GERMANY AND AUSTRIA have opened their borders to accommodate more refugees fleeing from war-torn countries in the Middle East after the image of drowned 3-year-old Syrian boy, Aylan Kurdi, washed up on a Turkish beach went viral on the Internet. Also, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott on Monday promised to increase the intake of Syrian refugees in the wake of the humanitarian crisis. Comments:

In essence, it was the United States' interventions in the Middle East that fueled the latest refugee crisis. Highlighting the risks that millions of desperate asylum-seekers face in getting to Europe, the three-year-old Syrian boy's death has inspired a wave of Western soul-searching and prompted calls for the international community to shoulder due responsibility and maintain regional stability.

Beijing News, Sept 5