Borders are clever constructs. They define, they divide, they differentiate. They can be opened or closed. Communities can straddle a border. Borders work equally well as buffers.
A border is there to defend. Or not.
Such is the situation in Kobani, along the border of Turkey and Syria. As jihadi fighters with Islamic State assail and advance into the – largely Kurdish – town, Turkish tanks have been sitting silent, just within their side of the dividing line.
Ankara may well be loath to act on Kobani, but why? Historical, cultural and political factors are all at play. Our front page story and inside package focus on Turkey’s response to the Isis threat, and what’s at stake for the people of Kobani and the region as a whole. I hope you find it an insightful and informative read.
Isis is one of two stories dominating the international news agenda. Ebola is, of course, the other. We bring you two pages of the latest as the virus continues to ravage west Africa. Monica Mark, writing from Lagos, provides a fine piece of reporting on the Cuban medics who are leading the battle against the disease, as the west, it seems, prioritises self-defence.
From Latin America, Dan Collyns roots out the Amazon’s illegal loggers in our Peru world diary. Timber finds eager buyers and bribery is rampant, Collyns says in a piece written exclusively for the Weekly.
From Peru to politics, and to Europe, where we report on a ‘participatory budget’ in Paris that has allowed voters to identify what projects they’d like to see funded. It’s an interesting idea from Anne Hidalgo, who has been mayor a mere six months. Our French coverage continues in the Review section as a controversial contract to build war ships for Russia drives domestic debate.
In Asia, protesters in Hong Kong settle in as the government does an about-face and says it won’t talk with students who are demanding political change. Kim Jong-un returns to the public eye, albeit with a cane, ending speculation about his grip on power in North Korea.
And in China, there are concerns that a Japanese manga star known as Doraemon has become a corrupting influence. The chubby, earless cat with the gaping smile represents Japan’s “soft power”, according to one Chinese newspaper columnist. “We must never let a little robotic cat take control of our minds,” the writer goes on to say. It’s hard to argue with that.
On the Comment pages, Jonathan Freedland considers a British byelection that saw the UK Independence Party make major gains at the expense of both the Conservatives and Labour. Ukip leader Nigel Farage evokes a bygone Britain, Freedland argues. What do you think? Why not send us a letter for publication?
Our deeper-read Review section wonders if we should be doing more to prepare for the worst – a major meteor impact. Given what’s happening with Isis and in west Africa, it’s hard at the moment to think that a meteor might, indeed, be the worst.
Discovery looks at the work being done on organ creation, in a fascinating piece about the potential of this growing field.
The Books pages feature good reads on cybercrime, laughter and cooking. Variety abounds!
And on Culture, we discover that ballet is extending its reach as opportunities are created for some rather tall dancers. I am not much of a dance buff, and I am certainly not tall, but this piece is one of my favourites in the back of the book. It’s inspirational in many ways.
I may well struggle with an arabesque, but I do hope you find this issue of the Weekly adds both some adagio and allegro to your day. As always, you can click here to email me directly with any thoughts or feedback.
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