• Stavanger (Norway) Aftenblad, on Middle East • Dagens Nyheter, Stockholm, on U.S. and Middle East peace • Aamulehti, Tampere, Finland, on the Middle East peace • The Times, London, on the solo sailing record • The Times-Picayune, New Orleans,
• Stavanger (Norway) Aftenblad, on Middle East
• Dagens Nyheter, Stockholm, on U.S. and Middle East peace
• Aamulehti, Tampere, Finland, on the Middle East peace
• The Times, London, on the solo sailing record
• The Times-Picayune, New Orleans, on stroke deaths
• The Des Moines (Iowa) Register, on liberty
Stavanger (Norway) Aftenblad, on Middle East
Israel and the Palestinians declaring a ceasefire does not mean that there will be peace in the Middle East.There is still a long way to go for solutions to all the difficult problems between the parties, and much can go wrong along the way. Even if weapons are laid down, they will remain easily accessible.
Just the same, there is more reason for optimism than for a very long time, because both sides seem determined to succeed this time. For the Palestinians, the conflict has been so destructive that the need for peace is obvious. But it must also be wearing for the Israelis to live on a war footing for so long.
The political shift among the Palestinians after Arafat’s death created a clear new opportunity. Now the parties have to use the chance well, with the United States and Europe contributing with pressure and money.
Dagens Nyheter, Stockholm, on U.S. and Middle East peace
A peace treaty is hardly expected soon. The difficult issues — those about the right of the refugees to return, about Jerusalem’s status and about the settlements — are being postponed. And these are issues that have led to many collapsed negotiation efforts. What’s so remarkable is that Sharon and Abbas met, that there is a mutual will to break the spiral of violence.
Evidently, the main responsibility lies with the parties. But the world has a central role, not the least of which is the United States.
The recent visit in the region by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was proof as good as any of a new activity on the part of the Bush administration. And that is an activity that is needed — otherwise the process that is now taking off risks being historical only before it has started in earnest.
Aamulehti, Tampere, Finland, on the Middle East peace
Predictions that something positive could finally evolve in the Middle East after Yasser Arafat left the stage were given strong support on Tuesday. The Israeli and Palestinian leaders pledged to refrain from violence for the time being.
Even the slightest step of progress in the yearslong conflict must be welcomed however many conditions or un-certainties are included in the promises.
No agreements were signed or written pledges given in Sharm el-Sheik, Egypt, but clear, verbal promises were made there which hopefully in effect will end the second intifada begun by the Palestinians in 2000.
From the viewpoint of ordinary Israelis and Palestinians it doesn’t necessarily mean a whole lot what their official political leaders at the moment are saying. The real efficacy of a cease-fire depends on the armed groups of which there are plenty in the Middle East.
The next question is what the Palestinian authority can do to prevent the destructive attacks. It should slowly be becoming clear to everyone that only by acting against terrorism is it possible to achieve a lasting solution in the region.
The Times, London, on the solo sailing record
Great talent makes awe unavoidable. … Yesterday in Falmouth, hundreds appeared at the quay to cheer the return of Ellen MacArthur, who has decisively beaten the record for non-stop solo sailing around the world by one day, eight hours, 35 minutes and 49 seconds. Ah, sailing.
After 71 days at sea…she showed the raw grace of an athlete and the composure of a true professional.…
It is…easy to forget that MacArthur is an example not just for fledgeling sailors, but also fledgeling anyones. She faced wind and waves that were epic. She burnt her arm on a generator. She had to climb the mast to repair damage, twice. She narrowly avoided collision with a whale (not a creature to annoy).
Some have griped about her griping — she described setbacks in telephone calls and multiple e-mails — but detailing her progress, as well as the lack of it, MacArthur displayed that most important of personal traits: intellectual honesty. She sees things as they are, not as she wishes them to be or as she calculates that we might like to hear.
Even more vital, MacArthur is obsessed. In a bendy yoga world, steel will and laser focus are not the fashion; “balance” is. But this yachtswoman seems always prepared to risk imbalance. You do not take a trip on a 25-metre multihull with a tendency to flip over at speed if you are not. MacArthur named parts of her boat and spoke to them. She slept an average four hours a day in punishing 30- minute shifts. And since November 27, every one of her thoughts and actions has been geared to getting one thing: that record. When she crossed the finish, her comment was: “It’s great that I can finally switch my brain off.”
The Times-Picayune, New Orleans, on stroke deaths
Stroke is a big killer in this country — only heart disease and cancer claim more lives — but it’s not an indiscriminate one: Southerners make up a disproportionate number of stroke deaths.
A national study presented at the International Stroke Conference in Birmingham, Ala., revealed striking regional and racial disparities. White people who live in the South are 29 percent more likely to die of a stroke than white Americans who live elsewhere. The difference is even greater for African-Americans who live in the South: they are 51 percent more likely to die of a stroke than their counterparts in other regions.
Unfortunately, the study doesn’t shed any light on why living in the South increases the risk of stroke death, although diet and exercise habits could have something to do with it. …
Researchers need to figure out precisely why Southerners are more likely to succumb to strokes, but in the meantime, Southerners, both black and white, need to understand this killer and what to do when it strikes.
The Des Moines (Iowa) Register, on liberty
According to a recent opinion poll, many American high school students are OK with the idea that the government should be able to approve news stories before they are published in newspapers. Some found this shocking, but it’s nothing new, and it’s probably not all that surprising if you think about it.
Polls for many years have found a sizable percentage of Americans — young and old — ambivalent about the free-press protections guaranteed by the First Amendment.
Some accuse schools of failing to teach kids about these things. But whereas facts about the Constitution can be taught, a passionate belief in the principles enumerated in the Bill of Rights comes through experience with the consequences of authoritarian governments. …
Last weekend, for example, millions of Iraqi citizens demonstrated a much keener appreciation for the right to vote than a goodly percentage of Americans typically show on Election Day.…
