The FoS Report: #1

Combing the news this evening, it makes a sad spectacle - our actual survival as a species, or at the very least, our ability to offer everyone something approaching a good life - is under the greatest global threat. Yet the official leaders of the key nations of the world remain largely obsessed with bankrupt policies of the past, futile warmongering, wealth grabbing (or facilitating wealth grabbing by a small number of their citizens), resource depletion, false promises to their people and the manipulation of populations using phony nationalism and racism. Its not great.

We need to be realistic about it and to start to plan our own different future - one that puts the viable life of people on this, our only planet, first and that offers a decent future for all and not just a tiny, tiny elite.

I intend to make this a regular summary feature and also to run good news stories where possible - but with most of the world not doing what it needs to, we are going through a prolonged bad news period. Bad news for most of us that is.

Looking square on at reality
David Attenborough warns Davos that we have almost run out of time to prevent continued mass destruction of critical species and runaway climate change.
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-r...den-is-no-more

Leading UK stores pay 35p an hour to Bangladeshi suppliers.
https://www.theguardian.com/business...-girls-tshirts

US billionaire hedge fund owner spends £95m on London's most expensive property.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...on-London.html

UK companies are shrinking well known brands to cope with Brexit inflation.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...runk-2015.html

Leading car plants will close after Brexit.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...oll-finds.html

Russia and the US cancel key nuclear arms treaty as their armaments industries race to develop new weapons.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-u...-idUSKCN1PA2C3

Obstinate, inadequate leaders in the UK and US drive both countries into chaos and meltdown.
https://www.independent.co.uk/voices...-a8738971.html

Positive developments
Organic farming up by 56% in the US since 2011.
http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank...se-in-the-u-s/

London to double number of air quality monitors as it introduces new restrictions on old diesel vehicles.
https://www.ft.com/content/373f34ce-...4-d150b3105d21

Cities across the US are passing laws taking action on climate change, ignoring Trump's government anti-science approach.
https://www.wired.com/story/cities-a...into-new-laws/

Nancy Pelosi skilfully leading Democrats against Trump in the new Congress. She stands up to him and faces him down.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/...trump-shutdown