Elsewhere ... Jonathan Powell, Paul Conroy, UUP conference review and #BelFest treats

Elsewhere last week I blogged on Slugger O'Toole about:

Jonathan Powell's talk at the Belfast Festival in which Tony Blair's Chief of Staff and now political negotiatior around the world spoke about his book Talking To Terrorists, admitted that "terrorists are often better negotiators than governments", and offered a view on the latest set of political talks at Stormont.

War photographer Paul Conroy is speaking at Belfast Festival tonight. The original event sold out but there is now a 'late show' at 9.15pm with some tickets still available from the festival box office on 028 9097 1197.

Saturday's UUP autumn party conference saw DRD minister Danny Kennedy poking fun at other Executive ministers a few minutes after stating "more than ever we are witnessing the politics of the playground". Party leader Mike Nesbitt talked about victims, the military covenant, and proposing a DUP/UUP Westminster electoral pact in North Belfast/Fermanagh & South Tyrone. You can listen back to the speeches. (The previous Saturday afternoon was spent at the PUP conference - with audio available too.)

And don't forget that there's lots of great theatre coming up this week at Belfast Festival including An Enemy of the People (Thursday-Saturday) which I highly recommend having previewed the show in the Barbican a few weeks ago, More than a Flag, The Holy Holy Bus Tour, and Makaronik.