Featured

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Here’s a Christmas entry. The Mughal dynasty, originating in what is now Uzbekistan, ruled India from 1526 until the 18th century, though the dynasty continued under British rule until 1857. Some of the members of the royal family were remarkably open-minded about religion, being a Muslim minority in a sea […]

Archaeology

Israeli Archeologists find Christian Ring with Image of Christ as Shepherd in Shipwreck from era of Constantine

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – A marine unit of the Israel Antiquities Authority diving off the ruins of the ancient city of Caesarea Maritima has announced two spectacular finds in the form of two shipwrecks. One was from the Muslim Mamluk era, around 1400. The other was an early fourth-century Roman ship from Italy. The […]

Anti-Vaccination

Without Biden’s Vaccination Program, a Million and a Half Americans would have died in 2021 and 12 mn would have been Hospitalized

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – President Biden made a major pandemic policy speech on Tuesday, pleading with Americans to get vaccinated, and, indeed, to get the three-shot course that is now standard. He notes that 400,000 people died from COVID-19 in 2021, almost all of them unvaccinated. He is backed up by medical professionals. Augusta […]

Climate Crisis

New Biden EPA Auto Emissions Rules mandate 10-fold Increase in annual Electric Vehicle sales by 2026

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – In good news for electric vehicles and the greening of US transportation, the Biden administration on Monday substantially toughened automobile and light truck emissions standards, mandating that they get an average of 40 miles per gallon by 2026. The incremental toughening begins next fall with the 2023 models. The Biden […]

Climate Crisis

Revenge is a Dish best Served Green: Biden could get around Manchin with GOP Senators Supporting Wind, Solar, Battery

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Senator Joe Manchin has attempted completely to shoot down the Build Back Better bill, underlining the thin legislative margin with which President Biden has to work. With a 50/50 Senate, Biden’s legislative agenda going forward will need to be bipartisan. The successes this approach can garner are apparent in the […]

Featured

Israeli Squatter-Settler Mobs attack Palestinian Hamlets, wrecking Cars and Homes and Hospitalizing 2

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Quds reports that on Saturday, Israeli squatter-settler mobs assembled outside Palestinian hamlets in the suburbs of Nablus, near the settlement of Homesh, with mayhem on their minds. The local Palestinians set up a neighborhood watch at the entrances to the hamlets to forestall attacks and vandalism. It was the second […]

Corruption

Could Dominion’s Lawsuit Finally Take down Fox Fable “News” for its Serial Lies?

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Delaware Superior Court Judge Eric Davis has struck down Fox Cable News’ motion to dismiss the libel lawsuit against it of Dominion, the maker of voting machines. Dominion alleges that Fox anchors repeatedly hosted Trump attorneys Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell, who made false and inflammatory claims about Dominion voting […]

Donald Trump

Is Rep. Jim Jordan a Traitor to the United States?

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) has admitted that he authored a text sent to former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows that was revealed by the January 6 Commission. The text read out by Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) said, “On January 6, 2021, Vice President Mike Pence, as President of […]

Books

You heard that Right – “Peace Movements in Islam” – Juan’s new Book Challenges Stereotypes

Juan Cole

Today is a special day for me. In 2015, at the height of the ISIL cult’s influence in Iraq and Syria and during a time of extreme bigotry toward Muslims in the United States, I conceived a project on “Islamic Peace Studies.” The point was not to deny the violence of cult-like movements such as […]