Category: Analysis

Why convicted murderer Oscar Pistorius cannot admit he deliberately killed his girlfriend — even if that’s the truth. That admission would stop him being awarded a limited form of freedom on parole, says his parole lawyer.

30 March 2023 By Paul Martin

June Steenkamp, mother of the murdered Reeva, is demanding an admission by Oscar Pistorius that he knew it was Reeva he was shooting at. But Pistorius cannot accept June Steenkamp’s ‘s demand that he admit he killed her daughter in a rage, according to Pistorius’s parole lawyer.    She is to confront him for the first time […]

Going fast in the bazaars of post-invasion Iraq: rocket grenade launchers that can bring down a helicopter.

29 March 2023 By Paul Martin

The war in Iraq got rid of Saddam Hussein’s regime — but soon insurgents were able to cause instability and chaos. Our correspondent Paul Martin was shocked to discover he could buy rocket launchers and other weaponry at bazaars in Baghdad… and how easy it was to smuggle the weapons past checkpoints. Here is his […]

Fired by NBC, hired by The Mirror. As Baghdad was falling 20 years ago, the legendary Peter Arnett thanks Correspondent.World’s editor Paul Martin and the ex-Mirror editor Piers Morgan.

21 March 2023 By Paul Martin

Awarded the Pulitzer Prize in the Vietnam War, legendary journalist Peter Arnett recalls witnessing theinvasion of Iraq from inside Baghdad, reveals the inside story of how he was fired then hired, and describes some of the US blunders, including the killing of three journalists. By Peter Arnett. Article and Photos Copyright Peter Arnett / Paul […]

The great Pelé, dead at 82, had some great flaws. They involved dictators and racism.

3 January 2023 By Paul Martin

By Paul Martin, Exclusive. Pelé’s legacy has two very big shadows: his willingness to serve dictators and his astonishing silence on racism. Despite his humble origins and the racism of his society, Pelé often seemed willing to consort with hardline right-wingers — a stain on his otherwise demigod status.   During the period of the military dictatorship […]

Pelé, dead at 82, was the world’s greatest footballing hero — ever. But the great Brazilian, known to many as ‘The King’, was not free from political controversy.

30 December 2022 By Paul Martin

Pele was fascinated when I asked for an interview.  He must have given thousands before mine, but this was different.  “You mean we’ll be talking directly on the Internet?” he gasped.  In 1997 that was not just a novelty, it was historic.   It was the first time any event had been internetted live.