A place of greater safety

CIA whistleblower Edward Snowden has claimed asylum in 21 countries. How do whistleblowers fare in some of them?

China: 5 journalists killed since 1992. One was beaten by traffic police whose corrupt practices he was investigating, another found with his throat cut after probing links between politicians and gangs

Venezuela: 9 journalists killed since 1992, including one murdered by a former police sergeant after investigating drugs gangs

Ecuador: 3 journalists killed since 1992, including one who was a witness in a police corruption case

Nicaragua: 2 journalists killed since 1992, including one killed after investigating electoral malpractice

Russia: 79 journalists killed since 1992 — ten of them suspected to have been murdered by criminal gangs, ten by government officials, three by military officials and three by political groups.

Source: Committee to Protect Journalists

Making the grade

The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority was expected to recommend that MPs’ salaries of £66,396 rise by up to 15 per cent. How else can you earn £66,396?

£53,141-£66,586: Head of Finance, National Gallery

£65,435–£69,410: Head of Social Work, Allied and Public Health, Staffordshire University

£62,808–£70,988: Principal Designate, Essa Academy, Bolton

£54,998–£67,805: Assistant Director of Strategic Procurement, East Kent Hospitals University Foundation Trust

Talk of the playground

One in five pupils in London primary schools do not have English as a first language. What are the most common languages spoken in London schools?

Source: Annual school census

What’s in the tank

The British Geological Survey doubled Britain’s estimated reserves of shale gas. How much fossil fuel is known to exist?
Oil: 1267 billion barrels (54 years’ supply at current production rates)
Natural gas: 196.1 trillion cubic metres (59 years’ supply)
Coal: 860,938m tonnes (217 years’ supply)

Source: BP. Figures are for 2011