All The Monitor's View
- New contours in international cooperation
Nationalism may be on the rise and hindering global consensus, but a pact among the five coastal states on the Caspian Sea represents a shift toward neighborly agreements.
- Syria needs to be a blueprint for peacemaking
Ending modern conflicts has become more difficult and perhaps the war in Syria – the most difficult of all – is an opportunity for new approaches in diplomacy.
- A yearning for wholeness in local news
As more newspapers lay off journalists, more people – especially those in the ‘new localism’ – look to revive local news as a way to define the character of their community.
- Climate resilience as a path to clean energy
As humans and other species adapt to new weather patterns, they may show the kind of unity and endurance needed to better tackle carbon pollution.
- A departing president’s lesson for peace
Colombia’s war with the rebel group FARC ended when President Santos found out what the victims of the war really wanted: a deal that put mercy and forgiveness ahead of harsh justice.
- Choosing a world order in Zimbabwe
The July 30 election and its violent aftermath are a test case for two worldviews: the West’s democratic order or China’s autocratic, non-meddling model.
- Facebook enlists users against cyber manipulation
In announcing the closure of fake pages designed to amplify discord in the US, Facebook has started to notify users who visit such sites. This is a step toward a whole-of-society effort against foreign meddling.
- Trump’s offer to talk to Iran
After his summits with North Korea and Russia, President Trump now says he could meet with Iran’s president. Like Obama, he may seek wide benefits for peace in not using summits as a bargaining chip.
- Trump enlarges his vision on trade
In talks with Mexico and Europe, the president shifts his tone to one of expanding trade for all sides, not just the US.
- In Pakistan, a ‘yes, we Khan’ moment
Despite a tainted election, Imran Khan will become a prime minister who not only opposed corruption but promised its opposite: honest and accountable governance.
- Religious responses to religious persecution
When Nicaragua’s regime cracked down on church leaders, Latin American Catholics responded with prayer. With more assaults on religious liberty worldwide, the faithful need to react in ways that affirm their beliefs.
- Pakistan’s election: a victory for women
In many villages, women voted for the first time as the July 25 election came with new rules and a rigorous registration campaign of female voters. Pakistan may have seen a big shift toward democratic equality.
- Prepping US workers for new skills
A White House initiative provides an excellent way to ensure Americans can fit into a workplace driven by rapid technological change.
- What’s gained when White Helmet rescuers are rescued
Israel, Jordan, and many other countries joined to save a group of famous volunteer aid workers in the Syrian war, proving the reach of humanitarian law in protecting the innocent.
- Wanted: mediator to end America’s longest war
Afghanistan has lately seen many countries seeking a role in starting a peace process. With the US now open to talks with the Taliban, such negotiations will need a third party well versed in the skills of conflict resolution.
- Facebook’s search for local virtues
Accused of allowing its platforms to spread rumors that led to violence, the social media giant now struggles to find local community standards with which to ban danger-inciting words and images. The solution may lie in balancing universal rights with ‘ordinary virtues.’
- South Africa revives a Mandela legacy
A new president may again put human rights as the country’s focus, symbolized by a move to not withdraw from the International Criminal Court.
- How truth encircles the White House
The president’s own intelligence chief shows how to counter Mr. Trump’s misstatements about Russia’s role in the 2016 election.
- A peace in Africa cemented in forgiveness
Ethiopia and Eritrea ended a two-decade conflict with a deal that their two leaders say was based on forgiving each other for past offenses.
- Why this World Cup final is like no other
Despite a small population, Croatia goes up against France – and against its own history of war and struggle.