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      Johnson and Macron

      Mais oui, mon ami: Johnson and Macron display ‘le bromance’ and discuss a European Political Community

      Sinn Fein Vice President Michelle O'Neill, right, and Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald at the RDS in Dublin

      Northern Ireland Protocol Bill: a hopeless case and a dangerous one?

      SAY NO TO PUTIN

      War and no peace: Putin’s war with Ukraine threatens us all

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      The small number of trees shows that even the high uplands of the Dales was a woodland environment. Much has been nibbled down to the ground by heavy populations of sheep. Photo by Andy Brown

      Government policies destroying upland Yorkshire farming with no regard for the land or our health

      schools bill

      Johnson’s education power grab: from ‘liberation’ to dictatorship in one generation

      Emmanuel Macron

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      Millions affected by biggest rail strike action in 30 years

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      World Rivers Day: Rio Magdalena

      On this World River's Day we look at the River Magdalena, which is both historically and culturally important.

      Paul BrightbyPaul Bright
      01-10-2021 11:55
      in World
      Río Magdalena, San Augustin – Colombia, by Alexander Schimmeck

      Río Magdalena, San Augustin – Colombia, by Alexander Schimmeck

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      Sunday 26 September was World Rivers Day. It caused me to reflect on a river that at first I found difficult to take seriously – the Rio Magdalena – as its Spanish name used to translate as ‘River Fairy Cake’ in online translation software (Magdalenas are a lemon-flavoured cupcake).

      The Amazon and Mississippi basins are two of the most well-known, longest, and largest rivers. The Rio Magdalena in Colombia, although large in size and geographically and historically important, is rarely grouped or associated with these two basins. It has, however, been described as “the social, environmental and economic heart” of the nation. It provides a home to 80 percent of Colombia’s 48 million citizens, generates three-quarters of their agricultural production, provides almost 40 million people with drinking water and accounts for 86 percent of their gross domestic product.

      The Donbass, 2014
      Culture

      Donetsk Coal Basin, The Donbass

      byPaul Bright
      1 April 2022

      Magdalena’s geometry and biodiversity

      The Magdalena is subtly different to the Amazon and Mississippi due to its geometry. The other two are examples of dendritic drainage (having a branched form in plan resembling a tree), whereas Colombia’s vast basin, constrained by the Eastern and Central Cordillera of the Colombian Andes, has a trellis pattern with relatively short tributaries flowing down the valley sides and joining the main river more or less at right angles. The Magdalena is long, relatively narrow and flows north for almost 1,500 kilometres from highlands in the south of the country until it discharges into the Caribbean.

      Colombia is home to a whopping 10 percent of the world’s wildlife biodiversity ; it has the highest number of bird and orchid species, and the second highest number of plants, butterflies and freshwater fishes and amphibians. In 2008, over 200 freshwater fish species had been recorded in the Magdalena and its tributaries.

      River fish lunch at Mompos

      Magdalena’s historical importance

      The Magdalena has been an important route to both the centre and south of Colombia since the time of the conquistadores and probably long before. In the middle of the river is Mompos, a river port town, now a UNESCO world heritage site, which also played an important role in the war of independence from Spain.

      It was in Mompos that Simón Bolívar, the liberator of much of Spanish South America, recruited an army of 400 men. The army would go on to play a big part in his victory at Caracas, eventually gaining independence for Venezuela, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Panama.

      “If to Caracas I owe my life, to Mompos I owe my glory” Simon Bolivar

      During his lifetime, Bolivar fought 472 battles and covered 123,000 kilometres on horseback, ten times more than Hannibal, three times more than Napoleon, and twice as much as Alexander the Great.

      Another sculpture of Simón Bolívar (1783–1830), is located at the southeast corner of Belgrave Square in London. The statue was unveiled by James Callaghan, then secretary of state for foreign and commonwealth affairs, later prime minister of the United Kingdom, in 1974.

      On the plinth are Bolivars’ words:

      “I am convinced that England alone is capable of protecting the world’s rights as she is great, glorious and wise”

      Perhaps Bolivar lived at a time when England was global and her word could be trusted.

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      Paul Bright

      Paul Bright

      Born in South Wales and married with two children, the youngest 6 years old, Paul has almost 50 years geological experience in mining and mineral exploration. The work has enabled him to visit many countries in the world. In retirement, he maintains an interest in geology, mining and climate change, enjoys cycling, rugby, athletics and reading.

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