Latest news with #IanMcEwan
Edinburgh Reporter
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Reporter
Book Festival programme – some tasty teasers announced on the Front List
The full programme for the Edinburgh International Book Festival programme will be announced on 10 June, but as a taster the Front List includes 14 events including two for schools with Frank Cottrell-Boyce and Laura Bates. The list includes names such as Maggie O'Farrell, Ian McEwan, R.F Kuang, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Asako Yuzuki and Nicola Sturgeon. Alexei Navalny's widow, Yulia Navalnaya will also come to Edinburgh this yea. Yulia, the widow of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who died in a Russian prison last year, speaks about her late husband's courageous work, Patriot, and continuing his crucial activism. These events will take place at McEwan Hall near to the Edinburgh Futures Institute and is an expanded version of last year's events, all run in collaboration with Underbelly. Maggie O'Farrell will celebrate 25 years since her first book was published and Ian McEwan will share with audiences his thoughts of past work and what comes next. Movie fans won't want to miss the UK's favourite film critic, Mark Kermode, who brings us the first edition of his energetic MK3D show (a frequent sell-out of the British Film Institute's programme) outside London, previewing upcoming releases and revelling in the Golden Age of Cinema alongside very special guests including Succession patriarch, Brian Cox. No one knows better the pleasure (and, unfortunately, immense pain) of being a dedicated fan of Scotland's national football team than sporting legend Ally McCoist, who visits the festival to discuss Dear Scotland: On the Road with the Tartan Army. And Gavin and Stacey co-creator and writer Ruth Jones lets us into the secrets of her writing craft, and her tender new novel, By Your Side. Jenny Niven, Director and CEO, Edinburgh International Book Festival, said: 'We are thrilled to be returning to the beautiful McEwan Hall, and expanding our partnership with Underbelly to present 14 The Front List events in 2025. At this challenging moment in history and politics, we'll be offering a comprehensively informed and critical eye on international affairs, and also the chance to escape them through the work of some of the world's foremost fiction writers, entertainment, and sporting figures. There's plenty more to come in our full programme announcement, but we hope our line-up for The Front List offers a delicious taster of what you can expect from this year's Book Festival.' Marina Dixon, Head of Programming, Underbelly, said: 'Underbelly's partnership with the Book Festival continues to bring some of the most vital, thought-provoking voices of our time to the heart of the city and the festival season and so we're absolutely delighted to welcome back The Front List. At Underbelly, we're passionate about creating space for bold ideas and unexpected conversations—and The Front List does exactly that. It's a real joy to be working together again on a programme that feels urgent, alive, and connected to the spirit of the Festival.' Tickets for The Front List events are available at To ensure these events remain accessible in times of great economic pressure, under-30s can purchase tickets at just £14 and £5 tickets are available to those in receipt of governmental income benefits. Full listings for The Front List events: Tues 12 Aug, 13.30 – Ruth Jones Wed 13 Aug, 13.30 – Mark Kermode Thu 14 Aug, 13.30 – Nicola Sturgeon Fri 15 Aug, 13.30 – Maggie O'Farrell [Sponsored by the National Library of Scotland]Sat 16 Aug, 13.30 – Ta-Nehisi Coates [Sponsored by the University of Edinburgh]Sun 17 Aug, 13.30 – Anne Applebaum & Edward Wong [Supported by the Turtleton Charitable Trust]Mon 18 Aug, 13.30 – Ally McCoist [Sponsored by Digby Brown]Tues 19 Aug, 13.30 – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Wed 20 Aug, 13.30 – Frank Cottrell-Boyce and Steven Lenton [Schools Edition] Thu 21 Aug, 13.30 – Laura Bates [Schools Edition]Fri 22 Aug, 13.30 – Yulia Navalnya Sat 23 Aug, 13.30 – Asako Yuzuki Sun 24 Aug, 13.30 – Ian McEwan Sun 24 Aug, 19.30 – R F Kuang All events take place at McEwan Hall, Teviot Place, EH8 9AG. McEwan Hall audience – credit Mihaela Bodlovic Like this: Like Related
Middle East Eye
7 days ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Ian McEwan and Zadie Smith among hundreds of cultural figures denouncing Gaza 'genocide'
Hundreds of writers and cultural organisations have signed a letter calling Israel's war on Gaza genocidal and urging an immediate ceasefire. The letter's 380 signatories include writers Ian McEwan, Zadie Smith, Frank Cottrell-Boyce, William Dalrymple, Elif Shafak, Irvine Welsh and Kate Moss. "The use of the words 'genocide' or 'acts of genocide' to describe what is happening in Gaza is no longer debated by international legal experts or human rights organizations," the letter reads, adding that the UN Human Rights Council has "clearly identified" acts of genocide enacted by the Israeli military. The letter was organised by writers Horatio Clare, Kapka Kassabova and Monique Roffey. The signatories say: "This is not only about our common humanity and all human rights; this is about our moral fitness as the writers of our time, which diminishes with every day we refuse to speak out and denounce this crime." New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters They add: "Too often, words have been used to justify the unjustifiable, deny the undeniable, defend the indefensible. "Too often, too, the right words – the ones that mattered – have been eradicated, along with those who might have written them." Demanding sanctions on Israel The letter quotes a poem by Palestinian poet Hiba Abu Nada, who was killed in an Israeli strike a year and seven months ago: "And if one day, O Light / All the galaxies / Of the entire universe / Had no more room for us / You would say: 'Enter my heart, / There you will finally be safe." The letter demands sanctions on Israel if the Israeli government does not implement a ceasefire in Gaza, as well as the "immediate unrestricted distribution of food and medical aid throughout Gaza by the UN". 'Shut up and fall in line': Israel, Palestine and the dawn of a new censorship in western art Read More » "We stand in solidarity with the resistance of Palestinian, Jewish, and Israeli people to the genocidal policies of the current Israeli government," the signatories say. It comes a day after more than 800 lawyers, academics and retired senior judges signed a letter calling on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to sanction the Israeli government and take steps at the UN Security Council to expel Israel as a UN member state. A slow trickle of cultural figures speaking out against Israel after its military campaign in Gaza began in October 2023 has gradually gained more mainstream momentum. The development comes as the UN and humanitarian bodies warn of the risk of mass starvation as Israel blocks off aid deliveries into the besieged enclave. Israel already faces charges of genocide at the International Court of Justice, and its prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is the subject of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for crimes against humanity and the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Writers denounce Israel's 'genocidal' actions in Gaza and call for ceasefire
Writers including Zadie Smith, Ian McEwan and Russell T Davies have put their names to an open letter - signed by 380 authors and organisations - calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. The letter, also signed by Jeanette Winterson, Irvine Welsh, Kate Mosse and Elif Shafak, describes Israel's military campaign in the territory as "genocidal". The writers urge people to join them in "ending our collective silence and inaction in the face of horror". Israel says it is working to destroy the Palestinian armed group Hamas and get back hostages the group has taken. It has strongly denied allegations of genocide, claims which are also being examined by the International Court of Justice. Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza in response Hamas' cross-border attack on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage. At least 54,056 people have been killed in Gaza since then, including 3,901 over the past 10 weeks, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry. Half a million people face starvation in the coming months, according to an assessment by the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC). Responding to the accusation of genocide made by rights group Amnesty International in December, Israel's foreign ministry described the group's 295-page report as "entirely false and based on lies", while the Israeli military said the claims were "entirely baseless and fail to account for the operational realities" it faces. The authors' letter is entitled Writers Demand Immediate Gaza Ceasefire and organised by writers Horatio Clare, Kapka Kassabova and Monique Roffey. It notes that Amnesty and Human Rights Watch, as well as independent experts appointed by the United Nations human rights council, have, it says, "clearly identified genocide or acts of genocide in Gaza, enacted by the Israel Defence Force and directed by the government of Israel". The authors call for the "immediate unrestricted distribution of food and medical aid in Gaza by the UN", and a ceasefire "which guarantees safety and justice for all Palestinians, the release of all Israeli hostages, and the release of the thousands of Palestinian prisoners arbitrarily held in Israeli jails". Sanctions should be imposed, the letter argues, if the Israeli government does not take action. While taking this stand, the authors also used the letter to "assert without reservation our absolute opposition to and loathing of antisemitism, of anti-Jewish and anti-Israeli prejudice". The letter continued: "We reject and abhor attacks, hate and violence – in writing, speech and action – against Palestinian, Israeli, and Jewish people in all and any form. We stand in solidarity with the resistance of Palestinian, Jewish, and Israeli people to the genocidal policies of the current Israeli government." The authors' letter begins by quoting the poem A Star Said Yesterday by the Palestinian poet Hiba Abu Nada, who was killed by an Israeli airstrike in 2023. It goes on to say that Palestinians "are not the abstract victims of an abstract war". It continues: "Too often, words have been used to justify the unjustifiable, deny the undeniable, defend the indefensible. Too often, too, the right words - the ones that mattered - have been eradicated, along with those who might have written them." The term genocide "is not a slogan", it states. "It carries legal, political, and moral responsibilities." The 1948 Genocide Convention, enacted following the mass murder of Jews in the Nazi Holocaust, defines genocide as "acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group". Crowds overrun US-backed group's new aid distribution site in Gaza Hopes of motherhood crushed after IVF embryos destroyed in Israel's Gaza offensive Controversial US-backed group says it has begun aid distribution in Gaza 'Situation is dire' - BBC returns to Gaza baby left hungry by Israeli blockade Head of controversial Israel-backed Gaza aid group resigns
BBC News
7 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Writers including Zadie Smith sign open letter calling for Gaza ceasefire
Writers including Zadie Smith, Ian McEwan and Russell T Davies have put their names to an open letter - signed by 380 authors and organisations - calling for an immediate ceasefire in letter, also signed by Jeanette Winterson, Irvine Welsh, Kate Mosse and Elif Shafak, describes Israel's military campaign in the territory as "genocidal".The writers urge people to join them in "ending our collective silence and inaction in the face of horror".Israel says it is working to destroy the Palestinian armed group Hamas and get back hostages the group has taken. It has strongly denied allegations of genocide, claims which are also being examined by the International Court of Justice. Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza in response Hamas' cross-border attack on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken least 54,056 people have been killed in Gaza since then, including 3,901 over the past 10 weeks, according to the territory's Hamas-run health a million people face starvation in the coming months, according to an assessment by the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC).Responding to the accusation of genocide made by rights group Amnesty International in December, Israel's foreign ministry described the group's 295-page report as "entirely false and based on lies", while the Israeli military said the claims were "entirely baseless and fail to account for the operational realities" it authors' letter is entitled Writers Demand Immediate Gaza Ceasefire and organised by writers Horatio Clare, Kapka Kassabova and Monique notes that Amnesty and Human Rights Watch, as well as independent experts appointed by the United Nations human rights council, have, it says, "clearly identified genocide or acts of genocide in Gaza, enacted by the Israel Defence Force and directed by the government of Israel".The authors call for the distribution of food and medical aid in Gaza by the UN, and a ceasefire "which guarantees safety and justice for all Palestinians, the release of all Israeli hostages, and the release of the thousands of Palestinian prisoners arbitrarily held in Israeli jails".Sanctions should be imposed, the letter argues, if the Israeli government does not take taking this stand, the authors also used the letter to "assert without reservation our absolute opposition to and loathing of antisemitism, of anti-Jewish and anti-Israeli prejudice". The letter continued: "We reject and abhor attacks, hate and violence – in writing, speech and action – against Palestinian, Israeli, and Jewish people in all and any form. We stand in solidarity with the resistance of Palestinian, Jewish, and Israeli people to the genocidal policies of the current Israeli government." The authors' letter begins by quoting the poem A Star Said Yesterday by the Palestinian poet Hiba Abu Nada, who was killed by an Israeli airstrike in goes on to say that Palestinians "are not the abstract victims of an abstract war". It continues: "Too often, words have been used to justify the unjustifiable, deny the undeniable, defend the indefensible. Too often, too, the right words - the ones that mattered - have been eradicated, along with those who might have written them."The term genocide "is not a slogan", it states. "It carries legal, political, and moral responsibilities."The 1948 Genocide Convention, enacted following the mass murder of Jews in the Nazi Holocaust, defines genocide as "acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group".In their letter, the authors emphasised their "absolute opposition to and loathing of antisemitism, of anti-Jewish and anti-Israeli prejudice".The letter continued: "We reject and abhor attacks, hate and violence – in writing, speech and action – against Palestinian, Israeli, and Jewish people in all and any form. We stand in solidarity with the resistance of Palestinian, Jewish, and Israeli people to the genocidal policies of the current Israeli government."
Time of India
7 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Some 380 UK and Ireland writers denounce Gaza 'genocide'
LONDON: Nearly 380 writers from the UK and Ireland, including Zadie Smith and Ian McEwan, penned an open letter Wednesday denouncing what they called Israel's "genocide" in Gaza and urging a ceasefire. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The letter called on "our nations and the peoples of the world to join us in ending our collective silence and inaction in the face of horror," they wrote in a letter published on the Medium website. "The use of the words 'genocide' or 'acts of genocide' to describe what is happening in Gaza is no longer debated by international legal experts or human rights organisations," the letter continued. Israel has repeatedly denied all accusations of genocide in its campaign to crush Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip. The letter comes a day after 300 French-language writers, including Nobel Literature prize winners Annie Ernaux and Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clezio, signed a similar statement condemning "genocide". "Palestinians are not the abstract victims of an abstract war. Too often, words have been used to justify the unjustifiable, deny the undeniable, defend the indefensible," the British and Irish writers said. The writers, including novelist Elif Shafak and playwright Hanif Kureishi as well as the Scottish and Welsh writers PEN clubs, called for a ceasefire, the "immediate distribution of food and medical aid" in Gaza and sanctions on Israel. International condemnation has grown over Israel's humanitarian aid blockade and relentless strikes after it ended a ceasefire in March and intensified military operations this month. The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said 53,977, mostly civilians, have been killed in Israel's offensive since October 2023, when a Hamas attack on Israel triggered the war. Some 1,218 were killed in the Hamas attack, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Militants also took 251 hostages, 57 of whom remain in Gaza, including 34 who the Israeli military says are dead. "This is not only about our common humanity and all human rights; this is about our moral fitness as the writers of our time," the writers said. On Monday over 800 UK-based legal experts, including former Supreme Court justices, wrote to Prime Minister Keir Starmer saying: "Genocide is being perpetrated in Gaza or, at a minimum, there is a serious risk of genocide occurring. "Serious violations of international law are being committed and are further threatened by Israel," the lawyers said, adding the UK is "legally obliged to take all reasonable steps within their power to prevent and punish genocide."
