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Highlights from the world's press

Compiled by Ravi Agrawal
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(CNN) -- The UK's Times has called on the United Nations to "take over running" Iraq with "full and unrestricted backing from the EU."

"The alternative to the U.N. -- leaving Iraq to sink farther into a violent quagmire -- would mean instability spreading well beyond the borders of the Middle East. Iraq now poses a problem of global significance; a solution can only be delivered by a truly international intervention."

On a related note, the Boston Globe says that while "the quixotic campaign to 'transform' the Middle East has fueled several violent conflicts and empowered Islamic extremists in Iraq, Iran, the Palestinian Authority, and Lebanon," fixing it would not be that difficult "because many states would welcome more enlightened U.S. leadership."

North Korea

The Times also says with the world on notice that Pyongyang is planning a nuclear test "only Beijing can resolve the North Korean nuclear crisis."

"Only China now has the leverage to bring North Korea back from the brink. It has much to gain by accepting its responsibility as the regional power, and the world has much to lose it if does not."

Japan's Asahi Shimbun says "we suspect Pyongyang is misreading the global situation," strongly urging North Korea to "refrain from rushing into such a foolish action."

"There would be no winner with a North Korean nuclear test. North Korea's economic woes would deepen, and all prospects of development would fade away. Surely, Pyongyang must be aware of the magnitude of damage it could bring upon itself."

Crisis in the Caucasus

With the recent escalation of tensions between Russia and Georgia, the International Herald Tribune has appealed to Russia to "reply to the transfer of the Russian officers by resuming all normal contacts with Georgia" and to both countries to "tone down the political rhetoric."

The UK's Guardian says that while "territorial, ethnic and religious disputes, local politics, ideology and history are all contributing factors" to the tensions, "the broader context is a continuing post-cold war struggle for influence between Moscow and Washington in the strategic trans-Caucasus region."

Africa's deadliest war

The New York Times says that with a million Africans dying of malaria every year, the deadly disease "shrinks the economies of countries where it is endemic by 20 percent over 15 years."

Lamenting that the world has discarded it's most effective weapon against the disease in Africa, DDT, the paper has lauded the World Health Organization's recent endorsement of the pesticide's use in Africa.

"The eradication of malaria in rich countries turned out to be the worst thing that happened for people with malaria in poor countries. Malaria lost its constituency, and the money dried up.

"Throughout Africa, until recently, countries were using chloroquine to cure malaria, a medicine that cost pennies, and so could be bought by rural families. But mosquitoes had become resistant to it."

But The Times of India disagrees, saying in India "DDT as anti-mosquito fumigating agent had a dramatic effect but only initially."

"Soon enough, the parasite-carrying insects built up stiff resistance, returning with renewed vigor and numbers, leaving us to deal with DDT build-up and its harmful effects on us and the environment. So the scattergun effect doesn't really work, for we end up injuring ourselves."

Wish you were still a student?

And on a lighter note, the UK's Daily Telegraph says video games are likely to become part of the school curriculum in England as the Department of Education praised them as a powerful learning tool.

"They can be very addictive but, used sparingly as part of a lesson, games can be a useful tool."


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