Agenda Stories making the news this month 8 Nicaragua’s canal controversy 8 Leviathan challenged in Israel 9 Violence flares in West Papua 9 Introducing Arvind Kejriwal 9 US girls get radical 10 Bangladesh: a death allowed 10 Paranoid empire 11 Dancing with big oil in Peru 11 Life-saving rats PLUS: Scratchy Lines by cartoonist Simon Kneebone and Reasons to be Cheerful.

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12 The big bank boondoggle Big private banks have been resurrected by the crisis they caused. David Ransom suggests there’s no greater folly than repeating the same mistake and expecting a different outcome. 14 Jargon Buster Some terms you’d maybe rather not need to know. 18 The FACTS – Banks 20 Shadow over China Jack Rasmus reports on the world’s creditor, increasingly engulfed by ‘shadow’ banks. 22 Rachel’s rocket and the risk factory A cautionary tale, illustrated by Kate Charlesworth. 24 Too big to jail Whistleblower Ian Taplin wonders what became of the rule of law. 25 Tipping the TTIP The financial lobby plugging the latest free-trade deal,

discussed with Kenneth Haar. 26 Getting away with murder Susan George tells a story that’s beyond belief. 29 ACTION – What you can do

Front cover: Juha Sorsa Magazine designed by Andrew Kokotka, Ian Nixon and Juha Sorsa. All monetary values are expressed in US dollars unless otherwise noted.

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Features 38 War nerves Daiva Repečkaitė reports on the rise of all things military in Lithuanian society. 40 In the land of widows For the women left behind in Kashmir’s border villages, life has its own challenges, as Sofi Lundin discovers.

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Mixed media 34 Music reviews Ghosts & Graffiti by Thea Gilmore; and Never Were the

Way She Was by Colin Stetson and Sarah Neufeld. 35 Film reviews Phoenix, directed by Christian Petzold; and The Falling,

directed by Carol Morley. 36 Book reviews My Documents by Alejandro Zambra; Artwash by Mel

Evans; Can Non-Europeans Think? by Hamid Dabashi; Chasing the Scream by Johann Hari. PLUS: Also out there…

Opinion 33 Mark Engler Can the world endure another Bush – or

Clinton? 43 Steve Parry Don’t write in the profit margins PLUS: Open Window with guest cartoonist

Jehad Hawrtani from Jordan.

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Regulars 6 Letters Irrational hopes, unintelligent science and why wind turbines aren’t all good. 7 Letter from Bangui The role and influence of traditional leaders is often underestimated by international agencies, writes Ruby Diamonde. 30 Country Profile: Côte D’Ivoire 32 Big Bad World Gaia laments her children’s shortsightedness in a one-page cartoon special from Polyp. 44 Worldbeaters: The House of Saud ‘Moderate modernizers?’ Not so much. 45 Puzzle Page PLUS: Marc Roberts’ Only Planet cartoon. 46 And Finally Human rights activist Peter Tatchell has seen – and suffered – a lot in his decades of campaigning. But, he tells Cristiana Moisescu, he still believes in forgiveness.

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Coming next month: Fundamentalism

N e w I n t e r n at i o n a l i s t ● m aY 2 015 ● 5