The dismal science of economics is, by most definitions, about finding the most efficient allocation of resources. And that goes for individuals, companies, governments and — yes — criminals. Edward Miguel is an expert on that last category. He's the co-author, with Raymond Fisman, of “Economic Gangsters: Corruption, Violence and the Poverty of Nations.” Published in late 2008, the authors use new data, innovative number-crunching and various pattern recognition models to plumb the worlds of kleptocrats, corruption, black marketeers and violence.

WASHINGTON — Sen. John F. Kerry, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, says he will hold far-ranging oversight hearings on the U.S. involvement in Afghanistan. “End of summer, early fall, we are going to take a hard look at Afghanistan,” Kerry said in an interview with GlobalPost.

[Editor's note: The following story comes from our editorial partner VietNamNet Bridge.] VietNamNet Bridge — A team of British cavers recently announced record-breaking news: the discovery in Quang Binh Province of the largest cave in the world. But the presence of the British team has eclipsed one very important figure in the story — 40-year-old Ho Khanh — a local man and guide for the expedition who says he first found the cave nearly 20 years ago, but lost it again.