Published in The Independent (August 21st, 2009) It was a simple thing. Another blood test, some more investigations into whatever flawed gene or missing protein might be the […]
Africa / Aid / General
Big men, bankers and the stench of corruption
Published in The Independent (August 18th, 2009) Frederick Chiluba is a sharp dresser. The one-time bus conductor who rose to become President of Zambia has a fondness for […]
Africa / Nigeria
Never mind the rebranding – Nigeria needs rebuilding
Published in The Independent (July 30th, 2009) Nigeria’s minister of Information has launched a campaign to rebrand her country, attempting to lure foreign investors and tourists under the […]
Afghanistan / World
False hopes and phoney democracy
Published in The Independent (July 15th, 2009) And so the charade begins once again. A state ripped apart by war, poverty and corruption promises to hold elections, and […]
Immigration / Policy / Politics
How our politicians failed to stop the rise of the far right
Published in The Independent (June 9th, 2009) A few weeks ago I attended a think-tank lunch held to discuss whether the rise of the left was inevitable in […]
Arts / Immigration / Music / Policy
This outburst will strike a chord around the world
Published in The Independent (May 7th, 2009) Abbas Kiarostami’s outburst against British officialdom will strike a chord with artists all around the world. However famous, however inspirational, they […]
Arts / Music
A brave new world of music
Published in The Independent (May 1st, 2009) As she waited to go on, Souad Massi looked nervous for the first time that evening. The Algerian singer, who has […]
Economics
The unlikely triumph of capitalism
Published in The Independent (April 4th, 2009) Presidents, politicians, pundits and protesters are united: Capitalism is in crisis; free markets are fatally wounded; the state is in the […]
Africa / Libya
These poor unfortunates are pawns in a game of power politics
Published in The Independent (April 1st, 2009) Michael was sitting in the shade of a building site with about 20 fellow Nigerians, watching life go by in a […]
Disability / Politics
Iona and Ivan – a tale of two children and two families
Published in The Independent (February 26th, 2009) I awoke to the sound of my daughter, Iona, screaming yesterday morning, shortly after six. First the agonised screams, then coughing […]
Africa / Aid / General
The other side of modern Africa
Published in The Independent (December 7th, 2008) The disintegration of Zimbabwe continues. The killing goes on in Congo and Darfur. And Aids continues to devastate the lives of […]