What the papers reckon 21 April 2018 - comment from Australia and abroad

The new Vietnamese - Houston Chronicle, USA

If Trump truly wants to help the people of Syria, he has an option that can bring more safety and healing than any military armament. He can address the country’s refugee crisis and resettle families here. Texas specifically has a long history of welcoming refugees from many conflicts and has benefited from the contributions these displaced families bring. ... The United States has a checkered history with coming to the aid of the world’s refugees, especially during those times when Americans embraced the kind of isolationism that Trump has promoted. But to see an example of a successful refugee resettlement effort, Houstonians need to look no further than our own Vietnamese-American neighborhoods.

Net gain for consumers - San Francisco, USA 

Sacramento isn’t the ideal perch for regulating the Internet. Then again, neither is Boise, Idaho, or Lincoln, Neb. Lawmakers in these state capitals and more are nevertheless working on their own rules for a network that knows no state or national boundaries. It’s an unfortunate necessity given the federal government’s abdication of its more appropriate role in regulating online access. ... That would be a persuasive argument if the relevant federal regulations had not been dismantled at the behest of the same corporate interests. The emerging patchwork of state regulations being lamented by the industry is a direct result of its successful lobbying to undo FCC rules that applied nationwide. With online abuse and manipulation coming under ever more scrutiny, the federal retreat looks even more unacceptable in retrospect.

We Must Deal With the Nakba - Haaretz, Israel

Israel marked its 70th Independence Day Wednesday with a mixture of official ceremonies and open events. Israel has cause for celebration, and the joy was appropriate. But the festival can only be incomplete, so long as the state ignores the feelings of around one-fifth of the population — the Arabs of Israel — and even attacks them over these feelings and attempts to prohibit them from expressing them publicly.

Syria crisis calls for clearer strategy - The Straits Times, Singapore

Last week’s missile attacks on Syria by the United States, Britain and France represented a coordinated response to the ruling regime’s alleged use of chemical weapons in Douma. ... The targeted action was therefore both warranted and justifiable, given the horror of chemical attacks. ... The big question now is: What next? So far, the US has tried to both stay out of the Syrian civil war as well as stay in the fight against the Islamic State. Given the complexities of the West Asian situation, this is an enormous challenge. Russian and Iranian adventurism, the region’s longstanding fissures and terrorists’ ambitions mean that the West must have a clear, strategic plan to move forward. Shooting in the dark is not an option.

Zero tolerance for our culture of secrecy - The Advertiser, Adelaide

SECRECY is a deeply corrosive force in public life. If we are to properly organise ourselves as a state and make informed democratic decisions, we need access to the best and fullest information there is to bust through spin and get truth. It won’t end all disagreement and dispute, but will ensure we are arguing about the right things in the most enlightened way possible. On many measures, SA is now regularly held up as a case study for being the most secretive state in the nation. ... Today, The Advertiser continues its campaign focused on “Your Right to Know” that aims to open up the corridors of power and shine a much brighter light on what is being done by the powerful in your name. But, with a change of government, this must now move from rhetoric to reality.

Promoting summit - Moon holds timely meeting with media leaders - The Korea Times,
Seoul

President Moon Jae-in held a meeting with CEOs of local media outlets Thursday at Cheong Wa Dae ahead of the April 27 inter-Korean summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
It was the first time for the President to host media CEOs at Cheong Wa Dae in 18 years. The last was on June 19, 2000, shortly after the first inter-Korean summit between former President Kim Dae-jung and Kim Jong-il, the incumbent North Korean leader’s father.
The timely meeting reflects Moon’s willingness to exchange ideas with the media on the upcoming summit which is hugely different from the previous ones held in 2000 and 2007. The summit will take place at Panmunjeom, where the 1953 armistice was signed. Previous summits took place in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang.
Calling the media a “partner” in the upcoming summit, President Moon asked for the media’s advice and cooperation in informing people within and outside Korea about the summit’s achievements.

Adieu, amazing Arsene - London Evening Standard

ARSENE Wenger is a revolutionary. He changed the nature of the Premier League. The difficult past few seasons should not obscure the reality that the Frenchman is one of the most important figures in English football history. When he arrived at Arsenal in 1996, the game was still stuck in a different age. Many people regard the creation of the Premier League as a watershed for the sport; arguably, Wenger’s arrival was the real turning point. ... The glamour of Wenger’s teams made for an attractive package. The English game became more outward looking because of the Arsenal manager. There were trophies, too. He took on the football powerhouses of Manchester and Liverpool and, for a spell, dominated them. Even in his supposed decline, Arsenal have continued to win trophies. Wenger’s greatness should never be doubted. London salutes you, and bids you adieu.

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