My book review in the Sydney Morning Herald and Melbourne Age: AFGHANISTAN August in Kabul Andrew Quilty MUP, $34.99 Matthieu Aikins is a journalist who has spent extended periods in Afghanistan, including stints with The New York Times. Early this year, he told The Columbia Journalism Review that his whole profession had often failed when…
How legalising drugs reaches India
My book, Pills, Powder and Smoke: Inside the Bloody War on Drugs, was published in an Indian edition in 2020. It’s therefore gratifying to see how its message is reaching Indians with the publication of this letter in The Shillong Times, a newspaper in north-east India: Editor, Pockets of Shillong are witnessing a rise in…
Drug prohibition worsening the climate crisis
The connection between the drug war and worsening climate change is rarely discussed. In the new short film by UK NGO, Health Poverty Action, these links are explicitly made. I’m one of the experts interviewed (thanks to my latest book, Pills, Powder and Smoke: Inside the Bloody War on Drugs):
New Zealand Earthwise radio interview on Assange, Wikileaks and Palestine
I was recently interviewed by the New Zealand’s radio program, Earthwise, on Wikileaks, Julian Assange, Palestine and state killing of journalists.
Interview with Slovakian intellectual Martin Poliacik on the drug war and Ukraine
In late 2021, my latest book, Pills, Powder and Smoke: Inside the Bloody War on Drugs, was released in a Slovakian edition with an introduction by the Slovak philosopher and former politician Martin Poliacik who’s been a leading advocate for drug reform. Since its release, the book has received very positive coverage and reviews in Slovakia.…
TRT World debate on the drug war and legalising all drugs
My “debate” on global broadcaster TRT World’s The Newsmakers on the drug war and why all drugs should be legalised and regulated. These ideas are inspired by my recent book, Pills, Powder and Smoke: Inside the Bloody War on Drugs. The other panelists are former DEA head, Mike Vigil, and Portuguese expert on harm minimisation,…
Challenging the power of Murdoch
My debut article for US outlet The Intercept: RUPERT MURDOCH, who oversees a global media empire that includes Fox News, doesn’t like losing, but he just tasted defeat in Australia’s election. Despite years in which Murdoch’s media properties vociferously backed conservative Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Labor leader Anthony Albanese won the May 21 contest. Australia…
Will the Australian election give voice to Palestinians?
My latest investigation for Declassified Australia (including my photos from Gaza in 2017): It’s one of the longest trials of a Palestinian in Israeli history with no end in sight. Israel charged a Gaza-based, World Vision Australia employee, Mohammed El Halabi, in 2016 with illegally diverting millions of dollars of aid money to Hamas. Six years on, Halabi remains in detention…
When is the time to boycott?
When the political and media class routinely support tyranny in the name of ‘democracy’, community-led boycotts become essential. My latest essay in the Sydney Review of Books, a 3k+ word piece, on Russia, Ukraine, Palestine, BDS and reporter John Lyons’ fine new book, Dateline Jerusalem: Journalism’s Toughest Assignment.
When will I praise Israeli hegemony, Israel lobby asks?
It’s nice to know that Australia’s most belligerent, pro-Israel lobby, AIJAC, watches my media appearances (when they’re not backing Israel’s occupation in Palestine). I was recently on Sky News talking about the war in Ukraine. AIJAC only wants obedience to its agenda so this “critique” is hilarious: In an interview on Sky News Australia (March…