Global Newsstand: Don’t be overwhelmed by Christchurch shooting, and more

The New Zealand Herald / Auckland, New Zealand

Don’t be overwhelmed by the March shooting in Christchurch, New Zealand

“A person living in Christchurch got asked over the weekend [of March 16-17], did they still want to live there? They, of course, said yes...,” writes Mike Hosking. “It was not Christchurch’s fault, the same way it would not have been any city or town’s fault.... And that is the uniqueness of terror, the targets and modus operandi are not generally geographic.... And surely if we learn little else about the calamity, uncertainty, and madness of what this world faces by way of the terror, then it is not to move, or give in, or acquiesce, but to have resolve, bravery, and belief that terror only gets a foothold when fed by fear.”

The Guardian / London

Atmosphere of Islamophobia and racism fueled Christchurch attack

“On [March 15], as the news from Christchurch was still rolling across radio bulletins, Sir Mark Rowley, the former head of counter-terrorism at the Met, was commenting on the horror on [the] BBC...,” writes Nosheen Iqbal. “But, he went on to quibble, Islamophobia wasn’t racism.... The remark was treated as a random aside.... Why?... Islamophobia is racism: it’s not a coincidence that the majority of Muslims are not white.... Islamophobia does not simply exist on the unpalatable mass of the internet.... It leaks across public life, in our institutions and our media, to form a pernicious feedback loop.... It’s not too much to ask that care and empathy be focused on the victims. Their families. Their lives.”

Bangkok Post / Bangkok

There shouldn’t be a correlation between wearing high heels and success

“I’ve never been a big fan of high heels...,” writes Tanyatorn Tongwaranan. “That being said, I associate professional attire with the value I see in myself.... The roles and responsibilities of women have shifted.... Women have proved to be equally, if not more, capable of doing the same tasks as men.... I am confident that high heels had very little or nothing to do with these achievements.... While companies have the right to suggest dress codes appropriate to the job and workplace, most seem to disproportionately affect women.... I think it’s time for society to move forward and grant women the freedom to wear whatever shoes or clothing they prefer as long as it remains professional and appropriate.”

Al Jazeera / Doha, Qatar

To save his image, Putin would have to find another Crimea

“The annexation of Crimea was a triumph of political manipulation over national interests and common sense...,” writes Leonid Ragozin. “Transferred by the Soviet leadership from Russia to Ukraine in 1954, Crimea is a region populated by Russian-speakers.... They have been lukewarm about Ukraine’s independence since the very beginning, and perhaps more importantly, had long been consuming the same Kremlin propaganda as Russians.... [Russian President Vladimir] Putin framed the invasion and eventual annexation of Crimea as an act of salvation rather than a clear violation of international law and turned a revolution ... into a much-needed popularity booster.... Putin’s trouble is, this time around there is no flawed revolution or ripe propaganda opportunity like Crimea that can help him solve his popularity problem.”

The Guardian Nigeria / Lagos, Nigeria

To involve women in STEM, society needs to support them

“In an era marked by a significant shift in the traditional concept of womanhood and an increasing presence of women in medicine, law and business, a growing concern that there are few women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), should attract the attention of authorities...,” states an editorial. “[T]he United Nations (UN) says that long-standing biases are steering girls and women away from science-related fields.... By talking about gender biases early, parents can blaze a trail toward equity.... Similarly, to deconstruct gender stereotypes and prevent bias, parents should check their own biases.... In addition government at all levels should invest in teacher training and gender-responsive technology and innovation to reverse the trend....”