Edward-Isaac Dovere, Politico
President Barack Obama’s trip to Cuba is a metaphor for his foreign policy and a potential glimpse into his post-presidency, all in one landing here at Jos Marti International on Sunday afternoon.
Paul Saunders, Al-Monitor
Russia’s likely gradual and partial military withdrawal from Syria may minimize one of the irritants in the Russian-Saudi relationship, but it won’t address their fundamental differences.
John Major, Telegraph
It will be a fateful choice: Great Britain or Little Britain. As our children and grandchildren look back at this pivotal moment in our history, I hope they can be proud that, in a world of uncertainties of Daesh, of Syria, of Putins Russia our country did not turn its back on Europe and cripple its authority, but chose to remain in it, reform it, and play our part in maximising British influence and European power for the common good.
Charles Clover, FT
Gumilevs theories have become the standard for a generation of hardliners in Russia, who see in his books the template for a synthesis of nationalism and internationalism that could form the founding idea of a new Eurasia, a singular political unit enjoying much the same frontiers as the USSR.
Mustafa Akyol, Hurriyet Daily
The sad thing is that we have seen this film before: the vicious cycle between radical and violent opposition forces and an arrogant and authoritarian state. It is actually a film that Turkey keeps seeing over and over, almost every decade, only with actors changing places.
Shannon Sims, Ozy
For many, breakfast is the best meal of the day — and it’s pretty serious business across Turkey. Surprise: You’re not going to have a heavy bacon-pancakes-eggs combo greasing up your plate. What you are going to find is a pixelated meal, scattered into a dozen different plates of bright colors and contrasting textures. And not a kebab in sight.
Dov Lieber, Times of Israel
Israel continues to profess its neutrality in the Syrian civil war, and security officials credibly claim that there can be no particularly good outcome as far as Israel is concerned. Whatever Syria’s ultimate fate, more than four decades of relative tranquility are plainly over. Still, both the Israeli army and experts familiar with the situation acknowledge that the IDF has contacts with rebels across the border. Which rebels, however, is a closely guarded secret.
Rasha Al Aqeedi, The National
The comparison between life during and after Saddam has the unintentional effect of putting justified grievances and frustration on a par with idolising tyrants. While Sunnis face hardships today compared to their privileged position in the past, life under Saddam was hardly a utopia for them.
Conrad Black, NP
The downside to Canada’s generally admirable attitude of tolerance and respect for other civilizations is that we are achingly slow to defend our own when it is undermined from within, especially with the connivance of prominent quislings. Nativism and even overly robust nationalism are often distasteful and sometimes dangerous, but official insipidity and willful subversion must be discouraged and not legitimized from the proverbial high seats in the temple.
Doug Saunders, Globe and Mail
A "leave" victory would not destroy Britain – the country would eventually be able to negotiate similar relationships outside the EU. But it would be a difficult process that would dominate the country’s politics for years and make many things much more difficult and expensive, without any upside. Mr. Cameron would be remembered as a politician who, a year after his greatest electoral victory, used the most cynical whim to plunge his country into chaos and destroy his political legacy.
M. Meyer-Resende, Foreign Policy
The chaos in Syria is prompting some to look to federalism as a solution. But that’s a word that peace negotiators have every reason to avoid.
William Doyle, Los Angeles Times
In the United States, teachers are routinely degraded by politicians, and thousands of teacher slots are filled by temps with six or seven weeks of summer training. In Finland teachers are the most trusted and admired professionals next to doctors, in part because they are required to have master's degrees in education with specialization in research and classroom practice.
Ofra Bengio, The American Interest
Over the past few years, Israeli politicians—from Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu to President Shimon Peres to Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman—have been publicly advocating the establishment of a Kurdish state. Most recent to weigh in is Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, who called this past January for the formation of an independent Kurdistan and urged enhanced policy cooperation between Israel and the Kurds. Clearly, the upheavals in the region and the realization... Читать дальше...
Jan De Deken, The Daily Beast
As Obama heads to Cuba, islanders reflect on their revolutionary past—and their uncertain future.
Anthony Banbury, New York Times
I have worked for the United Nations for most of the last three decades. I was a human rights officer in Haiti in the 1990s and served in the former Yugoslavia during the Srebrenica genocide. I helped lead the response to the Indian Ocean tsunami and the Haitian earthquake, planned the mission to eliminate Syrian chemical weapons, and most recently led the Ebola mission in West Africa. I care deeply for the principles the United Nations is designed to uphold. And that’s why I have decided to leave.