JORDAN

JORDAN
The Jordan Times, Amman, Oct. 11: The news out of Afghanistan is good. It is testimony to the human spirit. It is a statement that demonstrates that people want and need to be heard. And it illustrates that expressing confidence in the citizenry reaps great benefits.
By all accounts, and despite a few unfortunate occurrences, Saturday's first-ever presidential election in Afghanistan revealed that the country's citizens braved all threats and stood up to crush those who were bent on ruining this important day.
As one foreign monitor put it: "The millions who came to the polls clearly wanted to turn from the rule of the gun to the rule of law."
Taliban threats
That perseverance is what the world witnessed of the Afghan people even in the face of threats by hardline Taliban leaders on the eve of election day.
MEXICO
El Universal, Mexico City, Oct. 12: The complicated U.S. electoral climate has caused a proliferation of opportunistic proposals by politicians looking for the support of a sector of the U.S. electorate that is very conservative and even racist. That is why they have proposed measures against Mexican immigrants, as is the case with banning identity cards issued by Mexican consulates, something that California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger put forth.
These official documents have contributed to defending the human and legal rights of undocumented Mexicans in that country, and in some states they allow our citizens to obtain essential documents to get ahead in a difficult situation, including getting a driver's license and health services, and enrolling their kids in school.
Fox's assurance
Facing this threat ... President Vicente Fox assured that he will defend "with a cape and sword" the identification cards. He will do this, as he's already said, because our citizens in the United States aren't criminals or terrorists.
DENMARK
Jyllands-Posten, Aarhus, Oct. 11: The United Nations' increasing mightlessness in a world where terrorism is becoming a growing threat against international peace and stability became evident in connection with the Iraq war. The United States and Britain decided to act on their own. Only afterward, the United Nations entered the stage.
The debate it initiated and a series of nations' desire to get a seat on the Security Council, prompted calls for reform.
In December, a report will recommend not only to expand the number of the permanent members of the Security Council, but also the number of non-permanent members with veto rights.
Conflict-solving organization
It must be said that it is time that the United Nations kept its role as a peacekeeping and conflict-solving organization.
BRITAIN
The Guardian, London, Oct. 12: Christopher Reeve, who played Superman in the Hollywood version of the strip cartoon, will be remembered not just for his undoubted acting ability but also for the extraordinary courage and zest for life he displayed after being paralyzed from the neck downwards in a riding accident in 1995 when his career was in full swing. He subsequently became a role model for disabled people in the way he refused to allow the condition to conquer his spirit as well as his body, and for the tireless way he campaigned on disability issues.
If his death gives a boost to stem cell research, for which he lobbied so enthusiastically, then he could have no more fitting a memorial. Stem cells taken from embryos (as opposed to adult stem cells) have the ability to develop into different types of tissue offering hope to sufferers from Mr. Reeve's condition and numerous others, including incurable diseases such as muscular dystrophy, congestive heart disease and Alzheimer's.
Pinhead argument
The Bush administration permits federal research funding into adult stem cells but has prohibited the use of such funds for embryonic stem cell research. The argument is that it destroys human life, even though an early stage embryo (under 14 days old) is smaller than a pinhead.