সোমবার, ১৭ জুন, ২০১৩

Planes, trains, or automobiles: Travel choices for a smaller carbon footprint

June 17, 2013 ? Planes, trains, or automobiles: what's the most climate-friendly way to travel? A new study by researchers from IIASA and CICERO brings better estimates of how much personal travel impacts the climate.

The study, published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology by researchers at IIASA and Center for International Climate and Environmental Research (CICERO) calculates the climate impact for passenger trips of 500-1000 km -- typical distances for business or holiday trips. It shows that while air travel continues to have the biggest climate impact per distance travelled, the choices that people make about how they drive or take public transport make a big difference in how much they contribute to climate change.

"Traveling alone in a large car can be as bad for the climate as flying, but driving with three in a small car could have an equally low impact as a train ride," says IIASA's Jens Borken-Kleefeld. A 1000 km trip alone in a big car could emit as much as 250 kg of carbon dioxide (CO2), the researchers calculate, while a train trip or carpooling in a small car could emit as little as 50 kg of CO2 for each traveler.

Air travel has by far the biggest impact on climate per distance traveled, because it can lead to contrails and formation of cirrus clouds that have a strong climate impact, as well as ozone. These mechanisms have a strong effect on the climate, but cause warming over much shorter periods of time than CO2.

The study focused on the short-lived greenhouse gases and aerosols emitted by both ground transportation and airplanes. In addition, the researchers accounted for vehicle occupancy and efficiency, based on real-world emissions data from cars, buses, trains, and airplanes in Europe.

"These components have not been regulated in the Kyoto Protocol," says Terje Berntsen, climate researcher at CICERO. "This means they risk being overlooked when comparing the climate impact from different travel choices."

Previous work and publicly available carbon footprint calculators estimate only averages for the whole transport system, at best. That means that they can miss big differences in climate impact that come from other pollutants, personal choices, and local mitigation measures.

Technologies to control air pollutant emissions from cars, buses, power plants, and trains effectively minimizes their climate impact, the study also shows -- benefiting not just air quality but also climate change mitigation efforts. The researchers say that mitigation efforts should concentrate on improving fuel efficiency and developing low-carbon fuels. While this is also important for aircraft, they say, more needs to be done to avoid the contrail and cirrus clouds.

For people wanting to minimize their climate impact, Borken-Kleefeld says, "Try to avoid flying, driving alone, and driving big cars. Instead, when you can, choose the train, bus, or carpool with 2 to 3 people."

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/living_well/~3/3odnbIpinBI/130617111345.htm

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Rett Syndrome protein surrenders some of its secrets

June 17, 2013 ? Discovery of a mutant gene responsible for a disease is a milestone, but for most conditions, it may be only a first step towards a treatment or cure. Understanding Rett Syndrome, an autism spectrum disorder, is further complicated by the fact that the implicated gene controls a suite of other genes. Two papers, published in today's Nature Neuroscience and Nature, reveal key steps in how mutations in the gene for methyl CpG-binding protein (MECP2) cause the condition. The Rett Syndrome Research Trust (RSRT) funded this work with generous support from partners Rett Syndrome Research Trust UK and Rett Syndrome Research & Treatment Foundation.

Rett Syndrome is a single-gene neurological disorder that affects girls. Development slows during the first year of life, then regresses, as toddlers lose speech, mobility, and hand use. Many girls have seizures, orthopedic and severe digestive problems, as well as breathing and other autonomic impairments. Most live into adulthood and require total, round-the-clock care. Rett Syndrome affects about 1 in 10,000 girls born each year.

The papers result from a collaboration between the labs of Adrian Bird, Ph.D., Buchanan Professor of Genetics at the Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell Biology at the University of Edinburgh, and Michael Greenberg, Ph.D., Department Chair and Nathan Marsh Pusey Professor of Neurobiology at Harvard Medical School.

The Bird and Greenberg labs have been working together since 2011 as members of the MECP2 Consortium along with Gail Mandel, a Howard Hughes Investigator at Oregon Health and Sciences University. The Consortium, launched by RSRT with a $1 million lead gift by RSRT Trustee Tony Schoener and his wife Kathy, fosters novel alliances among leading scientists to interrogate the molecules at the root of the syndrome.

Professor Bird discovered the MeCP2 protein in 1992. In 2007, he showed that affected brain cells in a mouse model of Rett Syndrome can regain function, even in late stages of the disease, suggesting that the disorder is curable. Despite this unexpected breakthrough the function of the Rett protein remains elusive.

In search of the function, the Bird lab set out to identify the key domains of the protein. Mutations found in individuals suffering from Rett led them to their answer. By focusing only on "missense" mutations, which alter a single amino acid, the researchers were able to hone in on two key domains where the mutations aggregated. The first was the well-known methyl binding domain (MBD) which is the site where MeCP2 binds to methylated DNA, thereby modulating the expression of downstream genes. The second key domain is where MeCP2 binds to a molecule called NCoR/SMRT, a large multi-protein machine that shuts down genes. The Bird lab coined this domain the NCoR/SMRT Interaction Domain (NID).

"Further proof of the importance of the MBD and the NID came from mining the genomes of 6503 healthy people. The result was the exact mirror image of the situation seen in Rett. All along the MECP2 gene normal people have non-disease causing alterations, known as polymorphisms. However, no alterations of any kind could be found in the MBD and the NID, indicating that these domains are prized real estate that cannot be tampered with," said Matthew Lyst, postdoctoral researcher and lead author on the Nature Neuroscience paper.

The most frequent Rett mutation in the NID is at amino acid # 306. When the researchers recapitulated the mutation in mice, the animals suffered symptoms similar to girls with Rett. At fault: loss of the interaction between the MeCP2 and NCoR/SMRT proteins and further evidence of the importance of the NID.

"We knew that MeCP2 binds to the genome at methylated sites, but nothing more than that. We now know that its function depends on the ability to bring NCoR/SMRT co-repressors to the DNA," Prof. Bird summed up.

The Nature paper continues the story through another amino acid location, 308, which is very near the 306 mutation in the human version of the gene. Sensory input leads to the addition of a phosphate group at the 308 site and this alters the ability of the MeCP2 protein to interact with the NCoR/SMRT co-repressor, thereby affecting the expression of downstream proteins. The Greenberg lab created mice with a mutation at 308 that are unable to attach a phosphate group. As a result, genes that MeCP2 normally controls are mis-regulated.

"The MeCP2 308 mice have reduced brain weight, motor system abnormalities, and lower seizure thresholds that correspond to the deceleration of head growth, motor system impairments and seizure disorders found in Rett. This suggests that the modification of 308 is critical for the normal function of MeCP2 and its disruption might contribute to Rett," said Daniel Ebert, postdoctoral researcher and lead author on the Nature paper.

Whether the phosphates are added to MeCP2 depends on activity of the neuron. The Greenberg lab has found that in early life, sensory input leads to modification of MeCP2 at multiple sites, including 308. These changes appear to be critical for proper brain development, and their absence in Rett Syndrome may begin to explain what goes wrong in the brains of girls with this devastating disorder.

Each step deciphered in the genetic choreography behind Rett Syndrome is a step towards treatment. "To design an effective small molecule therapy, one needs to understand the underlying mechanisms of how MeCP2 functions and how mutations in MeCP2 lead to disease. Both papers published today make significant progress by providing compelling evidence for dysregulation of the MeCP2-NCoR interaction underlying key aspects of Rett Syndrome," said Prof. Greenberg.

What still isn't known is which genes the co-repressors target. And that will be the next leap in traveling the road from a mutant gene to a little girl who wrings her hands, has seizures and can't talk or walk. Discovering the other molecular events might reveal intersecting or redundant genetic pathways that drug developers can tweak in the search for treatments.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/ohn4IuWHhU8/130617122506.htm

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Dental Hygiene In Olathe KS For The Twenty-first Century ~ Weight ...

The Dentistry Recommendations

Dentists around the world recognize: the health of your teeth can have a good or bad impact on your general health. Consequently, it's very crucial to speak with your dentist concerning the best way you are able to take good care of your teeth.

As an Olathe, KS dentistry professional, I talk to individuals every single day about how exactly they could hinder things like oral cavities and mouth cancer. While normal appointments with the dentist are essential, there are also a lot of things that you can do yourself to be certain that your smile stays healthful and bright.

1) Brush and Floss Daily

It may be a fairly easy practice, but you would be astounded if I mentioned what percentage of our local Olathe dentistry patients neglected this significant habit. You ought to be brushing your teeth at least twice every single day, and you ought to be flossing at least one time each day.

2) Eliminate Starches and Sugars From Your Diet

I consistently speak with other dentists in Olathe, KS, and we all see eye-to-eye on nutritional matters like this. The reality is that most sugars and starches are the prime reason people get oral cavities.

Getting rid of such things as sweet treats and junk foods in your diet plan will ensure you maintain dental health, and will make your dentist happy. If you refuse to thoroughly do away with these kinds of things from your diet, you should at the very least dramatically lessen the amount of it you consume.

3) Stop Smoking and Chewing Tobacco

Chewing and smoking tobacco products tarnish your teeth, harm your mouth, and result in oral cancer. Dentistry and specialized medical expenses are quite serious, and the concern with being able to afford these types of treatments is sufficient motivation for many people to stop permanently.

At our dentist office in Olathe, KS, we provide our patrons resources geared toward helping them stop their particular tobacco addictions so they can make beneficial progress in their health and wellness. Check with your nearby dentist to see if they supply any kind of helpful resources that can help you achieve your dental health ambitions.

4) Minimize or Eliminate Dark-Colored Beverages From Your Diet

Red wines, coffees, black teas and cola are among the most commonly consumed refreshments in the united states, and our patients are no exception. Our dentist office in Olathe, Kansas is extremely near to grocery stores, cafes, and fast food restaurants. So I am well aware of exactly how attractive and handy it is to grab low-cost foods and beverages whenever you want.

These types of beverages blemish your smile and make oral cavities. If you are unwilling to quit drinking dark, sweet beverages, then you need to at least cut back on these products. Your dentist and your smile will be grateful.

5) Routine Dentist Visits

You likely spent your childhood years learning this in school. And you want to know something? It's still as legitimate these days as it was when you were a kid. I instruct our Olathe, Kansas dentistry patrons to come visit me for routine cleaning at least once approximately every six months. Those who observe our guidance most often have significantly better dental health as opposed to those who don't.

Dentistry professionals agree that it is preferable to prevent dental issues than it is to try and mend them once they develop. Your dental health is in your hands, and simple suggestions like these can help your mouth stay healthy for countless years.

Source: http://weightlossand-fitness.blogspot.com/2013/06/dental-hygiene-in-olathe-ks-for-twenty.html

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রবিবার, ১৬ জুন, ২০১৩

'Insolvent' Detroit moves closer to filing for bankruptcy | The Raw Story

By Reuters
Saturday, June 15, 2013 16:42 EDT

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By Bernie Woodall and Steve Neavling

DETROIT (Reuters) ? Detroit said on Friday it would stop making payments on some of its about $18.5 billion debt, which would put it in default, and the ?insolvent? city called on most of its creditors to accept pennies on the dollar to help it avoid the largest municipal bankruptcy filing in U.S. history.

In a forceful opening salvo of negotiations with debt holders, Detroit Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr announced a moratorium on some principal and interest payments, including one payment he said was due on Friday.

Under his proposal, Orr said unsecured debt holders would be paid less than 10 cents on the dollar, but some creditors would get a bit more based on city revenue. Some $11.5 billion of the debt is unsecured and $7 billion secured, according to figures presented by Orr.

Orr said secured creditors would get better treatment, although how much better was not specified.

?We may try to get a discount from them, but the reality is they are secured,? Orr said.

Secured credit means an asset is pledged to back the debt. For example, Detroit has secured its interest rate swap agreements with casino revenue.

He said the city would skip a $34 million payment due on Friday on $1.43 billion of pension certificates of participation, to allow the city to conserve cash needed to provide services to residents.

Fitch Ratings and Standard and Poor?s Ratings Services immediately downgraded Detroit?s rating to a level reserved for borrowers about to default.

?We expect default to be a virtual certainty,? S&P said in a statement accompanying its downgrade to CC from CCC-negative.

A trustee for the bond issue will have to certify that Detroit failed to make the payment on Friday, which would trigger a formal default.

Detroit?s crisis is being closely watched by U.S. debt markets. It did not immediately affect the $3.7 trillion U.S. municipal bond market, where prices ended higher on Friday.

Orr said he would meet with creditors over the next 30 days. Market participants said the outcome of those talks could lead to higher interest rates for the state of Michigan and even the broader market if Orr wins concessions from secured creditors.

?Financial mismanagement, a shrinking population, a dwindling tax base and other factors over the past 45 years have brought Detroit to the brink of financial and operational ruin,? Orr said in a statement.

Orr said the city was ?insolvent,? unable to pay its debts and needed shared sacrifices from everyone, including debt holders, to have any hope of a revival.

Insolvency and inability to pay debts are two tests a government must meet for a judge to accept a Chapter 9 municipal bankruptcy.

?It looks and feels like a pre-packaged bankruptcy plan,? said Richard Ciccarone, managing director at McDonnell Investment Management, in reaction to the proposal.

A pre-packaged bankruptcy is when an entity negotiates a deal with creditors and other interested parties in advance and presents that to a bankruptcy court judge.

Orr, a bankruptcy attorney brought in by the state of Michigan to clean up the city?s finances, repeated after the meeting that he sees a 50/50 chance of a bankruptcy filing.

It would be a first for a major U.S. city as New York, Philadelphia and Cleveland all avoided formal bankruptcy filings during their financial difficulties.

New York also declared a moratorium on some debt payments in the 1970s, but creditors were ultimately paid in full under a restructuring agreement, said Jim Spiotto, a municipal bankruptcy expert at law firm Chapman and Cutler in Chicago.

In addition to the financial details, the 134-page document presented on Friday describes collapsing city services, rising crime and falling tax receipts.

Detroit is the poorest large city in the United States, with more than a third of its residents living below the official government poverty line, while its population has shrunk to about 700,000 people.

The city has the highest violent crime rate of any major U.S. city, some 78,000 abandoned and blighted structures and 40 percent of street lights dark, the document said. Only about a third of the city?s ambulances were in service in the first quarter of 2013. Just 53 percent of owners paid their 2011 property taxes.

The document disclosed that Detroit could face unfunded pension liabilities, such as for retired police and fire workers, of $3.5 billion, up from the $644 million previously estimated.

Orr said unsecured creditors, including bondholders and pension funds, will receive a pro rata share of $2 billion of notes the city would issue and pay off as its financial circumstances improve.

An oversight board could be created for Detroit, similar to one set up after New York City?s financial difficulties in 1970s that would ensure reforms are sustained, Orr said. The New York board created in 1975 still exists, although it is largely symbolic.

City workers and retirees would also face changes to their pensions and health care coverage ?consistent with available funding.?

At the same time, Orr proposed investing $1.25 billion over the next 10 years to improve the city?s infrastructure, remove or repair crumbling houses and update computer systems.

Initial reaction from debt holders and labor unions was negative.

Emerging from the meeting, one bond holder who asked not to be identified, said of Orr?s proposal to pay them only pennies on the dollar: ?It?s just too much. It is an unprecedented amount to ask.?

In the past, bondholders have not lost the principal amount owed them as a result of the financial restructuring of major cities such as New York and Cleveland.

Much of Detroit?s debt is insured, giving bondholders protection against defaults. Two of the insurers, National Public Finance Guarantee Corp, a unit of MBIA and Assured Guaranty Ltd, confirmed they attended the meeting.

?In the event that debt service payments by the City of Detroit are interrupted, National will ensure that its policyholders receive all of their principal and interest payments on time and in full,? spokesman Kevin Brown said.

Leaders of some of Detroit?s 48 public sector unions were upset by Orr?s proposals, which included spinning off water and sewer services into an independent authority, as well as making the changes to pensions and health care coverage.

?When you?re backed into a corner, the only thing you can do is fight and the only way we can fight is to strike,? said Mike Mulholland, secretary and treasurer of AFSCME Local 207, the union that represents water and sewer workers.

(Additional reporting by Karen Pierog, Deepa Seetharaman, Joseph Lichterman, Tiziana Barghini, Tom Hals and Alison Griswold; Writing by Karen Pierog and Greg McCune; Editing by Chris Reese and Andre Grenon)

[Image: Detroit's emergency financial manager Kevyn Orr talks to members of the media outside the Detroit Newspapers building about the report he delivered to the State of Michigan about Detroit's finances, in Detroit, Michigan May 13, 2013. Reuters/Rebecca Cook]

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Source: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/06/15/insolvent-detroit-moves-closer-to-filing-for-bankruptcy/

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Federer wins 1st title of year, beats Youzhny

HALLE, Germany (AP) ? Roger Federer found the perfect place to end his title drought ? a small town in western Germany that has a big tennis stadium and a street named Roger-Federer-Allee leading to it.

Federer left Halle a winner again Sunday, ending a 10-month run of 11 tournaments without a title, an eternity by his standards. The 31-year-old Swiss great overcame a sluggish start to beat unseeded Mikhail Youzhny 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4 at the Gerry Weber Open for his first title since Cincinnati in August.

Returning to grass in his favorite warm-up for Wimbledon, the top-seeded Federer looked lethargic until the middle of the second set against a player he had never lost to in 14 previous matches. It was the first final on the tour this year involving players 30 or older.

"I've won a lot but not so much in the last 10 months, although I feel I'd been playing well," Federer said. "But the others were playing better."

Federer earned his sixth title at Halle in 11 appearances (eight finals) and his first since 2008. Four of Federer's seven Wimbledon trophies have come after victories in Halle ? including his first Halle and Wimbledon championships in 2003.

The former top-ranked player, who is now No. 3, won his 77th career title, pulling him even with John McEnroe at third on the all-time list. Jimmy Connors won 109 and Ivan Lendl 94. Federer will be looking to extend his record of 17 Grand Slam championships when he defends his title at Wimbledon.

"I feel fit; I feel confident. I'm excited about what's to come," Federer said. "I'm very pleased with how I played this week."

With Federer starting to hit shots with confidence, the turning point of the match came in the eighth game of the second set, when Youzhny double-faulted on break point. The Swiss star then hit a perfect backhand passing shot to go up 4-3 in the third set. He held for 5-3 with a smash and fired a service winner to seal his victory after just over 2 hours.

Federer has a big following at the Halle tournament. The fans gave him a standing ovation, while his wife, Mirka, let out a sigh of relief while keeping an eye on their twin daughters.

"The difference was that he was better today ? he's been better all his life," the 30-year-old Youzhny said.

Federer finished with 12 aces.

"The first set was very close; it could have gone either way. I had to fight very hard to stay in the second. My serve saved me today," Federer said. "At the end I was just a bit steadier."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/federer-wins-1st-title-beats-youzhny-142747374.html

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Facebook to host new product launch on June 20th

Facebook sends invites to new product launch on June 20th

In case you're interested, June 20th is a Thursday. It's more than that to Facebook, though: apparently that is the magical day the social network will show off a new product, or as the company puts it, a "big idea" coming from a small team. As to what this particular event could bring to the table, you now know exactly as much as we do; with recent talk regarding Facebook's interest in building an RSS reader, that rumor would certainly be a good stab in the dark. What's even more odd, however, is the method by which the press is receiving the aforementioned invitation: the good old-fashioned postal service. Let us know in the comments if you have any particular theories on what it could all mean.

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Source: ABC News

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/06/14/facebook-invite/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget

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Libya military says 5 soldiers killed in east

TRIPOLI, Libya (AP) ? Libyan military officials say gunmen have killed five soldiers in overnight attacks on at least six security buildings and outposts throughout the eastern city of Benghazi.

Spokesman for the army's chief of staff Ali el-Sheikhy says no group has claimed responsibility for the attacks. Officials have also not announced any arrests.

Just after midnight on Saturday, gunmen in civilian clothes assaulted military outposts and the National Security Directorate with rocket-propelled grenades and heavy weapons.

The military's chief of staff, in a statement broadcast on Libyan state TV just before dawn, says at least one outpost was burnt.

Tensions are high in Benghazi over militias. The attack comes nearly a week after 31 people, mostly demonstrators, were killed during anti-militia protests. The military has since take over several militia bases there.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/libya-military-says-5-soldiers-killed-east-115610022.html

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CA-NEWS Summary

U.S. spy agency paper says fewer than 300 phone numbers closely scrutinized

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. government only searched for detailed information on calls involving fewer than 300 specific phone numbers among the millions of raw phone records collected by the National Security Agency in 2012, according to a government paper obtained by Reuters on Saturday. The unclassified paper was circulated Saturday within the government by U.S. intelligence agencies and apparently is an attempt by spy agencies and the Obama administration to rebut accusations that it overreached in investigating potential militant plots.

Police raid on Istanbul park triggers night of rioting

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Thousands of people took to the streets of Istanbul overnight on Sunday, erecting barricades and starting bonfires, after riot police firing teargas and water cannon stormed a park at the center of two weeks of anti-government unrest. Lines of police backed by armored vehicles sealed off Taksim Square in the center of the city as officers raided the adjoining Gezi Park late on Saturday, where protesters had been camped in a ramshackle settlement of tents.

Car bombs, shootings kill 30 across Iraq

BASRA, Iraq (Reuters) - Attacks across Iraq targeting mainly Shi'ite Muslims killed at least 30 people on Sunday, police and medics said, intensifying fears of a descent into all-out sectarian war. Ten years after the U.S.-led invasion that toppled Sunni leader Saddam Hussein, a stable power-sharing compromise between Iraq's Sunni, Shi'ite and ethnic Kurdish factions is still elusive and violence is on the rise.

U.S. puts jets in Jordan, fuels Russian fear of Syria no-fly zone

BEIRUT (Reuters) - The United States said on Saturday it would keep F-16 fighters and Patriot missiles in Jordan at Amman's request, and Russia bristled at the possibility they could be used to enforce a no-fly zone inside Syria. Washington, which has long called for President Bashar al-Assad to step down, pledged military support to Syrian rebels this week, citing what it said was the Syrian military's use of chemical weapons - an allegation Damascus has denied.

Kuwait court dissolves parliament, orders new elections

KUWAIT (Reuters) - Kuwait's top court on Sunday ordered the dissolution of parliament and called for fresh elections, officials in the U.S.-allied Gulf Arab said. The Constitutional Court made its ruling after throwing out an opposition challenge to changes to the electoral system decreed by the emir, hereditary ruler of the oil-exporting country, head judge Youssef al-Mutawa told reporters.

Merkel challenger cracks whip after party chairman's criticism

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's leading challenger to Chancellor Angela Merkel, lagging badly in the run-up to the September 22 election, rebuked his party's chairman, in another sign of disarray in the Social Democrats' (SPD) campaign. Peer Steinbrueck told weekly Der Spiegel that he expected all SPD members, including chairman Sigmar Gabriel, to back his election fight, just days after a party meeting in which Gabriel openly criticized Steinbrueck's campaign, the magazine said.

Power outages hit Mexico City after quake in country's center

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Power outages hit the Mexican capital of Mexico City on Sunday after an earthquake struck the center of the country, and officials said there was no other damage reported. Some restaurants and residential buildings in the capital were evacuated as a precautionary measure, they said.

Iranians revel as new president hails 'victory of moderation'

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iranians celebrated into Sunday after moderate Hassan Rohani was elected president in a popular repudiation of conservative hardliners, and he pledged a new tone of respect in Tehran's international affairs after years of increasing antagonism. Rohani, a Shi'ite cleric and former chief nuclear negotiator with Western powers, received a resounding mandate for change from Iranians weary of years of economic decline under U.N. and Western sanctions and security clampdowns on dissent.

North Korea wants to hold high-level talks with U.S.

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea on Sunday offered high-level talks with the United States to ease tensions on the Korean peninsula, only days after it canceled planned official talks with South Korea for the first time in over two years. Planned high-level talks between North and South Korea were scrapped last week after the North abruptly called off the talks. The North blamed the South for scuttling discussions that sought to mend estranged ties between the rival Koreas.

Hong Kong rally backs Snowden, denounces allegations of U.S. spying

HONG KONG (Reuters) - A few hundred rights advocates and political activists marched through Hong Kong on Saturday to demand protection for Edward Snowden, who leaked revelations of U.S. electronic surveillance and is now believed to be holed up in the former British colony. Marchers gathered outside the U.S. consulate shouting slogans denouncing alleged spying operations aimed at China and Hong Kong, but the numbers were modest compared to rallies over other rights and political issues.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ca-news-summary-005203222.html

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