In this edition of Brookings Data Now: do Egyptians want sharia law? China’s demographic time bomb; humanitarian workers; U.S.-Brazil trade; can a discharge petition move the immigration bill to the House floor? and, the 60th anniversary of the CIA-backed coup to oust Iran’s Prime Minister Mossadegh.
| 83% | In Shibley Telhami’s public opinion poll of Egyptians, conducted in May 2012, two-thirds of Egyptians supported making sharia the basis of Egyptian law but of those, 83% said sharia should be adapted to modern times. |
| 1.6 | In China, by 2050, as the working age population declines, there will be fewer than 1.6 workers supporting each retired person. Robert Pozen looks at Beijing’s consideration of liberalizing its “one-child” policy, and suggests other reforms for China to face its ticking “demographic time bomb.” |
| 275,000 | The number of humanitarian workers worldwide, most of whom are from the communities where they are delivering assistance. Beth Ferris salutes their courage. |
| $11.7 bn | The U.S-Brazil trade imbalance, in America’s favor. U.S. exports to Brazil grew from $24.2 billion in 2007 to $43.8 billion in 2012, observes Diana Negroponte. Brazil’s trade with the European Union is $98 billion. |
| 3 | Only three bills have been successfully discharged from a congressional committee to become public law. Learn more from Molly Jackman about this procedure in the context of the immigration bill, which is stalled in the House. |
| 60th | This week marks the 60th anniversary of the coup in Iran that ousted democratically elected prime minister Mohammad Mossadegh, as well as new revelations that confirm the CIA’s role in the affair. Suzanne Maloney explains more about the origins and context of the plot to unseat Mossadegh. |
Commentary
Brookings Data Now: Egypt; China; Humanitarian Workers; Brazil trade; Immigration discharge petition; Coup in Iran
August 22, 2013