My first attempt at replicating Nigerian meat pies, the staple diet of a busy West Africa Correspondent. I used to know all the best meat pie places in Lagos. Happy days...

After two whole days of complete closure, service is back to normal on South West Trains.... "A precarious tree is affecting the railway at Putney. Trains may be cancelled, delayed or revised because of this problem."

"In other words, both gravity and love are real and important, but they are not real and important in the same way." fabledlands.blogspot.com/2025/01/realit…

The moon has been sighted, signalling the start of the holy month of Ramadan. Extending my warmest regards to our Muslim brothers and sisters across Kenya and around the world during this auspicious month of Ramadan. Ramadan Mubarak

I have a letter in today's (London) Times. Along with more than fifty other former colleagues, I'm appalled that the government (with help from BBC management) is prepared to hollow out BBC World Service just when the world needs it most.

St Mark the Evangelist playing hide-and-seek with his winged lion 🦁 (and not getting very much writing done, as the blank sheet shows…) Ethiopia, 19th c. (?) #mark #evangelist #lion #hideandseek #WritingCommunity #africanart

Parliament is holding a debate on Westminster Hall this afternoon on the future funding of the the BBC World Service. The world is in a mess, VOA has gone, yet the BBC is facing severe cuts. This link promises a live stream, around 1500 UK time. parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/c6…

Rather brilliant. Watch it to the end.

Reading that President Trump has decided he DOES want British naval help after all. Thinking of the old folk song: "He who does not when he may, shall not when he would."

This is heartbreakng. A simple drug which stops bleeding after childbirth costs $5 a dose. It could save an estimated 2,700 mothers a year from bleeding to death in Nigeria alone, but it's still considered 'unaffordable'. threads.com/@bluntspeaking…

Obviously as an ex BBC lifer, I am delighted (if a little surprised) by this. Well done to the BBC online team.

A happy thought. Pope Leo is the first ever pontiff who is qualified to stand for President of the United States.