My investigation in Foreign Policy: MANILA, Philippines — The murdered man lay in a pool of his own blood. At around 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 22, two men on motorcycles shot Manny “Buddy” Wagan outside his small shop selling junk metal just outside Manila. He was killed instantly with two bullets to the head. A…
Showing all posts tagged Donald Trump
Pink Floyd's Roger Waters speaks on Palestine and the Middle East
Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters recently toured around Australia. One night in Melbourne he took the time to speak at a public event, in conversation with Palestinian writer Randa Abdel-Fattah and me, about politics, the media, Palestine and the Middle East. He appeared before a packed house at the Athanaeum Theatre and the video has just…
Who should really benefit from aid?
My article in the Guardian: Foreign aid has the power to save lives but also to corrupt nations. It’s regularly used as a political football as some argue for more financial support to the world’s most vulnerable people while others believe more money should be spent at home. It’s a false distinction, however, because the…
Interviewing Pink Floyd's Roger Waters about Palestine
Last Friday night in Melbourne, I interviewed Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters alongside Palestinian writer Randa Abdel-Fattah. The event was organised by the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network. Waters is in Australia on his massive “Us and Them” world tour (which I saw on Saturday night and it was one of the most spectacular music performances I’ve…
How Trump weaponised far-right/Israeli connections
In March 2016, MidEastWire published my investigation into the growing ties between Israel and the global far-right. Newsweek Arabic has now re-published the story in Arabic, in its 3 February edition, and I’ve updated it one year into the Trump presidency: newsweekarabic
Destroying US democracy from within
My book review in The Australian newspaper: Democracy in Chains: The Deep History of the Radical Right’s Stealth Plan for America By Nancy MacLean Scribe, $35, 368pp As Hurricane Irma was pounding the US, President Donald Trump made a major announcement. He wanted huge tax cuts for the wealthiest members of society. Standing alongside Secretary…
The Wire interview on Trump moving US embassy to Jerusalem
US President Donald Trump’s decision to move the US embassy to Jerusalem is unsurprising and clarifying. It proves, once and for all, that Washington will only do the bidding of the Jewish state. I was interviewed on Australian news program The Wire about the move: Access and ownership of Jerusalem have been a hot issue…
US Disaster Politics podcast interview on aid profit making
My book, Disaster Capitalism: Making A Killing Out Of Catastrophe, examines companies and individuals making money from misery. I was recently interviewed by the great US podcast, Disaster Politics, hosted by Jeff Schlegelmilch, Deputy Director of Columbia University’s National Centre for Disaster Preparedness. My interview begins at 35:13.
What happens when Israeli occupation is permanent?
My article in Australian magazine Crikey: Less than one and a half hours from Jerusalem, Gaza is like a different planet, literally cut off from the outside world. Its 2 million residents, suffering huge electricity cuts, polluted water (a recent Oxfam report details Israel’s refusal to allow vital equipment into Gaza to fix infrastructure destroyed…
What 50 years of Israeli occupation does to Palestine
My investigation and analysis in The National newspaper on the 50th anniversary of Israel’s occupation of Palestine: For the two million Palestinians living under siege in Gaza, every week presents new challenges. Electricity is now reduced to about four hours a day due to political infighting between Palestinian parties Fatah and Hamas. Israel refuses to…