Germany teeters on a dangerous precipice, grappling with a social and political upheaval that feels all too familiar yet alarmingly new. With the neoliberal order faltering and the “green capitalist” transition blocked by austerity, reactionary forces fill the void. The AfD, fueled by racism, nationalism, and discontent, gains ground as democracy’s foundations weaken. Yet the ruling coalition offers no inspiring vision, leaving progressives adrift. Without bold, collective action for social-ecological transformation, this essay argues the road ahead may spiral into unchecked authoritarianism.

Perched atop a $10M yacht aptly named Convict, Jon Logan, CEO of Smart Communications, embodies the grotesque profiteering of America’s for-profit incarceration system. This piece details how his company rakes in millions from imprisoned people and their families—among the nation’s poorest—charging steep fees for basic communication. Lavish parties, Rolls-Royces, and endless legal feuds illustrate the toxic greed driving this exploitative industry, further severing incarcerated people from loved ones while public officials get wined, dined, and complicit.

The far right has hijacked Antonio Gramsci, twisting the Marxist theorist’s ideas on cultural hegemony into a playbook for their own agenda. From 1970s France to Bolsonaro’s Brazil and Meloni’s Italy, this piece shows how right-wing ideologues have cherry-picked Gramsci’s concepts, erasing class struggle to justify reactionary “culture wars.” But their distortion reduces political change to narrative battles, sidestepping the material realities Gramsci emphasized. If the Left aims to reclaim ground, it should look to Gramsci as he was—not the caricature created by his ideological foes.

Uruguay’s bold leap into green energy shows the world what’s possible when a small but determined nation dives headfirst into renewables. In just over a decade, it built a grid powered by 97% renewable energy, pulling off what wealthier nations endlessly debate but rarely execute. Yet criticism persists: electricity remains pricey, benefiting government coffers more than low-income households. Still, as this piece shows, Uruguay’s success story is a blueprint for the future, proving large-scale change is doable—and fast.

From “post-fascism” weaponized by economic elites to Gaza’s destruction reframed as genocide disguised by the euphemism of "war," this interview dissects the crisis of historical language and concepts in our tumultuous present. The interviewee warns of Holocaust memory being co-opted for realpolitik and challenges intellectuals to reclaim their dissenting voice. But amidst the chaos, his insistence on Jewish critical traditions and global solidarity offers a glimmer of hope.

The UN’s Countering Terrorist Travel Programme is under fire for accelerating global surveillance through its goTravel software, which enables border authorities to analyze vast amounts of travelers' data. Critics—including the UN's own Special Rapporteur—warn of unchecked human rights abuses, with countries notorious for rights violations among beneficiaries. This piece shows how the program lacks transparency, oversight, and mechanisms to prevent misuse, while advancing mission creep that stretches beyond counterterrorism.

Donald Trump looms as both inspiration and agitator for Latin America, energizing a New Right that mixes Christian nationalism, culture wars, and libertarian zeal. Leaders like Argentina’s Milei, Brazil’s Bolsonaro, and El Salvador’s Bukele embrace Trump-style authoritarianism, attacking “wokeism” and amplifying conspiracies to consolidate power. Meanwhile, the left stumbles. Once unified and bold against U.S. imperialism under leaders like Lula and Chávez, it now appears fragmented, vulnerable to populist backlash, and unable to recapture its former dominance.

South Africa’s militarization has shapeshifted but remains a legacy of its apartheid past. Once central to domestic control and regional destabilization, this piece argues this sprawling "securitization complex" now fuses private security forces, a robust arms industry, and exported militarism. Former apartheid-era soldiers fuel private military firms, guarding mines, oil fields, and elites across Africa, while South African arms send billions in profits to corporations. The line between peacekeeping and profit-making has all but disappeared.

Masayoshi Son is a high-stakes gambler, but not in the casino sense—he's a billionaire playing with technological futures and global capital. Lionel Barber's dive into the SoftBank mogul reveals a mix of empire-building ambition, reckless intuition, and financial engineering that often blurs corporate lines. Son’s story, this review suggests, isn't just about personal hubris—it’s a cautionary tale of how cheap money and unchecked corporate might fuel a technopolitical system that worsens inequality while selling utopian dreams.

The second Trump administration is barreling into dystopian territory, fusing digital authoritarianism with reactionary politics. Elon Musk, now head of a government “efficiency” agency, wields unchecked power, enabling teen protégés to override national budgets and dismantle key public institutions. This piece suggests that Cyberpunk fiction like Neuromancer eerily predicted this world, where tech barons obliterate state functions under a guise of reform while entrenching racial and economic hierarchies.