Pacifism in Islam – University of Manchester. Juan Cole’s remarks at their conference. The Islamic Peace Studies Initiative Juan Cole and Samer Ali have directed the Islamic Peace Studies Initiative at the Center for Middle Eastern and North African Studies in the International Institute of the University of Michigan from 2016. The initiative sought to […]
The Deep History of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Letters and Politics on KPFA with Mitch Jeserich: KPFA Special – The History Behind The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyam – Interview with Juan Cole (Long excerpt of computer-generated transcript cleaned up by ChatGPT; caveat emptor): Mitch Jeserich: Good day and welcome to Letters and Politics. I’m Mitch Jeserich. “Since we […]
A Majority of Americans Views Israel Negatively in wake of Gaza Genocide
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Laura Silver at the Pew Research Center reports that 53% of Americans now have a negative view of Israel, a stark deterioration from 42% in spring 2022 before the Israeli total war on Gaza. Moreover, in just 3 years the percentage of Americans with very negative views of Israel has […]
Macron: France to Recognize the State of Palestine amid Gaza “Crime”
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – French President Emmanuel Macron visited El Arish in Egypt on Tuesday to see refugees from Gaza with his own eyes. He then announced that France would recognize the State of Palestine, probably in June. Mohamed Bouhafsi at French public television reports on remarks of French President Emannuel Macron on Gaza […]
Wet Bulb Dead Zones could make Parts of Middle East, Pakistan, Uninhabitable — Even at Night
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Last fall, NASA scientist Colin Raymond and colleagues published an article showing that contrary to expectations, deadly heat and humidity combinations occur along the Persian Gulf at night rather than only during the afternoon. In this part of the Middle East, temperatures are rising at double the average global rate. […]
Solar Power doubling every 3 Years; 41% of world Electricity now Low-Carbon
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – It may be that Trump can slow the advance of renewables, including solar energy, in the United States. That would be a shame for the US, because consumers will have to pay more for electricity, the grid will be dirtier, and the country will fall farther behind China in the […]
Is Trump a Bigger Threat to America than Usama Bin Laden and al-Qaeda?
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Donald Trump has inflicted more damage on the United States’s markets than did Usam Bin Laden and al-Qaeda on 9/11. The attacks of that date caused the US financial authorities to to close down the NYSE and the Nasdaq for a week, until September 17. This was unprecedented. When trading […]
“The American Spring:” Trump is increasingly Like Middle East Rulers who were Overthrown
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Nationwide “Hands Off!” rallies were held in over 1,200 towns and cities, in every single state of the Union on Saturday, staged by over 150 organizations, including workers’ unions, democracy advocates, veterans and human rights groups, according to David Collins at AP. Some of the urban demonstrations were significant, with […]
Israel Killed Both Parents: 17,000 Gaza Children are worst Orphan Crisis in Modern History
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The renewed total war against Palestinian civilians in Gaza waged by the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has recreated the worst headlines of 2024, but this time no one is watching, as the deliberately-created Trump crises suck up all the oxygen in the news universe. The UN Office […]
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