Arkiv-Global View

THE protesters who have overturned the politics of Ukraine have many aspirations for their country. Their placards called for closer relations with the European Union (EU), an end to Russian intervention in Ukraine’s politics and the establishment of a clean government to replace the kleptocracy of President Viktor Yanukovych. But their fundamental demand is one that has motivated people over many decades to take a stand against corrupt, abusive and autocratic governments. They want a rules-based democracy.

I had aspirations and potential when I was fresh out of high school in 1997. I graduated from a private school with a 3.97 GPA. I could have gone to practically any college I'd set my sights on, but I wanted to stay in my beloved hometown of Denver and was hell bent on going to school to learn, not to party, so I opted for Metropolitan State University in the heart of downtown. I got an apartment with my older brother, already had a part time job I'd worked at every summer throughout high school, and started college on a full ride, four year scholarship.

The crisis in Ukraine has shown that the US and EU have not been very successful in their stated goal of supporting democratisation there since independence in 1991. Whatever happens next, democracy will have to be at the centre of their engagement with the country. If, however, they fail to learn the key lesson from the disappointing experience of the last 20 years, they will be likely to repeat their mistakes and end up dealing with a similar crisis down the line. Or worse.

The revolutionary upheaval in Ukraine’s faraway capital has awakened the separatist dreams of ethnic Russians living here on the Crimean Peninsula, where on Thursday pro-Russia gunmen who occupied the regional parliament building were met with an outpouring of support.

Queuing endlessly to use a self-service check-out, only to be denied your basic human right to a single, barcode-less banana. Squeezing past a gaggle of reality TV-obsessed teenage girls, endlessly snapping selfies on their camera phones in the pub toilets.

President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday ordered massive exercises involving most military units in western Russia amid tensions in Ukraine.

Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said in a televised statement made at a meeting of top military brass in Moscow that the exercise is intended to "checks the troops' readiness for action in crisis situations that threaten the nation's military security."

In remarks carried by Russian news agencies, Shoigu said that the maneuvers involve some 150,000 troops, 880 tanks, 90 aircraft and 80 navy ships.

U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia ruled Wednesday that Texas' ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional.

Garcia issued a preliminary injunction on the state's ban, citing Supreme Court precedent. However, Garcia issued a stay on his order, meaning the ban will remain in effect pending appeal.

Obamacare is a disaster for Democrats, and a certain winner for Republicans. That’s what we keep hearing, anyway.

So why does it look as if the percentage of Americans who favor repeal may have actually shrunk since its rollout problems began?

C'era un tempo in cui il football inglese dominava l'Europa, con tre squadre su quattro in semifinale di Champions o come minimo tutte qualificate per i quarti. Sono passati pochi anni, eppure sembra un lontano passato guardando ai risultati di questi giorni. Mettere in fila quelli di Champions fa un effetto deprimente per i tifosi inglesi: Olympiacos-Manchester United 2-0; Arsenal-Bayern 0-2; Manchester City-Barcellona 0-2. Aggiungeteci l'Europa League, Dnipro-Tottenham 1-0 e Swansea-Napoli 0-0, e fa cinque partite senza un solo gol segnato dalle squadre dell'Inghilterra.

Un Paese ha bisogno di élite e al tempo stesso di una burocrazia. E come esistono élite ed élite , così esistono burocrazie innovative e burocrazie arteriosclerotizzate: ha fatto bene Giuliano Amato a sottolinearlo nella sua intervista di lunedì al Corriere .