Energy

CCTV America | – “The demand for renewable power resources such as wind and solar is not only holding steady, but growing. CCTV America’s Jessica Stone reported the story from Albany, New York.” CCTV America: “Solar demand increasing despite drop in natural gas prices”

Iran

Iran Nuclear Talks: They said it Couldn’t be Done

contributors

By Carlyn Meyer | (Informed Comment) – According to sources familiar with negotiations between the international P5+1 group and Iran, the Obama Administration is optimistic that a deal can be reached over Iran’s nuclear program. A recent article in Al-Monitor reports that the chances of a successful deal have increased considerably in the past week […]

China

Hidden Dragon: China quietly becomes a Major Player in the Middle East

Neil Thompson

By Neil Thompson | (Informed Comment) – The era of Western neo-colonial dominance in the Middle East may finally be drawing to a bloody close. The Western monopoly ended almost unnoticed in 2013 when China replaced the European Union as the region’s foremost trading partner, pushing the US into third place, with India breathing at America’s heels […]

Energy

Elon Musk’s Battery for Solar Homes may Change Electric Utilities forever

contributors

TomoNews | – “Tesla is developing a battery that can power homes with stored solar energy so that users do not need to draw power from electricity grid.” TomoNews: “Elon Musk: Tesla to launch batteries that can power homes”

Climate Change

iSolar! Apple putting nearly $1 Bn into Solar Farm to Power Corporate Campus

contributors

Bloomberg Business | — “Apple is embracing renewable energy with an $848 million commitment to obtain electricity from a solar farm that’s big enough to power its offices in California, along with 52 retail stores and a data center. Bloomberg’s Michael di Capua and Bloomberg Businessweek’s Brad Stone speak on “Bloomberg West.”” Bloomberg Business: “Apple […]

Climate Change

The More Coal & Oil we Burn, the worse the Southwest Megadrought

contributors

NASA Goddard | – “NASA scientists used tree rings to understand past droughts and climate models incorporating soil moisture data to estimate future drought risk in the 21st century.” NASA | Megadroughts Projected for American West

Climate Change

Can Republicans succeed by running on Polluting Planet & New Cold War?

contributors

By Michael T. Klare It’s a ritual long familiar to observers of American politics: presidential hopefuls with limited international experience travel to foreign lands and deliver speeches designed to showcase their grasp of foreign affairs. Typically, such escapades involve trips to major European capitals or active war zones like Iraq and Afghanistan. New Jersey Governor […]

Climate Change

Keystone of Corruption: The Money Pipeline from Big Oil to Congress

contributors

By Kitty Stapp NEW YORK (IPS) – With battle lines sharpening over the stalled Keystone XL pipeline, a new analysis details the intense industry lobbying of both houses of the U.S. Congress since 2013 – to the tune of 58.8 million dollars by five refinery companies alone. According to MapLight, a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organisation […]

Banking

Putin on the Nile: an Isolated Russia Seeks friends in Egypt w/ offer of Nuclear Plant

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation paid a state visit to Cairo on Tuesday, consulting with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on a range of economic and foreign policy issues. The meeting was seen by many observers as underlining the desire of Egypt to become less dependent […]