The Washington Postand New York Timeslead with a new report released by the United Nations that says 3,709 civilians were killed in Iraq in October. This figure marks October as the deadliest month for civilians since the war began in 2003. The Los Angeles Times fronts the report, butleads with an analysis piece about the crisis currently facing Lebanon, which the paper sees as a sign of the fading U.S. influence in the country and the region as a whole. Last year, the Bush administration was praising Lebanon as an example of democracy in the region, but now the country is on the verge of a governmental collapse, and perhaps a civil war.

The U.N. report points out the largest number of civilian deaths occurred in Baghdad. As has happened with previous reports, Iraqi government officials were quick to say the count is inaccurate, and accused the U.N. of getting its data from unreliable sources. Regardless, neither the Iraqi nor the U.S. governments release their own figures on civilian casualties. In addition to the killings, the report also says approximately 100,000 Iraqis a month flee their country and go to Syria and Jordan. Approximately 1.6 million people have left Iraq for one of its neighbors since 2003.

The WP points out the deaths continued yesterday as approximately 100 people were killed. Officials announced the death of five U.S. troops in Iraq, the LAT and WP report.

If the Lebanese government were to collapse, it would probably mean a return to pro-Syrian forces, and officials admit there is little the United States could do to prevent this from happening. The United States has lost influence not only because of the Iraq war but also as a result of its support of Israel during the recent conflict. The LAT notes Iranian officials gain support in Lebanon by passing out money on their visits to the country while "U.S. officials have no inducements other than slow-moving programs to help rebuild the country."

Yesterday was Lebanon's Independence Day, but both the WP and LAT report there were no celebrations or parades as the country prepared for today's funeral of slain minister Pierre Gemayel.

The papers mention Vice President Cheney will be traveling to Saudi Arabia on Friday to discuss Iraq with King Abdullah. This meeting will take place the same weekend as the presidents fo Iran and Iraq are scheduled to meet in Tehran.

The NYT and LAT report the IAEA is likely to deny help to Iran in building its heavy-water nuclear reactor. Although Iran insists the reactor is for peaceful ends, it would be able to produce plutonium as a byproduct. According to the LAT, the IAEA would continue to support seven other civilian nuclear projects in Iran.

The number of children taking multiple psychiatric medications for a handful of problems keeps on increasing but there is little evidence of the effect all these combinations might have on them, reports the NYT on Page One. Last year, approximately 1.6 million children and teenagers in the United States were prescribed more than one psychiatric drug.

The LAT goes inside with word that a Guantanamo prisoner is seeking a court order to allow him to have a heart operation either in the United States or Pakistan. The U.S. military has said it is willing and able to carry out the medical procedure, but the prisoner said he had been left shackled during previous examinations and treatments, so he would rather have someone else perform the operation.   

The WP fronts the Environmental Protection Agency declaring it will begin to regulate what are known as microscopic "nanoparticles" of silver. These bacteria-killing particles have been added to a number of different products, and until now they did not have to meet any sort of regulatory standard. According to experts, this is the first time a federal control has been imposed on nanotechnology.