All The Monitor's View
Coming clean on corruption’s links to pollutionA common link lies in VW’s emissions cheating and the air-quality alerts in China, India, and Indonesia. Arrogant dishonesty can lead to pollution. As VW now admits, leaders must learn to act with humility.
Does Islamic State have a heart? Red Cross hopes so.The international Red Cross is trying to persuade Islamic State to let in neutral aid workers to treat millions of civilians. The effort is part of a broader and needed effort to get all states and nonstate actors to comply with humanitarian law.
In Venezuela, a need for magnanimity in victoryAn election provides a stunning win for pro-democracy forces over a domineering ruler. Now Venezuela, with the world’s worst-performing economy, needs handshakes across a big political divide to make reforms.
Obama’s call for Muslims to stand upAmong the president’s anti-Islamic State tactics is an appeal to Muslim leaders to assert an Islam based on universal values such as dignity, respect, and tolerance. Yet the US and Europe also must embrace these values to defeat all types of terrorism.
A cool consensus emerges on global warmingMany nations, rich and poor, find it hard to end fuel subsidies. Several poor nations have made moves to do so while Europe plans to temporarily keep fossil fuel power plants in reserve. The Paris talks on climate change must build on this consensus.
Protest, not numbness, in response to mass shootingsA rapid rise in mass shootings like the latest in San Bernardino should not lead Americans to resignation. Rather their search for a motive, the care for victims, and a debate over solutions instead reveal a protest for the power of good over evil.
Diplomatic oil on Middle East's trouble watersThe region is in unprecedented turmoil, from Islamic State to Libya’s civil war, but almost as unprecedented are the attempts to negotiate the many conflicts.
When nations step up for the global commonsFrom climate talks to the war on Islamic State, a few nations have lately shown greater global leadership. This wider embrace of humanity deserves notice.
False promises in fantasy sports gamblingNew York’s lawsuit against DraftKings and FanDuel forces the companies to admit how few people win in wagering on fantasy sports – contradicting their previous claims of winning.
A test for motives in banking: ending bonusesThe new head of Germany’s largest bank challenges the financial industry by questioning the use of bonuses as a worthy incentive for providing service to customers. High finance needs more such ethical reflection.
Italy's artful arsenal against Islamic StateThe prime minister plans to spend $1 billion in shaping the ‘cultural identity’ of refugees from Syria and Iraq as a creative riposte to Islamic State’s destruction of art.
Where Muslims are a learning experienceith their strong diversity of faiths, college campuses are essential training grounds to teach tomorrow’s leaders about interfaith cooperation, including engagement with Muslims.
Argentina’s pivot from PeronismSunday’s election of a president with a reconciliatory style may upend the populist ruling style created by Juan and Eva Perón.
The other front against Islamic State: self-defeating fearPresident Obama pleads not to let fear of Islamic State or Syrian refugees play into IS hands. He’s right but must do more in this critical homefront against the purveyors of fear.
Honesty’s force in a global drive against corruptionAttempts to measure the effects of corruption on an economy are welcome. But as people in more countries demand accountable government, a focus should also be put on measuring levels of honesty – to uphold models.
Thanksgiving lessons for the Syrian refugee debateAfter the Paris attacks, Americans are divided on Obama’s plan to let in 10,000 Syrian refugees. The timing is good: Thanksgiving can shed light on how much the nation’s tradition of hospitality should influence this decision.
EU’s preemptive move on African migrationWhile debate rages in Europe over Syrian refugees, the EU starts to build consensus on immigration by offering aid to Africa to prevent migration. All the better to tackle root causes than symptoms.
After Paris, a global resolve to dispel Islamic State’s darknessThe Islamic State attacks in Paris bring sorrow and prayers, yet also a chance for sustained global unity in supplanting the false allure of a violent caliphate with hope for troubled Muslim youth and nations.
DraftKings vs. the joy of athleticsNew York’s crackdown on fantasy-sports gambling sites like DraftKings reflects a desire to retain the purity and joy of athletics. Too many nonsport interests, from betting to drugs, infringe on the virtues of sports.
Why the world’s most generous country may yet be democraticMyanmar was declared the most generous country just two days after an election moved it closer to democracy. A spirit of egalitarian giving lies behind its steady progress toward freedom.
