Council on Foreign Relations

Australian

• Praise for Bush: Greg Sheridan, the paper's foreign editor, says that U.S. President George W. Bush deserves better than the all-round criticism he is now receiving. He thinks Bush was good for Asia, and supports him for his policies in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Christian Science Monitor

• Interfaith Dialogue: Columnist Abdul Rahman H. Al-Saeed looks forward to the weekend's UN debate on interfaith dialogue, and presents what he sees as Saudi Arabia's encouraging position regarding religious tolerance around the world.

Daily Star (Lebanon)

• Religious Tolerance: In an editorial, the Daily Star considers this weekend's interfaith conference at UN headquarters in New York. It makes a plea for other countries to follow the example of Saudi Arabia, and to promote religious tolerance as perhaps the only way to save humanity.

Dawn (Pakistan)

• Justice for Women: I. A. Rehman, director of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, writes about the spate of recent murders of women in Pakistan and urges the government to take more effective action to protect them against such barbaric acts.

Financial Times

• Correcting Dubai: In an editorial, it looks at how the global financial crisis is affecting even an oil-rich Middle Eastern state such as Dubai. The paper hopes that the difficulties it is facing will give the authorities pause for thought, and help them realize that growth at all costs is not necessarily a good thing.

Globe & Mail (Canada)

• Environmental Refugees: In an editorial, the paper looks at the problem of how to help nations like the Maldives which could suffer dramatically from the effects of climate change. It says that the rich countries should provide funds to help mitigate the effects of environmental disaster for the world's poorer countries, who will bear the brunt of it.

Guardian

• Economic Concerns: In an editorial, it examines the gloomy economic forecast for the UK provided by the Bank of England governor. It concludes that he and the UK's central bank are merely facing up to reality, and that this is no bad thing in the current economic climate.

Independent (UK)

• Hope for Gaza: In an editorial, the Independent looks at the new ceasefire in Gaza. The paper sees this as a crucial test for Hamas and for Israel, and urges the EU and the Bush administration to adopt a more pragmatic approach to the Palestinian organization.

Irish Times

• Ireland and Europe: In an editorial, it considers recent remarks made by Czech President Vaclav Klaus during a state visit to Ireland. The newspaper views these unhelpful to the cause for greater European integration, and an unwise intervention into Irish political debate on Europe.

Japan Times

• Obama and Asia: Ralph Cossa of the Pacific Forum CSIS urges the U.S. president-elect not to forget Asia among his other foreign policy priorities. Japan, North Korea, and the relationship with China are all issues Obama needs to get to grips with, Cossa argues.

Moscow Times

• Bretton Woods II: Economist Joseph E. Stiglitz argues that it may be time for a new international conference similar to Bretton Woods at the end of World War II to work out a global response to the current economic crisis. This time however, he argues, the developing world must be taken much more into consideration if a more stable and equitable global financial system is to be created.

New York Times

• Congo Violence: In an editorial, it considers the continuing violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It castigates the UN Security Council for failing to act, and calls for more international peacekeepers and aid to be sent.

Telegraph (UK)

• Protecting Troops: In an editorial, it looks at the question of the safety of British troops in Afghanistan. In the past, it says, there have been allegations that British troops have been let down by their equipment and lack of proper protection. It concludes that the British government needs to take the question more seriously, as Afghanistan will continue to represent an arduous task.

Times of India

• Pirates: In an editorial, it praises the actions of the Indian navy in facing up to the pirate threat off the coast of Somalia. It points out that this is the most dangerous area for shipping in the world, and argues that India should do more to show its commitment to protecting a region in which it is closely involved.

Times of London

• Putin's Game: An editorial says it is now very clear that Putin is plotting to return to the Kremlin as president. Legislative changes could mean he returns for a further twelve years as president, a move which the newspaper says would mean democracy and Russia are the losers.

Wall Street Journal

• Obama and Missile Defense: Columnist John R. Bolton, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, argues that by refusing to commit his administration to support for missiles in Poland, the president-elect could be sending the wrong signals not only to Moscow, but to the Middle East and North Korea as well.
• China Can Help: Qiao Yu of Tsinghua University in Beijing argues that China is willing to do its bit to provide capital to the West to help shore up their financial systems. He calls on China also to play a more leading role in international financial organizations such as the IMF and the World Bank.

Washington Post

• Toxic Derivatives: In an editorial, it considers the derivatives industry, considered by many to be at the root of the global financial crisis. It calls on the industry and regulators to make sure that the derivatives time bomb does not explode.
• G-20 Summit: Columnist David Ignatius considers this weekend's meeting of the G-20 nations in Washington to discuss the global financial crisis. He argues that the gathering will show that China has now arrived as an important player on the world financial stage, that Europe is playing a new, more assertive role, and that the anger of developing countries such as Brazil will have to be faced if the 'global economic nest' is to be cleared up.