Great talent makes awe unavoidable. 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.

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.

MacArthur displayed the most important of personal traits: intellectual honesty. She sees things as they are, not as she wishes them to be.

Since Nov. 27, her thoughts and actions have 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, London

There is plenty to suggest that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov must be longing to have Colin Powell back after this weekend.

The Russian met in Ankara with his new colleague from Washington, Condoleezza Rice, and - despite the "open and friendly atmosphere" that Lavrov routinely speaks of - she brought up a whole series of unpleasant points: the Yukos affair, press freedom and the dubious state of Russian democracy in general.

If there were any doubts, they have now been dispelled - President George W. Bush is not sparing Russia in the missionary campaign for democracy that he is determined to conduct in his second term.

Bush's meeting with (Russian President) Vladimir Putin in Bratislava Feb. 24 promises to be interesting.

The two presidents will have to clarify how much or little remains of their alliance within the anti-terror alliance.

- Sueddeutche Zeitung, Munich,

Germany