The Observer view on Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s killing: Narendra Modi’s hubris is ill-judged

In dismissing concerns over the death of a Canadian Sikh activist, India’s prime minister raises more questions over his commitment to democracy… It is unclear where righteous indignation ends and purblind arrogance begins Observer editorial Political assassination is a practice as old as human society, although the term itself derives from the 12th-century Persian Order… Read More The Observer view on Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s killing: Narendra Modi’s hubris is ill-judged

Britain, Europe, the New Cold War Finance & Technofeudalism. Talk at the Cambridge Union

Yanis Varoufakis On 7th February 2023, I returned to the Chamber to discuss a wide variety of issues, beginning with a Europe-at-war, post-Brexit Britain, the New Cold War that marks capitalism’s global transition to (what I call Technofeudalism), the state of the Left in Eastern Europe and more. Thanks Cambridge Union! https://www.yanisvaroufakis.eu/2023/03/24/britain-europe-the-new-cold-war-finance-technofeudalism-at-the-cambridge-union/

India and Canada must step back from the abyss

India will have to withdraw from the schizophrenia of publicly denying while privately celebrating a muscular security policy Bharat Bhushan Murder allegations by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau threaten to erode India’s image. Attempts to profile India as a “rogue” nation will damage India’s ambitions as a world leader, so recently burnished by the G20… Read More India and Canada must step back from the abyss

Nobel Peace Laureate: ‘We journalists are the defence line between dictatorship and war’ (2021)

Carole Cadwalladr The last time a journalist won a Nobel prize was 1935. The journalist who won it – Carl von Ossietzky – had revealed how Hitler was secretly rearming Germany. “And he couldn’t pick it up because he was languishing in a Nazi concentration camp,” says Maria Ressa over a video call from Manila. A Novaya… Read More Nobel Peace Laureate: ‘We journalists are the defence line between dictatorship and war’ (2021)

Communalism in Modern India: A Theoretical Examination (1986)

NB: This essay was written nearly 40 years ago, in the aftermath of the 1984 carnage of Sikhs in New Delhi. It was my first attempt at arguing that communalism was India’s version of Nazism, and that it was a singular phenomenon with different religious (and mutually influential) expressions, rather than an arithmetical total of… Read More Communalism in Modern India: A Theoretical Examination (1986)

‘Very messy’: India-Canada row over Sikh killing causes diplomatic shock waves

Hannah Ellis-Petersen in Delhi The sun was setting on a June evening as Hardeep Singh Nijjar walked across the car park of the gurdwara. Nijjar’s day job was as a plumber but this gurdwara, located in the city of Surrey, in Canada’s British Columbia province, was where he dedicated most of his energy. That day he… Read More ‘Very messy’: India-Canada row over Sikh killing causes diplomatic shock waves

Biden Is the Latest President To Tout the Vietnam War as Proud History

You might think that — after killing such a vast number of people in a war of aggression based on continuous deceptions — some humility and even penance would be in order… but no.. being the United States government means never having to say you’re sorry Norman Solomon hen Joe Biden flew out of Hanoi last week,… Read More Biden Is the Latest President To Tout the Vietnam War as Proud History

If India ordered a murder in Canada, there must be consequences: The Economist

NB: The USA and UK are stuck in a hypocritical marsh when speaking of violent interventions in foreign countries. Iran and Chile come to mind, not to mention Vietnam, Argentina and Bangladesh. The brutal murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the behest of Western ally Mohammad bin Salman, did not not prevent their arms… Read More If India ordered a murder in Canada, there must be consequences: The Economist

France accused of attack on press freedom after journalist arrest

France has been accused of an unacceptable attack on press freedom after the arrest of an investigative journalist who reported on leaked documents that alleged French intelligence was used to target civilians in Egypt. Police arrived at the home of Ariane Lavrilleux at dawn on Tuesday and took her into custody after searching her property.… Read More France accused of attack on press freedom after journalist arrest