Check This Out

It's called the Global Power Barometer. The GPB how successful certain global powers are at advancing their agendas on any given day. The 'powers' include the usual suspects - the US, Russia, China - and three newsmakers - Israel, the Islamists and Iran.

The GPB also tracks major issues of the day. These include the rise of the Anti-American Left in Latin America; the power vacuum created by the Iraq quagmire and the drift in American foreign policy; the new arms race and nuclear proliferation; coming energy wars; China's ascendancy; the next, major Middle East war; and progress toward a new Islamic Caliphate.

It's admittedly grim entertainment but it's fascinating:

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/postglobal/drg/GlobalEmergingIssues.html