By Thomas Hale
♦ The Wall Street Journal looks closely at Janet Yellen and the 'tougher tone' she may bring to the Fed.
♦ Meanwhile, Roger Cohen ponders Merkel's election success and her role as the 'great consolidator'.
♦ Iranian Qassem Suleimani, a supporter of the Assad regime in Syria, has been described as the most powerful operative in the Middle East today. The New Yorker profiles this elusive figure.
♦ The demographic for budget travel is changing – the New York Times looks at business people in hostels.
♦ Christian Caryl's book Strange Rebels suggests that the 21st century was heavily moulded by the pivotal events of 1979. David Runciman's review in the LRB is an exhilarating analysis of the future for progressive politics.
♦ Are the lines between the natural and artificial worlds becoming blurred? Sue Thomas expounds on the fascinating notion of technobiophilia in Aeon magazine.
♦ The New York Times looks closely at China's forays into Central Asia, specifically their recently acquired share in Kazakhstan's oil.
♦ Paul Mason, writing for Channel 4, weaves together Western intervention in the Middle East with the mercurial plot of Homeland. Continue reading » | 
