Budget democracy not new in Brazil

The UK government is proposing to give people more influence over the way local council budgets in England are spent – an idea that has been around for some time in Brazil.
The best known example of this is in Porto Alegre, the capital of the state of Rio Grande Do Sul, and a city [...]

BBC SPORT | Rugby Union | Lions in NZ | Woodward’s woe

Sir Clive Woodward has failed in his bid to guide the Lions to only their second-ever Test series win in New Zealand after defeat by the All Blacks in Saturday's second Test.
The hosts followed up their comprehensive 21-3 win in a torrential downpour in the first Test with a dazzling 48-18 victory in the [...]

How to help users help themselves

Internet law professor Michael Geist describes how governments can help their citizens make the most of the web.
Time Magazine's choice late last month of "You" (by which it meant all the users generating content on the web) as the person of the year was mocked by critics as a poor choice that by-passed [...]

Liberia in recovery?

In a HARDtalk interview broadcast on 14th December, Stephen Sackur talks to Thomas Nimely, Liberia's interim foreign minister.
Click here to watch the full interview
Liberia is one of the poorest, most brutalised countries on earth. But after a decade and a half of violence it is at peace.
Stephen Sackur asks Liberia's interim [...]

‘Roaming vets’ save Kenyan tribe

Kenya's Turkana people – once threatened with extinction as virulent disease swept through their livestock – are now thriving again after a number of "roaming vets" came to their aid, the BBC World Service's Health Matters programme has found.
The Turkana's pastoral way of life – being continually on the move to find fresh [...]

Welsh Labour Party

Welsh Labour Party
The history of the Labour party is interwoven with much of the history of Wales in the 20th Century. The party was the vehicle for the social aspirations of a large proportion of the Welsh people for much of the century, and Welsh constituencies have provided the British party, and Britain as a [...]

Thousands compete in Glasgow race

Almost 18,000 runners of all ages and abilities have taken to the streets of Glasgow for Scotland's largest participatory event.
The freshnlo Great Scottish Run was described as an "outstanding success".
The junior 3K race took place on Saturday, while seniors competed in the 10K and half marathon on Sunday.
Elite athletes and fun-runners [...]

IMF and World Bank: Is reform underway?

"How can poor people afford to buy water if they cannot afford to buy food?"
The question was raised by Kenyan member of parliament, Dr Oburu Odinga. During a parliamentary finance committee seminar last summer he questioned why the World Bank should demand that water supply be privatised.
The committee had just been [...]

Reporter’s Log: Le Web conference

Le Web 3, a conference for bloggers and supporters of internet media developments, is taking place in Paris, France.
Robin Hamman, a journalist for BBC English Regions and co-ordinator of the BBC Blogs Network, will be filing regular updates from the conference.
DAY TWO: 1930 PARIS (1830 GMT)
Le Web 3 is drawing to [...]

Race hailed a ‘runaway success’

About 19,000 runners have taken part in a record-breaking Great Scottish Run on the sun-kissed streets of Glasgow.
Runners of all ages and abilities competed in the half marathon, the 10k and the Junior Great Scottish Run.
The event has raised £30m for charity since it began in 1982 and the city council said [...]