ASHARQ AL-AWSAT (GB): Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa said on Sunday that the country has been the victim of “several attempts to undermine its stability and plunge it in chaos”. In a speech on the latest developments, he warned that the country is facing “a new danger represented in the former regime and foreign parties’ attempts to create new strife and drag it to civil war with the aim of dividing it”. The current threats are not temporary, “but a result of opportunistic attempts by certain parties to prolong the chaos”. He revealed that similar developments to the ones that have taken place along the coast had happened a month and a half ago and that the authorities had succeeded in stemming them at the time.

EL MOUDJAHID (ALGERIA): Le Président syrien pour la transition, Ahmad al-Charaâ, a prononcé un discours solennel, vendredi soir, appelant fermement les groupes armés entrés en insurrection contre les forces gouvernementales à déposer les armes et à se rendre “avant qu’il ne soit trop tard”. Depuis jeudi dernier, des affrontements sanglants ont éclaté dans la région de Lattaquié, au nord-ouest du pays, faisant, selon un dernier bilan non officiel, plus de 500 morts, entre combattants des deux camps et des civils. La subite offensive semble avoir complètement surpris les embryons de services de police et d’armée régulière que les autorités provisoires ont mis en place depuis décembre dernier. Par leur caractère manifestement coordonné, puisque touchant plusieurs localités à la fois (Lattaquié, Tartous, Homs), l’armement et le nombre des hommes engagés, les attaques constituent la plus grande épreuve sécuritaire pour le pays depuis la chute de Bachar-al-Assad, le 8 décembre 2024. L’intervention du Président syrien est en soi révélatrice de l’alerte extrême et de l’ampleur de la menace sur la stabilité du pays et l’avenir du processus politique en cours.

NEZAVISIMAYA GAZETA (RUSSIA): Резня на побережье стала стресс-тестом для новой Сирии. Иран и Израиль пытаются укрепить свое влияние в стране. Президент переходного периода Сирии Ахмед аш-Шараа призвал сохранять национальное единство и мир на фоне насилия в прибрежных провинциях страны. Районы, где происходят беспорядки, являются местом компактного проживания алавитов – конфессионального меньшинства, на которое опиралась предыдущая сирийская элита. В том, что в Сирии происходят беспорядки, местные власти винят Иран и лояльные ему силы. Тегеран после краха асадовского правительства потерял свое влияние на Дамаск. Принято считать, что он хочет взять реванш. Отдельный фактор сейчас создает активность Израиля. Недавно правительство во главе с премьер-министром Биньямином Нетаньяху объявило о новой политике в Сирии. Одним из ее опорных элементов является защита местных меньшинств, которые, по мнению еврейского государства, подвергаются угрозе со стороны переходного правительства.

THE TIMES OF INDIA: Syria’s neighboring foreign ministers call for lifting sanctions and reconciliation. Syria’s Foreign Minister, alongside counterparts from neighboring nations, called for lifting Western-led sanctions and emphasized post-war reconciliation efforts. This comes amid recent violence involving Alawite insurgents in Syria. Neighboring countries expressed concerns about stability and the impact of Syria’s economic troubles. Syria’s top diplomat and his counterparts from neighboring countries Sunday called for the lifting of Western-led sanctions on Syria and post-war reconciliation. The foreign ministers of Turkey, Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon made their remarks alongside Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani following a meeting in the Jordanian capital Amman. They come following days of clashes between Syrian security forces and insurgents of the minority Alawite community loyal to the deposed Bashar Assad government in Syria’s coastal province. Some rights groups say hundreds of civilians, mostly Alawite, were killed in revenge attacks after the fighting broke out.

THE GUARDIAN (GB): Top Ukrainian officials are due in Saudi Arabia to meet the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, and other Trump aides who were departing for Jeddah on Sunday. Andriy Yermak, the head of Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Ukrainian presidential office, is expected to lead Kyiv’s delegation. Zelenskyy is also expected to arrive in Saudi Arabia, on Monday, to meet with its crown prince. Zelenskyy said Ukraine was “fully committed” to a constructive dialogue in Saudi Arabia. “Realistic proposals are on the table. The key is to move quickly and effectively”. In February, US officials met about the war with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia without Ukrainian representatives present. Donald Trump said on Sunday that he expected good results from the talks. He told reporters that his administration had “just about” lifted an intelligence pause on Ukraine, and was looking at a lot of things with respect to tariffs on Russia. Trump said he thought Ukraine would sign a minerals agreement with the US. “I want them to want peace”, Trump said.

THE TIMES (GB): Britain takes key role to help Ukraine in peace talks. The UK hopes President Trump can be persuaded to continue sharing intelligence with Ukraine even as Elon Musk threatens to terminate Starlink satellite connection. Britain is advising Ukraine on handling peace talks with the United States as President Zelensky flies out to Saudi Arabia after saying that Russia had carried out hundreds of attacks on his people in the past week. Jonathan Powell, Sir Keir Starmer’s national security adviser, travelled to Ukraine over the weekend to brief Zelensky before his country’s representatives attend the talks with the US on Tuesday, to avoid a repeat of the disastrous Oval Office row with Donald Trump. The prime minister is also attempting to convince Trump to resume intelligence sharing with Ukraine, after last week’s abrupt shut-off that could hinder Kyiv’s ability to defend its cities from Russian strikes.

LA NACION (ARGENTINA): Carlos III toma la posta de su madre con un inesperado protagonismo diplomático. El Rey invitó a varios mandatarios en los últimos días al Reino Unido en plenas tensiones por las negociaciones de paz en Ucrania entre Europa y Estados Unidos. Carlos III de Inglaterra tiene la obligación de mantenerse políticamente neutro, pero eso no le impidió la semana pasada ser rigurosamente fiel a la tradición familiar de enviar mensajes a través de gestos simbólicos. Esta vez, el gobierno británico recurrió al rey en su esfuerzo por hallar una solución a la guerra en Ucrania y, como lo hiciera antes su madre, el monarca dijo “presente”. El primero de esos gestos, en su calidad de jefe de Estado, fue la invitación enviada a Donald Trump a través de su primer ministro, Keir Starmer, cuando viajó a Washington para defender la causa de Kiev. Una misiva que convirtió al presidente de Estados Unidos en el primer dirigente de la historia que efectuará una segunda visita de Estado a Gran Betaña, después de la realizada en 2019 durante el reinado de Isabel II. Radiante, Trump leyó la invitación ante las cámaras y afirmó que era “un honor” aceptarla, elogiando al soberano como un “hombre maravilloso”.

RENMIN RIBAO (CHINA): China reaffirms commitment to reform, opening up at “two sessions”. Those keen to understand the trajectory and focus of the world’s second-largest economy will find a recurring theme at China’s “two sessions” this year -- reform and opening up. At the ongoing annual sessions of China’s national legislature and top political advisory body -- the first since last July’s reform-themed third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China -- reform was once again highlighted across a broad spectrum of areas, ranging from rural development and improving fiscal, tax and financial systems, to education and health care. The “two sessions” agenda has also underscored China’s commitment to expanding high-standard opening up and stabilizing foreign trade and foreign investment.

GLOBAL TIMES (CHINA): Viewing livelihood as a defining feature of Chinese modernization through two sessions. During China’s 2025 national two sessions, an 82-year-old man from Central China’s Hunan Province named Chen Junqing garnered attention. He wrote his suggestion on cigarette pack foil, which was submitted through a community legislative contact point and eventually led to amendments in the relevant regulations. These amendments were officially implemented before the two sessions. Although the foil was small, the matter concerning people’s livelihoods was significant. A suggestion of over 120 characters demonstrates the effectiveness and warmth of the whole-process people’s democracy. Stories of vibrant democratic practices, such as that of Chen, are abundant at the grassroots level. According to data from the State Council, in 2024, various departments adopted over 5,000 suggestions from NPC deputies and members of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), resulting in the introduction of more than 2,000 related policies and measures.

INDEPENDENT (GB): New Canadian PM Mark Carney vows to fight US trade war “until Trump shows respect”. Canada’s new prime minister, Mark Carney, has vowed to take on Donald Trump and urged his country to unite in a defiant acceptance speech during a fierce trade war with the United States. The former Bank of England governor, who will be sworn in as Justin Trudeau’s successor in the coming days, was on Sunday night elected as Canada’s new prime minister by the country’s governing Liberal Party as tensions escalate over tariffs with its closest neighbour. After winning with with 85.9% of the votes cast by 150,000 members, Mr Carney hit out at Mr Trump for “attacking Canadian families” and wanting to “destroy the Canadian way of life”, describing the US president’s tariffs and threats as the “greatest crisis of our lifetime”. “There is someone who is trying to weaken our economy. Donald Trump. Donald Trump has put unjustified tariffs on what we build, sell and how we make a living,” he said.

THE ECONOMIC TIMES (INDIA): “Won’t let him succeed”: Canadian PM Mark Carney’s stance against “Voldemort” Trump. Mark Carney, Canada’s next Prime Minister following Justin Trudeau’s resignation, isn’t backing down from a fight with US President Donald Trump. Responding to Trump’s trade war and his suggestion that Canada could become America’s 51st state, Carney made his stance clear: No way! Following his victory announcement, Carney said, “We have made this the greatest country in the world and now our neighbours want to take us. No way.” He also said Americans “want our resources, water, our land, our country”. Carney also took aim at Trump’s economic policies, calling them an attack on Canadian businesses, workers, and families. “Donald Trump, as we know, has put, as the prime minister just said, unjustified tariffs on what we build, on what we sell, on how we make a living. He’s attacking Canadian families, workers and businesses, and we cannot let him succeed. And we won’t. We won’t. I am proud. I am proud of the response of Canadians who are making their voices heard and their wallets felt. I am grateful for how our provinces are stepping up to the fight”, he said.

EL UNIVERSAL (MEXICO): Mark Carney es el nuevo líder del Partido Liberal y el hombre de negocios que puede hablar de tú a tú con Trump. Su nombramiento recibió elogios bipartidistas en el Reino Unido después de que Canadá se recuperara de la crisis financiera más rápido que muchos otros países. El Partido Liberal eligió como su nuevo líder a Mark Carney, el exgobernador del Banco Central que deberá reemplazar a Justin Trudeau al frente de la agrupación, y como primer ministro, y convocar a elecciones para que Canadá tenga un nuevo dirigente, en momentos en que el tiempo apremia ante las amenazas del presidente estadounidense Donald Trump. A Carney se le atribuye haber mantenido el dinero fluyendo a través de la economía canadiense al actuar rápidamente para reducir las tasas de interés al 1% —el nivel más bajo de su historia—, trabajando con banqueros para conservar los préstamos durante la crisis. Y lo que es más crucial: Carney supo promover sus políticas entre el pueblo canadiense, explicándole que las tasas se mantendrían bajas de forma que pudieran seguir pidiendo dinero prestado. Fue el primer banquero central en comprometerse a mantener las tasas en un mínimo histórico durante un tiempo definido, un paso que la Reserva Federal de Estados Unidos imitaría. Carney fue también el primer extranjero en dirigir el Banco de Inglaterra desde su fundación en 1694.

TEHRAN TIMES (IRAN): Iranian officials on Sunday rallied behind remarks by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, who told authorities a day earlier that Tehran would not negotiate with Washington, a stance taken for the second time since Donald Trump assumed the role of president this year. “The persistence of some bullying governments in wanting negotiations is not to solve issues but to impose their own expectations. The Islamic Republic of Iran will undoubtedly reject their demands”, Ayatollah Khamenei stated on Saturday. That came after Trump told American media he had sent a letter to the Leader, expressing willingness to strike a deal with Iran on its nuclear program. Iran says it has received no such letter, while an unnamed American official later told Al Jazeera that the message had been penned but not sent. Iranian lawmakers, including Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, said during their latest session that Tehran will not wait to receive any letter from Washington.

VEDOMOSTI (RUSSIA): Посредничество против ядерного кризиса: пять развилок в ситуации вокруг ядерной программы Ирана и роль России в урегулировании ситуации. Пресс-секретарь президента России Дмитрий Песков заявил, что Кремль видит потенциал мирного урегулирования ситуации вокруг ядерной программы Ирана – “союзника и партнера России”. Так он прокомментировал сообщения о том, что Москва согласилась выступить в роли посредника в переговорах между Тегераном и Вашингтоном по иранскому ядерному досье, которое, как отмечал президент США Дональд Трамп, вызывает у него серьезное беспокойство. Общих развилок пять – одно событие может повлечь за собой другие. Перечислю их по мере возрастания рисков:
переговоры по новому соглашению;
дальнейшее усиление санкций против Ирана;
выход Тегерана из Договора о нераспространении ядерного оружия (ДНЯО);
военная эскалация;
создание Ираном ядерного оружия.
Интересам России отвечает первый сценарий – переговоры по новому соглашению. Только они могут лишить противников Ирана стимула атаковать его ядерную инфраструктуру, а Тегеран, в свою очередь, разработать средство защиты от агрессии.

THE WASHINGTON TIMES (USA): House Speaker Mike Johnson has announced a yearlong government funding extension that sweetens the deal for Republicans in both chambers of Congress by cutting agencies and boosting defense spending. The stopgap bill would dispense with the regular appropriations process for the current fiscal year and keep Republicans on track to pass President Trump’s agenda. Mr. Trump said that “under the circumstances,” congressional Republicans created a “very good funding bill” that everyone in the party should support. The funding extension, known on Capitol Hill as a continuing resolution, would keep the government open until the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30. Congress has until Friday to pass a spending bill to avert a partial government shutdown.

THE NEW YORK TIMES (USA): Calin Georgescu, an ultranationalist candidate who won the first round of Romania’s abruptly aborted presidential election last year, has been barred from competing in a do-over vote scheduled for May, sparking a small but violent protest by his supporters in Bucharest, the Romanian capital. The Central Electoral Bureau issued a statement late Sunday saying that it had ruled against registering the candidacy of Mr. Georgescu, an outspoken critic of Ukraine and NATO who has voiced sympathy for Russia and Romania’s fascist leadership during World War II. The bureau also said it had rejected three other would-be candidates. It gave no explanation for the decision, which came less than two weeks after Romanian prosecutors opened a criminal case against Mr. Georgescu for “incitement to actions against the constitutional order,” the “communication of false information” and involvement in the establishment of an organization “with a fascist, racist or xenophobic character.”

THE STRAITS TIMES (SINGAPORE): South Korean police prepare for “worst-case scenarios” ahead of Yoon impeachment ruling. Police will be out in force, and subway stations and at least one school will be closed over safety concerns when South Korea’s Constitutional Court rules on whether to oust or reinstate impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol. Mr Yoon’s political fate hangs in the balance after his short-lived martial law decree on Dec 3 led to his impeachment and separate criminal charges of insurrection. The impeachment ruling is expected to come as soon as this week, and both supporters and opponents of Mr Yoon are expected to turn out in large numbers, with recent protests gathering tens of thousands of people.

LE FIGARO (FRANCE): La Corée du Nord a condamné lundi les exercices militaires conjoints entre les États-Unis et la Corée du Sud, y voyant une “provocation” et a mis en garde contre le risque de déclencher une guerre par “un seul tir accidentel”, quelques jours après que l’armée de l’air de Séoul a bombardé par erreur un village situé sur son propre territoire. “Il s’agit d’un acte de provocation dangereux qui aggrave la situation dans la péninsule coréenne et qui pourrait déclencher un conflit entre les deux parties par le biais d’un seul tir accidentel”, a fait valoir le ministère des Affaires étrangères de Pyongyang, cité par les médias d’État. L’exercice conjoint de Washington et Séoul, appelé “Bouclier de la liberté 2025”, doit débuter lundi et comporter des “entraînements en direct, virtuels et sur le terrain”, selon un communiqué des États-Unis. L’exercice se poursuivra jusqu’au 21 mars, selon le communiqué.

THE JERUSALEM POST (ISRAEL): Hamas got a Ramadan ceasefire and released no hostages. Hamas appears to be able to secure de facto ceasefires for Ramadan each year and not have to ever do anything in return. On March 1 the first phase of the hostage and ceasefire deal ended between Hamas and Israel. Usually when a ceasefire deal ends, the two sides should return to fighting. This is especially true if one side gets nothing in return. However, more than a week and a half later, Hamas is receiving a ceasefire and Israel has received no hostages in return. During the first phase of the ceasefire deal thirty-three hostages were released in 42 days. It used to be that around three hostages were freed every Saturday. The question is how Hamas outmaneuvered Israel to get a ceasefire extended with nothing in return. A larger question is how it happened to coincide with Ramadan. It appears that Hamas was also able to outplay Israel last year during Ramadan 2024 which took place in March. During that period Israel also reduced the intensity of operations in Gaza and Hamas was able to recuperate.

THE WASHINGTON POST (USA): President Donald Trump declined to rule out a recession this year as the economy stutters from his efforts to impose tariffs and rebuild the U.S. manufacturing sector, acknowledging in an interview broadcast Sunday that “it takes a little time” before Americans will see a payoff from his policies. Trump’s recognition of the turbulence in the U.S. economy was a reversal from previous cheering that his policies would deliver quick victories to voters and businesses, and it stood in contrast to reassurances from his own advisers Sunday that no recession was in sight. Trump also downplayed the dropping stock market despite years in which he claimed credit for its rise, saying in the Fox News interview, which was taped Thursday, that “you have to do what’s right” even if markets don’t like it. The recognition of the economic disruption was notable given that Trump swept into office in part because of voter discontent about years of inflation under President Joe Biden. But that inflation slowed in Biden’s final year in office, and most economists say that Trump inherited a fairly strong and stable economy.

IZVESTIA (RUSSIA): Робкий шаг: приведет ли смена политики ОПЕК+ к обвалу цен на нефть? Рынку угрожают рост добычи и нестабильность из-за пошлин. ОПЕК+ на минувшей неделе приняла решение о первом с 2022 года наращивании добычи странами, входящими в соглашение. Рост для начала будет небольшим — 138 тыс. баррелей в сутки — и выглядит незначительным по сравнению с 5,85 млн баррелей в день, на которые нефтяной картель и присоединившиеся к нему страны сократили добычу за последние несколько лет. Тем не менее это важный шаг к насыщению рынка. Что еще важнее, наращивание происходит на фоне крайне турбулентной мировой экономической повестки — массового ввода импортных пошлин.

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL (USA): U.S. Bolsters Position as World’s Top Arms Exporter. America has benefited from rising European spending, though Trump’s Ukraine policy is raising concerns about future purchases. American defense companies have increased their dominance of the global arms trade, buoyed by European nations snapping up U.S. jet fighters and missiles. The U.S. accounted for 43% of global weapons exports over the past five years, up from 35% in the previous five-year period, according to new data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, a think tank.

LA LIBRE (BELGIUM): L’Europe a accru sa dépendance à l’armement américain depuis cinq ans: “Changer cela demanderait un investissement politique et financier énorme”. Les importations d’armes des Etats européens membres de l’Otan ont plus que doublé ces cinq dernières années et dépendent à plus de 60% de l’armement américain, selon un rapport du Sipri publié lundi. Cet état des lieux intervient au moment où les Etats de l’Union européenne (UE) affichent leur volonté de renforcer les capacités de défense du continent face au désengagement américain annoncé par Donald Trump. L’Ukraine est devenue le premier importateur mondial d’armes sur la période 2020-2024 et les Etats-Unis ont consolidé leur place de premier exportateur (43% des exportations mondiales), devant la France, dévoile l’Institut international de recherche sur la paix de Stockholm.

O GLOBO (BRASIL): Rodeada por centenas de milhares de simpatizantes, a presidente do México, Claudia Sheinbaum, disse neste domingo confiar que o diálogo com Donald Trump sepultará a ameaça do presidente dos EUA de impor tarifas às importações provenientes do território mexicano. Durante um evento convocado para celebrar um acordo com Trump para adiar a entrada em vigor da nova taxação até 2 de abril, Sheinbaum declarou-se otimista sobre um arranjo que proteja definitivamente o tratado de livre comércio entre EUA, Canadá e México. Originalmente, Sheinbaum, cuja popularidade ronda 80%, organizou o ato para anunciar as “medidas tarifárias e não tarifárias” com as quais o México responderia caso as tarifas tivessem sido mantidas. Só que Trump pausou a aplicação das tarifas majoradas, na quinta-feira, após uma conversa por telefone com Sheinbaum, alegando que o fez em consideração a ela.

THE ASAHI SHIMBUN (JAPAN): Despite the United Nations calling on Japan to abolish the death penalty, an overwhelming majority of the Japanese population continues to support capital punishment, according to a recent survey. The government survey on Japan’s death penalty system found that 83.1% of Japanese favor it, up by 2.3 percentage points from the last survey five years ago. The survey also showed that those opposed totaled 16.5%, an increase of 7.5 percentage points, representing the highest figure since 1994, when polling with almost identically worded questions began.

THE REPORTER (ETHIOPIA): A report from the government statistics agency estimates that Ethiopia’s population had reached 109.4 million by July 2024, contradicting data from other sources and statements from officials that cite significantly higher figures. The total population estimate from ESS was much lower than the figures quoted by international organizations, which are often used as a reference by Ethiopian officials, including Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. For instance, UNFPA puts the number at nearly 130 million, while the CIA World Factbook has it at 118.5 million. Other sources go as high as 135.5 million.

THE KOREA TIMES (SOUTH KOREA): Six out of 10 office workers believe marriage is no longer necessary, given changing social norms and economic factors, a survey showed Monday. According to the survey of 653 wage earners conducted by local online job placement portal Incruit, 60.2% of those polled said getting married is not a must. By gender, 50.3% of male respondents said marriage is necessary, while the ratio among women was 24.7%.