In 2017 global carbon emissions topped 38 million tons of carbon, a 2% increase from the year previous and. 2017’s carbon emissions will cause $7.2 trillion of harm of harm to the global economy and it seems more and more unlikely that the political will can be mustered to substantially reduce carbon emissions. While carbon … Continue reading "Apocalypse Later: Can the Developing World Adapt to Global Climate Change?"

On March 15th, 2019 Cyclone Idai made landfall in Beira . The cyclone had formed earlier in March, impacting large swathes of Northern Mozambique before gathering strength and circling back to devestate Beira. Beira, a city with a population of over 500,000 people, suffered winds of 120 miles (195 km) per hour, and a storm … Continue reading "Flood, Disease, and Famine: How Cyclone Has Devastated Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi"

Since the beginning of China’s economic reforms in 1978, China has conquered the world of low cost manufacturing. Shenzhen has emerged as the epicenter of the global electronics industry, and even inland cities have become export hubs. The next step for China’s economy is its ascent in hi-tech industries. Over the last decade, Beijing has … Continue reading "A Clutch of Silicon Dragon Eggs: How Beijing is Incubating the Next Generation of Tech Giants"

On March 7th, 2019 Venezuela was plunged into a massive blackout leaving the overwhelming majority of Venezuela’s people in darkness. The immediate cause of the blackout was the failure of the Guri Dam, and outages at the substations that transmit electricity from the dam to the rest of the country. According to the government of … Continue reading "Nicolas Maduro Fiddles While Venezuela is Plunged into Darkness"

On December 19th, 2018 public discontent over rising inflation, cutbacks in bread subsidies and lack of employment over into mass protests in the city of Atbara. The protests spread like wildfire because they were not just about specific grievances but driven by a broader disgust against an oppressive and dictatorial regime. Omar Al-Bashir has been … Continue reading "“Just Fall, That is All” : Will Omar Al-Bashir Leave Power?"

On February 23rd, 2019 Nigeria held elections for the National Assembly, Senate and Presidency. The elections pit the incumbent Muhammadu Buhari of the APC (All People’s Congress against Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). On paper, both candidates offer different visions for Nigeria’s future. Muhammadu Buhari has a reputation for personal integrity, and … Continue reading "Two Useless Peas in a Pod: Can Nigeria’s Next President Deliver Change"

Everyday, Sufiya Begum, a 22-year old mother of 3, borrowed 22 cents from local moneylenders to buy bamboo with which she made furniture. All of her profits went back to those same moneylenders as she had to borrow at interest rates of 10% a day. Lack of access to capital and financial services has locked … Continue reading "Does a Little Really Go a Long Way: Why Micro-Credit Brings Only Modest Returns"

On October 7th 2001, the United States invaded Afghanistan in response to the Taliban’s hosting of Osama Bin Laden and Al-Qaeda. This marked the beginning of a conflict that has the lives of 2,400 US soldiers, The toll on the Afghan people has been even higher, with over 30,000 casualties as of 2016, and 4,000 … Continue reading "Graveyard of the American Empire: Is Peace With the Taliban Possible?"

300 billion barrels of crude oil are buried under Venezuelan soil, more than any other country in the world. For a long time, this immense natural resource blessing financed an enviable standard of living, with a GDP per capita similar to that of Spain or Japan. However, the country’s oil sector, the engine that powered … Continue reading "Burning Oil at Both Ends: How Hugo Chavez and Nicolas Maduro Destroyed the Venezuelan Oil Industry"

On January 28th Apple announced it’s 4th quarter earnings for 2018. As widely expected, Apple saw a 5% decline in total revenue compared to the same period last year, and a 15% decline in iPhone revenue. The poor performances appear largely driven by poor performance in China where total revenues declined by 27%. Apple earned … Continue reading "Has China Reached Peak iPhone?"