CounterCurrents: Demonetisation, WW2 Bengal Famine And Horrendous Indian Avoidable Mortality Then And Now, Ticking Carbon Clock Warns We Have One Year To Avert Climate Catastrophe

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Ever since Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, demonetised Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes, the ensuing chaos drew parallels with the Bengal famine of World War II. Dr Gideon Polya, an expert on Bengal famine and global avoidable mortality rates takes a deep look at the two parallels  and concludes "poverty and disempowerment constitute a deadly deprivation in India today that is already linked to an appalling, worsening and resolutely ignored annual avoidable mortality (annual untimely deaths) of 4.5 million Indians. Demonetisation will inevitably worsen deprivation and avoidable death."

Two issues that Countercurrents has a particular focus are climate change and fast depletion of easily extractable resources. They are the twin crises that threaten the very existence of humanity and perhaps all species on this planet. Both these crises are coming to a head in 2017.  According to the ticking carbon budget clock created by the Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change the countdown now shows that only one year is left in the world’s carbon budget before the planet heats up more than 1.5º over pre-industrial temperatures, the target of Paris Climate Change agreement!

Gail Tverberg writes "some people would argue that 2016 was the year that the world economy started to come apart, with the passage of Brexit and the election of Donald Trump. Whether or not the “coming apart” process started in 2016, in my opinion we are going to see many more steps in this direction in 2017. Let me explain a few of the things I see."

Raghav Kaushik argues that with the fall of Aleppo antiwar left need to take a fresh look at the Syrian crisis and device new strategies to prevent it spiral out of control. 

And also more stories from around the world. 

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In Solidarity

Binu Mathew
Editor
www.countercurrents.org





Demonetisation, WW2 Bengal Famine And Horrendous Indian Avoidable Mortality Then And Now
by Dr Gideon Polya 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2017/01/11/demonetisation-ww2-bengal-famine-and-horrendous-indian-avoidable-mortality-then-and-now/

The demonetisation of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 notes by the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is disproportionately impacting the poor of India. Presently 4.5 million Indians die avoidably from deprivation each year and demonetisation will make this worse by increasing poverty, deprivation and disempowerment. Indians must reject this callous and deadly attack on the poor, reject deadly pro-One Percenter neoliberalism and demand social justice via social humanism (democratic socialism).





Ticking Carbon Clock Warns We Have One Year To Avert Climate Catastrophe
by Nika Knight 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2017/01/11/ticking-carbon-clock-warns-we-have-one-year-to-avert-climate-catastrophe/

According to the ticking carbon budget clock created by the Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change (MCC). The clock’s countdown now shows that only one year is left in the world’s carbon budget before the planet heats up more than 1.5º over pre-industrial temperatures.






2017: The Year When The World Economy Starts Coming Apart
by Gail Tverberg 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2017/01/11/2017-the-year-when-the-world-economy-starts-coming-apart/

Some people would argue that 2016 was the year that the world economy started to come apart, with the passage of Brexit and the election of Donald Trump. Whether or not the “coming apart” process started in 2016, in my opinion we are going to see many more steps in this direction in 2017. Let me explain a few of the things I see.






Obama Is A Disaster!
by Professor Francis A Boyle 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2017/01/11/obama-is-a-disaster/

Obama and I had the same Jurisprudence Teacher at Harvard Law School: Roberto Unger, the Founder of the Critical Legal Studies Movement. To his great credit, speaking on the BBC Hardtalk Program and elsewhere Professor Unger boldly and truthfully stated: “ Obama is a disaster!” That makes for two of us at least. Professor Unger always taught his law students by his own example to speak Truth to power.






Syria And The Antiwar Movement
by Raghav Kaushik 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2017/01/11/syria-and-the-antiwar-movement/

Unfortunately, the debates have been unusually vicious and sectarian making rational discussion difficult. The specifics of Syria account for only a part of the viciousness of the debate. At heart are differences in conception of what an antiwar movement is about. Accordingly, this article is divided into two parts, beginning with are view of the facts specific to Syria, and then a discussion of broader questions for the antiwar movement.







Does Israel Exist As A Nation State?
by Dan Lieberman 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2017/01/11/does-israel-exist-as-a-nation-state/

Criticism of Israel’s actions, which are finally being countered by international pressure, may have one built-in failure — critics are dealing with the wrong Israel. To whom are the United Nations and the U.S. Secretary of State addressing? They may direct speech to leaders of a nation called Israel; but is there a nation called Israel? Not according to Israel; its answer to proposals for either two-state or one-state solutions for the Middle East crisis is simple — a no-state solution, a route Israel has deceptively pursued from day one and is on a trajectory to purse for eternity. Here are the facts:







The End of Patriarchy: Radical Feminism for Men 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2017/01/11/the-end-of-patriarchy-radical-feminism-for-men-mickey-z-interviews-robert-jensen/

Mickey Z. interviews Robert Jensen






Globalist Leaders Ensure North American Integration Mechanisms Remain In Place
by Dana Gabriel 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2017/01/11/globalist-leaders-ensure-north-american-integration-mechanisms-remain-in-place/

As Donald Trump prepares to become U.S. president on Jan. 20, the future of NAFTA is in doubt. He has promised to either renegotiate or withdraw from the trade agreement. Despite the outcome of the 2016 presidential election, there are still many different existing North American integration mechanisms that remain in place. Over the last year, the globalists have quietly laid the foundation to ensure their continental agenda continues. They are positioning themselves so they can try to better influence the new Trump administration in advancing deeper economic, political and security integration in North America.






Man The Maker Of His Destiny – Swami Vivekananda

http://www.countercurrents.org/2017/01/11/man-the-maker-of-his-destiny-swami-vivekananda/

These are days when science and superstition are  mixed up, so are religion and superstition,    often with the support of the powers that be. Hi-tech youth schooled in sciences are also caught in irrational beliefs.  Science learning and scientific outlook are disjointed. In this context, at a time when his birthday is celebrated on january12,  it is instructive to recall    how Swami Vivekananda viewed astrology and superstitions, more than a century ago. 






The Arrest Of Advocate Murugan And Charging Him With UAPA Is Condemned

http://www.countercurrents.org/2017/01/11/the-arrest-of-advocate-murugan-and-charging-him-with-uapa-is-condemned/

Committee for Protection of Democratic Rights – Tamil Nadu, (CPDR-TN) strongly condemns the arrest of Advocate Murugan, Secretary Centre for Protection of Civil Liberties (CPCL), on 8th January by the Tamilnadu Q branch police.