Discussions begin in Dublin today to develop the treaty for a ban of cluster bombs. The UK Government is one of more than 100 attending the negotiations. But as Martin Bell points out in today’s Independent, it seem it cannot decide on...

That brilliant American man of letters, Gore Vidal , was featured on the South Bank Show last night. Melvyn Bragg had secured an interview with the great man in his new LA home, after decades of self-imposed exile in Italy. I have...

"Ethical Arms Trade?" is the title of an article in the New Statesman but I felt that it needed a few more question marks. The article by Andrew Feinstein is critical of BAE and of the report on its practices by the Woolf committee. He...

The Chinese government do seem to be taking prompt and effective action for the victims of the earthquake. It is a contrast with the Burmese government's response so far to the cyclone. How far are natural disasters entirely natural...

Slowly, much too slowly, it seems to be dawning on the Burmese junta that they must accept outside help to mount an effective relief effort and to save the lives of many thousands of people. We are not going to see an international...