All The Monitor's View
Iowa鈥檚 eye-opener on what America鈥檚 youth seekThree of the four winners in the Iowa caucuses are anti-establishment politicians who drew strongly on under-35 voters. Will America鈥檚 future be defined by the youth vote in this presidential contest?
US role in ending a Central American warGangs are so big in El Salvador that the region is in a virtual war that has spillover effects in the US. The solution lies in keeping young people out of the gangs.
Why US can鈥檛 ignore Colorado鈥檚 pot 鈥榚xperiment鈥�Evidence keeps rolling in that the Rocky Mountain state鈥檚 marijuana legalization, in clear violation of federal drug laws, has negative spillovers. If federal officials won鈥檛 act, other states should take heed of legal weed.
The year of living more honestlyA global ranking of countries on corruption finds more are improving. Are people more demanding of honest governance? If so, they are taking different paths.
A calm lesson for the Zika scare from the Ebola crisisThe 2014-15 Ebola outbreak taught health workers some lessons that can be used to stem Zika. First lesson: Fear of an epidemic should not be allowed to create an epidemic of fear.
Another model of 海角大神-Muslim harmony?Talks to reunify the Mediterranean island of Cyprus are looking up, perhaps adding a new voice to others in the region that Muslim-海角大神 coexistence is possible. That鈥檚 a key tool against Islamic State.
Why even the Super Bowl needs a gambling shieldAs online gambling rises, UN and Olympic officials rush to prevent match-fixing by betting syndicates. Athletes who are clean deserve better protection from the corruption of gamblers.
The right campaign debate on how to fix 鈥榃all Street鈥�Presidential candidates rail against the financial industry, but the best reform may be happening with moves by big firms toward 鈥榩atient capitalism.鈥�
For a world in gloom, a new torchbearerAt a gathering of hand-wringing world leaders in Switzerland, Canada鈥檚 new prime minister was all palms up, offering advice on how openness and fearlessness can help solve global challenges.
Repelling terrorist attacks on youthA Taliban attack on a Pakistani university adds to the list of jihadi strikes on young Muslims. Youth in the Islamic world need more support, and can be enlisted to counter terrorist groups 鈥� rather than being recruited by them.
Nuclear deal hangs on Iran鈥檚 unfinished revolutionIran鈥檚 ability to abide by the nuclear deal, as well as its economic recovery, depends on a preelection debate over the secular authority of its reigning cleric, the supreme leader.
Taiwan鈥檚 new woman leader: Why it鈥檚 about finding the next 鈥榗ool鈥� inventionThe island nation needs to tap key qualities of women and youth 鈥� creativity and collaboration 鈥� to bring innovation to its economy and reduce a dependency on China. Tsai Ing-wen鈥檚 victory is an attractive opportunity for that cultural change.
Seeing mega-cities in a fresh lightWith most of humanity now living in urban areas, architecture鈥檚 most important award, the Pritzker Prize, has gone to a Chilean whose housing designs reflect the view of the urban poor: that cities are islands of promise and opportunity, not problems to be fixed.
Powerball lottery jackpot: It's not a winning ticket for statesThe Powerball lottery jackpot hit a record high, only revealing how much states are addicted to gambling revenues while ignoring the effects of gambling on the poor.聽
A big rethink in how to aid people beset by crisisThe world鈥檚 first humanitarian-aid summit this May should look beyond raising more money for those most in need because of disaster or war, despite near-record levels. A new view of local actors in a crisis is needed.聽
The next step in Europe鈥檚 refugee crisisA mass sexual assault on women in Germany, allegedly by asylum seekers, has soured the welcome mood for refugees in Europe. Yet the best response is to more closely support migrants with rapid integration.
The 鈥榞ig economy'With 90 million Americans involved as buyers or sellers of services, this new way of working needs careful watching.
Virtual reality gets more realA technology that offers an altered state of human consciousness 鈥� and a slew of ethical questions 鈥� is finally hitting the marketplace.
Give winter a big hugTroms酶, Norway, 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle, may provide lessons on how to enjoy cold and snow.
The underreported good newsStories of the world鈥檚 challenges abounded in 2015. But longer, deeper trend lines that show progress need reporting too.
