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The climate crisis and gender-based violence
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Ecolabels: A Catalyst for Sustainable Food Choices?
7th July 2011
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
UK firms shine at BIO 2011
The following is a guest blog by Spencer Mahony, HM Consul & UKTI Regional Director for the South East US, British Embassy Washington. The 2011 BIO International Convention last week in Washington was an event of mind-boggling size: 15,000 attendees from around the globe descended on the Washington Convention Centre to showcase their biotechnology projects, […]
7th July 2011
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Romania’s first Pet Therapy Project – ‘Donkey Time’ in Voluntari
Guest blog: My wife, Linda McLachlan, visited recently a pet therapy project taking place in Voluntari, on the outskirts of Bucharest. The idea behind it is simple yet impressive – bring vulnerable children and mistreated animals together to help each other overcome their unfortunate past experiences. ‘It’s long been argued that you can judge a […]
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6th July 2011
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Mr Gold in Kyiv
Four mighty slabs of gold hang on a wall. Nearby, a jacket gleams dully. A man’s head, twisted backwards, screams through golden lips. I’m at the “Ya Gallery”( ) in central Kyiv for the opening of a new exhibition, Mr Gold, curated by Pavlo Gudimov, whose Gudimov Art Project is always coming up with interesting […]
6th July 2011 Ottawa, Canada
World Oceans Day – WWF hosts Stephen Hall from the UK’s National Oceanography Centre
This year on World Oceans Day (June 8, 2011) WWF-Canada hosted a round table and reception with government, industry and academic participants, aimed at drawing attention to and increasing the dialogue on the conservation and economics of our oceans. Stephen Hall from the UK’s National Oceanography Centre (NOC), in was invited to present an overview of […]
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6th July 2011 London, UK
The new boy
Stephen Brown, Caseworker in the FCO’s Child Abduction Section I already had some experience of assisting British nationals before I took up the job of child abduction caseworker at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) two and a half months ago. When I applied for the vacancy I was the Vice Consul at a British […]
6th July 2011 Ottawa, Canada
A week in Canada’s high Arctic
I spent the week of 17-24 June in Canada’s high Arctic. We started in Iqaluit, flying there from Ottawa over the vast territory of northern Quebec, and a Hudson Strait dotted with retreating ice, but with the bays still frozen hard. We plunged into the town, past huskies tethered at the airport, relaxing on summer vacation – […]
6th July 2011 Windhoek, Namibia
Windhoek calling
Welcome to my first blog. I am the new British High Commissioner Designate to the Republic of Namibia. ‘Designate’ because I have just arrived in Namibia’s capital, Windhoek, and am waiting to present my credentials from my head of state, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, to the Namibian Head of State, President Pohamba, to confirm […]
5th July 2011
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Justice and politics in Ukraine
I first had the idea of writing a blog about justice and politics in Ukraine in autumn 2009. At that time the campaign leading up to the presidential elections of February 2010 was in full swing. One presidential candidate made the campaign pledge that, if successful, he or she would ensure that another candidate stood […]
5th July 2011 Geneva, Switzerland
Libya
The Human Rights Council broke new ground this week and I ended up rather in the thick of it. On Tuesday, as part of the UK’s decision to do everything it can to hold the Gaddafi regime to account, the team in Geneva went after the 16 signatures needed from Human Rights Council members to […]
4th July 2011
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
الرشوة والفساد
قرأت قبل أيام الاقتباس التالي: "الفساد هو وسيلة طبيعية لاستعادة ثقتنا في الديموقراطية". فهذا الاقتباس ظريف لكنه جعلني أفكر بمعناه الحقيقي خصوصا أن آفة الفساد تذكر بكثرة في وسائل الإعلام وهي واحدة من أهم مطالب الناس في الشارع في منطقة الشرق الأوسط بما في ذلك الأردن. هذا يعني أن العملية الديمقراطية يجب أن تكشف الفساد […]