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Cost of education hurts poor; a new era of India-US relations; why US must work with Palestinian Authority

This week's round-up of commentary from around the world addresses the rising price of higher education in the United States, the possibility of renewed US-India relations, how Washington should take steps on carbon emissions, and the need for the US to work with the Palestinian Authority. 

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Gene J. Puskar/AP/File
In July 2012, a student walks past Old Main on the campus of Penn State University in State College, Pa.
  • By Monitor Editors

Melbourne, Australia / The Age
Price of US higher ed hurts poor

“Thirty years ago, the proportion of young Americans completing college – around 30 per cent – was easily the highest in the world. Today, the US proportion is almost unchanged, and has been overtaken by many other countries, including Australia,” writes John Quiggin, an Australian economist. “The US education system is now much like its health system. It does a great job for the 1 per cent who go to the Ivy League schools (and whose parents are mostly in or close to the top 1 per cent of the income distribution), does an adequate but expensive job for the next 20 per cent or so, and leaves everyone else in the lurch.”

Mumbai / Times of India
A reset for India-US relations

“On the foreign policy front, [India and the United States] need each other now more than ever. The US pivot towards Asia necessarily must take India onboard. The planned US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan will create a security vacuum that’s of great concern to India,” states an editorial in anticipation of a September meeting between President Obama and newly elected Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressing hope that this meeting would begin to warm a chilled relationship. “New Delhi and Washington need to put their heads together to work out a comprehensive security plan for the region. Economy and security ought to be fundamental to a rebooting of India-US ties.” 

Dublin, Ireland / The Irish Times
Washington takes steps on carbon emissions

“President Barack Obama has finally put some meat on the bare bones of his long-standing commitment to tackle climate change,” states an editorial on President Obama’s cap on carbon emissions. “Environmentalists have hailed the move as historic.... But there has been strong opposition from the coal lobby, particularly in traditional mining states such as West Virginia, and shrill statements from professional climate change denialists who believe there is no justification for taking any action.”

Tel Aviv / Haaretz
US must work with Palestinian Authority

“As the number of Washington’s friends in the Middle East steadily diminishes, along with the number of conflicts it can influence, the more it appears that severing relations with the Palestinian Authority can bring nothing but disaster,” writes Zvi Bar’el, urging the US to cooperate with the new Palestinian unity government. “Israel may be able to exist without active cooperation with the PA ... [but] the U.S. State Department had better have an open telephone line with the Palestinian government, even if that government includes Hamas.”

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