All The Monitor's View
The key to recovery from a sports scandalOne big difference between Russia鈥檚 doping scandal and the sex abuse of American female gymnasts: contrition in their governing institutions.
Green light for reform of UN鈥檚 blue helmetsAs top leaders gather at the United Nations, they must back reform of UN peacekeepers in order to prevent abuses and assure better performance in new types of conflicts.聽
The prospect of no people living in extreme povertyFewer than 10 percent of the world鈥檚 people now live on less than $1.90 a day. As such progress shifts the attitude of the remaining poor, the rate could more easily get to zero.
An African model for ethnic reconciliation?Ethiopia鈥檚 new leader has quickly begun democratic reforms but none will mean more than reconciling the country鈥檚 ethnic groups. Recent violence shows the urgency to develop a civic identity that he says starts with forgiveness.
The freedom driving North Korea to the tableThe latest North-South summit is yet another test on whether the Kim regime feels pressure from its people聽to further embrace a market economy in return for giving up its nuclear arsenal.
Amazon鈥檚 Bezos clicks on homelessnessA big new focus of his philanthropy will be innovators solving this acute social problem. The best are nonprofit volunteers equipped with special qualities of care that can heal the homeless from the inside out.
A golden lesson from the 2008 financial crisisOn the 10th anniversary of the financial crash that triggered the Great Recession, one lingering result is the use of 鈥榬isk officers鈥� in financial firms. They are really affinity coaches.
The best way to curb illegal migrationThe largest numbers of migrants caught at the US border now are from Guatemala, a country struggling to renew its efforts toward the kind of clean governance that can quell violence.
The FDA鈥檚 crackdown on teen vapingThe agency's move against the makers and sellers of e-cigarettes is aimed at keeping children from addiction. But it joins a larger trend in the safeguarding the most innocent in society.
Frat houses refine the purpose of brotherhoodIn response to cases of tragic misuse of alcohol, fraternities decide to ban hard liquor at events. The next step is to restore the core purpose of these campus clubs.
In China, a great leap in corporate governanceBucking a deep tradition in private companies, the founder of tech giant Alibaba picks a successor 鈥� not a family member but a person with 鈥榩rofessional talent.鈥� A kinship of qualities beat out succession by clannishness.
The truth about South African 鈥榣and seizures鈥�The country is undertaking a difficult but needed debate on how to put more farmland into the hands of its poor black majority.聽
Ending North Korea鈥檚 nuclear program: What now?President Trump鈥檚 domestic troubles could endanger 鈥� or perhaps impel 鈥� a deal with North Korea鈥檚 Kim.聽 The benefits for both sides remain in place.
A year later, Puerto Rico says 鈥楥ome on down鈥�New studies on the effects of hurricane Maria highlight a much greater loss of life than reported earlier, as well as inadequate responses by both federal and local governments. But Puerto Ricans see brighter skies ahead.
Where are we headed? Answers may lie in the pastThe Great Recession saw interest in the humanities, such as history, plummet in favor of 鈥榩ractical鈥� college studies. But today鈥檚 turmoil may have reawakened interest in just how we got here.
The women activists for peace in SyriaAs the Assad regime prepares to take the last opposition stronghold, women in that province are working to remove the main excuse for such an attack.
Tackle the rush to sports gamblingA Supreme Court ruling has left states free to legalize sports wagering, raising issues of how to protect the integrity of sports. Congress is starting to weigh in.
Why Myanmar must look in the mirrorA UN probe of military atrocities against the minority Rohingya also points to the country鈥檚 need to unify around a national identity, preferably one that is inclusive.
Argentina tries breaking corrupt habitsA trove of evidence about payoffs to former presidents has accelerated a two-year campaign against corruption and brought greater promise of clean governance.
McCain鈥檚 mutiny against war bitternessOf all his admirable traits, it was the former POW鈥檚 forgiveness toward Vietnam that helped reconcile the US to its former adversary.
