What Australian newspapers say on Monday, April 9, 2007=2

AAP General News (Australia)
04-09-2007
What Australian newspapers say on Monday, April 9, 2007=2

East Timor today faces the greatest test of its five troubled years of independence,
Melbourne's Herald Sun says, with today's presidential election taking place amid political
instability, violence and poverty.

The election is a pre-cursor to mid-year elections for prime minister.

Fledgling democracies are fragile and the coming months will show whether East Timor's
liberation ends in one-party domination, which has cruelled so many third world states,
or a disciplined, multi-party democracy, which is the best hope for the East Timorese
and the region.



The Age says today's East Timor election is the chance for another building brick of
democracy to be cemented in place.

The campaign has been marred by violence and the controversial endorsement of a candidate
by the departing president, Xanana Gusmao, which fuelled squabbling among candidates.

Today's vote seems likely to install Ramos Horta, who is widely seen as the best soothing
influence on fractured political alliances, as prime minister.

*Magazines The Big Issue and Who Weekly both published "beautiful people" lists this
week, but the people included in each list are very different.

Who Weekly has opulently styled photographs of celebrities, while The Big Issue has
more straight-forward pictures of people whose beauty comes from within.

The Big Issue's featured people inspire and should be recognised not for token reasons
but because of who they are and what they do - without them, the world would be a less
beautiful place.

AAP maur

KEYWORD: EDITORIALS 2 SYDNEY (REOPENS)

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