Juan Cole Interviewed by Francesca Fiorentini: “The Bitchuation Room (with Francesca Fiorentini): How To Lose a Country In 100 Days with Josh Gondelman & Juan Cole (Ep 278) ” Follow Francesca’s YouTube channel at the link above and sign up for her Patreon here . I fed the computer-generated transcript through ChatGPT to clean it […]
Libyan Gov’t Decries Fake News about Taking 1 mn. Palestinian Refugees: “Committed to the Palestinian Cause”
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Abu Dhabi-based Erem News reports that the Prime Minister of Libya’s internationally recognized Government of National Unity (GNU) in Tripoli, Abdul Hamid al-Dbeibeh, has vehemently denied the report in the “American Thinker” by what Libya called the “notorious conspiracy theorist” Jerome Corsi that the Trump administration is negotiating with the […]
China’s Power Sector Emissions fall 5.8% in Q1, as Renewables rapidly Replace Coal
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Lauri Myllyvirta writes at Carbon Brief that China’s CO2 emissions over-all fell by 1% in the past 12 months, and by 1.6% in the first quarter of this year compared to Q1 of 2024. In the first quarter of this year, moreover, power sector emissions fell a dramatic 5.8 percent. […]
As Trump urges End to Gaza Fighting, Half a Million Face Starvation and Israel bombs more Hospitals
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Even as President Trump and members of his entourage in Doha, Qatar, discussed how to end the Israeli war on Gaza, the Israeli government ramped up its bombardment of the Palestinians there. The National reports that on the margins of Trump’s visit, negotiations continued in Doha, centering on a halt […]
US Court fines Israeli Spyware Firm NSO $167mn for Targeting Whatsapp
( Middle East Monitor ) – A federal jury in California has ordered Israeli surveillance firm NSO Group to pay Meta $167 million in punitive damages, marking the first time a court has imposed financial liability on a spyware vendor for abuses linked to its software. The ruling sends a strong signal that private firms […]
Removing Syria Sanctions is a Win for the People, Whatever Trump’s Motives
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Syrians are rejoicing at the announcement on Tuesday by President Donald J. Trump that he will lift U.S. economic sanctions on Syria, at the advice of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, among others. Saudi Arabia gave Trump the quid pro quos he wanted for […]
Trump halts Bombing of Yemen, Reportedly under Saudi Pressure, and to Dismay of Israel
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Middle East Eye reports that Saudi Arabia pressured the Trump administration to cease bombing Yemen in advance of his planned trip to the Kingdom next week because such raids would be an embarrassment for him and his host. Trump said Tuesday that he was convinced that the Houthis were sincere […]
Israel Announces New Campaign in Gaza aimed at Complete Occupation and Confining Palestinians to Southern Enclave
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Mahmoud Mujadala at the Israeli newspaper Arab 48 reports that the spokesman for the Israeli army, Effie Defrin, announced Monday night that the army is preparing to implement a new military operation in the Gaza Strip, called “Gideon’s Chariots.” It will, he said, inaugurate a broad attack and will displace […]
Are Houthi Attacks on Israel Driven by Yemeni Domestic Politics?
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The Ansar Allah (Helpers of God) government of North Yemen, led by Abdel Malik al-Houthi, declared an aerial blockade of Israel on Sunday, as they successfully fired a missile at Ben Gurion International Airport. The missile evaded Israeli air defenses and landed on the outskirts of the airport, causing panic […]
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