Paul Krugman – The New York Times
Monday’s presidential debate was a blowout, surely the most one-sided confrontation in American political history. Hillary Clinton was knowledgeable, unflappable and — dare we say it? — likable. Donald Trump was ignorant, thin-skinned and boorish.
By Josh Lowe – Newsweek
A plebiscite on quotas for relocating asylum seekers is forcing the EU to question itself.
Syrian Refugees: Hungary Pushes Back Against European Union Quotas
On walls and billboards across Hungary a war of words has broken out. Deceptively cheery blue and yellow government posters ask shocking questions of passersby: “Did you know that nearly one million immigrants want to come to Europe from Libya alone?” “Did you know that the Paris terror attacks were carried out by immigrants?” Meanwhile, other posters produced by the satirical Two-Tailed Dog Party hit back with humor. “Did you know there’s a war in Syria?” one queries. Another: “Did you know a tree might fall on your head?”
Robert J. Burrowes*
As most of the world ignores or hypocritically celebrates the 147th birthday of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi on the International Day of Nonviolence on 2 October, some of us will quietly acknowledge his life by continuing to build the world that he envisioned. When asked for his message for the world, Gandhi responded with the now famous line ‘My life is my message’ reflecting his lifelong struggle against violence.
by Philip Stephens – Financial Times
Boris Johnson looks more comfortable in the role of court jester than thoughtful policymaker
Word in Westminster has it that Boris Johnson would like to apologise personally to Barack Obama for raising his “part-Kenyan” ancestry when the US president backed the pro-Europeans during the EU referendum. Word in Washington is that the UK foreign secretary would do as well not to bother. Such slights are not easily forgotten by the first African-American president.
By Constanza Vieira
BOGOTA, Sep 2016 (IPS) – It was like a huge party in Colombia. “Congratulations!” people said to each other, before hugging. “Only 20 minutes to go!” one office worker said, hurrying on her way to Bolívar square, in the heart of Bogotá. And everyone knew what she was talking about, and hurried along too. Complete strangers exchanged winks of complicity.
Julian Borger* – The Guardian
Previous Bulgarian candidate, Irina Bokova, fails to win support but may remain in contest to be secretary general
The EU budget commissioner, Kristalina Georgieva, has entered the race to become the United Nations’ next secretary general, after the Bulgarian government swung its backing behind her.
Andrew Glikson*
Current greenhouse gas concentrations could warm the world 3-7? (and on average 5?) over coming millennia. That’s the finding of a paper published in Nature today.
The research, by Carolyn Snyder, reconstructed temperatures over the past 2 million years. By investigating the link between carbon dioxide and temperature in the past, Snyder made new projections for the future.
By Joan Walsh – The Nation
“Donald, I know you live in your own reality,” she said calmly. And it gradually became clear she was right.
So it happened: Donald Trump faced Hillary Clinton onstage in the first presidential debate, and the earth didn’t swallow us up and end civilization as we knew it. The earth did not stand still. What had seemed like a bad dream wasn’t a dream: Trump is the GOP nominee for president of the United States, and only Clinton stands between him and the nuclear codes. There must be a German word for the feeling you get when something so terrible happens, you think you’re imagining it, but I haven’t found it yet.
Robert Fisk* – The Independent, UK
What, the Saudis must be asking themselves, has happened to the fawning leaders who would normally grovel to the Kingdom?
The Saudis step deeper into trouble almost by the week. Swamped in their ridiculous war in Yemen, they are now reeling from an extraordinary statement issued by around two hundred Sunni Muslim clerics who effectively referred to the Wahhabi belief – practiced in Saudi Arabia – as “a dangerous deformation” of Sunni Islam. The prelates included Egypt’s Grand Imam, Ahmed el-Tayeb of al-Azhar, the most important centre of theological study in the Islamic world, who only a year ago attacked “corrupt interpretations” of religious texts and who has now signed up to “a return to the schools of great knowledge” outside Saudi Arabia.
By Matthew Cooper – Newsweek
Comedian Bill Maher captured the anxiety of Democrats about the presidential election when he returned to his weekly HBO show in mid-September after a summer hiatus. “When I left five weeks ago, Hillary had a huge lead,” said the host of Real Time. “What the fuck happened? They say the race is tightening. My asshole is tightening.”
By Mahmood Hasan * – The Daily Star, Bangladesh
Sep 2016 – China hosted the 11th G20 summit from September 4-5, 2016 at Hangzhou for the first time since the group formally started holding summits when the world economy slipped into deep recession in 2008. The theme for the summit was “Towards an innovative, invigorated, interconnected and inclusive world economy”. China also invited leaders of eight developing countries and chiefs of international organisations to participate at the conference.
By Jimmy Leach* – International Business Times
It’s the clash between her faith in statesmanship and his hope in audacity.
Few incidents have encapsulated the difference in approach between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump than Saturday’s bombing in New York.
By Tharanga Yakupitiyage
UNITED NATIONS, Sep 22 2016 (IPS) – The Paris Climate Agreement is on the verge of coming into force after 31 nations officially deposited their instruments of ratification here Wednesday, more than doubling the number of countries which have joined so far to reach 60.
Interview by Ramesh Jaura with UNCCD Executive Secretary Monique Barbut
NEW YORK | BONN (IDN) – “Migration associated with natural resource depletion and climate change is much wider in scale than previously appreciated,” Monique Barbut, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), has warned in an interview.
By Rose Delaney
ROME, Sep 2016 (IPS) – Although 20 million Muslims reside in Western Europe, establishing social harmony between the Muslim community and their European counterparts has proved exceedingly challenging.Much to the dismay of international humanitarian agencies and anti-racism activists,the language of exclusion and prejudice persists.
By Lili Bayer – Geopolitical Futures
Declining U.S. demand for major exporters’ goods could spell disaster.
The world’s exporters are in turmoil. Over the past days, we learned that Chinese exports fell 2.8 percent in August compared to the same time last year, while Japanese exports declined 4.8 percent. German exports plummeted 10 percent year-over-year in July, while the European Union’s overall exports fell 2 percent between January and July compared to a year earlier.
Robert J. Burrowes*
As citizens of the USA with a presidential election approaching you have a wonderful opportunity to ponder whether to participate in this election or to participate in the ongoing American Revolution.
By Oscar Arias Sanchez*
SAN JOSÉ, Sep 20 2016 (IPS) – I have put a great deal of thought into whether or not to return to politics. Groups from different political parties, and without party affiliation, have expressed their concern over the current situation in the country and have offered me their support. And the opinion polls indicate that I would have a chance at a third presidential term.
by Rev. Liberato Bautista* – Church and Society
A commentary on the eve of the UN Summit on Refugees and Migrants
High level summit, and why words matter
It is the eve of a crucial political process at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the High Level Summit for Refugees and Migrants to be convened on September 19. As UN member states arrive and UN officials and international public servants plan and prepare, NGO representatives are also busying themselves to find space and voice. United Methodists will be in attendance, for certain.
By Branislav Gošovic *
In appreciation of an exceptional UN Secretary-General who dared…
This essay, written as a personal homage to Boutros Boutros-Ghali, is also a comment on the United Nations, predicaments and challenges confronting those occupying the office of UN Secretary-General, and the overarching North-South entanglement in the world body.