When British troops quit Afghanistan in August it was only the latest retreat in 200 years of war. James Joughin examines the history of Britain’s doomed attempts to subdue this central Asian country, and the part played by troops from Sussex
Ghislaine Maxwell, who will appear in court in New York from Monday (29 Nov) accused of procuring underage girls for convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, is no stranger to controversy. Rick Dillon recalls the influence of her father, the crooked newspaper publisher Robert Maxwell. Jeffrey Epstein was not the first monster in Ghislaine Maxwell’s life. […]
Following Germany’s recent elections, the country’s politics are shifting as the country’s long-standing chancellor Angela Merkel, quits the role she has made her own. Will this be a test for Germany’s hitherto stable democracy, and what lessons and implications, if any, might there be for the UK?
There were many attempts to make progress at the COP26 climate change talks in Glasgow. But there was also considerable resistance by countries with vested interests in fossil fuels.
Anna Scott files her final report from the COP26 climate conference e in Glasgow. Activists were disappointed, she reports, but the experience has strengthened her determination never to give up fighting for climate justice.
As the COP26 Conference on Climate Change comes towards the end of its second week in Glasgow, the media circus has moved on, global leaders have departed in their fuel-guzzling private planes, and much of the real work begins
A marcher’s eye view of the Youth March for Climate Justice, with pictures and impressions of the event from roving correspondent Anna Scott.
DAY 3 in Glasgow After my day in the Green Zone, I decided that I would spend a day on the streets. The sun was out and the autumn leaves looked so golden and beautiful it seemed criminal to be inside. I began the day with a special Sussex Bylines assignment. In late August, one […]
COP26 can be confusing for average climate activist, as our correspondent Anna Scott finds, as she navigates the streets and the world of the ‘Green Zone’.
Our correspondent Anna Scott begins her reports from the COP26 conference in Glasgow with a photo essay on the inventiveness of protesters.
A larger than life puppet, Little Amal, arrives in the UK to raise awareness of the fate of child refugees, against a backdrop of the government’s repressive Borders and Nationality Bill.
Can our society and way of life survive the triple threat of Brexit, Johnson’s government, and climate change? Or are we headed towards a total collapse of civilisation as we know it? Tom Serpell ponders what lies ahead if we don’t take action now…
Peace campaigner and Hastings Councillor Maya Evans, who has been visiting Afghanistan for the past 10 years, gives a first-hand account of life for the Afghans she met and came to know so well. They are, she says, the real left-behind poor, the ones who have already suffered so much in the conflict through no fault of their own. And she explains why now, more than ever, they need – and deserve – the West’s help to rebuild their devastated country and shattered lives…
Government bungling together with Priti Patel’s inhumane Borders Bill and disastrous Home Office response have only served to hinder humanitarian efforts, both with the evacuation in Afghanistan and assisting asylum seekers here in the UK. Traumatised Afghan refugees who have barely escaped with their lives deserve kindness, compassion and support, not more hostility. Writer Vivienne Griffiths examines the horrifying events of recent days and offers practical advice for anyone iwanting to help refugees locally…
Refugees could make a contribution if this country would only allow more in and let them work. This would relieve desperate people of the dangers of life in camps, on the road or under the control of smugglers. It would enable them to demonstrate their skills and commitment to this country. It would add to the workforce and enrich our culture. This surely constitutes a win-win.
A retired, lifelong left-of-centre activist ponders what constitutes a meaningful legacy, and worries his generation is failing to leave the next with the right kind of wealth…
Trees are often considered the silver bullet in our fight against global warming. But recent research has indicated a need for careful consideration when we plant and has called for a more nuanced approach. Other carbon sequestering organisms are equally worthy of our protection, such as marine algae. Help Our Kelp is a Sussex Wildlife Trust project which aims to restore our once lush underwater forest, through a 300-kilometre protection zone in which trawling is largely prohibited. Sir David Attenborough has described it as “a vital win in the fight against the biodiversity and climate crises”.
Banning face coverings in our new, post-Covid world of legally enforceable face mask mandates sounds implausibly ironic. But that’s exactly what has happened in Switzerland.
Why the EUnity Remainer Dinners with Friends group won’t be celebrating Europe Day at the pub
Bob Dylan will be 80 this month. Superfan James Joughin looks back at the music legend’s long career and wonders … will he return to Brighton for his Big Day?
Today is Stephen Lawrence Day. It falls on the anniversary of the teenager’s death – April 22, 1993 – and marks an annual celebration of Stephen Lawrence’s life and legacy.
I love Spain. Spanish Spain. My wife and I must have our Spanish holiday! Despite the efforts of the NHS, it looks likely that we will not be able to enjoy a visit to our favoured haunts this year − again! What to do? The profiteering hospitality of the West Country, much as I love […]
Eco anxiety is real and defined as “a chronic fear of environmental doom”. But how can we as individuals really make a difference? Group action has achieved positive change already and it can again. This article highlights six practical steps you can take this week to tackle the climate crisis, including switching your bank to a more ethical provider, changing your energy supplier to one which uses 100% renewable energy, and pledging to rewild your garden.
The parallels between 1920s Spain and 2020s Britain are unnerving to say the least. Tom Serpell sounds a warning from history
“In the UK, only 21-25% of science research grant applications are successful, meaning that over 75% are rejected…Additionally, the system drives competition, leading to inequalities. Managing a work-life balance is more difficult when you are constantly being made to feel that you could achieve more if only you worked more.”
Terry Reintke attributes her growing awareness of inequality and the injustices in the world to the fact that she grew up as a German. Living with the knowledge that my grandparents and great-grandparents had a duty as citizens in a democracy to speak up for the rule of law, for minorities, and they didn’t really do that. That knowledge brings a level of responsibility and it is why politics and democracy have always played an important part in my own thinking.
To mark International Women’s Day 2021, we feature this selection of articles published in Sussex Bylines in the run-up to 8 March, along with other pieces about women who have fought for political representation, challenged prejudice, refused to remain invisible, and who have been proud to hold the banner of women’s rights high.
Sanna Marin has led her country through the same crisis all world leaders have faced this past year, the COVID-19 pandemic. And while she does not get as many headlines as Jacinda Ardern in New Zealand, her record is impressive.
Charlotte Rawlinson calls on us to celebrate International Woman’s Day loudly and ensure future centuries hear women’s achievements. Queen Guinevere was denied such celebration but it is critical always to record and speak of women’s success.
True equality for women is a long way off, claims the World Economic Forum. Yet as International Women’s Day approaches, there are inspiring voices leading the way.