Alex Hannaford
@alexhannaford.com
Journalist: Independent, Guardian, GQ, Sunday Times, etc. | Book: Lost in Austin (Harper Collins) | Podcasts: Dead Man Talking & Huddled Masses | alexhannaford.com | https://linktr.ee/AlexHannaford | Media consultancy: nofiction.com | Naijaphile
Pinned
Alex Hannaford
@alexhannaford.com
· Apr 25
Lost in Austin
A long-time Austinite and journalist’s exploration of the profound movements that have shaped Austin, Texas—charting the shifts within its vibrant music scene, the impact of rapid urbanization, and th...
www.harpercollins.com
I wrote a book about the profound changes that have impacted Austin, Texas, a city I lived in and loved for the best part of 17 years. It’s called Lost in Austin: The Evolution of an American City, and it’s out Oct 1. You can pre-order it here: www.harpercollins.com/products/los...
Reposted by Alex Hannaford
The whole idea that Weiss spiked the CECOT story because there wasn't an on-the-record statement from the Trump administration is laughable, as Sharyn Alfonsi notes. It's regular journalistic practice to run a story without comment, as long as you've given the source a chance, which 60 Minutes did.
December 22, 2025 at 12:05 PM
The whole idea that Weiss spiked the CECOT story because there wasn't an on-the-record statement from the Trump administration is laughable, as Sharyn Alfonsi notes. It's regular journalistic practice to run a story without comment, as long as you've given the source a chance, which 60 Minutes did.
Reposted by Alex Hannaford
Mr. Hannaford, I’ve just finished this book. Fascinating read, as someone who also moved here in his 20s and is now raising a toddler in the city. In my opinion, the strongest chapter was “Ghosts”. Magali’s story is, for me, representative of the real Austinites, an alternate version of
December 16, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Mr. Hannaford, I’ve just finished this book. Fascinating read, as someone who also moved here in his 20s and is now raising a toddler in the city. In my opinion, the strongest chapter was “Ghosts”. Magali’s story is, for me, representative of the real Austinites, an alternate version of
Tragic news about Rob Reiner. I met him and Corey Feldman 14 years ago to tell the story of the 25th anniversary of Stand by Me. For two hours they reminisced about that summer on set & Rob told me how he saw some of himself in the character Gordie LaChance.
web.archive.org/web/20250910...
web.archive.org/web/20250910...
25 years of 'Stand by Me'
How a coming-of-age classic forced its cast to grow up.
web.archive.org
December 15, 2025 at 1:19 PM
Tragic news about Rob Reiner. I met him and Corey Feldman 14 years ago to tell the story of the 25th anniversary of Stand by Me. For two hours they reminisced about that summer on set & Rob told me how he saw some of himself in the character Gordie LaChance.
web.archive.org/web/20250910...
web.archive.org/web/20250910...
🤮
Barron Trump chatted with Andrew Tate on Zoom, report claims
Barron Trump chatted with Andrew Tate on Zoom, report claims
Barron Trump chatted with Andrew Tate on Zoom, report claims
www.independent.co.uk
December 11, 2025 at 1:22 PM
🤮
Reposted by Alex Hannaford
WOW! AN HONOR! — GCN
December 6, 2025 at 4:16 AM
WOW! AN HONOR! — GCN
Reposted by Alex Hannaford
The CEO of Palantir.
December 5, 2025 at 12:22 PM
The CEO of Palantir.
Reposted by Alex Hannaford
Meta halted internal research that purportedly showed (young) people who stopped using Facebook became less depressed and anxious, according to an unredacted legal filing released on Friday. www.cnbc.com/2025/11/23/m...
Meta halted internal research suggesting social media harm, court filing alleges
Meta is alleged to have halted internal research suggesting social media harm, according to court documents.
www.cnbc.com
November 24, 2025 at 12:31 AM
Meta halted internal research that purportedly showed (young) people who stopped using Facebook became less depressed and anxious, according to an unredacted legal filing released on Friday. www.cnbc.com/2025/11/23/m...
Reposted by Alex Hannaford
Relying on ChatGPT to teach you about a topic leaves you with shallower knowledge than Googling and reading about it, according to new research that compared what more than 10,000 people knew after using one method or the other.
Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
Learning With AI Falls Short Compared to Old-Fashioned Web Search
In virtually all the ways that matter, getting summarized information from AI models was less educational than doing the work of search.
buff.ly
November 22, 2025 at 11:03 PM
Relying on ChatGPT to teach you about a topic leaves you with shallower knowledge than Googling and reading about it, according to new research that compared what more than 10,000 people knew after using one method or the other.
Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
Reposted by Alex Hannaford
Exclusive: The U.S. Coast Guard will no longer classify the swastika, nooses and the Confederate flag as hate symbols.
The military service drafted a new policy that classifies them as “potentially divisive.”
The military service drafted a new policy that classifies them as “potentially divisive.”
U.S. Coast Guard will no longer classify swastikas, nooses as hate symbols
The military service, which falls under the Department of Homeland Security, has drafted a new policy that classifies such items “potentially divisive.”
www.washingtonpost.com
November 20, 2025 at 6:37 PM
Exclusive: The U.S. Coast Guard will no longer classify the swastika, nooses and the Confederate flag as hate symbols.
The military service drafted a new policy that classifies them as “potentially divisive.”
The military service drafted a new policy that classifies them as “potentially divisive.”
Reposted by Alex Hannaford
Let that sink in: One person could make $3 billion more per year than all 1.4 million elementary school teachers in America combined. Educators deserve better. via @rbreich.bsky.social
November 20, 2025 at 10:52 PM
Let that sink in: One person could make $3 billion more per year than all 1.4 million elementary school teachers in America combined. Educators deserve better. via @rbreich.bsky.social
Reposted by Alex Hannaford
Willy Aceituno es un rey güey. Es obligatorio comprar sus cervezas y comidas si le ves IMO. De @charlotteobserver.com en TikTok. 💪💪💪
November 18, 2025 at 1:25 AM
Willy Aceituno es un rey güey. Es obligatorio comprar sus cervezas y comidas si le ves IMO. De @charlotteobserver.com en TikTok. 💪💪💪
As the Saudi Crown Prince returns to Washington tomorrow, just re-upping my interview with Jamal Khashoggi’s widow and leaving it here: www.theguardian.com/world/2024/f...
‘He couldn’t see light at the end of the tunnel’: Jamal Khashoggi’s widow on their life and his death
Hanan Elatr fled to America after the Saudi journalist’s murder in Istanbul and wants to speak out on his behalf
www.theguardian.com
November 17, 2025 at 12:29 PM
As the Saudi Crown Prince returns to Washington tomorrow, just re-upping my interview with Jamal Khashoggi’s widow and leaving it here: www.theguardian.com/world/2024/f...
Reposted by Alex Hannaford
The BBC is loathed by Trump, but what does an American public broadcaster look like? My latest for @the-independent.com www.the-independent.com/news/bbc-tru... #BBC #PBS #Trump
The BBC is loathed by Trump, but what does an American public broadcaster look like?
Often dubbed America’s BBC, PBS is a nonprofit broadcaster funded by viewer donations, the federal government, and some corporate underwriting. But having experienced both systems, Alex Hannaford has ...
www.the-independent.com
November 14, 2025 at 5:27 PM
The BBC is loathed by Trump, but what does an American public broadcaster look like? My latest for @the-independent.com www.the-independent.com/news/bbc-tru... #BBC #PBS #Trump
This is nuts. “so many have made the move that they are now straining the availability of housing for the nation’s top uniformed officers.”
And actually astonishing when you think about it: The Trump administration's top officials are choosing to separate themselves from the public—more to the point: separate themselves from any visible protest—and live on military bases.
Gift link here: www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
Gift link here: www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
Top Trump Officials Are Moving Onto Military Bases
Stephen Miller, Marco Rubio, Kristi Noem, and others have taken over homes that until recently housed senior officers.
www.theatlantic.com
October 30, 2025 at 1:40 PM
This is nuts. “so many have made the move that they are now straining the availability of housing for the nation’s top uniformed officers.”
"He'll stop the war... that's why I voted for Trump." Last year, Zohran Mamdami took to the streets to find out who New Yorkers were voting for: x.com/ZohranKMamda... (h/t @jonlaurence.bsky.social)
Zohran Kwame Mamdani on X: "Why did so many working class New Yorkers vote for Donald Trump last week — and even more not vote at all? I went to Hillside Ave in Queens and Fordham Rd in the Bronx to find out. https://t.co/1dXmnP01A4" / X
Why did so many working class New Yorkers vote for Donald Trump last week — and even more not vote at all? I went to Hillside Ave in Queens and Fordham Rd in the Bronx to find out. https://t.co/1dXmnP01A4
x.com
October 29, 2025 at 12:42 AM
"He'll stop the war... that's why I voted for Trump." Last year, Zohran Mamdami took to the streets to find out who New Yorkers were voting for: x.com/ZohranKMamda... (h/t @jonlaurence.bsky.social)
Steve Coogan, huge hypocrite? pressgazette.co.uk/media_law/un...
University leader wins substantial damages after being defamed by Steve Coogan
Loughborough University chief says Coogan script was 'monstrous' distortion of facts.
pressgazette.co.uk
October 28, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Steve Coogan, huge hypocrite? pressgazette.co.uk/media_law/un...
Scoop: During a trip to DC last week, CNN CEO Mark Thompson made a visit to the White House, where he promoted the network’s new streamer
Staffers were taken aback the next morning when Thompson urged them to ease up on East Wing renovation coverage
www.status.news/p/mark-thomp...
Staffers were taken aback the next morning when Thompson urged them to ease up on East Wing renovation coverage
www.status.news/p/mark-thomp...
Mark Thompson’s D.C. Drop-In
CNN’s chief has Washington talking about his private meeting at the White House—following which he urged the network to ease up on coverage of Trump’s East Room demolition, Status has learned.
www.status.news
October 27, 2025 at 2:28 AM
Reposted by Alex Hannaford
What is the Times doing calling this extrajudicial murder spree “cartel strikes”? On what evidence do they ape the killers’ propaganda?
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/23/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/23/u...
Trump Says He Will Not Seek Authorization for Cartel Strikes
www.nytimes.com
October 24, 2025 at 4:07 AM
What is the Times doing calling this extrajudicial murder spree “cartel strikes”? On what evidence do they ape the killers’ propaganda?
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/23/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/23/u...
How did a 67-year-old grandmother undergoing treatment for cancer find herself at the violent heart of one of the darkest days in modern American history? My story in today’s @thetimes.com www.thetimes.com/us/american-...
The ‘Maga granny’ who stormed the Capitol — then refused Trump’s pardon
Pamela Hemphill, 72, was sentenced to 60 days in prison for her part in the January 6 insurrection. So why is she now campaigning against Donald Trump?
www.thetimes.com
October 5, 2025 at 11:22 AM
How did a 67-year-old grandmother undergoing treatment for cancer find herself at the violent heart of one of the darkest days in modern American history? My story in today’s @thetimes.com www.thetimes.com/us/american-...
Book bans, censorship, and McCarthyism 2.0 — my latest for @the-independent.com www.independent.co.uk/news/world/b...
From Stephen King to Judy Blume, nobody’s safe from Trump’s book banners
A new list of the most cancelled books in the US includes some of the most revered texts in the world. Here, Alex Hannaford talks to the librarians on the frontline of the battle for free speech
www.independent.co.uk
October 4, 2025 at 12:40 PM
Book bans, censorship, and McCarthyism 2.0 — my latest for @the-independent.com www.independent.co.uk/news/world/b...
Reposted by Alex Hannaford
The same prick who gives me a headache every day now wants to outlaw Tylenol.
September 23, 2025 at 12:16 AM
The same prick who gives me a headache every day now wants to outlaw Tylenol.
My updated story for @the-independent.com in view of Trump’s #Tylenol presser today
www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...
www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...
Autism, vaccines and paracetamol –how Trump and RFK created a policy from conspiracy
As Donald Trump uses the platform of the presidency to promote unproven ties between Tylenol, vaccines and autism without giving new evidence, Alex Hannaford looks at the rise of Robert F Kennedy Jr’s...
www.independent.co.uk
September 23, 2025 at 2:31 AM
My updated story for @the-independent.com in view of Trump’s #Tylenol presser today
www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...
www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...
Reposted by Alex Hannaford
This Week's Onion Magazine:
September 18, 2025 at 9:00 PM
This Week's Onion Magazine:
I feel like posting this for #journalists is more pressing than ever. First Amendment Handbook from @rcfp.org www.rcfp.org/resources/fi...
First Amendment Handbook | The Reporters Committee
The First Amendment Handbook provides a basic primer on the laws affecting reporters’ rights to gather and disseminate news.
www.rcfp.org
September 18, 2025 at 2:58 PM
I feel like posting this for #journalists is more pressing than ever. First Amendment Handbook from @rcfp.org www.rcfp.org/resources/fi...