Global Ideas News Brief: Nigeria's new leader

Governance

Nigerian Politics - Please Don't Expect Miracles
The Economist
The president-elect faces enormous tasks, starting with halting corruption

Can Nigeria’s Former Dictator Become a Democrat?
NYT
Last time Muhammadu Buhari came to power, on Dec. 31, 1983, he seized it. The coup came at a time when Nigeria’s economy was reeling from plunging world oil prices, corruption scandals and security challenges.

Libya's Civil War - An Oily Mess
The Economist
As negotiations fail to progress, one side tries to grab the oil revenue

'Iraq is Finished'
The Atlantic
Tribal leaders reflect on the enemy destroying their country from within.

Iran's Incremental Revolution
The Atlantic
Through rap music and nude sketches, ordinary Iranians are quietly resisting their regime.

The Roadblocks to Normalization
The Atlantic
Despite a productive meeting between President Obama and Raul Castro, fully restoring ties with Cuba will be a complex and lengthy process.

Urban renewal

Urban Regeneration - Polishing the City of Gold
The Economist
As badlands get cleaned up, the poor still get pushed to the margins

Economy

India's Push to Resume Ore Mining Stymied
The Wall Street Journal (subscription required)
A price slump in the global market for iron ore has thwarted a quick fix that could have given India’s economy a boost.

Global development

'Rate my aid' and other ways that TripAdvisor could revolutionise development work
The Guardian
Journalists, consultants, civil servants; there’s no end to the things that a developmental version of the travel website would be useful to rate

Financial inclusion

Driving Financial Inclusion at 4G Speed
Huffington Post
Base-of-the-pyramid financial services providers in emerging markets are increasingly using data analytics to pioneer new products for reaching the unbanked.

Women and girls

Meet the global feminists changing the world for girls from Kenya to Egypt
The Guardian
Feminists from around the world report on life for girls in their countries

Innovation

This Clever Platform Is Helping Waste Pickers Solve India's Growing Trash Problem
Fast.Co.Exist
Bangalore waste pickers now separate organics from recyclables at local homes and offices—and make a lot more money.

Funding

The Seven Commandments of Funding
The Stanford Social Innovation Review
Discusses the seven important principles of funding aid campaigns.

Healthcare

How Do We Know What Really Works in Healthcare?
Freakonomics Podcast
A lot of the conventional wisdom in medicine is nothing more than hunch or wishful thinking. A new breed of data detectives is hoping to change that. With the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL).