Felix Dodds comments on sustainable development, coffee & life

The new Executive Director of UNEP was expected to be announced at the end of March. I now understand the reason for the delay is the UN Secretary General wants to announce the new executive Secretary of the UNFCCC at the same time. This means he is looking for a regional and probably gender balance in the choose of these two posts. Next UNEP Executive Director It is my understanding that there are four candidates on the short list. Adnan Amin (Kenya) Head of IRENA fromer Head of the Secretarat for the Chief Executive Board and UNEP New York Director Ambassador Macharia Kamau (Kenya) who guided us through the Sustainable Development Goals Open Working Group and the 2015 negotiations for Transforming Our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Erik Solheim (Norway) a Norwegian politician for the Socialist Left Party (SV). He was appointed Minister of International Development in 2005 and also Minister of th...

Well this is the moment all us have been waiting for, some thought it was the SDG OWG final text, others the World Cup, still others the Guardians of the Galaxy film (which by the way is good and Karen Gillian was amazing!!) no it is the first outing of Peter Capaldi as Dr Who. Tickets sold by fandango. It is being screened at 1600 cinemas around the world. We understand it will be a darker doctor and also an older doctor so the romance side will probably not be there unless they bring River Song back. The relaunch of Doctor Who with  Christopher Eccleston  in 2005 as the Doctor and Billie Piper as Rose was perfect.  I always will wish he would have done a second series but it was not to be. David Tennant took over and what an amazing Doctor he turned out to be and what a perfect love story with Rose.  It took a while for us to love Matt Smith but his energy and his dedication to the role he was the Doctor won us over. We can forgive the last epis...

Football I am living in the USA during the World Cup and seeing  more and more people here starting to watch, learn the rules and enjoy the game. My local cafe has the matches on the tv and the locals talk about it - often needing a little information...from their resident Brit. The viewing figures are going up but are still only a quarter of US football and with new teams coming in Miami( Beckham) and New York (reformed New York Cosmos) it will only grow. I support my local team the Carolina Railhawks which plays in one of the lower divisions and its great to see how they have started building the support base based on families coming to the game. Over the years I have had season tickets with Derby County and Watford - followed and watched Arsenal, Notts County and Brentford and more recently Accrington Stanley. Its nice to have a local team here in the US to support where i can be at the pool at 615 and then decide to go to the watch and be there for a 7pm kick off. Dr Who ...

For all those Dr Who fans who have been patiently waiting for the first episode of the new Dr Who with Peter Capaldi playing Dr Who the wait is nearly over. The BBC have announced that the first episode of the new Dr Who will screen in August. We understand that there will be a new companion to join the Dr and Clara another teacher from her school Coal Hill - Danny Pink (Samuel Anderson). For those less award of Who history Coal Hill School was where the first Dr picked his first companions from in 1963 - Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright. I  am sure the link with the school will become clearer in the next series. There is  a great fan trailer just put out which is definitely worth watching. Infact Dr Who should consider signing the director to do an episode. Actor Nabil Shaban, an old friend of mine, is to reprise his role as the popular Doctor Who alien Sil in a brand-new adventure of the science-fiction drama,  this will be a  an audio adventure from ...

It was mid-afternoon when the tired gang arrived at the Far Island. As they approached, a number of guards on blue dragons came to meet them with their lances drawn. The dragons were dressed in battle suits which glistened in the sun and made it difficult to focus on the guards. It was a sight sure to put discomfort in any adversary. Robin led the way and quickly the guards recognized him and opened a path to the castle. The Far Island had long been a secret military base for Alexander’s former friend, confident and lover Ms. Susan. She was pleased to see Robin and quickly was brought up to date. The Doctor got off his dragon he approached Ms. Susan. “I am so sorry to hear about Alexander, Susan, it is I the Doctor. My face may have changed but my feelings for you and Alexander are the same and if you will have me,” he said as he gestured towards his companions with a wave, “my gang will help you overcome those who have taken over the planet. We are at your service.” M...

I think like everyone else I didn't think that Steven Moffat was going to use any of the old Doctors just David and Matt and of course John Hurt. He surprises us again and in this prelude to the 50th anniversary show  we see Paul McGann transformed into John Hurt. What it shows us is what an amazing Doctor McGann would have made if he had done more than the film in 1996  So if you haven't watched the special then enjoy it now - Paul McGann take a bow. Maybe there should be like Torchwood a seperate series with Paul in it --- or a couple of specials.

Part 2: Dungeons and Dragons Recap from the last episode: The Doctor, Merri and Clara find themselves in a Dungeon at the pleasure of their old enemy Professor Zardoff. The Doctor looked at Hans the Governor’s secretary as the guards locked the jail door and lighted a few candles before walking away Hans said: “Doctor It’s good to see you. I wish it was under better circumstances.” “So do I my old friend. Tell me what happened?” The guards had moved to the far room and Hans relaxed a little. “Doctor about a year before Alexander died Professor Zardoff came to Varos and seemed very nice and was helping develop our environmental regulations for the mines. We had let back some of the old bad companies but this time under new rules and Professor Zardoff was overseeing this. When Alexander died it became clear that the Professor was actually working with the mining companies and with their help the mining companies took over and...