Europe

Opening of shipping Routes from Ukraine will not Lessen Commodity and Food pressure on the Middle East and North Africa

By Roman Shemakov | – Russia and Ukraine are two of the most essential pillars of the global food trade, producing 25 percent of the global wheat supply. More than 160 days after Russia invaded Ukraine, food, commodity, and energy shortages have plunged many economies across the world into recessions, particularly in the Middle East, […]

Climate Crisis

“The Elbe River Gasps for Breath:” Rivers’ ecosystems across Germany threatened by low Water, O2 Levels and high Temperatures

Benjamin Wehrmann

Citing Hamburger Abendblatt / Süddeutsche Zeitung / Rheinische Post ( Clean Energy Wire ) – German rivers are suffering from extreme heat and drought, ringing the alarm for the stability of their ecosystems all over the country. Like many other parts of Europe, Germany has seen recurring heatwaves since late spring, which coupled with little […]

astronomy and outer space

Space Cooperation Between Russia, Iran Raises Western Concerns

Golnaz Esfandiari

Welcome back to The Farda Briefing, an RFE/RL newsletter that tracks the key issues in Iran and explains why they matter. I’m senior correspondent Golnaz Esfandiari. Here’s what I’ve been following and what I’m watching out for in the days ahead. The Big Issue ( RFE/RL ) – Russia successfully launched an Iranian satellite into […]

Arab World

Russian Foreign Policy Towards the Middle East: New Trends, Old Traditions: A Review

Marc Martorell Junyent

Bonn (Special to Informed Comment) – Review of Nikolay Kozhanov (ed.), Russian Foreign Policy Towards the Middle East: New Trends, Old Traditions (London: Hurst and Co., 2022). “Syria is not witnessing a battle for democracy, but an armed conflict between government and opposition in a multireligious country. There are few champions of democracy in Syria. […]

Corruption

Trump joins Corrupt former French President Sarkozy in Having Authorities Raid his Home; Will he Also be Convicted?

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Reacting to the serving of a warrant and search by the Federal Bureau of Investigation at his Florida resort on Monday, Donald John Trump alleged that former presidents are only treated this way in banana republics or words to that effect. This allegation, like 99% of the things Trump says, […]

Food Security

The Russia-Ukraine Grain Export Deal brokered by Turkey Promises major Benefits for Poor Countries

The Conversation

By Wandile Sihlobo, Stellenbosch University | – If Russia keeps to the deal it has signed with Ukraine allowing for the resumption of grain exports, much needed relief will be provided to importing countries, including many in Africa. Ukraine, which has about 22 million tonnes of grain (wheat, maize, sunflower seed and other grains) in […]

Apartheid

Israel bombs Civilian Apt. Bldg. in Gaza City, Killing 10, Wounding 55; When Russia does it, it is a War Crime

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Maram Humaid at Al Jazeera English reports that Israeli fighter jets bombed the civilian Palestine Towers apartment building in downtown Gaza City on Friday, killing 10, including a five-year-old girl, a Quds Brigades commander and wounding 55 other persons. The little girl, Alaa Qadooum, and her father were on a […]

Climate Crisis

Germany gets 20% of its Electricity from the Sun: July marks third monthly Solar Power output Record

Clean Energy Wire

By Edgar Meza | – Referencing: Germany’s “PV Magazine”. Photovoltaic systems in Germany generated a new record level of electricity in the month July 2022, the pv magazine reported. Solar PV arrays produced 8.23 terawatt hours (TWh) of power, accounting for roughly one fifth of the country’s net electricity generation and also marking the third […]

Celtic Religion

In Celtic Culture, August 1 is a Harvest Feast for the Sun-God, Lugh, and its Traces are All Around Us

Hugh J. Curran

Orono, Maine (Special to Informed Comment) – We are approaching August 1 which, in Scottish and Irish tradition, is the Feast of Lughnasadh (La Lunasa), also known as Lammas Day. It is one of the four most important festival days in Celtic countries and was originally meant to celebrate Lugh’s birth. Lugh (pronounced Lu or […]