In September 2013 Greenpeace activists attempted to board a Russian oil platform in protest at the exploitation of Arctic natural resources. Subsequently, 30 activists (including 2 journalists) were arrested … Read the rest
In September 2013 Greenpeace activists attempted to board a Russian oil platform in protest at the exploitation of Arctic natural resources. Subsequently, 30 activists (including 2 journalists) were arrested … Read the rest
By Pauline Eadie
On Friday 8 November super typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan) traversed the Philippines leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. The Philippines lies in the western Pacific and is the first major landfall above the equator before continental Asia. The Philippines is an archipelago comprising of thousands of islands. It is directly in the path regular typhoons that roll in from the Pacific. The capital Manila often bears the brunt of the typhoon season but this time the weather system struck land further south in the Visayan region. The storm came hot on the heels of a 7.2 earthquake in the same region in October. The earthquake demolished many historic buildings, left over 200 dead and many of the survivors were still living in tents when the typhoon hit.
The Eastern Visayan town of Tacloban has become the poster town for Yolanda in the international media. Over 10,000 are feared dead although there is no immediate prospect of an official death toll given the chaotic situation on the ground across a wide area. Despite the warnings many people in Tacloban were unable to find adequate shelter as the storm hit. People were advised to head for concrete structures. One of those chosen as a refuge, the airport, was completely destroyed by the strength of the storm. The images coming out of Tacloban are reminiscent of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. The devastation to the city is near complete. Dead bodies litter the streets and virtually no structures are left standing. A similar although less extreme picture is emerging from other areas in the region.
I got caught in a hailstorm yesterday. On Saturday I got sunburnt in my garden. What’s going on with all this … Read the rest
In a recent Daily Telegraph column, David Cameron says that ‘Fracking has become a national debate in Britain – and it’s one that I’m determined to win’. He means … Read the rest
Last week the UN World Meteorological Organization warned that the last decade has seen unprecedented climate change. We have had many warnings about climate change and the damage we … Read the rest
At the last Conservative conference, George Osbourne announced “We’re not going to save the planet by putting our country out of business”. While he was referring … Read the rest
For many Conservatives, the Coalition government’s eagerness to sell off forests and to build on the green belt goes considerably against the grain. It is, as Peter Oborne wrote in … Read the rest
Some people might say that politics contains enough fantasy without further confusing the situation by combining the study of politics with that of fiction. Yet, more than ever fiction can … Read the rest