Via BusinessWeek, an interesting article on Afghanistan’s logistics challenge: At the Naibabad freight terminal near the northern Afghan town of Mazar-e-Sharif, workers rush to unload wheat and construction materials from Uzbekistan that have arrived on Afghanistan’s only railroad. Trucks will have to carry the cargo through the icy Hindu Kush mountains to the rest of […]
Read more »Via STRATFOR (subscription required), an interesting analysis of closer economic ties between India and Iran: Summary India is trying to open up more direct trade corridors with Central Asia. Two of the country’s largest state-owned ports have enlisted the help of a private firm to help develop Iran’s southeastern port of Chabahar. According to media […]
Read more »Courtesy of The Financial Times, a look at the possibility of a strategic gas deal between Gazprom and the China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC): As the global market for natural gas is transformed, Russia and its national champion Gazprom have found their long-term export strategy challenged. No longer able to rely on their core European […]
Read more »Via The Diplomat, an article on the race between India and China to build a presence in the energy-rich Arctic region: After a lengthy courtship, China and India formalized their relationship with the Arctic Council in May 2013 by gaining admission as official observer states. In the months since, both countries have been actively seeking […]
Read more »Via Foreign Policy, an article on why energy – not terrorism – could be Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s undoing: Egypt faces plenty of threats, from a growing insurgency in the Sinai to a shaky and still unstable presidential regime. But the dramatic reversal in the country’s energy fortunes in recent years, and the stark challenges that poses […]
Read more »Via the New York Times, an interesting look at Bolivia: A large market in El Alto, a working-class city in Bolivia. From colorful mansions to a proliferation of bakeries, there are signs that many have extra cash to spend. Meridith Kohut for The New York Times Argentina’s currency has plunged, setting off global worries about […]
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