Europe

In Irony, $9.7 bn. GigawattFactory Hub for Battery, Renewables, to be Built by Coal Firm on Wasteland its Open Mining Created

By Edgar Meza | – ( Clean Energy Wire ) – German energy group LEAG, the country’s second biggest electricity producer and a key lignite company, plans to build the country’s largest renewable energy site in the eastern Lusatia coal mining region with the establishment of a 7 gigawatt (GW) hub by 2030. LEAG estimates […]

Featured

As Saudis stab Biden in the Back with OPEC+ Oil Cut, Only Electric Vehicles can Make US Independent

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – In a major blow to President Joe Biden, on Wednesday, OPEC+ took steps toward cutting the oil production of the members by 2 million barrels a day. Jackie Northam at NPR reports the views of analysts who believe that Saudi Arabia and Russia drove the decision in order to get […]

Featured

Proliferation and Nuclear Winter: If Putin drops an Atom Bomb on Ukraine, Iran, Saudi Arabia — Everyone — will Want a Bomb

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Russian President Vladimir Putin again threatened on Friday, as he announced the annexation of four provinces from Ukraine, to use nuclear weapons, presumably as a last resort, in his war on Ukraine. Putin said, according to Reuters, “The United States is the only country in the world that has twice […]

Greece

Biden needs NATO unity to Confront Russia, but will Turkish-Greek Conflict in the Aegean Break it Up?

Middle East Monitor

By Elif Selin Calik | – ( Middle East Monitor ) – For the first time in its long history, NATO’s unity is under threat as a result of the rift between two of its members; Turkiye and Greece and their manoeuvres in the Aegean Sea. The latest crisis between the two began in August […]

Climate Crisis

Climate Damage: Nord Stream Pipeline Leaks “a super-emitter event of unimaginable proportions”

Clean Energy Wire

By Carolina Kyllmann | – ( Clean Energy Wire ) – Leaking methane from the damaged Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines is likely to lead to “significant climate damage”, Germany’s Federal Environment Agency (UBA) has said. According to calculations by the agency, the leaks in the pipelines connecting Russia with Germany that were found […]

Russia

Is Putin in a Corner?

John Feffer

( Foreign Policy in Focus ) – When a country starts casting around for 60-year-old veterans to send to the front, you know that something’s wrong. All hands don’t go on deck unless the ship is foundering. It’s not yet clear whether the Russian ship of state is taking on water. But its military effort […]

Featured

Irony Officially declared Dead as Israeli Foreign Ministry Decries Russian Annexation of Others’ Territory

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – In a further sign that all irony is dead, the Israeli Foreign Ministry rejected the annexation of four Ukrainian districts by Russia on Tuesday, saying that Israel “recognizes the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, and will not recognize the results of the referendums in its eastern districts.” On Tuesday, […]

Antisemitism

Israeli Dilemma over Swedish and Italian Fascism: Fears of Antisemitism, Hopes for Right Wing Solidarity

Middle East Monitor

By Adnan Abu Amer | – ( Middle East Monitor ) – Israelis are watching political developments in Europe with interest, particularly in Sweden and Italy, amid fears that the Jewish communities there may soon face problems. Italy, for example, is expected to have a right-wing government involving Georgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party and […]

Russia

Russians flee the Draft as the Reality of War hits Home

Richard Foltz

Montréal (Special to Informed Comment) – The “partial mobilization” announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin on September 21 has triggered mass protests throughout the country and launched a mass exodus of Russian citizens fearing the draft. Many who previously supported the “special operation” in Ukraine are now having second thoughts. But with the price of […]