A remarkable short film on Pyongyang by branding specialist… JT Singh and time-lapse photographer Rob Whitworth:
Category General
ABC Radio interview on technology addiction
Last night I was interviewed by ABC Sundays about the role of technology in the modern world and whether we’re enslaved by it. I’ll be debating this issue on Tuesday at an IQ2 event:
Why literary festivals matter
My weekly Guardian column: The Byron Bay writers’ festival, one of Australia’s largest literary events, has just finished after three days of discussion and debate under sunshine and rain. With… record-breaking… crowds listening to writers and rappers in large outdoor tents, it was impossible not to be seduced by the diverse participants, including British authors… Jeanette Winterson… and… Geoff Dyer.…
Talking vulture capitalism at the Byron Bay Writer's Festival
I’ve returned from the wonderful Byron Bay Writer’s Festival where I’ve enjoyed the outdoor festival in the sun talking about Gaza, Palestine, politics, war (on a very interesting and sometimes heated panel with Washington Post journalist David Finkel and writer Abbas El-Zein and another one on free speech) and vulture capitalism. My 2013 best-selling book,…
The mess in Libya is deep warning to "humanitarian interventionists"
My weekly Guardian column: Libya was sold as a glorious, liberating war. London’s Tory mayor Boris Johnson… wrote… in March 2011 that the overthrow of dictator Muammar Gaddafi was “of course ”¦ a good idea”. He was cautiously optimistic that a Western-led military campaign would not be a “disaster” like Iraq in 2003. “What kind of democracy…
The dark reality of Britain's privatised immigration system
My weekly Guardian column: Yarl’s Wood is a Serco run immigration removal centre in Milton Ernest, built in an industrial park more than an hour from central London.… Allegations have been made against Serco staff, including of sexual assaults by guards against detainees, yet the British government continues to use the facility. During a visit inside…
My notes for launching Omar Musa's new book Here Come the Dogs
Last night in Sydney I was honoured to launch my friend Omar Musa’s first book, Here Come the Dogs, released publicly now. Today it received a wonderful review in The Guardian. Here are my launch notes: 22/7/14 -… … … … … … Met Omar in 2009 in Ubud, Bali, at the Ubud Literary Festival. He was funny, brash and…
John Oliver on the American prison industrial complex
A witty and moving look at the privatised US prison system:
Edward Snowden warning to us all
A detailed interview with NSA whistle-blower Edward Snowden recorded by The Guardian in Moscow. He remains articulate, passionate, insightful and the best argument against the mass surveillance state:
How the West has always backed brutal Sri Lanka
My weekly Guardian column: The Sri Lankan Navy band was busy last week, learning the tune to Waltzing Matilda. They played it to welcome Scott Morrison, the Australian immigration minister, who was visiting to launch two patrol boats donated by the Australian government. A photo of the moment,tweeted… by journalist Jason Koutsoukis, showed Morrison sitting alongside…