Category Archives: Journalism

December – VICE News, Simon Cumbers Media Fund (selected)

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‘Meet the Chinese Dissident Who Wants to go Home, but Just Can’t Get Arrested’, VICE News, Dec 31, 2014 (Here’s this piece in Chinese)

‘The Greek WWII Hero and EU Parliamentarian Who Nearly Blew Up Winston Churchill 70 Christmases Ago’, VICE News, Dec 25, 2014

‘”We Saw Our Sister’s Body. It Was Her First Day in School”: Survivors Tell of Horrors of Peshawar Massacre’, VICE News, Dec 23, 2014

‘2014 VICE News Awards: Most Surprisingly Tense Independence Vote – Scotland’, VICE News, Dec 23, 2014

‘Pakistan Lifting the Death Moratorium for “Terrorists” Might Backfire’, VICE News, Dec 18, 2014

‘Mass Grave Found in Eastern Syria Suspected to Hold Bodies of 230 Tribesmen Killed by Islamic State’, VICE News, Dec 18, 2014

‘Hamas Is To Be Taken Off the European Union’s List of Terrorist Groups’, VICE News, Dec 17, 2014

‘Pakistan Lifts Moratorium on the Death Penalty as Funerals Continue for 132 Murdered Children’, VICE News, Dec 17, 2014

‘Thousands of “Pinstriped Nazis” March Against Islamization in German City of Dresden’, VICE News, Dec 16, 2014

‘Live Updates: Police Raid Sydney Cafe in Hostage Siege’, VICE News, Dec 15, 2014

‘More Than 120 Dead as “Overcrowded” Ferry Sinks in DR Congo’, VICE News, Dec 15, 2014

‘Catholic Church Advisory Group Says Obligatory Celibacy May Have Contributed to Child Abuse’, VICE News, Dec 12, 2014

‘Why the UK’s “Modern Slavery” Problem Is Only Getting Worse, And New Laws Might Not Help’, VICE News, Dec 12, 2014

‘Boko Haram Blamed For Another Bombing in Nigeria, Killing 30’, VICE News, Dec 12, 2014

‘Islamic State Allegedly Charging $1M for the Return of James Foley’s Body’, VICE News, Dec 11, 2014

‘Police Arrest 76 at Eric Garner Solidarity “Die-In” Protest in North London Shopping Center’, VICE News, Dec 11, 2014

‘The UK Wants to Deport a Ugandan Woman Who Fled Her Country After an Exorcism’, VICE News, Dec 7, 2014

‘China Makes a New Year’s Resolution: To Stop Harvesting the Organs of Executed Prisoners’, VICE News, Dec 5, 2014

‘Campaigners Say British Authorities Must End “Aggressive Pursuit” of Women For False Rape Claims’, VICE News, Dec 3, 2014

‘Thirty Years After Bhopal’s Union Carbide Disaster, Gas Leak Survivors Are Still Suffering’, VICE News, Dec 2, 2014

‘Kenyan President Vows War After Militant Group Al-Shabaab Massacres 36 Quarry Workers’, VICE News, Dec 2, 2014

‘UK National Counter-Terrorism Awareness Week Included an Event on Protecting Your Fertilizer From Terrorists’, VICE News, Dec 1, 2014

I also wrote about what an incredible opportunity the Simon Cumbers Media Fund is.

November – VICE News, Business Insider, Plan International (selected)

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‘UK Offers New Powers to Scotland – But Independence Campaigners Say It’s Not Enough’, VICE News, Nov 27, 2014

‘Congolese Gynecologist Awarded EU’s Top Human Rights Prize for Work Treating Rape Victims’, VICE News, Nov 26, 2014 (This piece in Spanish) IMG_9985-2 I travelled to Strasbourg to report on a European Parliament plenary session. This is a photo of Dr. Denis Mukwege that I took right after he was awarded the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.

‘Pope Francis Warns European Union That the Mediterranean Risks Becoming a “Vast Migrant Cemetery”‘, VICE News, Nov 26, 2014 (and in Spanish)

‘Boko Haram Accused of Massacring Fish Sellers, as Nigerian Government Ends State of Emergency’, VICE News, Nov 24, 2014

‘British Government Threatens to Close Six Private Muslim Schools Where Students Risk “Radicalization”‘, VICE News, Nov 21, 2014

‘North Korea Might Already Be Preparing For a Fourth Nuclear Test’, VICE News, Nov 20, 2014

‘Caught Between the Islamic State and Shiite Militias, Gays are Dying in Iraq’, VICE News, Nov 20, 2014 (Here’s this piece in Dutch)

‘Five Women and a Baby Confirmed Dead as Police Storm Indian ‘Godman’s’ Compound’, VICE News, Nov 19, 2014

‘Video Shows Hong Kong Protesters Attempting to Smash into Government HQ’, VICE News, Nov 19, 2014

‘Organized Child Sexual Abuse in Britain Extends Well Beyond Rotherham’, VICE News, Nov 18, 2014

‘UK Police Investigating Alleged Murders in Government Child Abuse Scandal’, VICE News, Nov 17, 2014

‘FIFA’s Corruption Report Immediately Labeled “Erroneous” by Its Own Investigator’, VICE News, Nov 13, 2014

‘Sweden Accused of Forcing Teenager Back to North Korea Because of Asylum Errors’, VICE News, Nov 13, 2014

‘Europe’s Philae Probe Is the First Spacecraft to Land on a Comet’, VICE News, Nov 12, 2014

‘United Nations Condemns Australia Over “Inhuman” Treatment of Asylum Seekers’, VICE News, Nov 12, 2014

‘Kuwait Offers Stateless Arabs Citizenship in African Country 3,000 Miles Away’, VICE News, Nov 10, 2014 (This piece was also published on Business Insider)

‘Nigeria Suicide Bombing Kills at Least 48 Schoolchildren’, VICE News, Nov 10, 2014

”This Is What We Need’: Latvia’s Foreign Minister Announces He Is Gay’, VICE News, Nov 7, 2014

‘Leaked Documents Show Hundreds of Companies Like IKEA, FedEx, and Amazon are Dodging Tax in Luxembourg’, VICE News, Nov 6, 2014

‘Body of IRA Kidnapping Victim Brendan Megraw Found After 36 Years’, VICE News, Nov 4, 2014

”It’s a Form of Torture’: UNHCR Launches Campaign to Eradicate Statelessness’, VICE News, Nov 4, 2014

I was also asked to do a blog for Plan International’s ‘Because I am a Girl’ campaign.

I was taking photos at the ‘Occupy London’ protest at Parliament Square, Nov 22. IMG_9739 IMG_9643 IMG_9752

October – VICE News, HuffPost Live, University Observer, Suas 8×8 (selected)

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‘North Korea Quarantines Visiting Foreigners to Protect Against Ebola’, VICE News, Oct 31, 2014

‘Death of Zambia’s Michael Sata Brings Africa’s First White President Since Apartheid’, VICE News, Oct 29, 2014

‘This Woman Was Awarded $685,737 After Learning Her Boyfriend Was an Undercover Cop Sent to Spy on Her’, VICE News, Oct 29, 2014. (This interview was later aggregated by Gawker.)

‘Life with Boko Haram: The Escapees Speak Out’, VICE News, Oct 27, 2014 (This piece in Spanish)

‘We Spoke to One of the Cardinals Who Opposed the Church Welcoming Gay People’, VICE News, Oct 24, 2014

‘Britain’s Battle to End Female Genital Mutilation’, VICE News, Oct 24, 2014

‘Three Denver Girls Skipped School and Flew Off to Join the Islamic State’, VICE News, Oct 22, 2014

‘Soft Drinks Might Be Rotting Your DNA’, VICE News, Oct 21, 2014

‘Assisted Suicide Debate Highlighted By Starvation of UK Grandmother’, VICE News, Oct 20, 2014

‘No One Knows What Nigeria’s Government Is Doing to Rescue Our Kidnapped Schoolgirls’, VICE News, Oct 16, 2014. (As a result of this piece I was asked to appear as a guest on HuffPost Live’s WorldBrief to discuss the latest developments in Nigeria.)

‘Britain’s Student Union Votes Against Condemning the Islamic State – Because That Would Be Islamophobic’, VICE News, Oct 16, 2014

‘Protester Beaten by Hong Kong Police Says He Was Assaulted Again in Custody’, VICE News, Oct 15, 2014

‘Has the Catholic Church Changed Its Views on Same-Sex Relations?’, VICE News, Oct 14, 2014

‘Austrian Teenager Who Joined Islamic State “Wants to Come Home” – But Fears the Consequences’, VICE News, Oct 13, 2014

Several of my VICE News articles are also available in French.

And in German.

And Italian.

I was asked to contribute to the University Observer’s 20th anniversary special supplement, which also includes pieces from Dara O’Briain, Pat Leahy, Samantha Libreri, and many others.

A photo I took during the Rwandan genocide commemorations this year was published in a free supplement called ‘World’s Best News’, and included in an exhibition run as part of the Suas 8×8 festival. The exhibition is touring Irish campuses until the end of October.

8x83 (This photo of my photo is by James Brady)

Scottish Independence Referendum – VICE News

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I covered the Scottish independence referendum for VICE News.

‘Scotland Wraps Up Historic Day of Voting as First Referendum Results Are Declared’, 19th September, 2014, VICE News

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‘Scotland’s First Minister Resigns as No Vote Leads to Hostility’, 19th September, 2014, VICE News

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‘Residents of England’s Northernmost Town Share Their Thoughts on Scottish Independence’, 18th September, 2014, VICE News

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No hay independencia para Escocia, pero el referendo les puede servir para mucho, 22nd September, 2014, VICE Mexico

Financial Times Magazine

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My first two bylines in the FT Magazine:

On the Horizon: Looking at some of London’s key development projects, 13th September 2014, Financial Times Magazine.

My Paris: favourite restaurants, cafés, food shops and markets, 26th September 2014, Financial Times Magazine

I also did a piece for CNN International’s ‘Leading Women’ series:

Can this brain-sensing headband give you serenity?, 13th August 2014, CNN.com

And the same piece en Español, 18th August 2014, CNN en Español.

Old media reports deprive Rwandan genocide survivors of the right to be forgotten – World and Media

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An ethical issue I came across in Rwanda was the question of whether it’s ok to identify someone who has been through a traumatic incident. Is a survivor capable of full consent? On that topic, I wrote for World and Media about how the resurfacing of old media reports can negatively impact genocide survivors.

‘We meet again a few weeks later. Nyiramilimo sits in a bright, airy office, on the fourth floor of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A portrait of President Paul Kagame hangs over her head. She’s busy: her phone buzzes as we talk.

She tells me story after story.

The story of a girl, aged 15 during the genocide, who was taken by her parents’ killers to the DRC and raped. When she escaped she was pregnant, and after she gave birth to a son she handed him to relatives to raise so she could attend university and start her life anew. She met a boy and they got engaged; then he travelled to Canada to finish his schooling. There, on the TV, he saw old footage of her speaking about her rape and called her in shock. With her engagement over, the girl called Nyiramilimo asking “what do I do? I don’t want that story to be following me my whole life. Now I am well, I just finished university and I want to be normal.”’

Read the full piece at WorldandMedia.com

We Spoke to Former Rwandan Genocidaires – VICE

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Editor’s note: All names have been changed. 

At the entrance to Nyarugenge Prison in Kigali, Rwanda, armed guards stand beside painted letters that read, “No Corruption.” Through the gates, I spot guards escorting inmates around. Prisoners wear pink if they are awaiting a sentence, and orange if they are serving one.

During the three-month long Rwandan Genocide 20 years ago, 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus died at the hands of their friends, neighbors, and colleagues. After the catastrophe ended, a huge amount of people needed to be prosecuted, but there were limited resources to conduct the trials. To speed up the prosecution procedure, a system of local justice called gacaca courts was brought in. Trials were held in villages, where victims and their families publicly confronted the accused before their communities.

Continue reading at Vice.com

Also on Vice News

Schindler’s Witch: How Sorcery Saved Lives During the Rwandan Genocide – VICE

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Twenty years after the Rwandan genocide, the country is still coming to terms with what took place during that period of extreme violence. Perpetrators are still being brought to justice, and heroic stories are still emerging.

One such story belongs to Zula Karuhimbi, a woman some Rwandans claim saved more than 100 people through “sorcery.”

After we learned that she lived in the southern Ruhango District, we drove from Kigali to find her. On the way, we stopped at a roadside restaurant, where we told the waiter we were searching for the “witch” who had saved lives during the genocide. “The witch who was honored by the government?” a customer asked. “I know where she lives. I’ll take you to her.”

He brought us to Musamo Village, where we abandoned our car and ploughed by foot through waist-high shrubbery. Turning into an enclosure, we found Karuhimbi asleep on a straw mat outside a tiny house. She was hugging a small child, who, we later discovered, was an orphaned boy she had recently adopted.

Read the rest at Vice.com

Also on Vice News