Economy

NABLUS (Ma’an) — Settlers cut down over 50 olive trees in the Nablus village of Aqraba on Friday, Palestinian official Ghassan Daghlas said. Settlers from Elon Moreh, located east of Nablus, attacked Aqraba and cut down 50 olive trees from the Juhr al-Dik area of the village. The trees belonged to Said Bani Jame. Several […]

Coal

Solar Power in US doubles in 2014, Wind now 4% of Energy Mix

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | — Compared to Germany and Spain, the United States is woefully backward in its development of wind, solar and other renewable sources of energy for electricity generation. But there is some good news on this front, as CleanTech notes. Utility-scale solar power generation in the United States doubled in the past […]

Democratic Party

The Beltway Beast: How two Tribes in D.C. are Destroying the Middle Class

contributors

By Munir Moon The area inside the Beltway consists of Washington, D.C., and surrounding counties, and what I call the Beast includes defense contractors, lobbyists, Wall Street, think tanks, advocacy groups, journalists, foreign agents, and everyone else who wants something from our government. All of these congregate in the Beltway and are actively engaged in […]

Colonialism

ISIL, Coins, and the Caliphate: Banking on Idealism

contributors

By Tareq A. Ramadan It has been recently reported by Daesh (what most Arabs call the self-styled “Islamic State Group” or IS) that it will be producing and circulating its own coinage in an attempt to purportedly offset the popularity and usage of secular, Western currencies which they dub the “oppressor’s money” [1]. For Daesh, […]

Climate Change

Why it makes Economic Sense for Universities to Divest from Fossil Fuels

contributors

By John Quiggin, The University of Queensland The controversy ignited by the Australian National University in October, when it decided to sell its shares in seven resources companies, has raised two important questions about divestment from assets such as fossil fuels. The first is whether divestment is an economically prudent choice, and the second is […]

Economy

Iraq Famine Threat? IS Daesh/ ISIL Stealing Wheat, Preventing Farmers from Providing Food?

contributors

JURF-AL-SAKHAR/DUBAI (IRIN) | — November is usually a busy month for farmers in the Iraqi town of Jurf al-Sakhar as they sow their seeds ahead of the bitter winter months. Yet this year fields lie unplanted and untethered goats and cows wander aimlessly among slayed palm trees. Months of fighting have taken a heavy toll […]

Economy

Iraq: A Bigger Threat than Extremists? Economy on Verge of Collapse

contributors

By Mustafa Habib | Baghdad | via Niqash.org The Iraqi dinar: there might not be enough oil revenue coming into Iraq next year. The high cost of fighting the extremist Islamic State group, the worldwide decrease in oil prices, corruption and a lack of sensible economic forward planning mean that Iraq may be on the […]

Economy

How Public Power can get Big Money out of Politics & Defeat Plutocrats

contributors

Bill Moyers | — Bill Moyers: “How Public Power Can Defeat Plutocrats” via BillMoyers.com “Government has become a clearinghouse for corporations and plutocrats with deep pockets to buy the politicians who grease the wheels for lucrative contracts and easy regulation. It’s all pay for play, and look the other way. According to the watchdog Sunlight […]

Economy

Child Homelessness rising in US — Red States wonder why they’re the Worst

contributors

ABC 15, AZ | — “Arizona ranks as one of the worst states for homeless children.” ABC 15 Arizona: “Increase in homeless children in the US”