1. AUSTRALIA
1. AUSTRALIA
The Australian, Sydney, March 15: The prime minister, like Barack Obama, knows that leaders need to stick close to home when the heat is on. Just as the U.S. president is reassessing the time he can afford to be away from home in the midst of dramas overs his health reforms, so Kevin Rudd has ruled out a trip to Washington in April to attend a nuclear non-proliferation meeting. The prime minister has upset the Japanese in so doing, but it would be poor politics for him to play the statesman offshore as he faces important debates on tax, health and spending in the lead up to the budget.
Japan is a hugely important ally in the region, yet the Rudd government continues to strike the wrong note in what should be a bedrock partnership. The recent visit by the new Japanese Foreign Minister, Katsuya Okada, to Australia, while successful, did not quell the resentment building within the Japanese government over whaling. During that visit, officials on both sides sought to minimize the gulf between the two countries over the issue. Yet Australia’s threat to take Japan to the International Court of Justice over its whaling has irritated Tokyo. It has also been provoked by comments from Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who in January criticized Japanese whaling officials for hiring Australian spotter planes to track activists.
2. BRITAIN
The Times, London March 16: No England footballer has ever played in four World Cups. It is a distinction that David Beckham looked certain to achieve at this summer’s tournament in South Africa. But a cruel Achilles tendon injury, sustained while playing for AC Milan ... has again derailed Beckham’s World Cup dreams.
Beckham has always been an easy target for critics. Not content with courting celebrity, he also married one. Style makeovers and fashion shoots have been almost as frequent as his tattoos.
But Beckham has proved himself to be anything but a show pony. Now 34, he has been at the top of the game for 16 years. He won more England caps (115) than any other outfielder, captained his country a record 59 times and won the Premiership six times with Manchester United. The foppish floppy-haired prodigy gave way to the hardened veteran. But his discipline and pursuit of excellence remained constant.