These are excerpts of the current news articles. For a full list and full stories click the News link above.
Grand British Mission – wind and water
Making Britain a clean energy superpower by 2030 is the new UK Labour Government’s impressive mission put into the hands of Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero. Great British Energy (GBE) is being set up, to be headquartered in Scotland and the founding statement was unveiled on 25 July 2024. … Read more
John Mayall – middle England and the blues
John Mayall known as the godfather of British blues has died. His influential band the Bluesbreakers was a springboard for stars including Eric Clapton, as well as bassist John McVie and the drummer Mick Fleetwood, on their way to found Fleetwood Mac. He remained a “musician’s musician” for most of his career, eclipsed in name … Read more
Global finance – rising debt + greedy financiers
Panic is in the air everywhere and economic journalists tend to see catastrophes beyond every bend in the road. But there are worrying indicators beginning to flash red. One is government debt which is massively up everywhere. Biden probably spent more even than Trump. In the UK, newly-arrived Starmer is discovering there is no wiggle … Read more
Solar Arcs – from terrorism to dressage
Solar Arcs in action can be a key indicator of life-changing events. Two cases in point in the news – one is radical preacher Anjem Choudary who has been found guilty of directing a terrorist group al-Muhajiroun banned under UK law. Seen as a radicalising network its former members were involved in the London Bridge … Read more
Venezuela – is it the end of an era?
Venezuela is heading into an election this weekend which if played fairly would see the downfall of autocrat Nicolas Maduro, who took over in 2013. His administration has overseen a wrecking of the economy of the oil-rich state with GDP down 80% and has precipitated the emigration of eight million people, a quarter of its … Read more
Kamala Harris – a shaky replacement
Kamala Harris has been endorsed by Joe Biden in his belated withdrawal from the presidential campaign with other senior Democrats pitching in support. But the delegates of the convention on 19 August are not legally bound to back Harris. If one candidate steps forward to oppose Harris, the dam could break and several others could … Read more
Bangladesh – student Gen-Zers say enough
In Bangladesh, student protestors are embroiled in violent demonstrations against the government over corruption and unemployment. The army has been deployed with at least 105 reported dead so far, a curfew has been imposed and the internet shut down. The protests began this month as students demanded an end to a quota system that reserves … Read more
Crowdstrike – the problems of interconnectivity
Cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike says a “defect” in one of its software updates hit Windows operating systems, causing major IT outages across the world with flights cancelled and banking, healthcare and shops affected. 9bn was wiped off the firm with CEO George Kurtz, losing nearly £250million of his personal fortune. Many thanks to Hugh for tech … Read more
Bob Newhart – raising a smile
Bob Newhart, the American comedian, who won fame through deadpan monologues that reflected wry bewilderment at everyday aspects of 20th-century life, has died. One award described him as “a person whose gentle satire and wry and irreverent wit waft a breath of fresh and bracing air through the stale and stuffy electronic corridors”. Born 5 … Read more
Helen Pitcher – unrepentant Pisces
‘Unfit to fulfil her duties’ is the damning judgement of the Justice Secretary on Helen Pitcher, the head of the Criminal Cases Review Commission, which has been found in an independent barrister’s report to be ‘a broken safety net’, guilty of serious failings. Pitcher has astonishingly said she believes she is the “best person for … Read more