European Union

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – During the past 5 years, the old categories of politics– left, right, center or capitalist and socialist– have been challenged by a new one, that of youth. What the Millennials want has begun to matter in addition to the other factors. That Greece has a left-wing […]

Europe

Juan Cole & Jocylene Cesari: “Europe’s Muslims after Charlie Hebdo: Challenges and Misconceptions”

Juan Cole

David Speedie, Juan Cole & Jocylene Cesari | Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs (Video) | – – “Months after the “Charlie Hebdo” attacks, questions remain about Europe’s Islamic communities. How strong is the lure of groups like al-Qaeda and ISIS for Islamic youth in France or the UK? Why do so many Muslims, […]

Christianity

Conservative, Catholic Ireland 1st Country to vote in Gay Marriage

contributors

Channel 4 News | (Video) – “Support for gay marriage in Ireland reaches 65 per cent with just the final votes to be counted – a resounding yes which forces the hugely influential Catholic church into turmoil after it opposed the change.” Channel 4 News: “Ireland votes to legalise gay marriage”

Christianity

2015 Darwin Award: Paris would-be Church bomber Shoots own Leg, Calls 911

contributors

France24 | — “This church in the Parisian suburb of Villejuif may have escaped being attacked last week-end. “Documentation was found that said without ambiguity that a person known to authorities would carry out an attack on 1 or 2 churches,” says French interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve.” France24 English: “France Terror threat – All we […]

European Union

700 Dead: Is Europe’s Neglect of Mediterranean Migrants a form of Genocide?

contributors

By Heaven Crawley The latest refugee deaths in the Mediterranean – up to 700 people drowned when the overcrowded fishing vessel in which they were travelling from North Africa capsized of the coast of Libya – follows a similar tragedy last week in which 400 people perished. In October 2013, more than 360 people – […]

Featured

Yemen: Russia, Red Cross Demand halt to Bombing to Avert Humanitarian Catastrophe

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) – The Red Cross and the Russian Federation are both demanding a temporary cease-fire in the aerial bombardment of Yemen by a Saudi-led coalition, to allow delivery of needed humanitarian goods. Two weeks of bombing have left some 500 Yemenis dead and 1700 more wounded. Dozens of the killed […]

Apartheid

French Firm Pulls Out of Jerusalem Cable Car Project

contributors

by IMEMC News | – France-based utility giant Suez Environnement said Wednesday that, because of political sensitivities, it has decided not to take part in a cable car project linking West Jerusalem to the annexed Eastern sector. The project, run by the Jerusalem city council, has stoked controversy over the Israeli cable car’s planned route, […]

Economy

How GOP threats against Iran have Guaranteed end of European Sanctions

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) – The US sanction regime on Iran has a unilateral dimension. That is, there are sanctions only the US applies. Then there is a European dimension, which involves using the clout of the Department of Treasury as well as the persuasiveness of the Department of State’s diplomats to get […]

Featured

Dear Sweden: HR Dispute with Saudis makes this a good time to adopt Electric Cars

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) First, the new left wing government in Sweden cancelled an arms sale to Saudi Arabia, even though Prime Minister Stefan Lofven favored it. (He had been a union rep friendly to the Swedish arms industry). Foreign Minister Margot Wallström put her foot down, however, and won the argument. She […]