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The tense relations between Saudis and Iran in Jan 2016 with severing of diplomatic ties following the execution of a Shiite cleric from eastern Saudi Arabia.

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This report by David Sanger in the NYT cites insiders in the Obama administration suggesting that the Saudis never really considered the peace talks in the region organized by Secretary of State Kerry as a serious effort with the escalation in the bombing by Russia, and other events including Iran's two ballistic missile tests. Turkey was drawn into the conflict with Russian bombing of ethnic Turkish groups at the border with Syria. By ignoring these events affecting Turkey, Saudi Arabia and other countries, the Obama administration appeared to be calling for a peace effort that seemed to have little prospect of succeeding. As Trofimov suggests in a separate report in the WSJ the Saudis were more focussed on winning domestic support from conservative Sunnis, seeing the Obama administration as ineffective on the issue of refugees from Syria and the conditions for the civilian population.

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This NYT editorial says that before he was elected Mexico's president Nieto, with his book "Mexico- The Great Hope," (Mexico- La Gran Esperanza)presented himself as a candidate who would transform Mexico. Yet says NYT three years into his administration it has turned out to be very different, with no effort to clear up the questions about the murder of 43 students in Guerrero state. Economic growth has not matched the hopes generated after the Pacto de Mexico was approved and new legislation limiting monopolies passed. The slump in oil prices has led to limited results following the opening up of the oil industry to foreign investment. The result is an administration increasingly unpopular in Mexico and failing to deliver on the hope generated in the early months of Pena Nieto's administration. Many of the tasks for transition of Mexico to a modern economy- free of monopolies, crime, a better education system, economic growth in all parts of the country, remain unrealized. During his term as governor of the state of Mexico 2011-2015, Pena Nieto's main achievement was the 608 Compromisos or promises which were placed on the internet website tracking progress on the health, infrastructure, highway and other projects. During the current administration the early results were achieved in the first year through agreement with the rival PAN party for the Pacto de Mexico, to reduce monopolies and open up the oil industry which had falled behind technologically with lack of investment. Since then the progress has been slow, the one bright spot being the auto industry with increased foreign investment. Regional disparities persist with the Bajio region, and the areas around Queretaro, Aguascalientes, near Mexico City growing fastest. Pena Nieto won the 2012 election with 38% of the vote mostly from this region, the incumbent PAN party at 25%, and the left front Of Lopez Obrador 32% drawing support from less developed areas in the south and the rest of the country. Just as the earlier Atenco protests and police action to clear protesters blocking land acesses by the state for expansion of Mexico City's airport, and the Soy 132 student protest movement during Pena Nieto's term as Governor of State of Mexico 2011-2015 affected perception of his administration, the murder of students at Guerrero affects perception of this administration. Nieto comes from the upper sections of the PRI as the nephew of two former governors of the state of Mexico, has a law degree from the Ibero-American University, and a masters degree in business administration from ITAM....

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WSJ reporters Grant and Berzon provide an indepth account of how Donald Trump survived the worst crisis of his business career in the 1990's, as his deals involving the Taj Mahal casino in Atlantic City collapsed. By describing how Trump responded the report provides insights into Trump's manner of operating, character, and the financial maneouvring to avoid the worst effects of the crisis. It shows Trump's resilience, and also the nature of the risky business deals that led to the crises in Trump's business life.

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Harney of the NYT provides a brief description of the differences between the Sunni and Shiite sects of Islam. Shiites are based mainly in Iran and Iraq. Turkey, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Bangladesh, follow the Sunni sect in Islam.

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The CUP party repudiates the leadership of Arturo Mas following a corruption scandal in the Catalonia ruling party Convergence. Convergence led by Mas is losing support in the state in 2016.

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Saudi Arabia cuts diplomatic ties with Iran on January 3, 2016, following the action against Shiite dissidents in eastern Saudi Arabia and the Iranian protests. This increases sectarian tensions in the region.

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Hedge funds had negative return of 3% on average in 2015, according to research firm HFR Inc. Analysts say many things went wrong for hedge funds in 2015. By comparison the S&P 500 return for 2015 was 1.4%, including dividends. Hedge funds charge high fees to pension funds and institutional investors for the higher returns promised. Historically this is 2% of assets under management and 20% of any profits. Which means pension funds that stuck with hedge funds did poorly on this portion of their portfolio. California's pension fund CALPERS made the decision to remove hedge funds investments from its portfolio in 2015. Hedge funds have not performed as well as the S&P 500 since the 2008 crisis for every year except 2011.

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Alastair Gale shows how the strategy of Egyptian businessman Naguib Sawahiri with Orascom worked in many countries from Iraq to Bangladesh- taking on debt to build wireless networks in less attractive emerging market countries and then selling the assets to other companies. This worked when it sold its Iraqi operation to a Kuwaiti company, and its other assets to a Russian company. Russia's mobile operator VimpelCom Ltd. made a deal worth $6 billion for most of Orascom's assets in 2011. In North Korea this strategy failed with the loss of the local operation to North Korean authorites.