February 10, 1992

Dozens of refugees forcibly returned to Haiti in recent months have told United Nations officials that they suffered beatings, imprisonment, death threats and other abuses that prompted them to flee their country a second time. The statements, made to interviewers last month at the refugee camp set up by the United States at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, appear to undercut a key argument made by the Bush Administration in defending its policy of forcibly returning Haitian boat people. State Department officials have consistently said there is "no evidence" that any Haitians have suffered political repression upon their return.

Some business executives say President Bush's health-care proposals could make their problems worse because they do not go far enough to slow the rapid increase in the nation's medical spending. "It is a plus that the President has come forward and taken a position that we need overall reform," said Walter Maher, director of Federal relations on human resources issues for the Chrysler Corporation. "But we have to bring our health costs more in line with those of our major competitors, Japan and Germany. That requires some very tough cost-containment strategy, which I did not see in the proposal."

Two years ago, his World Cup season was ended by a spill in a race in this very resort village. A year ago, a teammate died while attempting to qualify for a downhill race in Wengen, Switzerland. This afternoon, Patrick Ortlieb of Austria won the gold medal in the Olympic downhill and complained that the mountain had not been dangerous enough. "You don't have to overcome any inhibitions within yourself on this track," Ortlieb said after the first downhill victory of his career. "It was just too slow, not spectacular enough."

Magic Johnson got another chance to smile at the world through basketball today. And the world and his peers smiled back. Johnson was named the most valuable player of today's National Basketball Association All-Star Game, finishing with 25 points and 9 assists in 29 minutes of memorable play at the Orlando Arena. With his performance, he fulfilled a personal quest in a storybook fashion. And in doing so, Johnson seemed to strengthen his determination to increase AIDS awareness and to fight H.I.V., the virus that causes AIDS, through his words and his deeds.

For the fifth time in 21 years, Argentina has switched currencies. The country has officially stopped using the austral and returned to the peso, the name of the currency in many Spanish-speaking countries. In leaving the austral behind last month, the Administration of Carlos Saul Menem is hoping to send a signal that stable times are here.