I write, shoot and edit pieces on international development, security, human/civil/privacy rights, trafficking... and arts & culture. Director of TePonui Media.
Trump’s Legacy Is a Global Alliance Against Women’s Rights
REPORT: U.S. conservatives have forged dangerous ties on abortion with reactionaries abroad.
Scotland Doesn’t Want the UK’s Drugs War
REPORT: As the Scottish Government announces an extra £250 million to tackle the ‘national disgrace’ of drug-related deaths, Lindsey Kennedy and Nathan Paul Southern report on Westminster’s failing drugs policy and how it is stopping Scotland from fighting addiction.
How to Run a Criminal Network in a Pandemic
FEATURE: In-depth report on how drug dealers and human traffickers are upgrading their marketing and delivery services by mimicking the PR strategies of legal businesses.
Fears Modern Slavery Victims Are Falling Off Radar As Referrals See Huge Drop During Lockdown
FEATURE: Report on the UK's modern child slavery crisis, including interviews with survivors and others whose lives have been impacted.
Hun Sen’s Coronavirus Crackdown
FEATURE: Report on how the Cambodian Prime Minister exploited the coronavirus crisis to roll out emergency laws that consolidate his authoritarian power.
How the Trauma of Conflict Deepens the Israel-Palestine Divide
FEATURE: An exploration of how the impact of violence on citizens' mental health exacerbates tensions and frustrates hopes of establishing peace in the region. Reported from Israel and the West Bank.
In Afghanistan, Coronavirus Could Be Deadlier Than War
FEATURE: Until recently, billboards around Kabul were emblazoned with a simple phrase: “Imagine Peace.” Now, they instruct people to wash their hands.
Does Voluntourism Hurt More than it Helps?
FEATURE: A look at the multi-billion-dollar "volunteering abroad" industry from the perspective of those it is intended to support. Based on Interviews with NGOs and education specialists in Thailand and Cambodia.
Trump and Pompeo’s Parting Blow Rolls Back Women’s Rights in Africa and Beyond
FEATURE: An 11th-hour pact between the US and ultraconservative leaders threatens female freedom around the world
Pakistan’s Loneliest Elephant Gets New Lease of Life in Cambodia
ARTICLE: It isn’t easy to move an elephant. Especially not a depressed one. That weighs five tons. By plane. To another country. During a global pandemic. But after four years of campaigning and planning – including a heroic effort by the singer, actress and animal advocate, Cher – Pakistan’s last Asian elephant has finally made the journey to Siem Reap, Cambodia.
Cambodians Face Losing Land as Micro-Lenders Call in their Debts
NEWS ARTICLE: Micro-finance is big business in Cambodia, which has the highest average borrowing amounts from micro-finance institutions in the world, at US $3,804 per capita. As borrowers feel the financial squeeze of the lockdown, many face losing their homes and land.
Ethiopia’s Smart Drug Policy Keeps Revenues Up and Insurgencies Down
IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS: While other countries moved to ban khat, Ethiopia's decision to keep it firmly in the formal economy means they retain tax revenues, rather than gifting them to criminal syndicates, terrorist networks or militant insurgents – as many of their West African neighbours have unwittingly done.
The Coronavirus Could Finally Kill the Wild Animal Trade
FEATURE | Report on how the latest zoonotic disease outbreak could be the wakeup call needed to persuade customers to stop consuming endangered wildlife, putting an end to the devastating, illegal trade.
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Offers Bread and Circuses – But Is It Enough to Keep His Country Onside?
FEATURE: In-country research into MBS's grand modernisation plans - and how they are perceived by his fellow Saudi Arabians.
Militant monks / Carved up along religious lines, Southeast Asia bleeds
FEATURE: A toxic mix of nationalism and religious extremism is leading to a wave of political violence across Southeast Asia.“After I read that, I was anti-Muslim,” says Thet Swe Win. He boycotted Muslim-owned businesses. He stopped eating biryani, one of his favourite foods. He regularly beat up the smaller of the two Muslim bo...