In her small mud hut in a village a few hours from Mumbai, Bali Bhalla is cooking rice on an open stove. As flames dance from the fire, acrid smoke circles around the room. More than two-thirds of Indians live in rural areas and cook like this. But there are environmental concerns about the stoves - one study estimated they're responsible for four per cent of the country's greenhouse gas emissions.
And that's something Neha Juneja wants to change. She's started a company which produces eco-friendly cooking stoves - she says they emit 80% less smoke and use less wood. For her, green technology isn't just about saving the planet, but also about making money.
Neha Juneja: "I and my co-founder, we quit good paying jobs to start this, but we did not start this with a purely social or charitable mission. We saw it as a business and we still see it as a very good opportunity for us to fulfil our dream of bringing a good product to the market and also being financially comfortable."
In a factory on the outskirts of Mumbai, Nitin Bhodale shows me his innovation - a machine which can turn plastic into petrol. At one end of a five metre high cylinder workers drop bags of rubbish; an hour later, crude oil starts to drip out at the other end.
And there is big money to be made - more than $10 billion of funds was pumped into green energy last year, making India the country with the fastest rate of growth. With a rising population, the need for more power in the country is increasing. The belief is that green tech won't just help improve the environment but also the business climate too.
Listen
Click to hear the vocabulary
listen
Vocabulary
SHOW ALL | HIDE ALL
stove
cooker
acrid
harsh, unpleasant
greenhouse gas
fumes that damage the atmosphere
eco-friendly
reduces harm to the environment
emit
give out, release
green
beneficial to the environment
fulfil
satisfy, complete
innovation
new creation, unique concept
cylinder
round container
crude oil
fuel
t was the soap opera that gripped us with the feuding and love-lives of the Ewing family, oil millionaires from Texas, who despite their vast wealth, all chose to live side by side in a vast ranch. Dallas became so popular that it was sold to TV networks around the world and the 1980 cliff hanger of 'who shot JR', the show's resident villain, was watched by 80 million people.
JR of course, survived the shooting, and now his character, played by Larry Hagman, is swaggering through Texas once more, alongside his saintly brother Bobby, and alcoholic ex-wife Sue-Ellen. The original series became synonymous with a free-market 'greed is good' view of the world, where it was acceptable, and even expected, that the rich would flaunt their wealth.
So making money will still be the main motivator for most of the Ewings. Yet in the middle of a global downturn, with real Americans struggling to find jobs and pay their bills, will anyone want to watch it again? Larry Hagman is optimistic. He says the original series became popular during a US recession, as people chose to stay at home to save money, and watched TV instead. Of course, what viewers will really want to see, is JR getting away with double-crossing his own family... again... and again... and again...
Listen
Click to hear the vocabulary
listen
Vocabulary
SHOW ALL | HIDE ALL
soap opera
a television or radio drama series dealing typically with daily events in the lives of the same group of characters.
gripped
take a firm hold of
feuding
fighting
cliff hanger
ending in suspense
swaggering
walking confidently
saintly
good - almost holy
synonymous
closely associated
flaunt
show off
optimistic
positive
double-crossing
cheating
Detailed it is but modest it certainly isn't. The editorial sets out in precise terms where China can expect to win gold medals. In gymnastics the haul could be nine, weight lifting offers up the opportunity for another five, and there could be medals won on the track. All told, China believes it can win 37 gold medals - enough to top the table.
What's perhaps surprising about this editorial is that it's been published in the first place. But in a country known for setting targets, it serves as a public warning to Chinese athletes not to disappoint.
Glory goes not only to the individual winner but the country as a whole. And Chinese fans can be unforgiving if their athletes fail to meet expectations or in this case, specific targets. As for the host nation, Britain, well, there's some good news. China's state-run news agency predicts it could finish third.
Listen
Click to hear the vocabulary
listen
Vocabulary
SHOW ALL | HIDE ALL
modest
unassuming/not showing off
editorial
news article written by the editor that gives an opinion
haul
amount gained
all told
in total
top the table
be ranked at the number one position
it serves
it works
glory
high honor won by notable achievements
unforgiving
unable to stop feeling angry or resentful
host nation
country where the olympics is held
predicts
estimates for the future
David Beckham said he was disappointed by the decision to leave him out of the Great Britain football squad for the twenty-twelve Games, but that there would be no bigger supporter of the team's efforts. A few months ago he thought he had a good chance of being picked for the squad, as he'd made the original shortlist.
He revealed on Thursday though, that the team's coach Stuart Pearce had rung him with the bad news on Wednesday evening. The thirty-seven-year-old currently plays for LA Galaxy, but his other major role was as a sporting ambassador who helped Britain to secure the Games, and has been enthusiastic about its legacy. Sports fans are divided over the decision; John Prescott is an opposition politician:
"I think he's done a tremendous contribution for this country. He's still playing football and those skills that everybody talks about in the British football team and top fifty, I'm afraid it hasn't produced it at the finals, and the World Cup and the Europe Cup. We can't get guys that can score. This fella used to 'bend it like Beckham'."
Others support the coach's decision though, saying sentiment shouldn't play a part in deciding who represents Britain at the world's greatest sporting event. As a child David Beckham played football on pitches close to where the Olympic Stadium now stands, and was hopeful about the regeneration benefits that the Olympics might bring to the area.
Listen
Click to hear the vocabulary
listen
Vocabulary
SHOW ALL | HIDE ALL
disappointed
sad or displeased
supporter
person who is actively interested and encouraging
shortlist
list of preferred players
sporting ambassador
representative or promoter of sport
legacy
lasting effect / benefits
sentiment
emotional feelings
regeneration
improvement
benefits
advantages or gains
Voice of tablet computer:
"Mary, Mary, quite contrary."
Six-year-old Ruby Dunn has autism and can't speak. But now a software application on an mp3 player and on a tablet computer is giving her a voice.
Voice of tablet computer:
"What grows in the garden?"
"The flowers. The flowers grow in the garden."
Pauline Hoygreen works with her to make sure she is integrated in to school life. In one-on-one sessions they communicate through the app:
Pauline Hoygreen, teacher:
"It's giving her her own voice and it's giving her a child's voice for her to be able to communicate to a teacher, her one-to-ones, the children in the class and the children around the rest of the school."
Ruby was born 14 weeks premature and very tiny, so life has been a bit of a struggle.
Voice of tablet computer:
"Can I have lasagne, broccoli, carrots?"
At lunchtime the app allows her to order her meal.
Voice of tablet computer:
"I want the wheels on the bus please."
And in the classroom, Ruby uses it and other technology to play a full part in lessons.
It's worth saying there are now plenty of apps, some of them free, available on all sorts of devices which are designed to help children with disabilities. The one we've been looking at is pretty expensive – it costs around £130 – but Ruby's family say it's made a huge difference to her life.
Ruby's father:
"There's a lot of frustration involved with autism and quite often Ruby's trying to pull you to show you something, you're not quite sure what it is she's looking at or what she's looking for or what she's asking for. But now she's got this tool, this brilliant tool, that's able to give her this voice, it's taken a lot of frustration out. We find it's calmed her down a lot."
With school over it's time to head home with the technology which has given Ruby and thousands like her a better connection to their world.
Listen
Click to hear the vocabulary
listen
Vocabulary
SHOW ALL | HIDE ALL
software application
piece of computer programming designed to help a user perform a task
giving her a voice
allowing her to communicate with other people
integrated
being involved
communicate
exchange information
premature
born before she was fully developed
a struggle
a challenge
technology
electronic or digital products
devices
gadgets or pieces of electronic equipment
Ireland has a proud tradition of producing good quality food, which is enjoyed at home and abroad. But like many developed countries, it's also battling obesity - nearly forty per cent of adults here are overweight.
On Wednesday the country's health minister backed a report calling for calorie labelling, which would mean that Irish restaurants, like this one, and fast food outlets would have to show exactly how many calories are in the dishes that they serve.
The health minister said the country's food businesses have six months to introduce calorie menu labelling, or else face the possible introduction of a compulsory scheme.
Some fast food chains here already label their menus, allowing customers to make healthier choices if they wish. But the country's restaurant association has claimed it will cost each outlet around seven thousand dollars to implement calorie labelling.
The move is supported, however, by the findings of the report, which show that most people here support calorie labelling in food outlets. This is a country with a track record of acting on public health - Ireland was one of the first places in the world to implement a blanket smoking ban in public places, for example.
Listen
Click to hear the vocabulary
listen
Vocabulary
SHOW ALL | HIDE ALL
a proud tradition
a long-established custom
obesity
the problem of being overweight
backed
supported
dishes
meals or food
compulsory
required by law
outlet
place that sells food (eg: a fast food outlet)
implement
carry out
the move
the action
a track record
a history of accomplishment
blanket
complete
Eight million years ago, a shift in the climate caused more barren, open landscapes to spread across the globe. And without the cover of trees, large animals grouped together for protection.
This, the scientists say, was when wild dogs started to work together, teaming up to drive big prey out of the herd. The Colombian team examined the skulls of more than 300 dog species, building a timeline that revealed how their jaws and teeth had evolved.
This revealed that the wolves from which our domestic dogs descend started to change when they began to hunt in packs. From then on, the dogs with the biggest teeth and most powerful jaws were most likely to succeed in overpowering their prey, so they passed their 'hypercarnivorous' genes on to the next generation.
The researchers say that this is what's given our pet dogs such good evolutionary reasons to really enjoy chewing on bones.
Listen
Click to hear the vocabulary
listen
Vocabulary
SHOW ALL | HIDE ALL
barren
land which does not have plants growing on it
landscapes
visible areas of land
big prey
large animals that are hunted by others
herd
group of animals that live together
skulls
bone cases for protecting the brain
species
group or type of animal or plant
evolved
developed gradually over time
descend
come from
overpowering
defeating through greater strength
genes
part of a cell which contains information about an animal's characteristics
Worldwide millions of body parts are turned into medical products every year from tissue donation, in what has become a flourishing trade. When you donate your tissues, every part of the body worth recycling is stripped, from your skin and bones to veins, muscles, eyes and heart valves. Bones can be used in spinal surgery or for dental implants and skin is used for burn victims, for example. But where does it all come from, where is it used and was it all legally procured?
The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists found repeated allegations in Ukraine that proper consent had not been obtained. What's more you won't necessarily know that you are receiving human tissue from a corpse.
The United States is the world's biggest trader of products from human tissue, selling an estimated two million body-derived products a year. Yet, according to the report, the authorities don't seem to know how much tissue is imported, where it comes from, or where it subsequently goes. Buying and selling human tissue is illegal in most countries, but paying service fees is permissible and the report says a single disease-free body can fetch tens of thousands of dollars.
Listen
Click to hear the vocabulary
listen
Vocabulary
SHOW ALL | HIDE ALL
tissue donation
the act of giving your body parts for medical use after you die
flourishing trade
growing business
stripped
removed
procured
obtained
allegations
accusations
consent
permission
corpse
dead body
imported
brought into a country
subsequently
afterwards
permissible
allowed
Not everyone has the same profile as Usain Bolt, but there are other Olympic athletes here in London who've gained superstar status, albeit within the confines of their own national boundaries. Take the Ukrainian fencer, Olga Kharlan, who caused a sensation in Beijing by almost single-handedly prising the team gold medal from the Chinese. She was just 18 then, and the former dancer and model is hoping for further success.
Another celebrity in his homeland, but at the opposite end of the age scale, is 71-year-old Hiroshi Hoketsu. The Japanese dressage rider is poised to become the second oldest Olympian of all time. Still fit and lean, he puts his longevity down to an avoidance of oily food.
China topped the medals table four years ago and another strong performance is expected. Their star turn could come in the aquatic centre. Sun Yang is considered the finest distance swimmer in the world. Standing at an imposing two metres tall, he might even eclipse the serial champion Michael Phelps.
Finally to track and field and Caster Semenya, who will be making her Olympic debut. The South African wasn't allowed to celebrate her 800 metres world title in 2009 as doubts over her gender emerged. She said that's now all behind her and if she wins a medal in London will dedicate it to Nelson Mandela who helped her through those tough times.
Listen
Click to hear the vocabulary
listen
Vocabulary
SHOW ALL | HIDE ALL
superstar status
extreme popularity
fencer
someone who does fencing (a sport of fighting with swords)
single-handedly
without assistance
dressage rider
person who rides a horse trained to perform a special routine
poised to
ready to, prepared to
longevity
long life
topped
reached the top of
eclipse
do better than
track and field
the sports that include running, jumping and throwing
gender
state of being male or female
Mariem Selsouli gave a sample which contained a banned diuretic shortly after running the fastest time this year over 1500 metres in Paris earlier this month. She has become one of more than a hundred athletes worldwide who have been caught in the last six months.
The anti-doping operation at this Olympics will be the most rigorous in history. There are new ways to detect banned substances like human growth hormone and synthetic testosterone which have previously dipped beneath the radar. But despite the advances, the Director General of the World Anti-Doping Agency has expressed caution. David Howman feared as many as one in ten athletes at the Games could be cheating the system. And he said the sophisticated dopers are difficult to trap.
WADA said intelligence gathering had become key in identifying potential cheats and that individual athletes have been targeted. Samples taken in London will be kept for the next eight years. The message to those who want to use banned products was they would never be able to rest at ease. Although the International Olympic Committee has been criticised for not re-testing the batch from the 2004 Games in Athens until recently.
Listen
Click to hear the vocabulary
listen
Vocabulary
SHOW ALL | HIDE ALL
a sample
a small quantity of urine
diuretic
drug that tends to increase the passing of urine
rigorous
extremely thorough
to detect
to discover the existence of
synthetic
artificial
dipped beneath the radar
not been noticed in doping tests
caution
a warning
sophisticated
most complex
potential cheats
athletes who are suspected of taking drugs
to rest at ease
to relax
Almost two years before construction on London's Olympic Park even started, Ahmed Al Sammarai was kidnapped as he presided over a meeting of the Iraqi Olympic Committee. Gunmen took 38 officials in all, before releasing 13. 25 have never been seen since.
What followed was a statement of condemnation from the IOC's President Jacques Rogge and a demand for answers. 18 months later, Iraq was suspended from the Olympic Movement for government interference. But it was reinstated in time for the Beijing Games, and has eight athletes in London.
Mr Al Sammarai's wife, Niran, believes her cause has become an embarrassment for the Olympic Movement. She is urging President Rogge to reinvigorate the campaign for freedom and justice for all 25 held.
In a statement, the IOC said the President had met her and continued to follow the situation closely and offer any help it could. But the meeting took place nearly five years ago. Niran Al Sammarai doesn't know if her husband is alive or dead; but she continues to believe he can be found - only if the IOC takes a lead challenging the Iraqi Government for answers.
Listen
Click to hear the vocabulary
listen
Vocabulary
SHOW ALL | HIDE ALL
construction
building
presided over
chaired or sat in in a position of authority at
condemnation
strong disapproval
suspended
temporarily prevented
reinstated
restored to its former position
cause
motive or issue
an embarrassment
an awkward issue
to reinvigorate
to put new energy and effort in to
justice
legally fair and reasonable treatment
challenging
putting pressure on
The journey to London 2012 for the American runner Lopez Lomong has been long and extraordinary. He was one of the so-called Lost Boys - thousands of child refugees who fled civil war in Sudan.
Lopez Lomong:
My journey started when I was 6 years old, in the little village of Kimatong. We were in a church when the rebel soldiers came in and ordered everyone to lay down. They took all the young kids to the training camp - I was too young to hold an AK-47 and go to war because I was only 6 years old. I witnessed a lot of kids dying every day because of the food they were giving us. They were giving us a grain which was mixed with sand - a lot of kids were eating this food - but it doesn't digest in the stomach and they die.
One night Lopez Lomong managed to crawl out of the rebel camp and started running. He thought he was going back to his village, but his first ever race took him all the way to Kenya, where he spent the next 10 years in a refugee camp. Life was hard and he would run to forget his hunger. But one day he caught a glimpse into another world. He spent all the money he had - five shillings - to watch one Olympic race on TV.
Lopez Lomong:
I saw Michael Johnson running the 400m final and he ran so fast. What really inspired me so much is that when he went to receive the medal I saw the tears come out of his face – in Africa, a grown-up person cannot cry like that. I thought, why did he cry? He just won the race, he wasn't last. But eventually I ended up seeing that he was running behind something bigger than himself – he was running for his country. From that moment, I said I would like to run for that country one day, and he became my role model from that point.
His dreams came true when the United States agreed to take 3,500 of Sudan's Lost Boys as part of a government resettlement programme. He even met his hero Michael Johnson and after years of training he qualified for the Beijing Olympics, where he was their flag bearer.
But he has never forgotten his roots and frequently visits South Sudan, where he helps to provide clean water, education and medicine through his foundation, '4 South Sudan'. He truly represents these Olympics because he's not just running for gold for the glory, but to inspire the next generation in America and across Africa.
Listen
Click to hear the vocabulary
listen
Vocabulary
SHOW ALL | HIDE ALL
extraordinary
remarkable, amazing
rebel soldiers
witnessed
crawl
refugee camp
caught a glimpse
inspired
role model
flag bearer
glory
The Australian team has had a disappointing time at the Games so far, achieving far fewer gold medals than expected. Their team officials have conceded that they won't reach their aim of finishing among the top 5 countries, a blow exacerbated by the fact that their sporting rivals, Great Britain, are way ahead in the medal count.
The Australian sports minister, Kate Lundy, says her country is unlikely to catch up and that she will honour a bet made with the British sports minister to row a length of the Olympic rowing venue in a Great Britain shirt. Her British counterpart, Hugh Robertson, is relieved not to have to carry out his forfeit in central London.
The fierce rivalry between the two teams was spawned by cricket, and the Ashes series between England and Australia that's staged roughly every two years since the 1880s. They also fight for supremacy in rugby.
Australia's lacklustre Olympic performance has led to calls for the government to increase funding for sports, but the Australian Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, said today that the country should enjoy the Games now and examine the team's overall performance later.
Listen
Click to hear the vocabulary
listen
Vocabulary
SHOW ALL | HIDE ALL
achieving
reaching or attaining
conceded
admitted defeat
exacerbated
made worse
honour
fulfil or keep
counterpart
person holding the same position
forfeit
penalty for losing
spawned
started or originated
staged
held
supremacy
domination
lacklustre
unimpressive
The sign that's put the South Korean footballer onto the headlines read "Dokdo is our land." Dokdo, or Takeshima in Japanese, are a set of islands half way between Korea and Japan, that have been disputed between the two countries for decades.
A Korean Olympics Committee official told reporters that the sign that the midfielder displayed was handed to him by spectators at the end of the match, and the player simply ran with it overcome with the joy of victory. FIFA, the world football governing body, has asked the Korean Football Association to further investigate the incident and provide results by the 16th.
Political messages are banned at the Olympics and the 23-year-old footballer was barred from attending the medal award ceremony.
In South Korea, passion remains high over the rocky islands under dispute. For many Koreans, it is a reminder of 35 years of colonial rule by Japan. While Korean territory before its annexation was eventually returned, the claim to Dokdo or Takeshima has continuously been disputed.
On Friday, a few days before Korea's Liberation Day, President Lee Myung Bak made a surprise visit to Dokdo, the first South Korean President to set foot on the disputed islands, generating fierce criticism from Japan.
Listen
Click to hear the vocabulary
listen
Vocabulary
SHOW ALL | HIDE ALL
disputed
argued about
overcome
emotional
victory
triumph or success
investigate
look into
barred
prevented or forbidden
passion
barely controlled emotion
colonial rule
being controlled or ruled by
annexation
incorporation or attachment to
to set foot on
land on
criticism
disapproval
The events at the London Olympic Games might have kept millions of viewers glued to their screens, but to the inhabitants of Llanwrtyd Wells in Wales they seemed a little mundane.
The town is hosting its own version of the Games, which challenge competitors just that little bit extra. The sprinters have to race in three-inch high heels, the long distance runners have to go backwards and the hockey teams have to play underwater. Thousands of competitors from around the world will participate in 35 events over a two-week period.
The town has been organising quirky sporting events for over 30 years. It all started with the man versus horse marathon – a gruelling race that pits 600 runners and 50 horses and their riders against each other over 22 miles of rugged, Welsh mountain terrain. The horses are generally quicker, but human runners have won on two occasions in the race's history.
In true Olympic spirit, this year the organisers are welcoming other quirky sports from around the world, including wife carrying and Russian egg roulette – where competitors take it in turns to smash a batch of six boiled eggs against their foreheads; the loser is the unlucky one who gets the raw egg in the batch.
Listen
Click to hear the vocabulary
listen
Vocabulary
SHOW ALL | HIDE ALL
glued to their screens
unable to take their eyes away from the television
mundane
dull, ordinary
high heels
very tall shoes
backwards
in reverse
quirky
strange, eccentric
versus
against, in competition with
gruelling
difficult
pits
sets as rivals
rugged
rocky, rough
raw
uncooked
And that's something Neha Juneja wants to change. She's started a company which produces eco-friendly cooking stoves - she says they emit 80% less smoke and use less wood. For her, green technology isn't just about saving the planet, but also about making money.
Neha Juneja: "I and my co-founder, we quit good paying jobs to start this, but we did not start this with a purely social or charitable mission. We saw it as a business and we still see it as a very good opportunity for us to fulfil our dream of bringing a good product to the market and also being financially comfortable."
In a factory on the outskirts of Mumbai, Nitin Bhodale shows me his innovation - a machine which can turn plastic into petrol. At one end of a five metre high cylinder workers drop bags of rubbish; an hour later, crude oil starts to drip out at the other end.
And there is big money to be made - more than $10 billion of funds was pumped into green energy last year, making India the country with the fastest rate of growth. With a rising population, the need for more power in the country is increasing. The belief is that green tech won't just help improve the environment but also the business climate too.
Listen
Click to hear the vocabulary
listen
Vocabulary
SHOW ALL | HIDE ALL
stove
cooker
acrid
harsh, unpleasant
greenhouse gas
fumes that damage the atmosphere
eco-friendly
reduces harm to the environment
emit
give out, release
green
beneficial to the environment
fulfil
satisfy, complete
innovation
new creation, unique concept
cylinder
round container
crude oil
fuel
t was the soap opera that gripped us with the feuding and love-lives of the Ewing family, oil millionaires from Texas, who despite their vast wealth, all chose to live side by side in a vast ranch. Dallas became so popular that it was sold to TV networks around the world and the 1980 cliff hanger of 'who shot JR', the show's resident villain, was watched by 80 million people.
JR of course, survived the shooting, and now his character, played by Larry Hagman, is swaggering through Texas once more, alongside his saintly brother Bobby, and alcoholic ex-wife Sue-Ellen. The original series became synonymous with a free-market 'greed is good' view of the world, where it was acceptable, and even expected, that the rich would flaunt their wealth.
So making money will still be the main motivator for most of the Ewings. Yet in the middle of a global downturn, with real Americans struggling to find jobs and pay their bills, will anyone want to watch it again? Larry Hagman is optimistic. He says the original series became popular during a US recession, as people chose to stay at home to save money, and watched TV instead. Of course, what viewers will really want to see, is JR getting away with double-crossing his own family... again... and again... and again...
Listen
Click to hear the vocabulary
listen
Vocabulary
SHOW ALL | HIDE ALL
soap opera
a television or radio drama series dealing typically with daily events in the lives of the same group of characters.
gripped
take a firm hold of
feuding
fighting
cliff hanger
ending in suspense
swaggering
walking confidently
saintly
good - almost holy
synonymous
closely associated
flaunt
show off
optimistic
positive
double-crossing
cheating
Detailed it is but modest it certainly isn't. The editorial sets out in precise terms where China can expect to win gold medals. In gymnastics the haul could be nine, weight lifting offers up the opportunity for another five, and there could be medals won on the track. All told, China believes it can win 37 gold medals - enough to top the table.
What's perhaps surprising about this editorial is that it's been published in the first place. But in a country known for setting targets, it serves as a public warning to Chinese athletes not to disappoint.
Glory goes not only to the individual winner but the country as a whole. And Chinese fans can be unforgiving if their athletes fail to meet expectations or in this case, specific targets. As for the host nation, Britain, well, there's some good news. China's state-run news agency predicts it could finish third.
Listen
Click to hear the vocabulary
listen
Vocabulary
SHOW ALL | HIDE ALL
modest
unassuming/not showing off
editorial
news article written by the editor that gives an opinion
haul
amount gained
all told
in total
top the table
be ranked at the number one position
it serves
it works
glory
high honor won by notable achievements
unforgiving
unable to stop feeling angry or resentful
host nation
country where the olympics is held
predicts
estimates for the future
David Beckham said he was disappointed by the decision to leave him out of the Great Britain football squad for the twenty-twelve Games, but that there would be no bigger supporter of the team's efforts. A few months ago he thought he had a good chance of being picked for the squad, as he'd made the original shortlist.
He revealed on Thursday though, that the team's coach Stuart Pearce had rung him with the bad news on Wednesday evening. The thirty-seven-year-old currently plays for LA Galaxy, but his other major role was as a sporting ambassador who helped Britain to secure the Games, and has been enthusiastic about its legacy. Sports fans are divided over the decision; John Prescott is an opposition politician:
"I think he's done a tremendous contribution for this country. He's still playing football and those skills that everybody talks about in the British football team and top fifty, I'm afraid it hasn't produced it at the finals, and the World Cup and the Europe Cup. We can't get guys that can score. This fella used to 'bend it like Beckham'."
Others support the coach's decision though, saying sentiment shouldn't play a part in deciding who represents Britain at the world's greatest sporting event. As a child David Beckham played football on pitches close to where the Olympic Stadium now stands, and was hopeful about the regeneration benefits that the Olympics might bring to the area.
Listen
Click to hear the vocabulary
listen
Vocabulary
SHOW ALL | HIDE ALL
disappointed
sad or displeased
supporter
person who is actively interested and encouraging
shortlist
list of preferred players
sporting ambassador
representative or promoter of sport
legacy
lasting effect / benefits
sentiment
emotional feelings
regeneration
improvement
benefits
advantages or gains
Voice of tablet computer:
"Mary, Mary, quite contrary."
Six-year-old Ruby Dunn has autism and can't speak. But now a software application on an mp3 player and on a tablet computer is giving her a voice.
Voice of tablet computer:
"What grows in the garden?"
"The flowers. The flowers grow in the garden."
Pauline Hoygreen works with her to make sure she is integrated in to school life. In one-on-one sessions they communicate through the app:
Pauline Hoygreen, teacher:
"It's giving her her own voice and it's giving her a child's voice for her to be able to communicate to a teacher, her one-to-ones, the children in the class and the children around the rest of the school."
Ruby was born 14 weeks premature and very tiny, so life has been a bit of a struggle.
Voice of tablet computer:
"Can I have lasagne, broccoli, carrots?"
At lunchtime the app allows her to order her meal.
Voice of tablet computer:
"I want the wheels on the bus please."
And in the classroom, Ruby uses it and other technology to play a full part in lessons.
It's worth saying there are now plenty of apps, some of them free, available on all sorts of devices which are designed to help children with disabilities. The one we've been looking at is pretty expensive – it costs around £130 – but Ruby's family say it's made a huge difference to her life.
Ruby's father:
"There's a lot of frustration involved with autism and quite often Ruby's trying to pull you to show you something, you're not quite sure what it is she's looking at or what she's looking for or what she's asking for. But now she's got this tool, this brilliant tool, that's able to give her this voice, it's taken a lot of frustration out. We find it's calmed her down a lot."
With school over it's time to head home with the technology which has given Ruby and thousands like her a better connection to their world.
Listen
Click to hear the vocabulary
listen
Vocabulary
SHOW ALL | HIDE ALL
software application
piece of computer programming designed to help a user perform a task
giving her a voice
allowing her to communicate with other people
integrated
being involved
communicate
exchange information
premature
born before she was fully developed
a struggle
a challenge
technology
electronic or digital products
devices
gadgets or pieces of electronic equipment
Ireland has a proud tradition of producing good quality food, which is enjoyed at home and abroad. But like many developed countries, it's also battling obesity - nearly forty per cent of adults here are overweight.
On Wednesday the country's health minister backed a report calling for calorie labelling, which would mean that Irish restaurants, like this one, and fast food outlets would have to show exactly how many calories are in the dishes that they serve.
The health minister said the country's food businesses have six months to introduce calorie menu labelling, or else face the possible introduction of a compulsory scheme.
Some fast food chains here already label their menus, allowing customers to make healthier choices if they wish. But the country's restaurant association has claimed it will cost each outlet around seven thousand dollars to implement calorie labelling.
The move is supported, however, by the findings of the report, which show that most people here support calorie labelling in food outlets. This is a country with a track record of acting on public health - Ireland was one of the first places in the world to implement a blanket smoking ban in public places, for example.
Listen
Click to hear the vocabulary
listen
Vocabulary
SHOW ALL | HIDE ALL
a proud tradition
a long-established custom
obesity
the problem of being overweight
backed
supported
dishes
meals or food
compulsory
required by law
outlet
place that sells food (eg: a fast food outlet)
implement
carry out
the move
the action
a track record
a history of accomplishment
blanket
complete
Eight million years ago, a shift in the climate caused more barren, open landscapes to spread across the globe. And without the cover of trees, large animals grouped together for protection.
This, the scientists say, was when wild dogs started to work together, teaming up to drive big prey out of the herd. The Colombian team examined the skulls of more than 300 dog species, building a timeline that revealed how their jaws and teeth had evolved.
This revealed that the wolves from which our domestic dogs descend started to change when they began to hunt in packs. From then on, the dogs with the biggest teeth and most powerful jaws were most likely to succeed in overpowering their prey, so they passed their 'hypercarnivorous' genes on to the next generation.
The researchers say that this is what's given our pet dogs such good evolutionary reasons to really enjoy chewing on bones.
Listen
Click to hear the vocabulary
listen
Vocabulary
SHOW ALL | HIDE ALL
barren
land which does not have plants growing on it
landscapes
visible areas of land
big prey
large animals that are hunted by others
herd
group of animals that live together
skulls
bone cases for protecting the brain
species
group or type of animal or plant
evolved
developed gradually over time
descend
come from
overpowering
defeating through greater strength
genes
part of a cell which contains information about an animal's characteristics
Worldwide millions of body parts are turned into medical products every year from tissue donation, in what has become a flourishing trade. When you donate your tissues, every part of the body worth recycling is stripped, from your skin and bones to veins, muscles, eyes and heart valves. Bones can be used in spinal surgery or for dental implants and skin is used for burn victims, for example. But where does it all come from, where is it used and was it all legally procured?
The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists found repeated allegations in Ukraine that proper consent had not been obtained. What's more you won't necessarily know that you are receiving human tissue from a corpse.
The United States is the world's biggest trader of products from human tissue, selling an estimated two million body-derived products a year. Yet, according to the report, the authorities don't seem to know how much tissue is imported, where it comes from, or where it subsequently goes. Buying and selling human tissue is illegal in most countries, but paying service fees is permissible and the report says a single disease-free body can fetch tens of thousands of dollars.
Listen
Click to hear the vocabulary
listen
Vocabulary
SHOW ALL | HIDE ALL
tissue donation
the act of giving your body parts for medical use after you die
flourishing trade
growing business
stripped
removed
procured
obtained
allegations
accusations
consent
permission
corpse
dead body
imported
brought into a country
subsequently
afterwards
permissible
allowed
Not everyone has the same profile as Usain Bolt, but there are other Olympic athletes here in London who've gained superstar status, albeit within the confines of their own national boundaries. Take the Ukrainian fencer, Olga Kharlan, who caused a sensation in Beijing by almost single-handedly prising the team gold medal from the Chinese. She was just 18 then, and the former dancer and model is hoping for further success.
Another celebrity in his homeland, but at the opposite end of the age scale, is 71-year-old Hiroshi Hoketsu. The Japanese dressage rider is poised to become the second oldest Olympian of all time. Still fit and lean, he puts his longevity down to an avoidance of oily food.
China topped the medals table four years ago and another strong performance is expected. Their star turn could come in the aquatic centre. Sun Yang is considered the finest distance swimmer in the world. Standing at an imposing two metres tall, he might even eclipse the serial champion Michael Phelps.
Finally to track and field and Caster Semenya, who will be making her Olympic debut. The South African wasn't allowed to celebrate her 800 metres world title in 2009 as doubts over her gender emerged. She said that's now all behind her and if she wins a medal in London will dedicate it to Nelson Mandela who helped her through those tough times.
Listen
Click to hear the vocabulary
listen
Vocabulary
SHOW ALL | HIDE ALL
superstar status
extreme popularity
fencer
someone who does fencing (a sport of fighting with swords)
single-handedly
without assistance
dressage rider
person who rides a horse trained to perform a special routine
poised to
ready to, prepared to
longevity
long life
topped
reached the top of
eclipse
do better than
track and field
the sports that include running, jumping and throwing
gender
state of being male or female
Mariem Selsouli gave a sample which contained a banned diuretic shortly after running the fastest time this year over 1500 metres in Paris earlier this month. She has become one of more than a hundred athletes worldwide who have been caught in the last six months.
The anti-doping operation at this Olympics will be the most rigorous in history. There are new ways to detect banned substances like human growth hormone and synthetic testosterone which have previously dipped beneath the radar. But despite the advances, the Director General of the World Anti-Doping Agency has expressed caution. David Howman feared as many as one in ten athletes at the Games could be cheating the system. And he said the sophisticated dopers are difficult to trap.
WADA said intelligence gathering had become key in identifying potential cheats and that individual athletes have been targeted. Samples taken in London will be kept for the next eight years. The message to those who want to use banned products was they would never be able to rest at ease. Although the International Olympic Committee has been criticised for not re-testing the batch from the 2004 Games in Athens until recently.
Listen
Click to hear the vocabulary
listen
Vocabulary
SHOW ALL | HIDE ALL
a sample
a small quantity of urine
diuretic
drug that tends to increase the passing of urine
rigorous
extremely thorough
to detect
to discover the existence of
synthetic
artificial
dipped beneath the radar
not been noticed in doping tests
caution
a warning
sophisticated
most complex
potential cheats
athletes who are suspected of taking drugs
to rest at ease
to relax
Almost two years before construction on London's Olympic Park even started, Ahmed Al Sammarai was kidnapped as he presided over a meeting of the Iraqi Olympic Committee. Gunmen took 38 officials in all, before releasing 13. 25 have never been seen since.
What followed was a statement of condemnation from the IOC's President Jacques Rogge and a demand for answers. 18 months later, Iraq was suspended from the Olympic Movement for government interference. But it was reinstated in time for the Beijing Games, and has eight athletes in London.
Mr Al Sammarai's wife, Niran, believes her cause has become an embarrassment for the Olympic Movement. She is urging President Rogge to reinvigorate the campaign for freedom and justice for all 25 held.
In a statement, the IOC said the President had met her and continued to follow the situation closely and offer any help it could. But the meeting took place nearly five years ago. Niran Al Sammarai doesn't know if her husband is alive or dead; but she continues to believe he can be found - only if the IOC takes a lead challenging the Iraqi Government for answers.
Listen
Click to hear the vocabulary
listen
Vocabulary
SHOW ALL | HIDE ALL
construction
building
presided over
chaired or sat in in a position of authority at
condemnation
strong disapproval
suspended
temporarily prevented
reinstated
restored to its former position
cause
motive or issue
an embarrassment
an awkward issue
to reinvigorate
to put new energy and effort in to
justice
legally fair and reasonable treatment
challenging
putting pressure on
The journey to London 2012 for the American runner Lopez Lomong has been long and extraordinary. He was one of the so-called Lost Boys - thousands of child refugees who fled civil war in Sudan.
Lopez Lomong:
My journey started when I was 6 years old, in the little village of Kimatong. We were in a church when the rebel soldiers came in and ordered everyone to lay down. They took all the young kids to the training camp - I was too young to hold an AK-47 and go to war because I was only 6 years old. I witnessed a lot of kids dying every day because of the food they were giving us. They were giving us a grain which was mixed with sand - a lot of kids were eating this food - but it doesn't digest in the stomach and they die.
One night Lopez Lomong managed to crawl out of the rebel camp and started running. He thought he was going back to his village, but his first ever race took him all the way to Kenya, where he spent the next 10 years in a refugee camp. Life was hard and he would run to forget his hunger. But one day he caught a glimpse into another world. He spent all the money he had - five shillings - to watch one Olympic race on TV.
Lopez Lomong:
I saw Michael Johnson running the 400m final and he ran so fast. What really inspired me so much is that when he went to receive the medal I saw the tears come out of his face – in Africa, a grown-up person cannot cry like that. I thought, why did he cry? He just won the race, he wasn't last. But eventually I ended up seeing that he was running behind something bigger than himself – he was running for his country. From that moment, I said I would like to run for that country one day, and he became my role model from that point.
His dreams came true when the United States agreed to take 3,500 of Sudan's Lost Boys as part of a government resettlement programme. He even met his hero Michael Johnson and after years of training he qualified for the Beijing Olympics, where he was their flag bearer.
But he has never forgotten his roots and frequently visits South Sudan, where he helps to provide clean water, education and medicine through his foundation, '4 South Sudan'. He truly represents these Olympics because he's not just running for gold for the glory, but to inspire the next generation in America and across Africa.
Listen
Click to hear the vocabulary
listen
Vocabulary
SHOW ALL | HIDE ALL
extraordinary
remarkable, amazing
rebel soldiers
witnessed
crawl
refugee camp
caught a glimpse
inspired
role model
flag bearer
glory
The Australian team has had a disappointing time at the Games so far, achieving far fewer gold medals than expected. Their team officials have conceded that they won't reach their aim of finishing among the top 5 countries, a blow exacerbated by the fact that their sporting rivals, Great Britain, are way ahead in the medal count.
The Australian sports minister, Kate Lundy, says her country is unlikely to catch up and that she will honour a bet made with the British sports minister to row a length of the Olympic rowing venue in a Great Britain shirt. Her British counterpart, Hugh Robertson, is relieved not to have to carry out his forfeit in central London.
The fierce rivalry between the two teams was spawned by cricket, and the Ashes series between England and Australia that's staged roughly every two years since the 1880s. They also fight for supremacy in rugby.
Australia's lacklustre Olympic performance has led to calls for the government to increase funding for sports, but the Australian Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, said today that the country should enjoy the Games now and examine the team's overall performance later.
Listen
Click to hear the vocabulary
listen
Vocabulary
SHOW ALL | HIDE ALL
achieving
reaching or attaining
conceded
admitted defeat
exacerbated
made worse
honour
fulfil or keep
counterpart
person holding the same position
forfeit
penalty for losing
spawned
started or originated
staged
held
supremacy
domination
lacklustre
unimpressive
The sign that's put the South Korean footballer onto the headlines read "Dokdo is our land." Dokdo, or Takeshima in Japanese, are a set of islands half way between Korea and Japan, that have been disputed between the two countries for decades.
A Korean Olympics Committee official told reporters that the sign that the midfielder displayed was handed to him by spectators at the end of the match, and the player simply ran with it overcome with the joy of victory. FIFA, the world football governing body, has asked the Korean Football Association to further investigate the incident and provide results by the 16th.
Political messages are banned at the Olympics and the 23-year-old footballer was barred from attending the medal award ceremony.
In South Korea, passion remains high over the rocky islands under dispute. For many Koreans, it is a reminder of 35 years of colonial rule by Japan. While Korean territory before its annexation was eventually returned, the claim to Dokdo or Takeshima has continuously been disputed.
On Friday, a few days before Korea's Liberation Day, President Lee Myung Bak made a surprise visit to Dokdo, the first South Korean President to set foot on the disputed islands, generating fierce criticism from Japan.
Listen
Click to hear the vocabulary
listen
Vocabulary
SHOW ALL | HIDE ALL
disputed
argued about
overcome
emotional
victory
triumph or success
investigate
look into
barred
prevented or forbidden
passion
barely controlled emotion
colonial rule
being controlled or ruled by
annexation
incorporation or attachment to
to set foot on
land on
criticism
disapproval
The events at the London Olympic Games might have kept millions of viewers glued to their screens, but to the inhabitants of Llanwrtyd Wells in Wales they seemed a little mundane.
The town is hosting its own version of the Games, which challenge competitors just that little bit extra. The sprinters have to race in three-inch high heels, the long distance runners have to go backwards and the hockey teams have to play underwater. Thousands of competitors from around the world will participate in 35 events over a two-week period.
The town has been organising quirky sporting events for over 30 years. It all started with the man versus horse marathon – a gruelling race that pits 600 runners and 50 horses and their riders against each other over 22 miles of rugged, Welsh mountain terrain. The horses are generally quicker, but human runners have won on two occasions in the race's history.
In true Olympic spirit, this year the organisers are welcoming other quirky sports from around the world, including wife carrying and Russian egg roulette – where competitors take it in turns to smash a batch of six boiled eggs against their foreheads; the loser is the unlucky one who gets the raw egg in the batch.
Listen
Click to hear the vocabulary
listen
Vocabulary
SHOW ALL | HIDE ALL
glued to their screens
unable to take their eyes away from the television
mundane
dull, ordinary
high heels
very tall shoes
backwards
in reverse
quirky
strange, eccentric
versus
against, in competition with
gruelling
difficult
pits
sets as rivals
rugged
rocky, rough
raw
uncooked