Lies, half truths, deceit and hypocrisy are so embedded in our society that people have become immune to them, accept them and often believe that subterfuge is a way of life. Some, indeed, revel in fake news, willingly spreading fictitious slander in jest.

A number of thorny topics were on the agenda this year. Some of the key issues included: foreign policy, trade and, of course, climate change.

So, President Trump now wants to buy Greenland! An uninhabited Greek island is one thing, but the largest island in the world that is also an autonomous territory… Well! Although Greenland has been a part of Denmark for over 200 years, it has been increasingly self-governing since 1979, with only foreign affairs and defence still controlled by Denmark. The suggestion just highlights how callous and clueless the American President is. Trump wants to buy all of greenland, no joke: WATCH People are not for sale Despite its promising name, Greenland is no Eden.

After publishing the August issue of The Gordian, we received the kind message from an UN-aligned member, Anahita, saying the magazine had inspired her to travel to the Iranian Kurdistan. As a thank you we received beautiful pictures from her which we decided to publish as a bonus, showcasing Uraman Takht, a magnificent village in the west of Iran.

A bike campaign In the autumn of 2015, a young environmentalist in Arak, a city with pollution levels as staggering as those in Tehran, started a “car-free Tuesday” campaign to encourage people to commute by bike. The campaign soon turned popular with municipal authorities across the country beginning to encourage residents to ride bikes and leave their cars at home.

It has not been a good week for refugees; but then again, it never is… Today’s The Guardian reports how the Lebanese government forced 5,000 refugee families to demolish their own home in order to induce them to return to Syria. Yesterday, the captain of rescue ship Sea-Watch 3, Carola Rackete, was arrested after she forcefully docked her ship in the Italian island of Lampedusa. Having rescued 53 migrants drifting off the coast of Libya on June 12, the Sea-Watch 3 was left stranded while the Italian authorities kept refusing to let her dock.

Second thoughts… After ordering an attack on Iran last week, president Trump had an after thought. How many human lives would it cost? One wonders: what amount of casualties would have made his strike acceptable? Fifty? A hundred? Creating a problem The Iranian problem is of Trump’s making.

Learning a thing or two from Taiwan… Taiwan gave the world a lesson in real democracy last month when same-sex marriage was legalised in the “country“. In a referendum last November, 72% of the population had voted against allowing same-sex marriage.

Picking on the weakest… Some people just need a common enemy. Any group that can be easily picked on offers the perfect target.

Bloody motives! If an angel came and told me that all the world problems would be solved if I just put a few bombs around killing innocent people in mosques, synagogues, churches, market places or hotels… would I do it? Of course not. Firstly, because I do not even have the right to insult an innocent person, let alone take their life.