The brilliant Samantha Power’s two problems: China and her ‘monster’ comment about another powerful woman

The brilliant Samantha Power’s two problems: China and her ‘monster’ comment about another powerful woman

Special to WorldTribune.com By Donald Kirk Samantha Power, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, is on a fast track, and that’s not just in terms of her hot-shot career. She’s up against a tight deadline. She’s got until Jan. 20 to persuade the U.N. Security Council to strengthen what she says is already the […]

New UN Secretary General faces a world of failed states, 65 million refugees

New UN Secretary General faces a world of failed states, 65 million refugees

Special to WorldTribune.com By John J. Metzler UNITED NATIONS — White smoke has emerged from the Security Council, where the powerful fifteen member body, has selected a new UN Secretary General from among a dozen declared candidates. Intense diplomatic deliberations among the powers, hectic lobbying among the candidates, and rife speculation in the international community […]

Remembering an era when journalists covered the government, rather than belonging to it

Remembering an era when journalists covered the government, rather than belonging to it

Special to WorldTribune.com By Donald Kirk The late Don Oberdorfer would surely have had qualms with the award named for him and presented by U.S. Ambassador Mark Lippert to Noh Hyo-dong, the longtime diplomatic and Washington correspondent for Yonhap News Agency. Why would a top U.S. diplomat be handing out a prize in the name […]

Trudeau, Li proclaim ‘golden decade’ for Canadian-Chinese economic ties; Really?

Trudeau, Li proclaim ‘golden decade’ for Canadian-Chinese economic ties; Really?

Special to WorldTribune.com By John J. Metzler UNITED NATIONS — Justin Trudeau, Canada’s media star Prime Minister, in his first address to the General Assembly, presented a wide-ranging tableaux of liberal platitudes and glowing feel good commitments. Proclaiming an almost theological commitment to diversity, an acceptance of Syrian refugees, and climate change policies, Trudeau presented […]

As the world watched anxiously: Foreign policy double talk in the first presidential debate

As the world watched anxiously: Foreign policy double talk in the first presidential debate

Special to WorldTribune.com By Donald Kirk The exchanges between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton in their first debate left an uneasy feeling about U.S. foreign policy. While Trump worried about all the money the U.S. has been squandering overseas, Clinton came through with ritual affirmation of U.S. treaty commitments. Their words were empty, less than […]

Syria crisis rocks UN Assembly

Syria crisis rocks UN Assembly

Special to WorldTribune.com By John J. Metzler UNITED NATIONS — The reverberations of the Syrian conflict continue to rock the UN General Assembly and Security Council as the shock waves of a churning war, a deepening political crisis, and a widening humanitarian disaster plague both the region as well as the wider world community. Syria […]

Rushing to aid North Korean victims of a massive flood near China …. wait a minute; What?

Rushing to aid North Korean victims of a massive flood near China …. wait a minute; What?

Special to WorldTribune.com By Donald Kirk North Korea is truly a schizophrenic state. All in a day we hear about the need for generous foreign donors to come to the rescue of thousands of victims of flooding in the Onsong district in the hard-scrabble northeast where life is tough in the best of times. Then, in […]

Going down: Hillary Clinton has already lost

Going down: Hillary Clinton has already lost

Special to WorldTribune.com Jeffrey T. Kuhner Hillary Clinton is illegitimate. Whether or not she wins in November, Clinton has forfeited the political credibility and moral authority to be our next president. Hillary may not know it, but she has already lost. Polls now show Donald Trump is surging; Clinton is plummeting. A major reason for […]

U.S. admiral hopes personal ties will assure continued access to South China Sea

U.S. admiral hopes personal ties will assure continued access to South China Sea

Special to WorldTribune.com By Donald Kirk WASHINGTON — The Chinese remain the great enigma when it comes to figuring out whether they’re friend or foe, honorable adversaries or dangerous rivals for power and influence from the Korean peninsula to the South China Sea and beyond. Nobody believes they’re doing much to discourage North Korea’s nuclear […]

The fizz is missing as UN Assembly convenes amid surging global woes, chaos

The fizz is missing as UN Assembly convenes amid surging global woes, chaos

Special to WorldTribune.com By John J. Metzler UNITED NATIONS — Presidents, Prime Ministers and Kings will convene in New York next week for the opening of the 71st General Assembly of the United Nations. The annual Autumn  session meets amid trying to solve or at least contain growing conflicts, a surge in refugees, terrorism and […]