Breathtaking government censorship of a report into fracking
A 48-page government report into fracking has been released after Greenpeace finally won a lengthy legal battle arguing that it is in the public interest to publish the document.
What has actually been released, however, is more reminiscent of 1980s East Germany rather than 2010s Britain. The vast majority of the document has been redacted, according to The Guardian; 37 of the 48 pages have been blacked out completely, and only one has been left uncensored: the front cover.
Fracking is a great worry and a hugely important issue, particularly to people living in the country; releasing a report in this pitiful state will surely only serve to exacerbate rather than calm people's misgivings.
Rebecca Newsom, Greenpeace UK’s head of politics, told The Guardian: 'Looking at this black wall of redacted pages, people will be wondering why there’s so little the government is willing to reveal about fracking and so much it wants to hide.'
RSPCA 'will be forced to put down squirrels and deer'
Rules on controlling non-native species have come in to force this week, meaning that animals such as grey squirrels and muntjac deer will have to be put down rather than released into the wild.
The rules is clearly good news for threatened species — including red squirrels — which compete with invaders, and are designed to help prevent the spread of new invaders, such as raccoons. But spare a thought for those on the front line of animal welfare — particularly the RSPCA officers who are likely to have to euthanise many more creatures.
'While the new legislation will still allow these species to be released in situ if they have been trapped accidentally, unfortunately, in certain situations where animals need veterinary care or to be hand reared we will have no other option but to put them to sleep rather than rehabilitating and releasing them back into the wild,' an RSPCA spokesperson confirmed.
Brazil delegates prompt more questions than answers at climate change summit
The first day of the United Nations climate summit in Madrid witnessed lots of public speeches and good intentions...
...but at these events, much of what really matters happens behind closed doors. Thus it is interesting to read a Reuters report on about the Brazilian delegates, suggesting that they do not have the backing of President Jair Bolsonaro.
'Brazil’s technical negotiators at the United Nations talks in Spain on Monday are disconnected from political leaders and unclear on their goals, two people familiar with the matter said.
'That means the negotiators could reach a deal that would be disavowed by government leaders. “Really what Brazil will do at the conference is anybody’s guess,” one of the sources told Reuters.'
On This Day... in 1910
A French inventor reveals neon lighting to the world for the first time in a demonstration at the Paris Motor Show.
The inventor responsible, Georges Claude, was widely recognised at the time as France's Thomas Edison, and he made many other breakthroughs. His life took a sharp turn during the Second World War, however: he publicly supported France's German invaders, and was sentenced to life in prison in 1945 for collaboration. He was eventually released five years later, and lived until 1960.
And finally...
This little Twitter video fills us with nostalgia — but also makes us wonder who on earth has the spare time to put this sort of thing together.
Christmas drinks gift guide: Best gin, best whisky, beer and more for the festive season
Whether you're keen to pour your own draft beer, drink Cotswolds whisky or enjoy a raft of different gins, we've
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A well-connected rural playground with 23 acres on the edge of the South Downs National ParkOld House Farm is an impressive family home with a wealth of amenities that would inspire any rural passion.
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The UK gets its first ‘European stork village’ — and it's in West SussexAlthough the mortality rate among white storks can be up to 90%, the future looks rosy for breeding pairs in southern England.
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The brilliant tractor tribute to the NHS from a group of Warwickshire farmersPeople around Britain have been paying tribute to the efforts of our NHS workers at the time of the coronavirus pandemic — but few have been as creative and clever as this one.
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London's iconic red bus at risk and 6,000 year old chewing gum gives clues into our DNA historyCuts to industry subsidies and an increase in fares has left bus use at its lowest point ever, while DNA extracted from ancient 'chewing gum' allows scientists to decipher the genetic code of a Stone Age woman.
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90-million-year-old 'swimming dinosaur' skeleton found by dogs out walking in Somerset, and the nonchalant moths who don't bother fleeing enemiesA superbly intact dinosaur skeleton — described as being 'museum quality' — has been discovered on a beach in Somerset.
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Battle to ban 4x4s from the idyllic Lake District spot bequeathed by Beatrix Potter, eagle fights octopus and the 'snail's pace' climate talksThis morning we look at Little Langdale's fight for peace, reflect on the climate change talks in Madrid and discover the soundtrack for Brexit.
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Country Life Today: How Greta Thunberg shifted the dial on climate change — and the backlash shows just how muchThis morning we ponder whether Greta Thunberg is the Joan of Arc for the environmental movement, look at a key election — one from 19 years ago — and ponder the marvel of 'dad tidying'.
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Country Life Today: Great news for those who love our great country pubs — the years of decline are overThere is a great sign of health in the pub industry, we look back at Edward VIII's abdication message and fret about Greenland's melting ice.
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Country Life Today: Spain accused of being 'a deplorable choice' for UN climate conferenceA no-holds-barred assault on the Spanish fishing industry, Banksy raising awareness of the homeless and the woes of the Christmas jumper are in today's news round-up.
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Country Life Today: 'This is perhaps the ultimate wake-up call from the uncontrolled experiment humanity is unleashing on the world’s oceans'In today's round up, we examine why oxygen loss is putting oceans at risk, discover that action to cut air pollution brings almost immediate benefits to human health and find out which bird's arrival marks the start of winter in Gloucestershire.
