A crisis faces the world’s ancient forests

No apology for returning to an issue that should cause an international outcry.

End of the line

The London Necropolis Railway opened in November 1854 to carry deceased persons to a newly opened cemetery outside the city.

Magnolia tree

For such a beautiful tree, there are surprisingly few poems about magnolias.

Indian snake charmers lose their sway

The ancient art of snake charming is disappearing.

The Charterhouse of London goes public

Opening its doors is “a place of leafy seclusion and quiet”.

Hong Kong – where good neighbours are priceless

In 1997 Britain returned Hong Kong to China under a framework put forward by Chinese premier Deng Xiaoping known as “one country, two systems”.

R.I.P. going to the pictures as we knew it

Americans know it as the movie theatre, Brits call it the cinema.