3rd December 2024
RENEWING OLD TIES: THE NEW BISHOP OF LONDON
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs
A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy
25th November 2024
The climate crisis and gender-based violence
8th November 2024
Ecolabels: A Catalyst for Sustainable Food Choices?
8th October 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
EXPECTING THE UNEXPECT-ABLE
The work of diplomats, and Embassies, can often seem very cerebral and detached. But as our colleagues in Nairobi recently experienced, it can also be very practical and traumatic. Last week, along with colleagues across Brazil, we’ve been looking at our crisis plans. These are the preparations we make for the kinds of terrible incidents […]
8th October 2013 Toronto, Canada
The UK’s 120th Nobel Prize: The Higgs Boson
On 8 October 2013, Prof. Peter Higgs of the University of Edinburgh and Prof. François Englert of the Université libre de Bruxelles were awarded the 2013 Nobel Prize in Physics “for the theoretical discovery of a mechanism that contributes to our understanding of the origin of mass of subatomic particles, and which recently was confirmed […]
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7th October 2013 Toronto, Canada
World Space Week 2013: Exploring Mars, Discovering Earth
The theme of World Space Week 2013 is “Exploring Mars, Discovering Earth”. With more attention than ever on the Red Planet (so-called due to the high levels of reddish iron oxide in its soil) and human missions set to visit from 2018, the time is right to take a closer look at Mars – and […]
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7th October 2013 Vientiane, Laos
Laos through my eyes – Johnny Johnson
This article is part of a series of guest blogs contributed by Brits who have lived and worked in Laos, or who have other interesting links to Laos. Having been in Laos over 47 years, both before, during & after the Revolution in ’75, I suppose I must be one of the oldest residents still around in […]
3rd October 2013 Brasilia, Brazil
Do speak to strangers! Why Speakers’ Corner
Like most Londoners, I do not generally talk to strangers – especially on public transport. However, if I want to speak to them I can go to Speakers ‘ Corner in Hyde Park. It is an area where anyone can speak on any subject they want whilst others listen, debate or just heckle. I remember […]
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3rd October 2013 Kingston, Jamaica
DEPORTATION: STIGMA & SUPPORT
The majority of my working day is spent designing, developing and managing projects, to support Jamaican nationals returned from the UK settle back into a productive and fulfilling life in Jamaica. Most of this is informed by listening to Jamaicans the majority of whom tell me they need practical support such as help in getting […]
3rd October 2013 London, UK
Great digital opportunities at the Foreign Office
I blogged in July on some upcoming opportunities to join the Foreign Office Digital Team. We’ve now externally advertised some great jobs. First, four digital transformation roles: Two Digital Transformation Manager roles – driving and defining how the FCO will move its services to digital and also helping drive improvement in our internal software and […]
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2nd October 2013 Washington DC, USA
How timely: Britain announces it will host 2014 NATO Summit
Earlier this month I had the opportunity to travel to NATO headquarters in Brussels to attend a course put together by my colleagues in the UK Joint Delegation to NATO. The course is designed to give staff a thorough introduction to NATO and an understanding of its place at the centre of the UK’s defence […]
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2nd October 2013 Montreal, Canada
Biofuels on the rocks
Whisky is not just good for sipping; it is also good for making biofuel. The distillation process of whisky produces a lot of byproducts that do not make it into the bottle you see at the liquor store. Actually, only 10 % of what is produced in a distillery is drinkable whisky. The rest is […]
2nd October 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
The Winds of Change
Did you know that enough sunlight falls on the earth in 1 hour to meet the whole world’s energy demand for a year? Exploiting this source of clean and readily-available energy must surely be a no-brainer. Promoting renewable energy used to be seen as a fad for environmentalists. And there is no doubt that there […]