Fault Lines
NEED TO KNOW CYPRUS Fault Lines Some islands just don’t seem to get a break: These small nations are often directly in […]
‘Islam Sells’
NEED TO KNOW MALAYSIA ‘Islam Sells’ Muslims occupy a majority in Malaysian society, comprising some 61.3 percent of the population, according to […]
It’s the Economy, Stupid
NEED TO KNOW IRAN It’s the Economy, Stupid In Iran, the new year brought tidings of insecurity for the nation’s theocratic elite, […]
Bittersweet Symphony
NEED TO KNOW IVORY COAST Bittersweet Symphony Deemed the continent’s fastest growing economy in 2016 by the International Monetary Fund, and still […]
The Ticking Clock
NEED TO KNOW COLOMBIA The Ticking Clock After some five decades of war and years of bitter negotiations, Colombian President Juan Manuel […]
Blurred Lines
NEED TO KNOW PALESTINE Blurred Lines To some, she’s a modern-day Joan of Arc. To others, she’s as an instigator of violence […]
Welcome to the Badlands
NEED TO KNOW MEXICO Welcome to the Badlands A recent tweet from the Oval Office notwithstanding, Mexico is not the most dangerous […]
Breaking the Rules
NEED TO KNOW SWEDEN Breaking the Rules Conventional wisdom has it that low taxes spur businesses to invest and grow, and that […]
The New Mercenaries
NEED TO KNOW UNITED ARAB EMIRATES The New Mercenaries A little more than a decade after a deadly Baghdad shootout sparked concerns […]
Close Encounters
NEED TO KNOW RUSSIA Close Encounters Close encounters and near misses with Russia’s navy and air force have grown common since Moscow’s […]
On the Other Foot
NEED TO KNOW PAKISTAN On the Other Foot The most well-known cause of tensions between India and Pakistan is their dispute over […]
One and Done
NEED TO KNOW PARAGUAY One and Done In any other country, Paraguay’s president, Horacio Cartes, would probably be basking in popularity and […]
Home and Away
NEED TO KNOW UNITED STATES Home and Away The US Department of Homeland Security has generated occasional controversy since its creation in […]
Transfer Striker
NEED TO KNOW LIBERIA Transfer Striker The only African to be named FIFA World Player of the Year, in 1995, incoming Liberian […]
In the Shadows
NEED TO KNOW LAOS In the Shadows Two years ago, the Voice of America hailed former President Barack Obama’s visit to Laos […]
Out with the Old
NEED TO KNOW ANGOLA Out with the Old When longtime strongman José Eduardo dos Santos announced he was stepping down as president […]
Armed Response
NEED TO KNOW NIGER Armed Response When an ambush killed five Nigerien troops and four US soldiers last October, Americans weren’t the only […]
Will He Stay or Will He Go?
NEED TO KNOW CUBA Will He Stay or Will He Go? Just before Christmas, the Cuban government postponed a historic presidential election […]
Battery Power
NEED TO KNOW AUSTRALIA Battery Power Australian rockers AC/DC lost guitarist Malcolm Young in 2017. But DC – or direct current – […]
Virtual Leadership
NEED TO KNOW CATALONIA Virtual Leadership Former Catalan President Carles Puigdemont won’t be on hand when the Catalan regional parliament reconvenes Wednesday […]
Splitting Heirs
NEED TO KNOW PERU Splitting Heirs Peru President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski was never going to have an easy time in office. He […]
All My Rowdy Friends
NEED TO KNOW INDIA All My Rowdy Friends In December, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi snatched victory from the jaws of defeat […]
Do Do That Voodoo
NEED TO KNOW PORTUGAL Do Do That Voodoo As recently as August 2016, pundits warned Portugal might become “Europe’s next economic disaster,” […]
Trade Off
NEED TO KNOW CANADA Trade Off For much of 2017, Canada’s dynamic prime minister was feted as a champion of the globalized […]