Ukraine

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The breaking news is that the German Minister of Economy and Climate Robert Habeck, who is also the Vice-Chancellor has just announced that Germany is all in on a European Union plan to boycott Russian petroleum. Germany has already reduced its imports from Russia from 35% to 12% in only […]

Climate Crisis

Green Energy as answer to Ukraine Crisis: Turning to Nuclear would make us hostage to Moscow’s Uranium

Foreign Policy in Focus

By Tatyana Novikova | – ( Foreign Policy in Focus ) – In March 2022, Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) introduced several bills calling for a ban on Russian uranium as a way to cut off funds for the war in Ukraine and also boost domestic uranium production. Although environmentalists applaud the Russian uranium ban, they […]

Dissent

Defections are crucial to ending Putin’s war — Russian soldiers looking for a way out need support

Waging Nonviolence

By David Cortright | – ( Waging Nonviolence) – Putin’s greatest vulnerability may be his dependence on the willingness of Russian soldiers to do his dirty work. Although many in Russia have been conditioned to accept Kremlin propaganda, others have doubts about the war, including some of the troops who have been sent to fight […]

Climate Crisis

Germany reduces dependence on Russian Oil from 35% to 12%, aims to End Imports

Kerstine Appunn

( Clean Energy Wire ) – Germany has reduced its dependence on Russian crude oil from 35 to 12 percent and will take steps to replace the remaining deliveries to the Russian-operated Schwedt refinery within the next days, said the economy and climate minister. As Gazprom stopped supplies of natural gas to Poland and Bulgaria […]

Africa

Pain of Tunisia, Ghana, Global South from Ukraine War being Ignored by Eurocentric Media

Ramzy Baroud

( Middle East Monitor ) – While international news headlines remain largely focused on the war in Ukraine, little attention is given to the horrific consequences of the war which are felt in many regions around the world. Even when these repercussions are discussed, disproportionate coverage is allocated to European countries, like Germany and Austria, […]

European Union

Russia’s Weaponization of Natural Gas could backfire by Destroying Demand for It

The Conversation

By Michael E. Webber, University of Texas at Austin | – In December 2006, The Economist magazine published a cover drawing of Russian president Vladimir Putin, dressed like a 1930s gangster in a dark suit and fedora hat, under the headline “Don’t Mess with Russia.” Putin held a gasoline nozzle, gripping it like a machine […]

Food Insecurity

A year of Hunger: How the Russia-Ukraine War is worsening climate-linked Food Crises

The Conversation

By Ro McFarlane, University of Canberra; Nenad Naumovski, University of Canberra; and Shawn Somerset, University of Canberra | – Global wheat prices have soared since Russia invaded Ukraine in February. The two nations account for 30%of the world’s wheat exports. That means many low-income nations who are net food importers are bracing for a year […]

Democracy

France: Macron’s Pyrrhic Victory — Is his Neoliberalism Producing the Far Right?

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Romain Brunet at France 24 termed Emannuel Macron’s win in the presidential election a “Pyrrhic victory.” In 280-275 BC, Pyrrhus, the King of Epirus on the west coast of Greece, launched a war against the Roman Republic. He won some battles, but at such great cost that he may as […]

Food Security

Ukraine Crisis: Yemen urgently needs Seeds to Avoid Famine given Global Wheat Shortages

Daniel Martin Varisco

(Special to Informed Comment) – On top of the world’s worst humanitarian crisis created by a seven year war, Yemen is facing a new threat to feeding its people due to the impact of the Ukraine crisis. The FAO points out that almost half of the population is “undernourished” with famine conditions in some areas. […]