägen? Det frågar sig poeten Erik Lindman Mata i dagens Obs-essä. Programledare: Lisa Wall Producent: Saman Bakhtiari
Dylan and Charlie explore "The Red Wheelbarrow" by William Carlos Williams (so good they named him twice) and "Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802" by William Wordsworth. Charlie then ambushes Dylan with a rival poem by William Blake.
On Wednesday 22 March 2017, police officer Kris Aves sustained life changing injuries in the Westminster Bridge terror attack.Today, he tells us how, despite no longer being able to walk, he's found renewed hope in his life through golf, using a special contraption called a Paragolfer.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guests: - Kris Aves, Metropolitan police officer.- Cae Menai-Davis, Director and Founder of The Golf Trust.Host: David Walsh, Chief sports writer at The Sunday Times.Clips: TalkSPORT, ITV and Al Jazeera. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Seen so often in the news when a classic view of the House of Parliament is shown, the often overlooked Westminster Bridge has a story and facts of its own. Let us share this with you in this podcast....
Welcome back to our December episode.In part 2, we hear from Lord Teverson, chair of the EU Environment Sub-Committee, about what brought him to the Lords, his committee's work, plus why fisheries and chlorinated chicken have been big subjects in Brexit negotiations.We also continue our interviews for Disability History Month with Baroness Campbell of Surbiton. Jane Campbell is a lifelong disability rights campaigner and we hear about her journey from protesting on Westminster Bridge to the House of Lords, and what more can be done for disability rights today.Want to find out more about topics in this episode? - Read more about the EU Environment Sub-Committee - Read more from members of the House of Lords about Disability History Month See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Chair of the Treasury Select Committee Anthony Browne joins Mike to discuss the help available to small businesses during the pandemic. Dr Mike Smith explains why you should not inject yourself with disinfectant. And Chris Packham gives us a homeschooling lesson on primates. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Keith Chapman was crossing Westminster Bridge like any other day at work, when he was mowed down by a white van. The van, travelling around 76mph was driven by terrorist, Khalid Masood, who went on to kill five people, and injure over 50 during one of the worst terrorist attacks to happen in Britain. In this episode Londoner Keith, shares the harrowing aftermath of being a victim of terror, alongside his wife Linda, who recounts her battle to support her husband through PTSD. We will also hear from Amber Braybrooke, one of the personal injury lawyers who acted for Keith in his civil case and Zac Idun, one of the Met’s most experienced family liaison officers, who was awarded an OBE for his work during numerous terrorist attacks.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
To mark this extremely special occasion of our 50th episode of The Property Nomads Podcast, we are pleased to bring an incredibly special interview to you. Paul Sewell, the man at the head of The Sewell Group, was awarded an OBE for Services to Business and the Community in 2011. He joins Rob today to discuss his story of success which has taken him from incredible lows to the top of business in the UK. Paul shares his incredible insights into the foundations which he believes should be at the root of every business, the important of culture, the recipe for creating the perfect team, and his proudest achievements in business and life. Sign Up For MSOPI Here: https://bit.ly/msopi-nomad KEY TAKEAWAYS When Paul was awarded the OBE for Services to Business in 2011, he was initially hesitant, as the honours system had always seemed a little distant to him. But he quickly recognised that the honour was not just his, but also belonged to those he worked with, and to those who had supported him. Paul is a fierce proponent of ensuring that business benefits everyone. He believes that if a transaction is to the detriment of anyone, then it shouldn't be done. Business is not about chasing awards or making as much money as possible. Being able to benefit people's lives makes your business more attractive and makes for good business in general. A healthy culture in the workplace should come from the top down and should reflect the business's values as well as its purpose. This is how the culture at ‘Sewell Group' has been created, leading the company to often hire for cultural fit rather than technical expertise. The key to success is being able to realise what you're great at. Everyone's great at something. If you identify what you're great at and stick to it, then success is inevitable. Surround yourselves with people who are great at the things you're not great at, and you will have found yourself a successful team. Your biggest assets in this day and age are your emotional attractiveness as a business, and the network you create. The Sewell Group changed its way of working as a result of this wisdom, making business development the role of everybody instead of a single individual. Success to Paul is all about being emotionally attractive as a company, forming good relationships, taking responsibility for any problems, delivering on every promise, and have integrity. People are naturally cautious about having important conversations. But if you have the courage and the will to have these conversations in a direct but kind way, it can be a marvellous way of clearing the air and starting over with someone. Delivering on quality is the most important rule for the Sewell Group. By lowering standards even briefly, or because it means a reduction in potential profits - in Paul's own words, “you let something pernicious into your company that spreads and grows like a cancer”. There are always lessons to be learned from those who've trodden the path before you. A mentor can be an invaluable resource when it comes to encouragement or advice but studying competitors can also provide you with inspirational ways to improve your own business. The future of not just Sewell's but the UK, is in innovation. Paul believes that by constantly looking for ways to grow and improve, we can compete with the best the world has to offer. By getting the small things right, you constantly move forward. Good manners mean so much, they get you everywhere. Good manners in business are especially important as they make you memorable, and a pleasure to deal with, and as Paul says, business is done between people. BEST MOMENTS ‘It's so impressive to know that you can drive your geese over Westminster Bridge!' ‘If your business doesn't make people's lives better, then don't do it' ‘We believe a strong culture is so, so important' ‘I'm just like a football coach who's come into business' ‘Never discount chance meetings in life. 80% of success is showing up' ‘You appreciate the highs in life when you've had the lows' ‘We hire for attitude and train for skill' ‘Hunt down the best, find out what they're doing, replicate what they're doing and make it appropriate to you' ‘Sometimes a wrong decision is better than no decision' VALUABLE RESOURCES The Property Nomads Website The Property Nomads Podcast – iTunes The Property Nomads - Stitcher Buy To Let: How To Get Started – By Rob Smallbone (Amazon) The Sewell Group – About Paul Sewell OBE Paul Sewell OBE – Twitter ABOUT THE HOSTS Rob Smallbone, Rachael Taylor and Matt McSherry, the hosts of The Property Nomads Podcast, are on a global mission to guide your success. Success can happen in many ways, shapes and forms. Think about what success means to you. More properties? More clients? Financial freedom? Time freedom? Rob, Rachael & Matt just want to make a huge difference to people around the world. They are here to guide your success in property, business and life and to inspire you to achieve your goals, dreams and visions. They've travelled, explored, and invested. And they're not planning on stopping these activities anytime soon. Buckle up, sit tight and enjoy the ride that is life. CONTACT METHOD LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Twitter YouTube See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2017-06-19 Special EnglishThis is Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing. Here is the news.President Xi Jinping says expanded economic cooperation among members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization will benefit the region. Speaking at the annual summit of the organization in Astana, Kazakhstan, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for deepening practical cooperation, as regional integration and economic globalization are the trends of the time, and it is important for them to bring benefits to all countries and peoples.To mobilize more resources and the driving force for practical cooperation under the organization framework, China supports the establishment of a mechanism for sub-national cooperation and has vigorously promoted small and medium-sized enterprises cooperation by its initiatives of economic think-tanks alliance and e-commerce alliance of the organization.Bilateral trade relations have grown closer between China and other member countries, as trade facilitation has improved, with China becoming the largest trading partner of Russia and Kyrgyzstan.Meanwhile, mutual investment has grown steadily, with China's non-financial direct investment in other members as of April 2017 amounting to 74 billion U.S. dollars and investment in the opposite direction totaling 1 billion U.S. dollars.Senior Chinese officials highlighted achievements in establishing economic and trade cooperation zones, noting that China has built a total of 21 such cooperation zones within other countries, helping to expand local employment and increase tax revenue.This is Special English.Europe has found itself at the frontline in the fight against terrorism. The sight of armed soldiers on the streets of European cities has become all too familiar.The spotlight has swung to Britain this time, but no-one in France, a country that has experienced several attacks in the past few years, is under the illusion that their country is completely safe.Squads of soldiers with automatic weapons at the ready are a regular sight on the streets of Paris. Despite their presence, the French were reminded of the threat when police shot a man outside Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris earlier this month.The suspect, a 40-year-old Algerian doctoral student, attacked an officer with a hammer while shouting "This is for Syria."One worrying trend to emerge from the British attacks is that in all three attacks, at least one of the perpetrators was known to the authorities. The three attacks included the Westminster Bridge and London Bridge killings in London and the attack in Manchester which also targeted children.As radicalization become ever more complex and multifaceted, many now agree that it is necessary to move beyond a mere cause-effect analysis and look at the problem from different angles. You're listening to Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing.China is making preliminary preparations for a manned lunar landing mission. That's according to Yang Liwei, deputy director general of the China Manned Space Agency.Yang said it will not take long for the project to get official approval and funding. He made the remarks during a group conference at the Global Space Exploration Conference.Yang is China's first astronaut. When asked whether he has any plan to step onto the Moon, he showed great excitement, saying that if he is given the opportunity, there is no problem!A senior official from the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation also said China is working on a manned lunar landing plan.The mission will consist of a manned spaceship, a propulsion vehicle and a lunar lander. The manned spaceship and the lunar lander will be sent into circumlunar orbit separately.This is Special English.SpaceX's uncrewed Dragon cargo ship has arrived at the International Space Station, carrying for the first time an experiment independently designed by China and also supplies for the astronauts living in the orbiting laboratory.NASA astronauts Jack Fischer reached out with the space station's robotic arm and grappled the spacecraft, as the space station was flying over the South Atlantic Ocean, just east off the coast of Argentina.Dragon carried almost 6,000 pounds, roughly 2,700 kilograms of cargo for its 11th commercial resupply mission for NASA, including solar panels, tools for Earth-observation and equipment to study neutron stars.Among the cargo is a 3.5-kilogram device from the Beijing Institute of Technology that aims to investigate how the space radiation and microgravity environment affect DNA.The deal for the delivery was reached in 2015 with NanoRacks, a Houston-based company that offers services for the commercial utilization of the space station.U.S. legislation known as the Wolf amendment bans cooperation between NASA and Chinese government entities, but the deal is purely commercial and therefore considered legal.Dragon, launched aboard a Falcon 9 rocket on 4th of June, was expected to remain docked with the space station until early July.You're listening to Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing.A new undersea telecommunications cable known as MAREA that aims to improve connections between Europe and the United States is scheduled to reach the Spanish coast on July 12.Deployment of the cable, which is being jointly laid by Spanish telecommunications giant Telefonica, along with Microsoft and Facebook, began from the east coast of the United States on May 24. It reached the French city of Calais on June 9, before continuing to a town in northern Spain.Microsoft described MAREA as the highest-capacity subsea cable to ever cross the Atlantic. It features eight fiber pairs and an initial estimated design capacity of 160 TeraBits per Second. That rate is 16 million times faster than a standard home internet connection. Scientists say it's routing south of other trans-Atlantic cables means it will become "the first to connect the United States to southern Europe: from Virginia Beach, Virginia to Bilbao in Spain and then beyond to network hubs in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia.This is Special English.Eight computer science professors at Oregon State University have been tasked to make systems based on artificial intelligence, including autonomous vehicles and robots, more trustworthy.Recent advances in autonomous systems that can perceive, learn, decide and act on their own stem from success of the deep neural networks branch of artificial intelligence, with deep-learning software mimicking the activity in layers of neurons in the neocortex, the part of the brain where thinking occurs.The problem, however, is that the neural networks function as a black box. Instead of humans explicitly coding system behavior using traditional programming, in deep learning the computer program learns on its own from many examples.Potential dangers arise from depending on a system that not even the system developers fully understand.With a 6.5 million U.S. dollars grant over the next four years from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, under its Explainable Artificial Intelligence program, a news release from Oregon State University said its researchers will develop a paradigm to look inside that black box, by getting the program to explain to humans how decisions were reached.You're listening to Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing. You can access the program by logging on to crienglish.com. You can also find us on our Apple Podcast. Now the news continues.Experts predict that the United States, China and India are considered to be the most prospective destinations for foreign direct investment. The statement was made by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development in its annual report on investment.According to the World Investment Report 2017: Investment and the Digital Economy, global foreign direct investment flows retreated marginally in 2016 by 2 percent to 1.75 trillion U.S. dollars, amid weak economic growth and significant policy risks perceived by multinational enterprises.Flows to developing countries were especially hard hit, with a decline of 14 percent, while foreign direct investment outflows from developed countries decreased by 11 percent, mainly owing to a slump in investments from European multinational enterprises.The United States remained the largest recipient of foreign direct investment, attracting 391 billion U.S. dollars in inflows, followed by Britain with 254 billion dollars, and China with inflows of 134 billion dollars.According to the report, with a surge of outflows, China also became last year the second largest investing country. In 2017, global foreign direct investment is expected to rise by 5 percent, to almost 1.8 trillion U.S. dollars.This is Special English.An international research team has evaluated 145 peer-reviewed studies and concluded that "highly protected" marine reserves can help mitigate the effects of climate change.Jane Lubchenco is a professor in the College of Science at Oregon State University and co-author on a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. She said marine reserves cannot halt or completely offset the growing impacts of climate change. But they can make marine ecosystems more resilient to changes and, in some cases, help slow down the rate of climate change.Around the world, coastal nations have committed to protecting 10 percent of their waters by 2020, but thus far only 3.5 percent of the ocean has been set aside for protection, and 1.6 percent, or less than half of that, is strongly protected from exploitation. Some researchers have argued that as much as 30 percent of the ocean should be set aside as reserves to safeguard marine ecosystems in the long-term.The professor says protecting a portion of our oceans and coastal wetlands will help sequester carbon, limit the consequences of poor management, protect habitats and biodiversity that are key to healthy oceans of the future, and buffer coastal populations from extreme events. She says marine reserves are climate reserves.You're listening to Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing.Plant embryos have cells that function as a brain. That's according a study published recently by scientists at the University of Birmingham. The study has revealed that the group of brain cells can assess environmental conditions and dictate when seeds will germinate.The researchers say that a plant's decision about when to germinate is one of the most important it will make during its life. Too soon, and the plant may be damaged by harsh winter conditions; too late, and it may be outcompeted by other more precocious plants.The Birmingham scientists have shown that this trade-off between speed and accuracy is controlled by a small group of cells within the plant embryo that operate in similar way to the human brain.The "decision-making center" in a plant contains two types of cell, one that promotes seed dormancy, and one that promotes germination. The two groups of cells communicate with each other by moving hormones, an analogous mechanism to that employed by our own brains when we decide whether or not to move.The scientists used mathematical modelling to show that communication between the separated elements controls the plant's sensitivity to its environment.This is Special English.Fossils of a complete crocodile and bones belonging to at least six different dinosaurs from the Cretaceous Period, 145 to 66 million years ago, have been excavated in northeast China's Jilin Province.After a year of preparation, paleontologists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and a local fossil center began the excavation in late May, following the discovery of dinosaur fossils in a nearby city in May 2016.（全文见周六微信。）
This quick nine-stop walk gives you a whirlwind tour as well as a practical orientation to London in about an hour. The walk begins on Westminster Bridge and ends at Trafalgar Square, with stops along the way at the Statue of Boadicea, Parliament Square, Whitehall, Cenotaph, #10 Downing Street and the Ministry of Defense, Banqueting House, and Horse Guards. Don't forget to download the PDF companion map at https://www.ricksteves.com/audiotours.
Kirsty Young's castaway is the campaigner Baroness Jane Campbell. She was born with a degenerative condition and her parents were told she would not survive infancy. Now in her mid-fifties and a cross-bench peer, she's spent her adult life campaigning for equality for disabled people and was one of the leading voices behind the Disability Discrimination Act of 1995. She recalls: "I found myself sitting in the middle of Westminster Bridge bringing the traffic to a standstill. The police didn't know what to do with us - whether to pat us on the head or, you know, put handcuffs on us. They were quite confused."Producer: Leanne Buckle.
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