Welcome back to The Farda Briefing, an RFE/RL newsletter that tracks the key issues in Iran and explains why they matter. I’m senior correspondent Golnaz Esfandiari. Here’s what I’ve been following and what I’m watching out for in the days ahead. The Big Issue ( RFE/RL ) – Russia successfully launched an Iranian satellite into […]
Archives for August 2022
In Turkey, religious Values are used to censor online ontent
By Arzu Geybullayeva | – ( Globalvoices.org ) – Turkish authorities are increasingly censoring content online that does not fit Turkey’s religious values, morality, and family values in recent years. The most recent example is an investigation launched by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office against Spotify. The Office claims the music streaming platform, approved […]
Tech will Adapt to Goals Set for it: Offshore Wind Capacity doubles as cost cut in Half
Boosting renewable energy use can happen quickly – and reduce harm to low-income people if done thoughtfully By Erin Baker, UMass Amherst | – With many nations making efforts to transition away from fossil fuels to renewable energy, SciLine interviewed Erin Baker, a professor of industrial engineering and operations at UMass Amherst. Baker discussed the technological, […]
Virginia’s bid to be Saudi Arabia of Offshore Wind, Bolstered by Dem IRA, to Save Consumers Billions
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Virginia’s State Corporation Commission on Friday approved America’s largest offshore wind farm project, a 2.6 gigawatt facility to be constructed by Dominion Energy 27 miles out from Virginia Beach. The project could get some help from the Democratic Party Inflation Reduction Act, which the House will likely finalize soon, and […]
How the Clock is Running out on Trump
Oakland, Ca. (Special to Informed Comment) – Isn’t it rich that the man who abused presidential power more than any other, and tried to stage a coup d’etat against the U.S. Government, is now crying about “abuse of power?” And the phony news network that aided and abetted his rise to power and abuses, is […]
Russian Foreign Policy Towards the Middle East: New Trends, Old Traditions: A Review
Bonn (Special to Informed Comment) – Review of Nikolay Kozhanov (ed.), Russian Foreign Policy Towards the Middle East: New Trends, Old Traditions (London: Hurst and Co., 2022). “Syria is not witnessing a battle for democracy, but an armed conflict between government and opposition in a multireligious country. There are few champions of democracy in Syria. […]
Gaza: Amid death and destruction, the latest conflict highlights the depths of its humanitarian crisis
By Amy Maguire, University of Newcastle | – Israel launched multiple air strikes on Gaza on August 5, in another eruption of open warfare between Israel and Palestinian militants. The latest attacks come just over a year after hundreds were killed in an intense period of conflict in the territory. Israel announced its missile strikes […]
Trump joins Corrupt former French President Sarkozy in Having Authorities Raid his Home; Will he Also be Convicted?
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Reacting to the serving of a warrant and search by the Federal Bureau of Investigation at his Florida resort on Monday, Donald John Trump alleged that former presidents are only treated this way in banana republics or words to that effect. This allegation, like 99% of the things Trump says, […]
‘Cascading’ climate risks in the Middle East and North Africa
By Glada Lahn | – ( China Dialogue) – The next two United Nations climate negotiations will take place in the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA). COP27 will be in Egypt this November, followed by COP28 in the United Arab Emirates next year. Climate change has only recently gained mainstream attention in MENA, […]