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Nuclear Neurosis

Politicians, not least in the USA and Europe, are espousing greener energy and advocating massive reductions in carbon emissions in the relatively near future, whilst doing little to allay the fears of a generally ill-informed public on a practical means to bring this energy policy about. An obvious practical means but the one most prolific in doomsday scenarios, is the development, expansion and more intensive use of nuclear power.

Do Egypt's Copts have any future in the country, or should they join a now well established Diaspora?

The Houston, Texas Spero News reported on Saturday 05 March 2011, that on the previous day a priest and three deacons are believed missing from the Coptic Christian community in the town of Soul (Sol), about 20 miles south of Cairo, Egypt. This followed after a mob, estimated at 4,000, attacked the homes of Coptic Christians and set fire to the Saints Mina and George Coptic Church in the town. After desecrating the Cross, the crowd set about pulling down the domes of the church building. Cent...

Pfizer + Wyeth leaves no place for Sandwich

Last week, at the beginning of February, the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer announced the closure of its renowned European Research & Development Headquarters in Sandwich, Kent, with the loss of some 2,400 jobs, many highly skilled and well-paid.

Has the war in Afghanistan failed on its own terms?

With 2011 well under way it might be worth reflecting on the fact that this year will mark the tenth anniversary of the terrorist attacks on 11 September and the beginning of the still raging war in Afghanistan.

Arnie of a Hundred Days

On 14 October 2010, Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Governor of California and former "Terminator" actor, was photographed on the steps of No. 10 Downing Street meeting his friend and British Prime Minister, David Cameron. Mr Cameron joked with the gathered reporters that the Governor would help to "terminate the budget deficit", before the pair turned and walked back into No 10. There is little doubt that the deficits of both the UK and California would be amongst the topics the two po...

Alan Johnson: A man for all seasons?

The final, practical outcome of Labour's Conference, the election of the Shadow Cabinet and their allotted roles on the Opposition Benches was announced last week. A process, seen by many in Labour's own ranks as needlessly complex, excluded some former Cabinet members of previous administrations and allowed the new Labour Leader, Ed Miliband, to stamp his own authority on his cohort by deciding the precise roles each of the elected will play. Mr Miliband's choice for the post of Sha...

Irish eyes are not smiling

"Is Standard & Poor's being overly pessimistic in its view on the Irish economy?" The Irish Times asked its readership to poll and the voting was a fairly close 53 percent "Yes" to 47 percent "No" by the afternoon of Friday 27 August 2010.

To Russia with relief

Along with one of the biggest write-downs in British corporate history, BP announced on Tuesday 27 July 2010, that its Chief Executive Officer, Tony Hayward, is to step down on 01 October. He will be replaced as CEO by Executive Director and the company's current head of US operations, Robert Dudley.

BP, Public Liability Company

Britain's largest company, BP, is the world's third largest oil major, a global energy firm the main products of which are oil, natural gas and alternative fuels. Its 2009 revenues of just over $246 billion exceed the GDP of Finland and it employs over 80,000 people. The company's headquarters is in London, its American base is in Houston, Texas and it is listed on both the London and New York Stock Exchanges with British and American shareholders each accounting for some 40 percent o...

Budget for an emergency

Harriet Harman, acting Labour leader responding to Mr Osborne's Emergency Budget Statement said: "This is a Tory Budget that will throw people out of work, hold back economic growth and harm vital public services....It's his first Budget but its the same old Tories....In order to get the deficit down, you need to keep economic growth up and you need to keep unemployment down....Today's Budget is bad for growth and that will make it harder to cut the deficit."