A Storm of Imperfection

Lebanon is struggling against simultaneous shocks, and the country is in urgent need of a new social contract.

Inequality and Economic Growth

Economic policymakers can no longer afford to view inequality as an issue separate from boosting employment and incomes. Addressing it through a wealth tax, combined with more effective antitrust policies and enforcement, has become essential to sustainin

Another Year of Living Dangerously

Governments, and ultimately people, can reverse the alarming trends of 2019. But 2020 will be another year of living dangerously if short-term policies continue to be pursued at the expense of long-term vision.

A Perilous Turning Point in the U.S.-Iran Confrontation

With the assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, the U.S.-Iran standoff has shifted from attrition toward open conflict. Tehran will retaliate – the only question is how – prompting another response from Washington. Allies of both should interc

Iran tasked Nasrallah with uniting Iraqi proxies after Soleimanis death

Hezbollah leader sponsors truce talks, with Iraqi paramilitaries endorsing Hadi al-Amiri as PMF leader and Tehran courting Moqtada al-Sadr in bid to form united resistance

Building Cooperation in an Unsettled World

While the changing nature of global power may tempt some actors to seek advantage through confrontation, the expanding field of stakeholders offers the possibility of a course correction.

Don’t Hold Your Breath for Democratic Change in the Middle East

The region is accustomed to cycles of protest and political upheaval, so it’s better not to bank on successful revolutions.

Dystopia Is Arriving in Stages

Science fiction has a warning about developing mind-reading technology without any proper framework for how to control it.

After years of wasting time in meetings, 3 former Googlers decided to do things differently at their new startup

A pointless, never-ending meeting is a great way to kill productivity in the workplace.

Iraq Cries Out for Unity

Although the ongoing Shia-led protests in Iraq have not spread to regions with a Sunni majority (including Kurdish areas), many members of these communities have supported the protest clamor...

Is Huawei Really More Dangerous than Facebook?

US President Donald Trumps campaign against leading Chinese technology companies is driven by legitimate concerns.

Distrust fuels protests in the Middle East and North Africa

Street protests are enveloping the developing world and especially the Middle East and North Africa Algeria...

Up Without Arms

The Arab uprisings of 2019 are stages in a political struggle that is likely to continue.

Is Tech a New Frontier for Sustainability?

Financial institutions must address the issue of technological sustainability, especially with regard to data, robotics, and artificial intelligence.

If Wealth Is Justified, so Is a Wealth Tax

Not surprisingly, American billionaires have dismissed recent wealth-tax proposals as an affront to the entrepreneurial spirit to which they attribute their massive wealth.

Iran’s New Budget Is Tight, But Not Tight Enough

Rouhani has taken a remarkably austere fiscal approach ahead of the looming parliamentary election, but the countrys economic situation is still not sustainable over the long run.

An Expiry Date for Despots?

A new wave of Arab uprisings suggests that the authoritarian bargain of the past may be collapsing.

One mans 10-year experiment to record every moment

A Spanish scientist records all his activities so he can learn how to live more effectively. But what do you gain from forensically tracking every part of your day?

Can Iran Outlast Trump?

Rather than attempting to beat Iran into submission with escalating economic sanctions, the international community should be attempting to guide it toward greater openness...

What Kind of Capitalism Do We Want?

What kind of capitalism do we want? That may be the defining question of our era. If we want to sustain our economic system for future generations, we must answer it correctly.

As Baghdad celebrates 'dual victory', protesters vow to overthrow entire political elite

Resignation of premier and football victory provide respite to protesters grief over slain comrades

In deprived areas, depression hits men harder

One study suggests in low income areas, males have poorer mental health than women.

How World Bank Arbitrators Mugged Pakistan

Wall Street hedge funds and lawyers have turned an arcane procedure of international treaties into a money machine, at the cost of the worlds poorest people.

The bias that can cause catastrophe

The outcome bias erodes your sense of risk and makes you blind to error, explaining everything from fatal plane crashes to the Columbia crash and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Why End the Global Media Crisis?

Despite its scope and complexity, the crisis in the news media is far from intractable. Addressing it will require the worlds wealthy democracies to use foreign

After the Lebanon Protests: Between the Party of God and Party of the People

Lebanons protesters succeeded in one of their demands: the resignation of the countrys embattled Prime Minister. After the seismic protests, what is the best way forward?

Iran’s Gasoline Protests: Regime Unpopular but Resilient

Will China Confront a Revolution of Rising Expectations?

Amid much discussion of the challenges facing the Chinese economy, the line-up of usual suspects typically excludes the most worrying scenario of all