@channel4news Foreign correspondent.@BBCNews @guardian before. Sr Assoc. Fellow @RUSI_org . Lecturer @cityjournalism . Author: https://xitter.cf/t.co/uTdAU3zgN0
Joined March 2009
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One detail missing from the fine obits of Sir Alex Younger is his dyslexia. He was sufficiently concerned about it that when he gave his first public speech inside Mi6 (I was in the audience) he gave broadcasters a pre-recorded version afterwards. To avoid any mistakes going out.
He also understood that intelligence comes in many forms and that the spook world needed to work harder at finding this diversity in those it recruits.
Jonathan Rugman retweeted
A huge night for Channel 4 News at the 2026 @RTS_media Television Journalism Awards 🏆
🎉 Five wins, eight nominations, including named Programme of the Year for the third-year running.
A particular spotlight on @lindseyhilsum - honoured with the prestigious Outstanding Contribution award, recognising 30 years of fearless, public service journalism that has defined our global reputation.
From Ukraine to Gaza, the White House to Westminster, our teams reported from the frontline of a rapidly shifting world.
Collecting the award, Editor @esmewren said: “In a reordered world, bearing witness is not optional. It is essential.”
Network Daily News Programme of the Year is @Channel4News! “It stood apart for its combination of robust studio interviews, strong eye-witness reporting and forensic analysis,” said the jury #RTSAwards
Haha ho ho. Ask the CIA. Ask the NSA. Ask several MBS bodyguards who were part of the kill squad. Everybody, including Khashoggi’s family, under orders to keep schtum.
Great @FT report on Neom in Saudi. “The underlying emotion that was felt …was fear,people would just mimic whatever he had to say,”said the planner. “MBS would arrive with his entourage of about 40-50 people. As he walks around,there’s absolute silence.” ig.ft.com/saudi-neom-line/
Jonathan Rugman retweeted
Today marks seven years since the brutal murder of #JamalKhashoggi in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. Khashoggi was silenced for speaking out against the Saudi government. Until today, they have not been held to account:
indexoncensorship.org/2018/1…
More supposedly necessary sycophancy from Starmer on Trump. Is his private messaging any tougher than this? Doubt it. “President Trump’s efforts have brought us closer than ever before to ending Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine. His leadership … should be commended.”
Trump says he has a ‘wonderful’ call with ‘highly respected’ President Lukashenko of Belarus. Who is a dictatorial thug. Our @Channel4News profile of him here youtu.be/aO1SMJNhxi0?si=8u2R… via @YouTube
Our @channel4news report on the children in Gaza killed waiting for aid. We show what we can: channel4.com/news/israeli-ai…
Sandy Gall was a swashbuckling @itn great. His autobiography ‘Don’t worry about the money now’ set me on the path to foreign reporting. Having dinner with him and his family at Lawrence Durrell’s house in Cyprus eventually led me to @itn @Channel4News . RIP and thank you!
Jonathan Rugman retweeted
Join me on Thursday at 7 pm @frontlineclub with Michael Goldfarb @MGEmancipation Jonathan Rugman @jrug and @robinlustig to discuss what happens when people democratically elect someone who is determined to undermine democracy?eventbrite.co.uk/e/panel-dis…
Many noting that Erdogan thinks he can do as he likes because of Trump in White House. That isn’t really it: after 20+ years, despotic types are often left with only ‘yes’ men in the palace and make mistakes. See: Putin, Ukraine, invasion of.
It suits Turkey’s government to portray protests as violent. So far they have overwhelmingly not been. We are about to find out if Erdogan - Turkey’s most successful politician since Ataturk - has made his biggest mistake in 22 years, in misjudging his ability to control this.
If anyone should know it was unwise to ride roughshod over Turkey’s greatest city, it should be Erdogan - its former mayor.
His own credentials to lead Turkey were only embellished by the time he too was arrested and then jailed.
Jonathan Rugman retweeted
With Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s latest power grab, which effectively removed his most formidable challenger from politics, Turkey has become a full, Russian-style autocracy, writes @gonultol.
foreignaffairs.com/turkey/tu…
My @Channel4News report on Turkey’s tragic descent from democracy. Istanbul, a city of 16 million, sees its mayor arrested just before he was due to announce his run for president. channel4.com/news/turkey-ist…
