Monthly Archives: August 2014

Thinking Aloud: Poised for the Future, a New Growth Index

Posted on August 31, 2014 by notwhatyoumighthink

Aug. 31, 2014 by Darius  Which countries are poised to be the big winners in terms of economic growth in the coming decades? I’ve created a new metric, which I’ll call the Poised for the Future Index, which combines three … Continue reading →

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News You Really Need To See: “Facing Hard-Liners and Sanctions, Iran’s Leader Toughens Talk”

Posted on August 31, 2014 by notwhatyoumighthink

“Facing Hard-Liners and Sanctions, Iran’s Leader Toughens Talk” The New York Times, August 31, 2014, p.A11 “For more than a year, Iran’s president, Hassan Rouhani, had been walking a political tightrope by trying to restore some level of relations with … Continue reading →

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Thinking Aloud: Yemen’s Unhealthy Habits

Posted on August 30, 2014 by notwhatyoumighthink

Aug. 30, 2014 by Darius  Yemen isn’t a country that gets a lot of press attention.  For the last few weeks, the capital, Sanaa, has been rocked by protests led by the Houthi movement of northern Yemen.  The protesters originally … Continue reading →

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News You Really Need To See: “Suriname Leader’s Son Pleads Guilty”

Posted on August 30, 2014 by notwhatyoumighthink

“Suriname Leader’s Son Pleads Guilty” The Washington Post, August 30, 2014, p.A3 http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/suriname-leaders-son-pleads-guilty-to-taking-money-from-hezbollah/2014/08/29/0783dbb6-2fb9-11e4-bb9b-997ae96fad33_story.html “The son of the president of Suriname pleaded guilty Friday to charges he sought to offer a home base in his South American country to the Lebanese … Continue reading →

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Thinking Aloud: “The Lives of Others”

Posted on August 29, 2014 by notwhatyoumighthink

Aug. 29, 2014 by Darius  If you’re looking for a good movie for the weekend, I would highly recommend the German film The Lives of Others. The Lives of Others takes place in East Germany in 1984.  The country is … Continue reading →

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News You Really Need To See: “Outbreak in Sierra Leone Is Tied to Single Funeral Where 14 Women Were Infected”

Posted on August 29, 2014 by notwhatyoumighthink

“Outbreak in Sierra Leone Is Tied to Single Funeral Where 14 Women Were Infected” The New York Times, August 29, 2014, p.A7 “Sierra Leone’s explosion of Ebola cases in early summer appears to stem from one traditional healer’s funeral at … Continue reading →

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Thinking Aloud: Pakistan’s “Coup-Lite”

Posted on August 28, 2014 by notwhatyoumighthink

Aug. 28, 2014 by Darius  In Pakistan, a standoff between the elected government and protesters lead by an opposition politician and a fiery cleric appear to be heading toward a conclusion.  Both sides have agreed to accept the army’s mediation.  … Continue reading →

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News You Really Need To See: “Islamic State’s Risky Business”

Posted on August 28, 2014 by notwhatyoumighthink

“Islamic State’s Risky Business” Bloomberg Businessweek, August 28, 2014 http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-08-28/islamic-states-financing-a-vulnerability “A lucrative criminal empire supports Islamic State’s operations.   According to a recent RAND report, its diverse criminal operations bring in $1 million a day.  Operating on a spoils-of-war principle, … Continue reading →

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Thinking Aloud: For Queen or Caliphate?

Posted on August 27, 2014 by notwhatyoumighthink

Aug. 27, 2014 by Darius  People beheading other people don’t normally have a British accent anymore.  The ISIS fighter who beheaded American journalist James Foley did, though, and that stirred up a lot of controversy.  A rather startling fact has … Continue reading →

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News You Really Need To See: “Hard-Line Splinter Group, Galvanized by ISIS, Emerges From Pakistani Taliban”

Posted on August 27, 2014 by notwhatyoumighthink

“Hard-Line Splinter Group, Galvanized by ISIS, Emerges From Pakistani Taliban” The New York Times, August 27, 2014, p.A11 “The Pakistani Taliban has suffered its second major split in three months, with militant leaders this week confirming the emergence of a … Continue reading →

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