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From Our Own Correspondent

Folly of Empire

From Our Own Correspondent

BBC

News, News Commentary

4.41.3K Ratings

🗓️ 23 June 2012

⏱️ 28 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Rumours and conspiracy theories swirl around Egypt; the Greeks fed up with being criticised for attitudes towards Europe; businessmen and environmentalists squabble over the River Danube in Croatia; how love, trolls and goblins help the Swedish government balance its books and musings on the folly of empire from half way up a volcano in Indonesia.

Transcript

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0:00.0

Hello this is the from our own correspondent office at Bush House in London.

0:04.3

You can check out what we're up to by signing up to our Twitter feed.

0:07.7

But here's a download of our latest program on BBC Radio 4, introduced as ever by Kate Adi.

0:13.6

Today the Army's still in charge.

0:15.9

Parliament's been dissolved.

0:17.4

There's no new president.

0:18.9

But 16 months after the revolution,

0:21.2

Egypt is undoubtedly a very different place.

0:24.7

Eagles, Cormorants, Kingfishers, Dragonflies, dragonflies,

0:27.8

they're all part of an argument about the river Danube

0:30.2

as it winds its way through Central Europe.

0:33.0

We contemplate the folly of empire, halfway up a volcano in Indonesia,

0:38.0

and at last can reveal how love, cakes and trolls have helped the Swedish government balance its books.

0:47.0

Tensions are running high in Egypt as the nation awaits the official announcement of who won last

0:51.6

weekend's presidential election.

0:54.0

Both Mohammed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood and the former Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq insist they won.

1:00.0

Their supporters say there'll be serious consequences if this isn't reflected in the official result.

1:05.2

The former President Hosni Mubarak, meanwhile, remains in hospital, amid speculation about how ill he really is.

1:13.0

Lees Touset in Cairo says the country's engulfed in the sort of rumors and conspiracy theories

1:18.8

usually only found in fairy tales.

1:21.3

Once upon a time in a faraway land there was in fairy tales.

1:22.6

Once upon a time in a faraway land there was a king who lived in a castle high above

...

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