All The Monitor's View
When 鈥榗ulture clash鈥� gets in the wayA quarter century after the notion of a 鈥榗lash of civilizations鈥� became a popular view of the world, the exceptions point a different way.
Hope for US-North Korea talks?Hints and events are lining up for possible negotiations and a lessening of fear of war in Northeast Asia.
People once at odds don鈥檛 try to even the scoreCountries from Iraq to Colombia are now seeking reconciliation after war or dictatorship. One country, Rwanda, shows what can be done.聽
An Arctic pact shows what鈥檚 possibleDozens of countries eager to fish in the warming Arctic have wisely decided to hold off for 16 years. This caution 鈥� and cooperation 鈥� provide a precedent for further agreements on the far north.
Grass-roots view of Trump鈥檚 security strategyIn coming days, the White House will issue a strategy on dealing with foreign threats. But most Americans are already on the front lines of such work. They need thoughtful help from presidents.
Taiwan lets go a symbol of ancient daysA new law calls for removing landmarks honoring a former dictator, Chiang Kai-shek, whose Confucian-style rule on the island nation finds renewed favor within China鈥檚 ruling party.
If not the US, then who as Mideast mediator?President Trump鈥檚 decision to move the US Embassy to Jerusalem is seen as ending the US role as mediator between Israelis and Palestinians. Now may be the time for another power to be a third-party facilitator that can bring fresh thinking to both sides.
Olympic-class athletes find their voice of integrity聽The ban on Russia at the next Olympics was driven in part by demands of athletes who want to stay clean, play fairly, and not again be cheated of medals.
Raising graduation rates, one expectation at a time聽One probable reason for the steady rise in high school graduation rates may lie in higher expectations of schools and in teacher attitudes toward students.
Lift the ban on sports gambling?The Supreme Court could open the floodgates to legal betting on sports, a move that would need citizens, not just state lawmakers and sports leagues, to be involved in weighing the potential costs, such as match-fixing and underage gambling.
Why speak up about anti-Muslim tweets?The British leader鈥檚 denunciation of a retweet by President Trump, along with her support for Muslims, adds to a trend against such religious bigotry.
Liberating African slaves 鈥� againThe discovery of a slave auction in Libya has stirred both European and African leaders into action. Now they must deal with the mental chains that pushed African migrants into the clutches of smugglers.
A hint of mercy in post-Mugabe ZimbabweA new leader offers amnesty to those who return stolen public money. The African country will need many other acts of forgiveness and truth-telling to achieve reconciliation.
Moment of truth for a Syrian peacePeace talks planned in Geneva may succeed if all sides abide by the Security Council demand for UN-run elections. The power of guns may give way to the power of democracy.
In the giving season, a special act of charityAs nations stepped up to pledge money for hurricane-hit Caribbean islands, one donation stood out. Haiti, despite its own devastation and poverty, promised aid to its neighbors.
The global spread of a culture of integrityThe mass arrests for corruption in Saudi Arabia were really a result of peer pressure among the world鈥檚 wealthiest countries who are trying to address a public desire for openness and transparency in governance.
Finding virtue after a war crimes verdictThe conviction of the former Bosnian Serb commander brings justice to many, but also a lesson about equality 鈥� the very virtue needed for peace in the Balkans.
A Thanksgiving lesson for the #MeToo movementIn starting the holiday during the Civil War, Lincoln sought not only to encourage gratitude but a humility to repent. The current civil strife over sexual wrongdoing will require similar penitence.
Time to tally up Africa鈥檚 progress in governanceEvents in Zimbabwe point to a continental shift toward democracy, driven by a mass of young people demanding accountability.
Zimbabwe's new liberation struggleThe surprise sidelining of a longtime dictator has many in Zimbabwe looking inward on their role in propping him up. Their mental liberation may influence the ongoing power struggle