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John Ricardo Irfan "Juan" Cole is an American academic and commentator on the modern Middle East and South Asia. He… more

Juan Cole
H-index: 24
Political science 68%
Sociology 17%
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by Juan Cole

jricole.bsky.social
neither does the United States
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Reposted by Juan Cole

silkyweineck.bsky.social
germany does not belong up there
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by Juan Cole

jricole.bsky.social
πολύ σωστά!

Reposted by Juan Cole

theguardian.com
CO2 from wildfires increases by 9% as climate crisis supercharges infernos
CO2 from wildfires increases by 9% as climate crisis supercharges infernos
Greenhouse gases from wildfires at sixth highest level on record after blazes in large areas of the Americas and Africa Carbon emissions from extreme wildfires increased by 9% last year to reach the sixth highest level on record. Intense fast-spreading fires devastated huge swathes of South America’s rainforests, dry forests and wetlands and decimated Canada’s northern forests, pushing up the levels of damaging greenhouse gases. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
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Reposted by Juan Cole

samuelhelfont.bsky.social
I am happy to announce the publication of my latest book

The Iraq Wars: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford University Press).
amazon.com/Iraq-Wars-Shor…

An audio-book version is scheduled for release in December.
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Reposted by Juan Cole

silkyweineck.bsky.social
this story is nuts. our students have the right to choose between a student panel and a resolution officer to hear disciplinary complaints. Student chooses "student panel" and is told "it's not available, sorry."

Just pure "what rules" Trumpism at @umich.edu

www.michigandaily.com/news/news-br...
OSCR denies pro-Palestine activist right to have case heard before student panel
Donovan Golich, Office of Student Conflict Resolution program manager, denies Rackham student Jared Eno's request to have his case heard before a student panel.
www.michigandaily.com
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Reposted by Juan Cole, Steven Heydemann, Thomas A. Tweed

conradhackett.bsky.social
2025 Press Freedom Rank
1 Norway
2 Estonia
3 Netherlands
4 Sweden
5 Finland
11 Germany
16 NZ
20 UK
21 Canada
25 France
27 S Africa
29 Australia
31 Poland
49 Italy
52 Ghana

57 US

58 Gambia
61 S Korea
63 Brazil
66 Japan
89 Greece
112 Israel
124 Mexico
151 India
171 Russia
178 China
rsf.org/en/index
Global map with countries shaded to indicate level of freedom of the press based on the 2025 Reporters Without Borders’ Press Freedom Index.
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Reposted by Juan Cole, Robert Black, James Goodwin , and 1 more

mjsdc.bsky.social
The Supreme Court's Republican appointees sound ready to transform the 14th and 15th Amendments into a weapon against the very racial minorities they were meant to protect—handing Republicans 15-19 additional House seats in the process. A disaster for democracy.
slate.com/news-and-pol...
Is it racist to remedy racism? That’s the question at the heart of Callais v. Louisiana, which the Supreme Court heard on Wednesday. The case asks whether the Voting Rights Act gives Black Louisianans too much political power—and if so, whether the landmark law violates the Constitution. Unsurprisingly, the Republican-appointed justices seem eager to rule that it does. Throughout oral arguments, they suggested the VRA protects minority voters too effectively, dragging the government into race-conscious considerations that offend the equal protection rights of the white voters who sued in this case. And they floated various ways to gut what remains of the statute by twisting it beyond recognition or striking it down altogether. The result would be a windfall for Republicans, who stand to gain at least 19 seats in the House of Representatives if the Supreme Court frees them to gerrymander Black communities into oblivion. Such a decision would also devastate minority representation in Congress, eliminating up to 30 percent of the Congressional Black Caucus.
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Reposted by Juan Cole, Steven Heydemann, Michael J. Allen , and 11 more

reuters.com
White House budget director Vought plans to shut down CFPB within months, says it's no longer protecting consumers reut.rs/4qjMIyT
White House budget director Vought plans to shut down CFPB within months, says it's no longer protecting consumers
White House budget director Russell Vought said he wants to close the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and expects to do so within the next two to three months.
reut.rs
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Reposted by Juan Cole

thenewarab.bsky.social
Israel is facing criticism for allegedly breaching the ceasefire agreement under Trump’s plan, after limiting the entry of aid into Gaza to only half of the agreed amount.

The restriction is worsening the humanitarian crisis for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians already suffering from famine.
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Reposted by Juan Cole, Luke Moffett, Andrew Novak

bcfinucane.bsky.social
Once again, if the administration had a good story to tell on the law and facts, they would be telling it.

But they don’t, because these strikes are illegal.

And seems victims have all been civilians, because there is no armed conflict and no enemy combatants.

www.nbcnews.com/politics/nat...
Members of Congress growing concerned over lack of information from administration about Venezuela strikes, sources say
Republicans and Democrats say the administration is failing to share basic information with Congress about the intelligence, rationale and goals of its war on drug trafficking.
www.nbcnews.com
19 110 300

by Juan Cole

jricole.bsky.social
they are allowing 300 trucks in a day instead of the 600 they pledged

by Juan Cole

jricole.bsky.social
what?
middleeasteye-rss.bsky.social
Middle East Eye (Unofficial) @middleeasteye-rss.bsky.social · 16h
Trump backs Hamas crackdown on Israeli-linked gangs  - https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/trump-backs-hamas-crackdown-israeli-linked-gangs
Trump backs Hamas crackdown on Israeli-linked gangs 
US president says ‘it’s okay’ that Hamas is ‘taking out a couple of bad gangs’
www.middleeasteye.net
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Reposted by Juan Cole

veenadubal.bsky.social
This is why we have to organize & not just file lawsuits: “Without Section 2, which has been interpreted to require the creation of majority-minority districts, Republicans could eliminate upward of a dozen Democratic-held districts across the South.”

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/15/u...
The Supreme Court Case That Could Hand the House to Republicans
www.nytimes.com
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Reposted by Juan Cole

haymarketbooks.org
“It’s kind of just a radical grocery store but the food is books,” Rodriguez said. “It’s cool to see what other people are grabbing. It’s kind of fun to have little exchanges and know there are people in your neighborhood who care about the same things I do.”
Radical Reads at the Haymarket Book Fair | The Loyola Phoenix
Haymarket Books hosted a Radical Book Fair at their North Side warehouse, cultivating community and resistance.
loyolaphoenix.com
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by Juan Cole

jricole.bsky.social
Six surprising places solar power is taking off flip.it/S0M7-s
Six surprising places solar power is taking off – DW – 10/15/2025
Solar panels are turning roads, railways, lakes and even space into sources of electricity. Here's where the next solar boom is happening.
flip.it
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by Juan Cole

jricole.bsky.social
CO2 emissions reached record high in 2024, World Meteorological Organization report finds flip.it/MY2vSA
CO2 emissions reached record high in 2024, report finds
The World Meteorological Organization says carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are increasing at rates that have tripled since the 1960s, and emissions from human activities and more wildfires hav...
flip.it
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by Juan Cole

jricole.bsky.social
Inside UNICEF's aid operation in Gaza following the ceasefire flip.it/7Mnp4o
Inside UNICEF's aid operation in Gaza following the ceasefire
Aid is trickling into Gaza amid the peace deal between Israel and Hamas, but needs to increase dramatically according to Tess Ingram, a UNICEF spokesperson. Ingram said the destruction from the Israel...
flip.it
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by Juan Cole

jricole.bsky.social
South Africa says ICJ genocide case will continue despite Gaza ceasefire flip.it/iAX8oI
South Africa says ICJ genocide case will continue despite Gaza ceasefire
President Cyril Ramaphosa says progress and healing hinge on the case against Israel being heard.
flip.it
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Reposted by Juan Cole, Mark D. White, Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò , and 1 more

albertburneko.bsky.social
"disliking me is persecution" describes so incredibly many people's entire outlook these days defector.com/free-press-r...
Free Press Reporter Discovers That Being An Amoral Dickhead Can Cost You Friends | Defector
It can be hard to maintain friendships as an adult. People move to new cities, start families, and experience all sorts of other life events that make it difficult to keep in touch. Sometimes, you end...
defector.com
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by Juan Cole

jricole.bsky.social
Ron DeSantis ran a group like this before he was elected
jfallows.bsky.social
James Fallows @jfallows.bsky.social · 12h
Remember the thousands of "guy in a diner" stories about "economic anxiety" as the main force behind MAGA-ism?
seancasten.bsky.social
Sean Casten @seancasten.bsky.social · 1d
This is disgusting. And I can GUARANTEE you that lots of dumps are going to come out about lots of Republican electeds who are way too close to the people in these texts. www.politico.com/news/2025/10...
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by Juan Cole

jricole.bsky.social
We are all Al Jazeera now
cnn.com
CNN @cnn.com · 12h
A flyer with the words “journalism is not a crime” appeared Tuesday on the wall outside the “Correspondents’ Corridor” where journalists operate at the Pentagon.

It was a silent protest of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s new policy that severely restricts press access. https://cnn.it/4qdizB1
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Reposted by Juan Cole, François Heisbourg

en.afp.com
🔵 International and US news outlets including AFP, AP, The New York Times and Fox News have refused to sign new restrictive Pentagon media rules, meaning they will be stripped of their press access credentials.

AFP's statement ⬇️
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Reposted by Juan Cole

cnn.com
A flyer with the words “journalism is not a crime” appeared Tuesday on the wall outside the “Correspondents’ Corridor” where journalists operate at the Pentagon.

It was a silent protest of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s new policy that severely restricts press access. https://cnn.it/4qdizB1
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Reposted by Juan Cole

middleeasteye-rss.bsky.social
Israeli attack kills one Palestinian in Gaza, say medics - https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/israeli-attack-kills-one-palestinian-gaza-say-medics
Israeli attack kills one Palestinian in Gaza, say medics
<article data-history-node-id="430232" about="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/israeli-attack-kills-one-palestinian-gaza-say-medics" class="live-blog-update default clearfix"> <h2> <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/israeli-attack-kills-one-palestinian-gaza-say-medics" rel="bookmark"> <span class="field field-title">Israeli attack kills one Palestinian in Gaza, say medics</span> </a> </h2> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-field-text"><p>Israel's army on Wednesday killed one Palestinian in east of Khan Younis in Gaza, according to the Nasser Medical Complex.&nbsp;</p> </div> </div> </article>
www.middleeasteye.net
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Reposted by Juan Cole

jfallows.bsky.social
Remember the thousands of "guy in a diner" stories about "economic anxiety" as the main force behind MAGA-ism?
seancasten.bsky.social
Sean Casten @seancasten.bsky.social · 1d
This is disgusting. And I can GUARANTEE you that lots of dumps are going to come out about lots of Republican electeds who are way too close to the people in these texts. www.politico.com/news/2025/10...
‘I love Hitler’: Leaked messages expose Young Republicans’ racist chat
Thousands of private messages reveal young GOP leaders joking about gas chambers, slavery and rape.
www.politico.com
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Reposted by Juan Cole, Alison Phipps

dropsitenews.com
All 45 bodies of Palestinians returned by Israel arrived with their hands and legs cuffed, CNN reports. They were transferred to Nasser Hospital tagged with numbers, not names, and have yet to be identified.

“Some are blindfolded, and there are signs of gunshot wounds in some cases, while others...
⭕️ Breaking: All 45 bodies of Palestinians returned by Israel arrived with their hands and legs cuffed, CNN reports. They were transferred to Nasser Hospital tagged with numbers, not names, and have yet to be identified. “Some are blindfolded, and there are signs of gunshot wounds in some cases, while others have been run over by tanks,” Nasser Hospital officials told CNN — Drop Site’s full post, linked below, details how Israel is violating the terms of the deal while falsely accusing Hamas of doing so The bodies of 45 deceased Palestinians transferred from Israel to the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis have not been identified, the hospital’s forensic department told CNN on Tuesday. https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/israel-gaza-ceasefire-deal-hostages-10-14-25?post-id=cmgr3l8su0000356oqp7oci4i All of the bodies arrived at the facility with their hands and legs cuffed, the hospital said. The remains were being held in refrigerators in Israel and came with numbers marking them, rather than names, according to the hospital. "Some are blindfolded, and there are signs of gunshot wounds in some cases, while others have been run over by tanks," Nasser hospital said.
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Reposted by Juan Cole

dropsitenews.com
Israel Cuts Aid to Gaza to Pressure Hamas Over Bodies — While Violating Its Own Commitments on Palestinian Remains

With the 4 bodies of slain Israeli captives transferred to the Red Cross earlier today, Hamas has now handed eight since the ceasefire began. Around 20 more are believed to remain...
🟢 BREAKING: Israel Cuts Aid to Gaza to Pressure Hamas Over Bodies — While Violating Its Own Commitments on Palestinian Remains With the four bodies of slain Israeli captives transferred to the Red Cross earlier today, Hamas has now handed eight since the ceasefire began. Around 20 more are believed to remain in Gaza, and Times of Israel, citing officials involved in the process, reports that at least four additional bodies will be returned to Israel later today (Tuesday). Under the ceasefire, each Israeli body was to be exchanged for the remains of 15 Palestinians. Israel, which holds hundreds of Palestinian bodies, has thus far released only 45 instead of the 120 required — a clear breach of the deal. Furthermore, Ahmad Masoud, director of the Palestinian Center for the Missing and Forcibly Disappeared, said Israel handed over 45 bodies “without providing any list of names or details,” later passing a message through the Red Cross that only 3 of the 45 Palestinian would be identified “for now.” He accused Israel of deliberately delaying its obligations and preventing families from burying their relatives with dignity. Despite this, Israel has formally notified the UN it will cut aid shipments to famine-ravaged Gaza to just half of the minimum required under the agreement, blaming Hamas for not delivering all remains — even though the agreement itself recognized that some bodies might not be located before the deadline and set up a Red Cross–mediated mechanism for continued recovery afterward. e. Establishment of an information-sharing mechanism between the two sides through the mediators and the ICRC, to exchange information and intelligence on any remaining deceased hostages that were not retrieved within the 72 hours or remains of Gazans held by Israel. The mechanism shall ensure that the remains of all the hostages are fully and safely exhumed and released. Hamas shall exert maximum effort to ensure the fulfillment of these commitments as soon as possible. Once all hostages are released, Israel will release 250 life-sentence prisoners, plus 1,700 Gazans who were detained after October 7th 2023, including all women and children detained in that context. For every Israeli hostage whose remains are released, Israel will release the remains of 15 deceased Gazans.
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Reposted by Juan Cole

middleeasteye-rss.bsky.social
'No shame': UK invites private firms to compete for Gaza reconstruction contracts - https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/british-mps-slam-uks-private-finance-efforts-rebuilding-gaza
'No shame': UK invites private firms to compete for Gaza reconstruction contracts
As Britain positions itself as key player in the rebuilding of territory devastated by Israel's genocide, MPs point to its role in its destruction
www.middleeasteye.net
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Reposted by Juan Cole

middleeasteye-rss.bsky.social
Israel returns Palestinian bodies showing signs of torture and execution - https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/palestinian-bodies-released-israel-show-signs-torture
Israel returns Palestinian bodies showing signs of torture and execution
Some bodies show evidence of strangulation, mutilation and being run over by tanks
www.middleeasteye.net
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References

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