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From examination scandal to national reckoning — how India’s NEET paper leak crisis reshaped education policy

how India’s NEET paper leak crisis reshaped education policy For millions of Indian students, the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) represents far more than an examination. It is the gateway to a medical career, years of academic sacrifice and, for many families, the promise of economic mobility. In 2026, however, that promise was shattered when India’s… Continue reading From examination scandal to national reckoning — how India’s NEET paper leak crisis reshaped education policy

Has the United States become an evil empire?

The value of the US Dollar: Benjamin Franklin blowing bubble gum.

“At a podium in front of the National Association of Evangelicals on 8 March 1983, Ronald Reagan delivered a line which would become synonymous with the US’s view of the Soviet Union for the rest of the Cold War. Reagan called on the evangelicals not “to ignore the facts of history and the aggressive impulses…”… Continue reading Has the United States become an evil empire?

The slow death of the United Kingdom & a need for alternative patriotism — what does Britishness need to be in the 21st century

What do we define as “Britishness”? In the most vague sense of the word, how do we as citizens of the UK define what it means to be British? Do we highlight the charming clichés of our love of an English breakfast tea, morning, afternoon and night, holding our mugs while gossiping about our neighbours… Continue reading The slow death of the United Kingdom & a need for alternative patriotism — what does Britishness need to be in the 21st century

The rise of the far right isn’t sudden — we just stopped paying attention

In political and public affairs analysis, the resurgence of the far right is often framed as a fractured viewpoint — an unforeseen force with the intent of sabotage that has emerged in response to the crisis at hand. Some would call it the cry for help, much like the replacement of a blunt bent blade… Continue reading The rise of the far right isn’t sudden — we just stopped paying attention

A funnel in both directions — how global movement mirrors the age of empire

It is often said that the only constants in life are death and taxes. But history suggests a third certainty — migration. As nations build borders and societies imagine themselves rooted in myths of permanence, humanity has always been in motion. Civilisations rise, expand, splinter and reform; people leave, arrive, return and transform the very… Continue reading A funnel in both directions — how global movement mirrors the age of empire

How the Cold War killed creativity

People online love to joke that “men used to build things”, usually paired with a photo carousel of the Taj Mahal, Registan Square or Versailles. Behind the humour is a real point. Art once occupied a central place in public life, and the people remembered across empires were often philosophers, poets, architects or scientists whose… Continue reading How the Cold War killed creativity

Anti-progression as the first and absolute sign of progression?

Following new asylum reforms, England has witnessed an intense outbreak of anti-immigration protests since April 2025. Many of these demonstrations have resulted in harassing minorities and shouting racist slogans, which has instilled an atmosphere of fear and incertitude. These anti-progress movements have made people all across the UK despair and believe that, despite popular belief,… Continue reading Anti-progression as the first and absolute sign of progression?

The Kremlin’s African gold rush — how Moscow turns gold into power

Russia has quietly built a sprawling billion-dollar network across Central and West Africa. Its secret weapon is a mix of mercenaries, resource deals and shadowy trading companies that funnel money directly to Kremlin-linked paramilitaries and indirectly to Moscow itself. Wagner Group and now its successor, Africa Corps, operate at the heart of this system, blending… Continue reading The Kremlin’s African gold rush — how Moscow turns gold into power

Eco-sumud — olive harvests as resistance in Palestine

As I am writing this piece, Palestinian families, friends and neighbours are gathered in their ancestral olive groves. The small green or black fruits are ready for plucking during the annual mawsim al-zaytoun (“olive season”), which typically lasts from the 1st of October to the 30th of November. Once the freshly picked olives are packed… Continue reading Eco-sumud — olive harvests as resistance in Palestine

Abolishing the monarchy through identity

Of all the New Year’s resolutions to have been put forward by various celebrities, I find Zarah Sultana’s message to be the most hopeful. Her short, sweet and simple tweet didn’t beat around the bush and got straight to the heart of the matter. It read: “My message of hope for 2026. Abolish the monarchy.”… Continue reading Abolishing the monarchy through identity