Adam Edwards meets a man on an eco-mission that everyone can join. By Adam Edwards Almost tropical: Mike Hillard in his green low-energy home near Stroud, which even at -8C outside needs little heating Photo: ANDREW CROWLEY Mike Hillard has a banana tree growing in his conservatory. It’s about 18ft high and this summer he hopes it will provide him with enough fruit for a supersize Banoffi pie, a few fritters and a couple of milk shakes. But the tree is there for swanky reasons as much as for sustenance. This is because Mike has built and now lives in … Continue reading Green property: the house that costs £60 a year to heat

Don Paterson The Guardian, Portrait of Robert Burns (1759-1796), Scottish poet. Photograph: Getty Images/Time & Life Pictures Robert Burns was born in Alloway in Ayrshire, and died in Dumfries. He had watched his father worn down by authority, and worn out by labour. This radicalised him, and turned Burns into an enemy of all enemies of freedom and humanity. Such egalitarian ideals got him into trouble: he was excited by outbreak of revolution in France, and his indiscreet support nearly lost him his job as an exciseman. Burns’ songs enjoy an international popularity, but what’s often admired in his poetry … Continue reading An introduction to the poetry of Robert Burns

The terror threat to the UK has been raised from ‘substantial’ to ‘severe’, but a numerical prediction would be more valuable Dylan Evans guardian.co.uk, The UK terror threat has been raised from “substantial” to “severe” – but what on earth does this actually mean? The official explanation – that an attack is now “highly likely” rather than merely “a strong possibility” – does not make things any clearer. Given that the threat level had stood at substantial since last July until this weekend’s announcement, and there were no terrorist attacks during this period, we can infer that “a strong possibility” … Continue reading How best to forecast terror?

Today Egyptians are enjoying an enforced holiday in honour of their national police – but revellers should beware Jack Shenker guardian.co.uk, ‘At the service of the people’ … Egyptian riot police charge demonstrators in Cairo in 2003. Photograph: Marwan Naamani/EPA Happy Police Day! For those not lucky enough to be familiar with Egypt’s annual jamboree celebrating the world’s most prestigious cops, concerned Egyptian citizens – eager to ensure you make the most of this public holiday – have issued a checklist of essential Police Day merchandise that every reveller should be sporting. 1. A history lesson – It’s important to … Continue reading How to celebrate Egypt’s Pig Day

The Israeli government’s restrictions on the movement of NGO workers will impose more hardship on beleaguered Palestinians Seth Freedman guardian.co.uk, Last week saw the latest move in the Israeli government’s clampdown on those working in solidarity with the Palestinians in the Occupied Territories. Ending a decades-old policy of granting work visas to employees of NGOs operating in the region, Israeli officials are now issuing NGO workers with tourist visas instead, prohibiting them from working in areas under Israeli jurisdiction, including Area C (which makes up 60% of the West Bank) and all of East Jerusalem. Many NGOs maintain a presence … Continue reading Israel’s NGO crackdown spells trouble