International Politics and Economy

EurActiv.com | – – Thousands of protesters carrying effigies of Donald Trump marched through Brussels on Wednesday (24 May) after the US president arrived for talks with the EU and NATO. “Trump not welcome,” said banners waved by the crowd, which police said numbered around 9,000. Organisers put the size of the demonstration at 12,000. […]

Far Right

Fascist, Go Home! After Bombing, Manchester Residents Shut Down Anti-Muslim Demo

contributors

TeleSur | – – “The people of Manchester don’t stand with your xenophobia and racism,” one man shouted at the English Defence League racists. In the aftermath of Monday’s tragic bombing, the people of Manchester showed little patience with the racist opportunists of the extreme right English Defence League, quickly confronting EDL attempts at provoking […]

Arms Sales

Trump, Saudi Arabia and yet another arms deal

contributors

Russell E. Lucas, Michigan State University The first stop on Donald Trump’s first trip as U.S. president was to Saudi Arabia. That was no accident. His decision was surely based on the fact that the alliance between Saudi Arabia and the United States is one of the foundations of American foreign policy in the Middle […]

Elections

Rouhani’s win a Victory for Reform, will Trump waste Opportunity?

contributors

By Shahram Akbarzadeh | (Informed Comment) | – – In Iran’s election, Hassan Rouhani’s re-election was not a forgone conclusion. Criticism of Rouhani’s performance focused on growing unemployment, as the economy was not keeping pace with new entries into the workforce. Official rates put unemployment at 12% but this rate is estimated to be much […]

Corruption

Erdogan, Trump, the Russians and General Flynn: The Tangled Web

contributors

By Carl Max Kortepeter | (Informed Comment) | – – When Sally Yates testified that she had told the Trump Organization, before his appointment as National Security Adviser, that General Flynn was in the pay of Turkey, for $600,000, President Trump should not have made the appointment. Appointments have consequences. General Flynn was acting erratically […]

Corruption

Trump calls Special Counsel a “Witch Hunt”: But what is his relation to Russia?

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Now that a Special Counsel (former FBI director Robert Mueller) has been appointed by the deputy head of the Department of Justice, it is time to review exactly what needs investigating. Trump is clearly terrified of the investigation. He immediately called the Mueller appointment harmful to […]

Iraq

Revival of Iraqi Communism among Youth alarms Shiite Militias

contributors

Mustafa Habib | (Niqash.org) | – – Last week’s kidnapping of seven activists in Baghdad could be another sign of increasing tensions between secular parties in Iraq and the country’s ruling religious groups. Is history repeating? Last week, an unidentified armed group kidnapped a number of younger civil society activists from their small apartment in […]

Elections

The Iranian Election: It’s the Economy, Stupid!

contributors

By Stella Morgana | The Conversation | – – On May 19, Iranians will choose their next president and determine what direction the country will take. The race has become tighter now that Tehran’s conservative mayor Mohammad-Baghar Ghalibaf has withdrawn his candidacy and backed the hardliner cleric Ebrahim Raisi. Raisi is the main competition for […]

Elections

Iran Election: Rouhani charges Rivals are ‘Executioners & Jailers’ in Risky Move

contributors

By Golnaz Esfandiari | ( RFE/RL ) | – – Less than two weeks before voting in Iran’s presidential election, incumbent Hassan Rohani has risked crossing the political establishment’s “red lines” in an unusually blunt attack against two conservative rivals. In a campaign speech in the western city of Hamedan, Rohani said on May 8 […]