Europe

Sudan: questions about Wagner Group Involvement as another African Country falls Prey to Russian Mercenaries

By Kristian Gustafson, Brunel University London; Dan Lomas, Brunel University London; Neveen S Abdalla, Brunel University London; and Steven Wagner, Brunel University London | – (The Conversation) – After more than a week of intense fighting between Sudanese government troops and paramilitary forces in Khartoum, many western countries – including the US and UK – […]

Brazil

Lula is Right that the UN Security Council Can’t Resolve Major Conflicts, whether Ukraine or Palestine

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva made a state visit to Portugal and Spain last week. He was primarily seeking trade agreements, and especially wished to prepare the way for agreement this summer on a huge European Union – Latin American free trade zone. Article continues after bonus IC […]

Climate Crisis

Renewables Cover Half of Germany’s Electricity Demand in First Quarter of 2023

Clean Energy Wire

By Carolina Kyllmann | – ( Clean Energy Wire) – Renewable energy covered about half of electricity consumption in Germany during the first three months of 2023, according to preliminary calculations by energy industry association BDEW and the centre for solar research Baden-Württemberg (ZSW). In total, around 138 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) were consumed – […]

BDS Occupied Territories

Oslo, the Capital of Norway, Announces boycott of Goods Produced in the Israeli-Occupied Territories

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The city council of Oslo, Norway, the Scandinavian country’s capital, has passed a decree boycotting the importation of goods from the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories seized in 1967. The city will also boycott Israeli companies involved in exploiting the resources in the Palestinian West Bank and Gaza. The Oslo city council […]

China

Does the Rise of China in Eurasia mean the Fall of the United States as the Global Power?

Alfred W. McCoy

( Tomdispatch.com) – From the ashes of a world war that killed 80 million people and reduced great cities to smoking rubble, America rose like a Titan of Greek legend, unharmed and armed with extraordinary military and economic power, to govern the globe. During four years of combat against the Axis leaders in Berlin and […]

China

The Era of Great Power Victory in Wars ended in 1945 and a Wise Power would Avoid them

Tom Engelhardt

( Tomdispatch.com) – I was born on July 20, 1944, amid a vast global conflict already known as World War II. Though it ended with the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945 before I could say much more than “Mama” or “Dada,” in some strange fashion, I grew up at war. Living […]

Islam

Why London’s first Ramadan Lights Celebration has been so Important for Muslims Everywhere

The Conversation

By Farouq Tahar, University of Sheffield | – (The Conversation) – On March 21 2023, the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and Hamza Taouzzale, lord mayor of Westminster, stood on Coventry Street in central London and switched on the capital’s first ever Ramadan illuminations. Every evening throughout the holy month, 30,000 coloured lights have lit […]

Canada

Germany Welcomes G7 Goals: 150 GW in New offshore Wind, 1,000 GW of Solar by 2030, and no more Coal

Clean Energy Wire

Sören Amelang ( Clean Energy Wire ) – The German government and NGOs have welcomed the first G7 commitment to concrete targets for the rollout of renewables, but environmentalists also warned that the rich nation’s inclusion of carbon capture and storage (CCS) could lead to a “huge greenwashing show”. Following a meeting of climate, energy […]

China

Why the world should take Notice as Saudi Arabia joins Chinese Alliance – and how this relates to Taiwan

The Conversation

By Andrew MacLeod, King’s College London | – (The Conversation) – Saudi Arabia’s cabinet recently approved the decision to join the China-led Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). This could be a signal that Riyadh, with all its energy reserves, is choosing sides in the Ukraine war. Saudi Arabia, in part stung by US president Joe Biden’s […]