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COUNTERCURRENTS NEWSLETTER POSTED IN ITS ENTIRETY DUE TO
SIGNIFICANT GLOBAL ISSUES!
Dear Friend,
This issue arrives amid a widening arc of conflict and consequence. From escalating tensions around Iran to continuing violence in Palestine and Lebanon, the pattern is clear: military actions intensify while diplomatic pathways narrow. At the same time, deeper structural questions—about imperial power, economic strain, technological control, and the erosion of public rights—surface across regions and disciplines.
The essays in this issue do not treat these crises as isolated events. They situate them within longer histories of intervention, inequality, and resistance, while also examining the responsibilities of intellectuals, movements, and institutions in such a moment. Alongside analyses of war and power, we carry reflections on climate urgency, caste, democracy, and the possibilities of peace-building from below.
In a time of fragmentation, the task remains to connect, to understand, and to act with clarity and conviction.
LATEST ON WAR ON IRAN
Tensions around Iran continue to escalate as negotiations remain stalled. Senior officials in Tehran attribute the impasse to a United States naval blockade of Iranian ports, while the Revolutionary Guard reports seizing two foreign vessels and firing on another in the Strait of Hormuz over alleged violations. President Masoud Pezeshkian has reiterated Iran’s willingness for dialogue but cited sanctions, threats, and blockades as key obstacles. Meanwhile, parliament leadership has ruled out reopening the Strait under current conditions. In Washington, Donald Trump has set no deadline for a peace proposal, leaving timelines uncertain.
LATEST ON WAR ON LEBANON
Israeli air attacks in southern Lebanon killed at least five people, including Amal Khalil, a correspondent for Al Akhbar, and wounded freelance journalist Zeinab Faraj on Wednesday, despite an ongoing ceasefire.
LATEST ON PALESTINE
One person was killed and three others were injured in an Israeli drone strike on the Al-Maslakh area in Khan Younis. This came just hours after five civilians were killed in a drone attack in Beit Lahia. Earlier in the day, Israeli artillery shelled several areas in eastern Gaza Strip, including eastern Khan Younis, while military vehicles opened fire on the Mawasi area of Rafah.
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ATTACK ON IRAN
What Does Trump’s Extension of Ceasefire Suggest?
by Nilofar Suhrawardy
Nilofar Suhrawardy examines the implications of Donald Trump’s decision to extend the ceasefire amid the US–Israel confrontation with Iran. The article argues that the extension reflects strategic constraints, unexpected resistance from Iran, and limited international support for continued escalation. It highlights how military expectations failed to materialize and how diplomatic options narrowed under pressure. The piece also explores the role of image management, shifting narratives, and external mediation in shaping the decision. The ceasefire extension is presented as a pragmatic pause in a conflict with no clear victor and significant geopolitical costs.
After the Illusion – The Gulf and the Unmaking of Western Dominance
by Dr Ranjan Solomon
Dr Ranjan Solomon examines how the ongoing West Asia conflict has exposed the limits of long-standing security arrangements between Gulf states and the United States. As vulnerabilities in infrastructure and energy routes become evident, Gulf countries are reassessing dependence on Western power and moving toward strategic autonomy. The article traces shifting alignments, the growing relevance of alternative blocs, and the cautious recalibration of partnerships with powers like China and India. It argues that this moment marks not a rupture but a structural transition, where resilience, diversification, and pragmatic diplomacy are redefining the Gulf’s role in an increasingly multipolar and uncertain global order.
Demonized Iran – A Tale Told By An Idiot
by Michael K Smith
Michael K. Smith’s article revisits the long history behind the portrayal of Iran as a global threat. It traces tensions to the 1953 overthrow of Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh, emphasizing foreign intervention, control over oil resources, and the installation of the Shah’s authoritarian regime. The piece argues that subsequent U.S. policies, including support for repression, war, and regional interventions, shaped Iran’s political trajectory and global image. By foregrounding these historical episodes, the article challenges dominant narratives and situates present-day hostility within a longer record of geopolitical conflict, media framing, and contested claims about power, sovereignty, and accountability.
PALESTINE
Five Palestinians, Including Three Children, Killed in Israeli Strike in Northern Gaza
by Quds News Network
An Israeli airstrike near a mosque in the northern Gaza Strip killed five Palestinians, including three children, on Wednesday, amid ongoing daily Israeli attacks and reported violations of the so-called ceasefire. Medics ?and civil defense officials said the five were killed after an Israeli strike targeted a gathering near ?a mosque in Beit Lahiya, north ?of the enclave.
In the West Bank, Sexualised Violence Drives Palestinian Displacement
by West Bank Protection Consortium
A report by the West Bank Protection Consortium documents sexualised violence by Israeli settlers as a key driver of Palestinian displacement in the West Bank. Based on interviews across affected communities, it finds threats against women and children frequently determine decisions to flee. Survivors describe assaults, humiliation, and intimidation within homes, alongside movement restrictions, demolitions, and economic loss. Families adopt extreme coping strategies, including separation and early marriage. Most households report losing land, homes, and livelihoods. The report concludes these coercive conditions may constitute forcible transfer under international law and warns of escalating risks.
Israel’s War Obsession and the Urgency of Palestinian Leverage
by Dr Ramzy Baroud
Dr Ramzy Baroud examines Israel’s ongoing reliance on military escalation and the limits of its war-driven strategy. While public support within Israel for successive wars remains high, confidence in political leadership to convert violence into lasting strategic gains is declining. The article argues that perpetual conflict, particularly in Palestine, has become structurally embedded and politically sustained. It highlights the extreme vulnerability of Palestinians, especially in Gaza, alongside their enduring resilience. Baroud contends that meaningful change depends on generating real leverage through collective resistance and international solidarity capable of challenging entrenched power and shifting the current balance.
LEBANON
Israel Kills Journalist Amal Khalil in South Lebanon as Rescue Teams Recover Her Body from Rubble
by Quds News Network
Lebanese civil defense teams confirmed the death of journalist Amal Khalil after an Israeli airstrike targeted her inside a residential house in the village of Al-Tayri in southern Lebanon. Rescue teams recovered her body from under the rubble after hours of search operations carried out under difficult and dangerous conditions.
IMPERIALISM
Blood for Oil, Bodies for Profit: The Imperialist Slaughter in the Middle East-No War but the Class War!
by Dr G Shankar
Dr G Shankar situates the escalating US–Israel–Iran conflict within the structural logic of global capitalism, arguing that war arises from competition over resources, geopolitical dominance and declining profitability. He contends that ruling classes mobilise working people as expendable forces while safeguarding their own interests, with human suffering treated as a byproduct of capital accumulation. Drawing on historical parallels, the article rejects nationalist narratives and “campist” alignments, calling instead for international working-class solidarity. It concludes that lasting peace requires confronting the economic system that produces recurring cycles of militarism, displacement and inequality.
ROLE OF INTELLECTUALS
Wars and Edward Said’s Lessons
by Ivonaldo Leite
Ivonaldo Leite revisits the ideas of Edward Said to examine the role of intellectuals amid contemporary wars. Drawing on the devastation in Gaza and the repression of dissent in Western institutions, the article argues that many intellectuals have failed to meet their ethical responsibilities. It highlights Said’s insistence on critical independence, moral courage, and universal standards of justice. At a time of intensified conflict and censorship, the essay calls for intellectuals to resist conformity, speak uncomfortable truths, and align themselves with the struggles of the oppressed.
New Surrealism in the Face of Moral Decline
by Dr Salim Nazzal
Dr Salim Nazzal revisits the origins of Surrealism through André Breton’s vision of uniting consciousness and the unconscious in pursuit of truth. Emerging from the devastation and manipulation surrounding World War I, Surrealism functioned as both artistic revolt and moral response. The article draws parallels with the present, marked by militarization, inequality, and distorted political discourse. It argues that today’s crises reflect a deeper moral imbalance rather than merely technical failures. Nazzal proposes a “New Surrealism” as a contemporary form of resistance, restoring imagination, challenging power, and reaffirming the centrality of human dignity in public life.
TECHNO FASCISM
The Explicit Manifesto of Digital Fascism: Palantir and the Alliance of Monopoly Capital with the Far Right
by Rezgar Akrawi
Rezgar Akrawi examines Palantir Technologies as a revealing case of contemporary digital capitalism’s political turn. The article argues that the company’s manifesto signals an explicit alignment between monopoly technology firms and far-right political projects, supported by figures such as Peter Thiel. It situates this development within a broader shift toward militarization, surveillance, and algorithmic control, linking corporate power to state violence and repression. The piece interprets these trends as part of an emerging “digital fascism,” while calling attention to questions of ownership, democratic oversight, and resistance in the technological sphere.
WORLD
Denmark’s double game regarding Greenland: Military buildup and hollow rhetoric
by John Graversgaard
Denmark’s approach to Greenland reflects a widening gap between public rhetoric and strategic practice. While officials voice opposition to external pressure, particularly from the United States, parallel decisions indicate alignment with NATO priorities and an expanding military footprint in the Arctic. The article argues that threat narratives around Russia and China are overstated, serving to justify rearmament and deeper integration into U.S.-led security frameworks. Greenland, despite its self-government, is portrayed as marginal in decision-making. The buildup risks escalating tensions, sidelining environmental concerns, and reinforcing a geopolitical order in which European autonomy remains constrained by American priorities.
CLIMATE CHANGE
Let’s TALK climate: Loud, clear. No more hushing.
by Bill McKibben
Bill McKibben reflects on Earth Day history, recalling how public outrage over environmental disasters drove landmark laws like the Clean Air Act and transformed policy. He contrasts that period with today’s climate crisis, rooted in fossil fuel dependence and requiring rapid systemic transition to renewable energy. Drawing on recent observations of drought and warming across the United States, he warns of escalating impacts. McKibben argues that political and media “climate hushing” weakens public response despite sustained concern. He calls for direct communication linking climate action to affordability and democratic accountability. He also stresses urgency as extreme heat and policy retreat intensify.
HUMAN RIGHTS
When Rights Become Services: The Quiet Privatisation of Public Life
by Utkarsh Mishra
Utkarsh Mishra examines how public rights are being reshaped into paid services through a gradual withdrawal of state responsibility. Without formal policy shifts, essential sectors like health, education, and water remain “public” in name while households increasingly bear the real costs. The article traces how underfunding creates dependence on private markets, disproportionately burdening those least able to pay. It argues that this quiet transformation undermines the meaning of rights themselves, turning guarantees into conditional access. The piece calls for renewed attention to whether states are meeting their obligations or silently shifting them onto citizens.
SLAVERY
Reparations for Slavery: A Legitimate Struggle
by Guillermo R Barreto
This article examines the growing global demand for reparations for slavery as a matter of historical accountability and justice. It situates the transatlantic slave trade within the foundations of modern capitalism and highlights its enduring social and economic consequences. Referencing recent United Nations action, it underscores calls for formal apologies, financial compensation, and the return of cultural property. The piece also reviews historical injustices and contemporary initiatives led by Global South nations. It argues that reparative justice is not symbolic but a necessary step toward addressing systemic inequalities rooted in centuries of exploitation.
COUNTER SOLUTIONS
Emerging Possibilities and Challenges for the Peace Movement in Chambal
by Bharat Dogra
This article examines evolving possibilities for strengthening the peace movement in the Chambal region following the historic surrender of dacoits. Drawing on a recent dialogue among activists, villagers, and former insurgents, it highlights the potential of non-violence to address everyday conflicts, structural injustices, and environmental harms. The discussion emphasizes youth mobilization, women’s leadership, and community-based training in non-violent practices. It also identifies challenges such as entrenched inequalities and criminal networks. The piece argues for building sustained institutional support, including a “peace army,” to deepen justice-oriented initiatives and extend Chambal’s legacy of reconciliation into a broader, enduring social transformation.
When Progress Misleads: The Hidden Baseline Problem in Public-Interest Advocacy
by Robin Scher
This article examines the “baseline problem” in public-interest advocacy: how progress is often measured against narrow internal benchmarks rather than system-wide outcomes. Drawing on a complaint involving the University of Denver, it shows how institutions can report success while overall harm—such as animal suffering, emissions, or biodiversity loss—continues to grow. The piece argues that without clear baseline disclosure, impact claims risk becoming misleading despite technical accuracy. It calls for greater transparency in how success is defined, urging institutions to distinguish between localized gains and broader trends shaping real-world outcomes.
INDIA
India’s Economy under the Shadow of Dual Crisis
by Vikas Parashram Meshram
India faces a convergence of external shocks and domestic vulnerabilities as conflict in West Asia disrupts energy supplies while monsoon uncertainty threatens agricultural output. Rising oil prices, weakening industrial performance, and pressure on the rupee reflect deepening structural strain. At the same time, the risk of below-normal rainfall could intensify food inflation and rural distress, undermining demand across the economy. Policymakers confront a difficult balance between controlling inflation and sustaining growth. While buffer stocks and infrastructure activity offer some stability, the coming months will test India’s economic resilience and the capacity for coordinated, forward-looking policy responses.
The Nexus Between Women’s Reservation and Delimitation! After the 131st Amendment: A Constitutional Warning
by Dr Madabhushi Sridhar Acharyulu
The defeat of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, has intensified concerns about the linkage between women’s reservation and delimitation. The article examines how tying a widely supported social justice measure to Census-driven seat redistribution risks delaying implementation and unsettling federal balance. It highlights fears of regional inequity, erosion of constitutional safeguards, and the shift of key decisions from constitutional guarantees to parliamentary discretion. The piece argues that combining structural electoral changes with women’s reservation undermines trust and democratic fairness, and calls for decoupling gender justice from politically contingent processes to preserve constitutional integrity and ensure timely representation.
BJP’s Bengal Challenge: Identity, Dominance, and the Limits of Expansion
by Mohd Ziyaullah Khan
BJP’s expansion in West Bengal reflects rapid electoral gains alongside persistent structural limits. The article examines how the party’s strategy—rooted in identity politics, Partition narratives, and central leadership—has reshaped the state’s political discourse. Yet Bengal’s tradition of single-party dominance, strong regional identity, and entrenched grassroots networks continues to constrain its rise. Despite emerging as a major opposition force, the BJP struggles to achieve statewide consolidation. The analysis highlights a deeper contest over culture, legitimacy, and power, arguing that without aligning with Bengal’s social fabric, electoral momentum alone may not translate into durable political dominance.
ANNIHILATE CASTE
On Theory and Practice of the Double Stage: Marx, Ambedkar, Gramsci, Foucault and Caste’s Schizophrenic Modernity
by Skand Priya
Skand Priya’s essay develops the “double stage” framework to explain caste’s transformation from a sacral hierarchy to a fractured modern condition where equality is professed but inequality persists. It brings Karl Marx, B. R. Ambedkar, Antonio Gramsci, and Michel Foucault into a shared analytical frame, arguing that each offers indispensable tools for understanding caste’s material basis, cultural reproduction, and ideological endurance. The essay critiques the separation of Marxist and Ambedkarite traditions and proposes a synthetic approach that links class, caste, hegemony, and visibility. It advances a unified theory aimed at clarifying both caste’s persistence and the pathways toward its annihilation.
TRIBUTE
Life and Mission of Bhagwan Das: A True Ambedkarite
by SR Darapuri
This article examines the life and intellectual mission of Bhagwan Das, a key interpreter and preserver of B. R. Ambedkar’s legacy. It traces his journey from experiences of caste discrimination to his role as a scholar-activist committed to social justice through knowledge. Highlighting his work in compiling 'Thus Spoke Ambedkar', his engagement with Navayana Buddhism, and his emphasis on education and rationalism, the piece presents Bhagwan Das as a model of “intellectual Ambedkarism.” His contributions ensured the continuity, clarity, and accessibility of Ambedkar’s thought for future generations.
POETRY
Exhausted
by Smitha Janet Nilgiris
This poem is a searing, fragmented meditation on the human cost of spectacle, rooted in the tragic firecracker explosion linked to Thrissur Pooram. Smitha Janet Nilgiris juxtaposes festivity with devastation, exposing how celebration mutates into violence against the poor. References to Mathrubhumi and the symbolic Mahabali deepen the irony, suggesting complicity and cultural distortion. The language is intentionally disjointed, mirroring shock and dismemberment. Its recurring metaphors—fire, flesh, DNA—universalize the tragedy, linking local disaster to war zones. The poem refuses consolation, instead indicting normalized cruelty and the media’s reduction of lives to “information.”
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