海角大神

The Globe and Mail / Toronto

Trump鈥檚 presidency could last longer than some expect听

鈥淣ot so long ago ... Donald Trump and ... Senator Rand Paul were at war. Here was Mr. Paul鈥檚 gently worded assessment ... [in] 2016,鈥� writes Lawrence Martin. 鈥� 鈥楧onald Trump is a delusional narcissist....鈥� This was after Mr. Trump had called Mr. Paul, among other niceties, 鈥榓 spoiled brat....鈥� So what are they doing now? They鈥檙e golfing together.... Then there鈥檚 Senator Lindsey Graham.... As recently as the Charlottesville racial violence, the two of them were still spitting insults at one another. What are they doing now? Same. Yukking it up on the golf course.... If it all doesn鈥檛 quite fit the Trump template as the thin-skinned grudge bearer ... it shouldn鈥檛.... There are other elements of the Trump character ... that could make his presidency more enduring than many imagine.鈥�

Euobserver / Brussels

Poland is chipping away at people鈥檚 freedoms

鈥淪ince it came into power in October 2015, Poland鈥檚 ruling Law and Justice Party (PiS) has gone to great lengths to dismantle the fundamental checks and balances against government abuse of power...,鈥� writes Lydia Gall. 鈥淚n a democracy ... it should be possible to get redress through independent courts. Yet the Warsaw government has misused its democratic mandate ... to chip away aspects of these basic legal protections. In a [recent] report ... Human Rights Watch shows how ... Poland鈥檚 ruling party has sought to bring the country鈥檚 top courts and judicial appointments under its control.... [These] actions ... threaten the values of the European Union itself and undermine the credibility of its efforts to promote human rights....鈥澨�

The Jordan Times / Amman, Jordan

Too early to celebrate a Palestinian reconciliation

鈥淭he reconciliation agreement signed between rival Palestinian parties Hamas and Fateh in Cairo on October 12 was not a national unity accord 鈥� at least, not yet,鈥� writes Ramzy Baroud. 鈥淔or that to be achieved, the agreement would have to make the interests of the Palestinian people a priority, above factional agendas.... Many attempts were made, and failed, to reconcile the two groups.... Their regional politicking was a failure and their political programme ceased to impress Palestinians.... For the Hamas-Fateh unity to become a true national unity, priorities would have to change entirely, with the interest of the Palestinian people ... once more becoming paramount....鈥澨�

Al Jazeera / Doha, Qatar

What lies ahead for Catalonia after Article 155

鈥淚t is now official. Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy announced on October 21 that his government would enact the controversial Article 155 of the Spanish Constitution to strip Catalonia of its autonomy...,鈥� writes Rafa Perez Bel. 鈥淭his previously little known constitutional clause is [now] the most discussed subject in every corner of the country.... After the enactment of Article 155, the Catalan regional government will be dissolved.... In six months, early regional elections will be forced.... In 1971, during a speech to the United Nations, famous musician Pau Casals defined Catalonia as 鈥榓 nation of peace.鈥� What will Catalonia be like in the future? The answer to that question will be determined by Madrid.鈥�

The Times of India / Mumbai

Japan must enshrine Abe鈥檚 foreign-policy vision

鈥淚n snap polls in Japan, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe鈥檚 Liberal Democratic Party-led coalition has secured a two-thirds majority in the lower house of parliament,鈥� states an editorial. 鈥淭he result ... strengthens Abe鈥檚 hand in revising Japan鈥檚 pacifist constitution.... There鈥檚 no denying that Abe has made Japan more proactive on the foreign policy front. After the US pulled out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement, Japan has taken the lead to actualise the pact. Abe has also pushed back against China鈥檚 territorial assertiveness.... It鈥檚 high time the Japanese constitution is revised to make explicit the legality of Japan鈥檚 Self-Defense Forces, as Abe desires.鈥澨�