Monday, May 12, 2014

Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials -- May 12, 2014

Alexander Malykhin (l.), head of a local election committee, holds up a sheet of paper which shows the results of the referendum on the status of Luhansk region in Luhansk, Ukraine, May 12, 2014. Valentyn Ogirenko/REUTERS

Ukrainian Separatists Hail Self-Rule Snub To Kiev Amid Fraud Claims -- Arthur Bright, Christian Science Monitor

Separatists in eastern Ukraine say that Sunday's referendums strongly favored self-rule for two regions. But questions remain over the validity of a vote that Kiev has strongly rejected.

Separatists in eastern Ukraine declared victory in Sunday's referendums, claiming that voters overwhelmingly favored independence from Kiev. But the poll tallies and multiple anomalies observed by journalists raise major doubts about the legitimacy of an exercise that Kiev swiftly denounced.

According to results released by the self-proclaimed electoral commissions of the regions of Lugansk and Donetsk, 96.2 percent and 89.07 percent of voters favored self-rule, Russian state broadcaster RT reports. Separatists in both regions claimed a 75 percent turnout.

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Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials

Views You Can Use: A Dubious Ukraine Referendum -- Teresa Welsh, US News and World Report

Ukraine should be left to forge its own course -- Simon Jenkins, The Guardian

Putin is acting defensively in Ukraine -- Jackson Diehl, Washington Post

How Putin's walking all over us -- Edward Lucas, Daily Mail

Boko Haram leader Shekau is dead say Nigeria officials, as nation rolls its eyes -- Heather Murdock, Christian Science Monitor

How Nigerians can thwart Boko Haram -- Christian Science Monitor editorial

World focus on Nigerian girls misses other brutality -- Cathy Young, Newsday

Boko Haram and the Liberal Elites -- Jonathan S. Tobin, Commentary

In Rwanda, Finding Echoes of Germany -- Nicholas Kulish, New York Times

A European court ordered Turkey to pay $124 million over 1974 Cyprus invasion. How does this matter? -- Erik Voeten, Washington Post

The Indian election and the lessons the west can take from Narendra Modi's popularity -- Jason Burke, The Guardian

India election: Voters expect big changes from frontrunner Modi -- Peter Ford, Christian Science Monitor

The danger of North Korea is no joke -- Joshua Stanton and Sung-Yoon Lee, CNN

The Asian powderkeg could blow the world back into a 1914-style disaster -- John Hulsman, City AM

Santos may oversell Colombia peace deal -- Andres Oppenheimer, Miami Herald

Show Us the Drone Memos -- Rand Paul, New York Times

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