BRITAIN

BRITAIN
The Independent, London, Nov. 10: The midterm elections have left America's policy on Iraq in a state of confusion. The Defense Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, has been sacked, and President Bush seems to have outsourced strategic thinking on the subject to James Baker's Iraq Survey Group, which is not expected to report until next year.
But if Washington's senators, congressmen and policymakers have any sense of responsibility they will divert their attention from matters of domestic advantage, and concentrate on the interests of the Iraqi people.
Scale of the horror
To grapple with this question it is necessary to recognize the scale of the horror facing Iraq. The prospect of the break-up of the country into separate Shia, Sunni and Kurdish blocks looks increasingly unavoidable.
But history shows that the abrupt withdrawal of foreign forces in collapsing states generally intensifies the slaughter.
If our troops remain, we will see the country crumble gradually and more British and American soldiers die at the hands of an increasingly sophisticated insurgency. If our troops go, they will leave Iraq to cataclysm, tarnishing the reputation of the U.S. and the U.K. abroad still further.
Some are recommending a third option. Baker, a former secretary of state, has hinted that his report may recommend an appeal to neighboring Iran to help stabilize the Shia south of the country.
The dreadful truth is that, no matter what strategy our leaders now settle upon, the fate of Iraq is slipping inexorably out of their hands.
GERMANY
The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Frankfurt, Nov. 14: If, as president of Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega really maintains the conciliatory course that he has now embarked upon, he likely will land on the side of (Brazilian President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva) and the other "moderate" presidents.
From Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's point of view, that would be a loss for his project of integration, but it would be a win for the political stability of Latin America.
Chavez's whisperings
The question is whether Ortega will be able to avoid Chavez's whisperings or whether -- like the politically inexperienced President Evo Morales in Bolivia -- he will let himself by bought by Chavez with revenues from the oil business.
The debacle of the voting in the U.N. Security Council should have taught Chavez that his colleagues can only be labeled "friends" as long as that is linked to no obligations.
But when it comes to vows and other strategic considerations come to the fore, friendship is over quickly -- even among revolutionaries.
INDIA
The Hindu, Madras, Nov. 15: The two most potent weapons against diabetes continue to be regular physical activity and healthy eating habits. But with new evidence, medical research has strengthened the view that the burden of Type 2 diabetes mellitus is rising because of expanding urbanization accompanied by changing food preferences, a sedentary entertainment-oriented lifestyle, rising automobile dependence, and a pedestrian-unfriendly physical environment.
A lower percentage of rural residents develop diabetes in these countries compared to their urban counterparts, according to an article on epidemic obesity and Type 2 diabetes published recently in The Lancet. These findings point to a strong link between poorly planned urbanization, now happening in many states, and the onset of chronic conditions such as diabetes.
Disciplined lifestyle
While those who have already developed diabetes must depend on advances in medical care and a disciplined lifestyle to maintain a good quality of life, millions of others can avoid or delay onset of the disease. The answer lies in reshaping urban development models.
The World Health Organization has emphasized the good outcomes for public health under its Healthy Cities Program, which envisages municipal bodies actively integrating urban planning and health concerns.