Revised We are reeling from back-to-back mass shootings, in Atlanta and Boulder. The main similarities of the two are that the young alleged murderers easily bought firearms just before their horrific killings and that neither of them ought to have been anywhere near a firearm, clearly having severe emotional problems. The US policy of constantly […]
A New History of the Prophet of Islamﷺ – Juan Cole interviewed by Hamza Yusuf
Juan Cole interviewed by Hamza Yusuf at Renovatio about the book: Muhammad: Prophet of Peace amid the Clash of Empires Available at Nicola’s Books in Ann Arbor And Hachette And Barnes and Noble And Amazon Renovatio writes: Can those working in the field of modern academic historical method contribute to new ways of viewing an […]
White Nationalist TV News: Even Networks and CNN are falling for ‘Border Crisis’ Propaganda
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The media frenzy in the US around the alleged border crisis with Mexico could have several roots. It could be an attempt to appear even-handed, in that anchors are criticizing a Democratic administration. It could be that Republican talking points are simply being given a hearing. It cannot be that […]
America is ‘Can-do’ again: Biden’s $3 trillion infrastructure Plan includes $500 bn for Green Energy and Transit and Massive Innovation
Jeff Stein and Tyler Pager at WaPo report that $500 billion of the proposed $3 trillion Biden infrastructure plan, or 16 percent, will be devoted to dealing with climate change. They write, “The infrastructure component is expected to include $400 billion in spending to combat climate change, including $60 billion for infrastructure related to green […]
Israelis cancel VIP Pass for Palestinian Foreign Minister for consulting with Int’l Criminal Court
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Naila Khalil reports at al-`Arabi al-Jadid (The New Arab) reports from Ramallah that Israel has withdraw the VIP Pass from Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki. The government of Binyamin Netanyahu was apparently angered that al-Maliki and other Palestine officials conducted talks in the Hague this past Thursday with Fatou Bensouda […]
Tens of Thousands Protest “Crime Minister” Netanyahu in Israel as his Political Survival hangs in Balance
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Thousands of Israelis demonstrated Saturday at various places against Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu, who is being tried for corruption, as the country goes to the polls Tuesday. This was the 39th consecutive weekly demonstration against the beleageured prime minister, who polls suggest faces an extremely close election. If he […]
German Greens come out against Russian Gas Pipeline: “It ought not to Exist”
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Germany’s Green Party has come out strongly against the Nord Stream II Baltic natural gas pipeline from Russia to Germany. The pipeline’s construction is already advanced. Der Tagesspiegel reports, “Green Party leader Annalena Baerbock warned that the pipeline would undermine European sovereignty and pose an obstacle to a common European […]
Attacks on Asian Americans are Rooted in over a Century of Racist Exclusion
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The spine-chilling attacks on Asian-Americans around the country, in San Francisco, New York, and now most bloodily in Atlanta, are manifestations of a white supremacism that has deep roots in American history. The odious Trump and his minions whipped up hatred by branding the novel coronavirus the “Chinese flu” or […]
Yemenis face Famine of the Century and Mass Starvation unless President Biden pressures Saudis to Stop Port Blockade
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The head of the UN World Food Program, David Beasley said at a news conference this week covered by al-`Arabi al-Jadid (The New Arab) that five million out of 28 million Yemenis are in severe danger of starvation and 16 million are food-insecure. Food insecurity is a state of being […]