Editorial Roundup: Excerpts From Recent Editorials in Newspapers in the US and Abroad. Excerpts from recent editorials in newspapers in the United States and abroad:

First US county-level obesity rates show Alabama, Mississippi communities at top, CDC says. The first county-by-county survey of obesity reflects past studies that show the rate of obesity is highest in the Southeast and Appalachia. High rates of obesity and diabetes were reported in more than 80 percent of counties in the Appalachian region that includes Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia, according to the new research from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Kentucky's 2 largest universities expand smoking, tobacco bans to create healthier campuses. Kentucky's flagship public university gave the official heave-ho to tobacco on Thursday, touting the health benefits of a smoke-free policy covering all of its sprawling campus in the heart of burley tobacco country.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Budget shortfalls pose a direct threat to millions of U.S. jobs, many in the private sector, as state and local governments lay off workers and cut spending on contracts and other business services, a think tank said on Thursday.

Tentative union contract raises possibility that Harley-Davidson plant will remain in Pa.. A tentative labor agreement distributed Friday to workers at Harley-Davidson's plant in south-central Pennsylvania makes it appear likely that the motorcycle maker will keep its operations there, instead of leaving the state to cut costs.

28 states added jobs in October, but the employment gains may be short-lived. In a sharp improvement, more than half of U.S. states added jobs in October, though economists said many of the gains likely occurred in temporary employment.

In a sharp improvement, more than half of U.S. states added jobs in October, though economists said many of the gains likely occurred in temporary employment.

OTTAWA (Reuters) - A Canadian court ordered a new refugee hearing on Friday for a U.S. Army deserter who claimed she would face persecution because of her homosexuality if returned to the United States.

Ky. appeals court upholds $6M verdict in case of McDonald's worker who was strip searched. A Kentucky appeals court upheld a $6.1 million award to a former fast food worker who was forced to strip in a McDonald's restaurant office after someone called posing as a police officer.

In restructuring, AP changes roles for 6 news editors and assigns 4 regional photo editors. The Associated Press has named six news editors to oversee expanded multistate territories and has assigned four interim regional photo editors as part of a restructuring of U.S. news management to ensure the continuing strength of the news cooperative's state reports.

Florida's unemployment rate continues steady climb to 11.2 percent in October. Florida's unemployment rate continued its steady upward climb in October to 11.2 percent ? a mark last seen in the 1970s and a tenth of a percentage point higher than September's adjusted rate, state officials said Friday.

A Canadian court Friday ordered the country's refugee board to review the rejected asylum application of a lesbian US soldier who claimed her sexual orientation had prompted death threats.

When Robin Webb lived in New York City, he was treated by HIV specialists and had access to counseling and nutritional programs. Now he lives in Mississippi, where few of those services exist.

Activists, medical community to Obama: More funding needed to fight AIDS in rural South. When Robin Webb lived in New York City, he was treated by HIV specialists and had access to counseling and nutritional programs. Now he lives in Mississippi, where few of those services exist.

Holders of lost savings bonds dating to World War II say Treasury not making them easy to find. Holders of lost savings bonds dating back to World War II say its not nearly as easy to track down the lost money as the U.S. Treasury Department claims in an ongoing lawsuit.

Activists, medical community to Obama: More funding needed to fight AIDS in rural South. When Robin Webb lived in New York City, he was treated by HIV specialists and had access to counseling and nutritional programs. Now he lives in Mississippi, where few of those services exist.

AP basketball poll: Kansas a runaway at No. 1 as top 5 remain the same; Maryland joins Top 25. Kansas is a runaway No. 1 in The Associated Press college basketball poll.

Ky. budget chairman: State will likely have to deal with revenue shortage without higher taxes. Tax increases won't be an option for shoring up Kentucky's shrinking budget, a leading lawmaker said Monday.

Cigarette smoking rose slightly for the first time in almost 15 years, dashing health officials' hopes that the U.S. smoking rate had moved permanently below 20 percent.