A Nobel for the Poor People’s Lawyer by Adekeye Adebajo countercurrents.org/2026/10/… Navanethem “Navi” Pillay’s Nobel Peace Prize recognises a lifetime devoted to defending human rights and challenging the abuse of power. Born into a poor family under apartheid in South Africa, she became a pioneering lawyer, judge and international jurist. Her work at the Rwanda tribunal helped establish sexual violence as a war crime, while her tenure as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights brought attention to abuses against vulnerable communities. As chair of the UN Commission of Inquiry on Palestine, she concluded that Israel’s actions in Gaza constituted genocide. Her career underscores the importance of international law in confronting injustice.

A Life That Began Twice: Eleven Years Since My Heart and Double-Lung Transplant by Mohammed Altaj countercurrents.org/2026/10/… Eleven years after undergoing a heart and double-lung transplant in Chennai, Palestinian writer Mohammed Altaj reflects on a life shaped by imprisonment, illness, family, and political struggle. Diagnosed with advanced pulmonary fibrosis while imprisoned, he was released in 2013 because of his deteriorating health. In October 2015, an Indian family’s decision to donate their son’s organs gave him another chance to live. He returned to Palestine, held his newborn daughter Aya, raised four children, and resumed writing. His journey also brought a reassessment of political commitments and renewed efforts to defend human dignity, including through an initiative supporting the recovery and burial of Gaza’s dead.

Gold and Guilt: The Dark Side of a Precious Metal by Jagjit Singh countercurrents.org/2026/10/… Gold symbolises prosperity, security and tradition, but its global supply chain can conceal exploited workers, environmental destruction and illicit trade. From Madagascar’s poorly regulated mines to India’s jewellery markets, the journey of gold raises serious questions about traceability and accountability. Hallmarking verifies purity, not ethical origin, while international intermediaries and refineries can obscure the metal’s history. Allegations concerning the London Bullion Market Association’s responsible-sourcing safeguards further expose weaknesses in industry oversight. The article calls for transparent supply chains, stronger enforcement, rigorous refinery audits and consumer protection to ensure that gold’s value does not depend on human suffering.

Breathing New Life Into Organized Labor by Jeffrey Vogt and Monika Mehta countercurrents.org/2026/10/… The global labour rights framework established in 1919 is steadily unravelling. Declining union membership, restrictions on strikes and collective bargaining, subcontracting, and the expansion of digital-platform work have weakened workers’ ability to organise and secure fair conditions. Jeffrey Vogt and Monika Mehta argue that corporate power and economic liberalisation have undermined the balance between labour and capital, while governments increasingly fail to enforce protections. They call for transnational collective bargaining, stronger legal enforcement, and organising rights for informal and platform workers. As climate change and artificial intelligence transform employment, rebuilding workers’ collective power has become essential to economic justice.

After Genocide: The Renewal of Racist Allegations Against Zionism/Israel by Richard Falk countercurrents.org/2026/10/… In "After Genocide: The Renewal of Racist Allegations Against Zionism/Israel", Richard Falk examines the renewed international debate over Zionism following Israel’s devastating assault on Gaza. He traces the history of allegations of Zionist racism, the 1975 UN resolution equating Zionism with racism, and its revocation in 1991 under US pressure. Drawing on research documenting apartheid and systemic discrimination against Palestinians, Falk argues that the events since 2023 have further discredited Zionism. He also examines how accusations of antisemitism are used to discredit critics of Israeli policies, and calls for renewed international scrutiny of racism, Palestinian rights and accountability.

Stop the Arrests and Harassment of Activists in Odisha by Right To Food Campaign countercurrents.org/2026/10/… The Right to Food Campaign has condemned the arrests of Dr. Randall Sequeira and Dalit activist Laxman Naik in Odisha, raising concerns about their detention, access to legal assistance and alleged procedural violations. Both have worked alongside communities resisting displacement and defending their land, forests, water and livelihoods. The Campaign has also demanded the immediate release of Lingraj Azad, who has reportedly spent six months in jail. It argues that the right to food is inseparable from the struggle against dispossession and displacement, and calls for an end to the harassment and criminalisation of activists and people’s movements.

HRF Condemns Arrests of Dr Randall Sequeira and Laxman Naik, Demands End to Repression of Anti-Bauxite Movement in South Odisha by Human Rights Forum countercurrents.org/2026/10/… The Human Rights Forum (HRF) has condemned the arrests of Dr Randall Sequeira, a healthcare worker associated with Medico Friend Circle, and Laxman Naik, a Dalit leader, for their links to the anti-bauxite mining movement in South Odisha. The arrests come amid continuing opposition to mining projects in the Sijimali and Kutrumali hills, where Adivasis and Dalits face repeated arrests, serious criminal charges and prolonged incarceration. HRF alleges that successive cases are being used to keep movement leaders behind bars and intimidate communities defending their land and livelihoods. It demands their immediate release and an end to the criminalisation of democratic resistance.

Saudis Reject Trump Offer For Israeli Help in War by Abdel Bari Atwan countercurrents.org/2026/10/… Abdel Bari Atwan examines Donald Trump’s reported attempt to persuade Saudi Arabia to accept Israeli military assistance against Yemen’s Houthi movement and join the Abraham Accords. He argues that the proposal is intended to draw Riyadh back into a conflict that diplomacy had helped contain, while using military pressure to advance normalization with Israel. Atwan maintains that Israeli intervention would undermine Saudi Arabia’s standing among its own population and the wider Islamic world. He calls for renewed negotiations between Saudi Arabia and Yemen, arguing that dialogue, rather than foreign military intervention, offers the only viable path to peace.

Trump, Epstein, and the Netanyahu Endorsement: The Strange Standards of Western Shame by Junaid S Ahmad countercurrents.org/2026/10/… In “Trump, Epstein, and the Netanyahu Endorsement: The Strange Standards of Western Shame,” Junaid S Ahmad examines the contrasting reactions to Donald Trump’s association with Jeffrey Epstein and his endorsement of Benjamin Netanyahu. The article argues that Western political establishments condemn scandals that threaten their moral reputation while accommodating mass violence committed by strategic allies. It situates this double standard within the racialised narratives of Western civilisation and the history of colonial conquest and imperial power. Trump’s open celebration of Netanyahu, Ahmad argues, exposes the contradictions between humanitarian rhetoric and the political support extended to Israel’s devastating campaign in Gaza.

Designing land access with deep time in mind: Moving toward a timeless ethic of land stewardship by Darby Weaver countercurrents.org/2026/10/… In “Designing Land Access with Deep Time in Mind,” Darby Weaver argues for a shift from treating land as private property and a financial asset to understanding it as a living inheritance. Drawing on Indigenous traditions, ecological stewardship, and the experiences of farmers, Weaver examines how speculative real estate markets threaten farmland, food production, and generations of accumulated knowledge. The article explores community-centred land trusts as a way to protect regenerative farms and preserve their work beyond individual lifetimes. It calls for a long-term ethic of care in which people become stewards of the land for generations yet to come.

One Nation, One Subscription, But Not for Everyone by Dr Anu M Varghese countercurrents.org/2026/10/… India’s One Nation One Subscription (ONOS) scheme allocates nearly ₹6,000 crore over three years to provide access to scholarly journals across more than 6,300 institutions. Dr Anu M Varghese examines the promise and limitations of this initiative. While the scheme could expand research access for students and faculty in government institutions, private colleges, independent researchers, journalists and others remain outside its coverage. The article also highlights the uncertainty of subscription-based access beyond 2027 and the financial barriers researchers face in publishing open-access work. It argues for a more inclusive and lasting approach to making knowledge accessible.

Gen Z protests in India are so peaceful and democratic; look at the violence in France by Vidyadhar Date countercurrents.org/2026/10/… In his article, Vidyadhar Date contrasts the peaceful and democratic character of recent Gen Z protests in India with the violent unrest in France and other European countries. Despite the injustices faced by Indians, young protesters have demonstrated restraint, while authorities have responded with barricades, disruption and hostility. Date criticises university professors and public intellectuals for blaming protesters while remaining silent about police brutality and the erosion of democratic norms. Drawing on Julian Benda’s The Treason of the Intellectuals, Thomas Docherty’s critique of universities and Shakespeare’s Macbeth, he questions the complicity of intellectuals with power and defends youthful dissent.

Learnings from Bangladesh History on how the life of over one million people and top leaders could have been saved by Bharat Dogra countercurrents.org/2026/10/… Bharat Dogra examines the lessons of Bangladesh’s history, focusing on how principled diplomacy could have prevented mass suffering and saved over a million lives during the 1971 genocide. He highlights the warnings issued by US diplomats Archer Blood and Kenneth Keating, whose appeals for a change in Washington’s policy were ignored by President Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger. The article also examines the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975, the subsequent erosion of democracy and secularism, and the international dimensions of political upheaval. It calls for historical accountability, ethical diplomacy, and greater vigilance against foreign interference.

The Politics of “Suicidal Empathy”: A Critical Examination of Anti-Muslim Narratives, Civilisational Decline, and the Misuse of Science by V A Mohamad Ashrof countercurrents.org/2026/10/… In his critical examination of a review of Gad Saad’s "Suicidal Empathy: Dying to Be Kind", V A Mohamad Ashrof challenges the use of evolutionary psychology to legitimise anti-Muslim narratives and claims of civilisational decline. The article examines how anecdotes, dehumanising metaphors and sweeping generalisations are used to portray Muslim migrants as threats, question humanitarian obligations towards Gaza, and frame compassion as societal weakness. It also scrutinises claims about refugee hosting and the scientific authority invoked to support political arguments. Ashrof distinguishes legitimate debates about empathy and public policy from narratives that turn religious and ethnic minorities into civilisational enemies.

Fear Blinked First by Nihar Nalini Sarangi countercurrents.org/2026/10/… In "Fear Blinked First", Nihar Nalini Sarangi examines the psychological shift behind the rise of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP). Beginning with a judge’s remark comparing unemployed young people to cockroaches, the article traces how satire transformed private humiliation into collective expression. The movement challenged learned helplessness, broke the isolation that sustains silence, and drew political parties into a growing debate over unemployment, democratic institutions and public dissent. Yet its future remains uncertain. With no settled programme or formal organisation, the CJP faces questions of leadership, democratic accountability and political direction. Its immediate legacy is a generation no longer silent.

The Maturity of Abhijeet Dipake and the CJP: Beyond the Pro-BJP Label by Nagesh Chaudhari countercurrents.org/2026/10/… Abhijeet Dipake and the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) have been accused of functioning as a B-team of the BJP. This article challenges that characterisation by examining Dipake’s positions on caste, reservations, Ambedkar and communal politics. It highlights his criticism of the Hindu-Muslim narrative, his support for reservations and his call for the annihilation of caste. It also examines the historical record of the Congress and Communist parties on reservations and social justice. The article argues that confronting the RSS and BJP requires multiple protest movements and a broader democratic mobilisation rather than dismissing emerging groups through political labels.

Goethe and the Moral Roots of Peace and Humanitarian Disarmament by Ghassan Shahrour countercurrents.org/2026/10/… In "Goethe and the Moral Roots of Peace and Humanitarian Disarmament", Ghassan Shahrour explores how Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s ideas on human development, education, cultural exchange and moral responsibility can inform contemporary efforts to prevent violence. While Goethe did not formulate a modern disarmament programme, his reflections offer insights into the cultural foundations of peace. Shahrour connects Goethe’s concept of world literature with international solidarity and examines how education can strengthen empathy, critical thought and respect for human dignity. The article argues that lasting humanitarian disarmament requires more than laws and treaties; it demands a culture that refuses to accept human suffering as inevitable.

The Use and Misuse of Empathy, From Gaza to Ireland by Hugh Curran countercurrents.org/2026/10/… In "The Use and Misuse of Empathy, From Gaza to Ireland", Hugh J. Curran examines how empathy, a foundation of moral life, can be restricted by political loyalties and used to justify injustice. Drawing on Adam Smith and David Hume, he explores the relationship between shared suffering and moral judgment. The article criticises Western governments’ military support for Israel amid the destruction of Gaza, arguing that this complicity undermines the credibility of Western liberal values. Connecting the histories of Ireland and Palestine, Curran calls for an empathy that crosses national boundaries and extends to all living beings.

Chapter 5 – Rumors That Abu Yusuf al-Tahhan Has Returned by Dr Salim Nazzal countercurrents.org/2026/10/… In the fifth chapter of "The Latest News of Abu Yusuf al-Tahhan", Dr Salim Nazzal weaves village folklore, historical memory and human longing into an evocative narrative. Rumours, whispered conversations and mysterious signs shape the villagers’ understanding of events, revealing how uncertainty can nourish both fear and hope. The story moves between intimate personal relationships and the wider currents of history, with the Battle of Ayn Jalut providing a significant historical backdrop. Nazzal’s restrained prose captures the rhythms of village life and its collective imagination, creating an atmosphere of anticipation that sustains the reader’s curiosity without sacrificing the novel’s reflective depth.

Countercurrents at Twenty-Five: Journalism as a Democratic Commons by T T Sreekumar countercurrents.org/2026/10/… As part of Countercurrents Silver Jubilee Symposium, T T Sreekumar writes on journalism as a democratic commons. Reflecting on the publication’s twenty-five-year journey, he examines its role in sustaining an independent space for dissent, critical inquiry and solidarity. He argues that journalism must make visible the experiences of communities excluded from dominant accounts of social reality. Countercurrents brings scholarship into dialogue with lived struggles, enabling activists, movement participants and writers to contribute to public knowledge. Sustained by reader support and collective participation, this democratic commons challenges concentrated media power and keeps alternative visions of social transformation alive.