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On 2nd April 1982 Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands, a British territory in the South Atlantic Ocean. Three days later the British Foreign Secretary, Lord Carrington, resigned taking full responsibility for the failure of his department to foresee the invasion. His resignation wasn’t asked for, but he felt it was the right and honourable thing to […] The post Your servant appeared first on Turn the Page.

In December 1934 an American missionary in China was on the verge of giving up. Just twenty-one years old he was living in poverty and feeling desperately lonely and isolated; and now news had arrived that other missionaries had been martyred by Communist soldiers. One day he was plagued with doubt and fear and a […] The post The Power of Prayer appeared first on Turn the Page.

Recent research reveals that the grunts, bellows, squeals and “wheeze honks” made by hippos are not meaningless noises but the language they use to communicate. Scientists recorded the sounds and then played them back from the shore of the lake where the hippos gathered. The response was immediate, and the sound of unknown hippos produced […] The post Talking with friends appeared first on Turn the Page.

The British Government is currently trying to pass a controversial piece of legislation: the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill. In the latest instalment the bill has suffered several defeats and amendments in the House of Lords. Most stunningly amongst the latter was a requirement that police officers should tell the truth in public enquiries. […] The post Tell the truth appeared first on Turn the Page.

This week the Marble Arch Mound closed for the last time. Built to draw visitors back to a post-Covid London it never quite lived up to expectations. Costs spiralled from £3m – £6m and the promotional pictures didn’t quite match the reality. One visitor commented that it was ‘the worst thing I’ve done in London’. […] The post Making a name appeared first on Turn the Page.

I wonder how your New Year resolutions are going. As far as I can remember I’ve only ever made two. The first was when I was a child and my aunt, who was hosting the party, insisted that we do so. I had no idea what to say and as the seconds to midnight ticked down blurted out, […] The post New Year revolutions appeared first on Turn the Page.

“I was not lost and did not need to be rescued.”  So said British adventurer Benedict Allen after being rescued from the jungle of Papua New Guinea.  He had missed his flight home, was suffering from the effects of malaria, and had recorded a video message in case he wasn’t found.  While Benedict was supremely confident in […] The post I was not lost! appeared first on Turn the Page.

By the Spring of 1621 only half of the Pilgrims who had arrived aboard the Mayflower were still alive, and their chances of survival seemed slim.  But providence was on their side.  Seemingly by chance they happened upon an Abenaki Indian by the name of Squanto.  To their surprise he not only spoke English but was willing to […] The post Thanksgiving appeared first on Turn the Page.

Writing in the 2nd century the physician Soranos lists the features of a new born child that determine whether it should live.  Vigorous crying, sound limbs and organs, open orifices, and lively movement were all required.  A child failing these tests might well be abandoned and left to die of exposure. Fast forward 2,000 years and this week […] The post Children in Need appeared first on Turn the Page.

COP26 has been billed as the last chance to make the decisions that will be necessary to prevent catastrophic climate change. From around the world twenty-five thousand world leaders and delegates have gathered for two weeks of hard bargaining. Eyebrows have been raised at the environmental impact of the conference itself, not least because of […] The post Meeting face to face appeared first on Turn the Page.

In 1895 Annie Smith Peck succeeded in climbing the Matterhorn. This was a remarkable achievement. One of the highest and deadliest mountains in the Alps the Matterhorn hadn’t been conquered until 1865 and has claimed the lives of over 500 mountaineers. So, you would have thought that Peck’s achievement would have been celebrated around the […] The post Breaking with convention appeared first on Turn the Page.

When the gates of Chris Packham’s home were burnt down by masked men, he responded by saying ‘whoever you are, you burnt down the wrong gates. I cannot and will not let your intimidation sway me from my cause’. How good to find someone so committed to what they believe in that nothing will deflect […] The post Never give in appeared first on Turn the Page.

‘Sometimes all you need is twenty seconds of insane courage’. That’s the advice that single dad Benjamin gives to his son Dylan in the 2011 film We bought a Zoo. Struggling with a relationship and not knowing which way to turn, Dylan has to take his courage in both hands and risk confessing his love for […] The post Insane courage appeared first on Turn the Page.

It is often remarked that ‘God moves in mysterious ways’. The phrase originated in a famous 1773 poem by William Cowper entitled ‘Light Shining out of Darkness’. It was inspired by his own experience. As a young man Cowper was refused permission to marry the woman he loved and fell into a depression which was […] The post Mysterious Ways appeared first on Turn the Page.

This week consumers in the UK are nervously holding their breath, waiting to see whether their power company goes bankrupt and their favourite fizzy drink disappears from the shelves. The two are not unrelated. Both are the result of the latest Black Swan. First coined by statesman Nassim Nicholas Taleb a Black Swan denotes a […] The post Black Swan appeared first on Turn the Page.

When Christian Eriksen walked out onto the pitch for Denmark’s game against Finland he was in the prime of his life. Or so he thought. But five minutes before half time he suffered a cardiac arrest and collapsed to the ground. Fortunately, the rapid response of the medical team saved his life. But it could […] The post Would you be ready? appeared first on Turn the Page.

David Attenborough has warned world leaders that we are “on the verge of destabilising the entire planet” unless urgent action is taken to limit climate change. Now like many people I take seriously my responsibility to look after the planet – I recycle everything I can, compost my peelings and tea bags, and avoid single-use plastic as […] The post Birth Pains appeared first on Turn the Page.

It’s unlikely that anyone in the Cornish village of Carbis Bay missed preparations for the G7 summit in June 2021. With a population of slightly over 3,500 the village normally hosts tourists who flock to its golden sands. The arrival of the G7, however, rather swelled that number. Six thousand police men and women arrived […] The post When leaders come to town appeared first on Turn the Page.

The last words we say can leave a lasting legacy for those who follow.  In Stephen Spielberg’s famous film ‘Saving Private Ryan’, Captain John Miller sacrifices his own life to rescue Private James Ryan, and with his last words tells him ‘Earn this … earn it!’  The legacy those words leave are a haunting doubt that stay […] The post Last Words appeared first on Turn the Page.

I’ve sometimes wondered why the Very Hungry Caterpillar wasn’t given a name. Born on a Sunday he spends the first week of his life eating his way through everything he can find in increasing quantities. But nothing satisfies. On Saturday he goes all out, abandons his fruit only diet and munches his way through cake, […] The post Satisfying our Hunger appeared first on Turn the Page.