Environment and conflict in Sudan
I’ve moved to the Sudan… and I’m sitting under a fan in Khartoum writing this… I’ve now been here a …
Atrocity exhibition
There is something stunning in the brilliance of Google Earth [download] – a streaming map of the world in the …
Diamonds – curse or charm?
Saw Blood Diamond – an action-movie-with-a-message, though laced with clichés (mercenary with a heart of gold, pouting female journalist as …
Free trade with Kyrgyzstan
My favourite Xmas present this year is a beautiful shyrdak (actual one pictured) from Kyrgyzistan. A shyrdak is a felt …
Second oldest profession in the world – arms dealing
I fear it was a terrible move to axe the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) investigation into the Al Yamamah (“the …
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Global public goods – the Achilles heal of globalisation
Attended a stimulating session today on “Global Public Goods” (FAQ) run by the ubiquitous penseurs of globalisation, E3G. The idea …
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Copenhagen consensus – wrong question leads to wrong answer on climate change
In theory, it would be good to prioritise resources for global do-gooding by asking what is the best use of …
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What’s the opposite of "human rights with common sense"
What is the opposite of ‘common sense’? ‘Stupid’ could be right. Or ‘arbitrary’. But one opposite might also be ‘principled’… …
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Is Millennium Development Goal no.1 rubbish?
As a call to arms, you can’t beat the first target in the first of the Millennium Development Goals … …
The biggest possible question – growth in the 21st Century
A session with Her Majesty’s Treasury yesterday reminded me that one of the most startling things is just how big …
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