Kazakhstan trade trip poses human rights test for UK's Cameron

By Andrew Osborn

ATYRAU, Kazakhstan (Reuters) - British Prime Minister David Cameron helped inaugurate the world's costliest oil project in Kazakhstan on Sunday on a trip aimed at sealing business deals but quickly beset by questions over the Central Asian nation's poor human rights record.

Kazakhstan hopes Cameron's visit, the first by a serving British prime minister, will cement its status as a rising economic power and confer a degree of the legitimacy from the West it has long sought.

The visit takes place just days before the nation marks 15 years since the founding of the new Kazakh capital Astana, also the 73rd birthday of President Nursultan Nazarbayev, a national holiday and cause for celebration that has been anticipated for days in state media.

Nazarbayev, a former Communist party apparatchik, has overseen market reforms and maintains wide popularity among the 17-million strong population, but has tolerated no dissent or opposition during his more than two decades in power.

Cameron said he hoped the 30 businessmen accompanying him would sign over 700 million pounds worth of deals during his two-day trip.

"We are in a global race for jobs and investment. This is one of the most rapidly emerging countries in the world," Cameron told reporters on his arrival in the Kazakh oil capital Atyrau.

His office said he aimed to "put British businesses in prime position to secure contracts that the Government believes could total ?85 billion in the coming years".

Cameron is also hoping to persuade Kazakhstan to expand transit rights for British military forces relocating equipment from Afghanistan between now and a planned withdrawal next year. Nazarbayev has already granted overflight rights, but Cameron is looking for land transit rights too.

Cameron and Nazarbayev together opened the Bolashak (Future) oil plant which will process crude that is due to start flowing from the giant Kashagan offshore oilfield in September.

Royal Dutch Shell has a 16.81 percent stake in the facility, which is in the Kazakh segment of the Caspian Sea. Nazarbayev said last week consortium members had so far invested $48 billion, making it the most expensive oil venture in the world.

TEMPTING TARGET

As Britain's trade with the euro zone suffers because of the currency bloc's debt woes, it is looking further afield to forge business links with countries that have enjoyed rapid economic growth in recent years.

With a $200 billion economy, the largest in Central Asia, and deep oil and gas reserves, Kazakhstan is a tempting target. Britain is already among the top three sources of foreign direct investment, according to Kazakh officials.

Since its 1991 independence, officials say British firms have invested about $20 billion in their economy, part of a total $170 billion ploughed into Kazakhstan since then.

But more high profile trade links carry political risks.

New York-based Human Rights Watch said Cameron had a duty to use his trip to denounce human rights abuses.

"We are very concerned about the serious and deteriorating human rights situation there in recent years, including credible allegations of torture, the imprisonment of government critics, (and) tight controls over the media and freedom of expression and association," it said in a letter on Friday.

Answering questions from reporters in Atyrau on Sunday, Cameron said he never put trade and business interests before rights.

"We will raise all the issues, including human rights. That's part of our dialogue and I'll be signing a strategic partnership with Kazakhstan," he said.

"Nothing is off the agenda, including human rights."

Activists most want Cameron to bring up the case of Vladimir Kozlov, a jailed opposition leader, when he meets Nazarbayev.

An outspoken critic of the Kazakh leader, Kozlov was jailed for seven-and-a-half years in October for colluding with a fugitive billionaire in a failed attempt to rally oil workers to bring down the government. Kozlov denied the charges.

Nazarbayev, a former steelworker who now holds the title "The Leader of the Nation", says that he puts stability and rising living standards before hasty political changes in his steppe nation, the world's ninth-largest by area and five times the size of France.

Comparing Kazakhstan to "Asian economic tigers" like South Korea and Singapore, he has said he wants to turn it into "the economic snow leopard of Central Asia".

(Additional reporting by Dmitry Solovyov; in Almaty; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/kazakhstan-trade-trip-poses-human-rights-test-uks-201117657.html

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SARAH PALIN THREATENS THIRD PARTY IF GOP DOESN?T MEND ITS WAYS??.

?

Shot fired across bow, got that ?Johnnie boy? Boehner?

Dumping the Karl Roves, The Bushes, McRinos and Ghramnesties would be the best for the GOP, but if they hold on like a tick to a dog?s ear, then you?re going to hear many say, ?I didn?t leave the GOP, the GOP left me.?

I think there will be a lot of us who start saying ?GOP, if you abandon us, we have nowhere else to go except to become more independent and not enlisted in a one or the other private majority parties that rule in our nation, either a Democrat or a Republican.? Remember these are private parties, and you know, no one forces us to be enlisted in either party.?

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the 2008 Republican nominee for vice president responded to a Fox News Channel viewer?s Twitter question Saturday about the possibility of her and conservative talker Mark Levin abandoning the Republican Party and creating something called the ?Freedom Party.?

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Source: http://tundratabloids.com/2013/06/sarah-palin-threatens-third-party-if-gop-doesnt-mend-its-ways.html

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Eminem admits drug abuse almost killed him

Celebs

Gael Fashingbauer Cooper TODAY

4 hours ago

Jason DeCrow / AP file

Eminem in 2010

Rapper Eminem admits in a new documentary that his abuse of prescription drugs almost killed him. "My bottom was going to be death," the rapper said in an interview in "How to Make Money Selling Drugs," a 2013 documentary.

(Warning: The film excerpt is expletive-filled.)

The musician talks about how his first Vicodin was a revelation for him since it made him feel "mellow" and also took away his pain.

Friends tried to warn him that he was in trouble, Eminem said, but he pushed them away since he didn't view prescription drug abuse as the same as using crack or heroin.

?I would say, ?Get that (expletive) person outta here,? ? he said in the film. ?I can?t believe they said that (expletive) to me. ... I literally thought I could control (my drug problem)."

Soon the specific drugs didn't matter. "You're taking things that people are giving you that you don't even know what the (expletive) they are," Eminem said. "Xanax, Valium, tomato, to-mah-to."

The drugs caught up to the rapper and he had to be hospitalized. "Had I got to the hospital about two hours later, I would have died," he recalls in the film. "My organs were shutting down. My liver, kidneys, everything. They were gonna have to put me on dialysis, they didn?t think I was gonna make it. My bottom was gonna be death."

After leaving the hospital, Eminem relapsed within a month. "I remember just walking around my house and thinking every single day, like, I'm gonna (expletive) die." The rapper said he didn't sleep for three weeks, "not even for an (expletive) minute," and had to regain the ability to walk and speak.

"I just couldn?t believe that anybody could be naturally happy or naturally function or be just enjoying life in general without being on something," he said. "So I would say to anybody, ?It does get better.'"

"Entourage" star Adrian Grenier is one of the producers of the film, which includes interviews with Susan Sarandon and Woody Harrelson.

Source: http://www.today.com/entertainment/eminem-drug-use-my-bottom-was-going-be-death-6C10486210

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Justin Miller Found Dead: Former MLB Pitcher Dies at 35

PALM HARBOR, Fla. (AP) ? Justin Miller, a pitcher for four teams during a major league career that spanned seven seasons, has been found dead. He was 35.

Miller's death was confirmed Friday by his agent, Matt Sosnick. Miller's body was found Wednesday night, but the cause of death hadn't been released by the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.

Miller pitched for the Blue Jays, Marlins, Giants and Dodgers from 2002 to 2010. He had a career record of 24-14 in 216 games.

The California native lived in Palm Harbor since 2002.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/29/justin-miller-found-dead-mlb-pitcher_n_3520256.html

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'White House Down' first lady Garcelle Beauvais signs on to Indie film 'Loose' (Exclusive)

By Jethro Nededog

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Garcelle Beauvais is getting "Loose" for her next role, TheWrap has learned exclusively.

The actress has signed on to independent film, "Loose," from executive producer Dan Garcia with "Deception" star Meagan Good and Datari Turner attached as producers.

"Loose" is a coming of age story that follows Grace, a young girl from a small town trying to figure out her purpose in life.

Beauvais plays Grace's single mother, Lisa, an alcoholic who repeatedly finds herself in abusive relationships and making them the priority over her daughter.

Ty Hodges ("Doctor Me") directs the drama with a script written by Jacquin De Leon. Production is set to begin this summer.

Beauvais plays First Lady, Alison Sawyer, opposite Jamie Foxx and Channing Tatum in "White House Down," which opens in theatres on Friday. She also recently wrapped production as the lead in the indie drama, "And Then There Was You," directed by Leila Djansi.

Her TV credits include guest roles on Netflix's "Arrested Development," USA's "Psych" and TV Land's "The Exes" and recurring roles on TNT's "Franklin and Bash" and ABC's "NYPD Blue."

Beauvais is represented by SDB Partners, Luber Roklin Entertainment, Innovative Artists, and Edelstein Laird and Sobel.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/white-house-down-first-lady-garcelle-beauvais-signs-193453165.html

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98% Before Midnight

All Critics (146) | Top Critics (38) | Fresh (142) | Rotten (3)

Hawke and Delpy remain as charming as ever, and their combined goofiness is more endearing than annoying.

Love is messy here, life cannot be controlled, satisfaction is far from guaranteed. Romance is rocky at best. But romance still is.

Though "Before Midnight" is often uncomfortable to watch, it's never less than mesmerizing - and ultimately, a joy to walk with this prickly but fascinating couple again.

"Before Midnight" is heartbreaking, but not because of Jesse and Celine. It's the filmmakers' passions that seem to have cooled.

Before Midnight is fascinating to watch, and so long as Celine and Jesse are communicating, there's still hope.

How (Jesse and Celine) try to rekindle that flame is what drives Midnight, a film that feels so authentic it's like overhearing a conversation you're not sure you should be hearing.

Loving words mix with personal attacks, the magic moments with the unintended slights, as we witness the occasional desperation of imperfect people doing the best they can when life moves beyond meet-cute and courtship. That's authentic.

Linklater and his players bring an end to the fantasy and welcome the thrilling ups and bitter downs of reality to this love story.

Like the first two films, it reflects the real world in a way that seems almost preternatural. It's just that, here, the real world is a harsher, more disappointing place.

The duo, clearly so comfortable in their characters' skin, indulge in intelligent banter, sharp humour and emotional truths.

So much better written than contemporary novels, this film is a literary as well as cinematic achievement to cherish. For grown-ups.

As before, it's often very funny, with Jesse and Celine swapping Woody Allen-esque one-liners - nicely snarky, appealingly abrasive.

The acting, the dialogue and direction are superb.

None of the films is faultless in itself, but, tinted with complementary tones, the complete cycle comes as close to perfection as any trilogy in cinema history.

Marvelous. It's impossible to shake the feeling that we are merely eavesdropping on reality. Witty, wise, and -- most important of all -- truly romantic in ways that movies usually aren't.

It's been 18 years since Hawke, Delpy and Linklater introduced us to Jesse and Celine, and their story just gets richer, funnier and more punchy each time we see them. In 1995's Before Sunrise, they were idealistic 23-year-olds.

Hawke and Delpy are as believably real as any screen couple can ever be.

This is one of the few sequels for which the cliche 'eagerly awaited' is truly applicable.

Predictably, it's just as great as the first two.

By the end, Before Midnight inches towards a dawn of charm. But it's a troubled trip.

As an organic experiment in collaboration between actors and director, it is a triumph, co-created and co-owned by Delpy, Linklater and Hawke.

Hawke and Delpy, who are both credited on the script too, have never found co-stars to bounce off more nimbly or bring out richer nuances in their acting.

The performances and dialogue are wonderfully naturalistic; a reminder that the best special effects are often the cheapest.

Before Midnight is about the nature of long-term relationships, and the way love deepens and grows but also finds itself subject to the complications of maturity. Smart, insightful, and poignant.

For those who witnessed Jesse and Celine's tentative getting together as inter railing students almost twenty years ago, it's reassuring to see them still in love.

Brilliantly directed, superbly written and impeccably acted, this is a thoroughly enjoyable, thought-provoking and emotionally engaging drama that perfectly complements the previous two films.

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/before_midnight_2013/

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The Supreme Court plays catch-up (Washington Post)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories News, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

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WWE Main Event results: Competition in Columbia

Chris Jericho vs. Cody Rhodes: WWE Main Event, June 26, 2013New Diva Jo Jo sings Tons of Funk's entrance: WWE Main Event, June 26, 2013Zeb Colter addresses the WWE Universe: WWE Main Event, June 26, 2013Christian vs. Dean Ambrose: WWE Main Event, June 26, 2013Tons of Funk vs. Prime Time Players: WWE Main Event, June 26, 2013Sheamus & Christian vs. Team Rhodes Scholars: Raw, June 24, 2013Team Rhodes Scholars address Sheamus: WWE App Exclusive, June 24, 2013

Chris Jericho def. Cody Rhodes

Just weeks away from battling Ryback at Money in the Bank, Chris Jericho faced Cody Rhodes on WWE Main Event. Rhodes was looking to reassert his footing following a tag team loss to Christian & Sheamus on Raw. A victory against WWE?s first-ever Undisputed Champion would surely give Rhodes the confidence and momentum he was looking to build.

WWE MAIN EVENT PHOTOS | WATCH JERICHO AND RHODES COLLIDE

Wisely, Rhodes countered Jericho?s aggressive offense by seizing opportunities to execute questionable tactics ? such as an eye poke ? when the official wasn?t looking. While the son of WWE Hall of Famer Dusty Rhodes focused on Y2J?s eye, the WWE Universe remained in support of ?The Ayatollah of Rock n? Rolla.?

Rhodes managed to maintain control against the crafty veteran, thanks to targeting Jericho?s eye. Displaying the resilience that has bred much of his success for nearly two decades, Y2J refused to give in ? even if he was visually impaired. Jericho withstood Rhodes? relentless offense, kicking out of pinfalls following his opponent?s trademark maneuvers, including the Disaster Kick, Alabama Slam and Cross Rhodes.

Although Rhodes reciprocated and escaped a pinfall following Jericho?s Codebreaker, his undoing would be the continued assault on Y2J?s eye. Catching Rhodes? foot as the former Intercontinental Champion targeted his eye again, Jericho managed to lock in the Walls of Jericho for a hard-fought victory.

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Source: http://www.wwe.com/shows/wwemainevent/2013-06-26/results

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Charles Pugh, Detroit City Council President, Stripped Of Title, Salary By Kevyn Orr

DETROIT -- State-appointed emergency manager Kevyn Orr has ordered his legal staff to prepare an order that will strip the pay and authority from AWOL Detroit City Council President Charles Pugh.

Pugh has been a no-show at recent council meetings and failed to acknowledge by a 5 p.m. Wednesday deadline that he would be returning to work, Orr spokesman Bill Nowling said.

Orr will review the completed order and could sign it Thursday, Nowling said.

Orr is operating under Michigan's emergency manager law. He can't fire Detroit elected leaders, but does control their pay and responsibilities. Pugh earns about $76,000 per year.

His request for a three- to four-week medical leave was denied earlier this week by Orr.

The City Council's powers have been reduced since Orr was hired in March to fix a budget deficit barreling toward $380 million and about $17 billion in city debt. He has control over all matters involving money.

The Associated Press left messages Wednesday seeking comment from Pugh, who also is the subject of a complaint the Detroit Public Schools received from the parent of a recent graduate.

The mother, whose name was not released by the district, came forward earlier this month with concerns involving the 41-year-old Pugh and a mentoring program at Douglass Academy for Young Men, according to district spokesman Steve Wasko.

The complaint involved cash and gifts the teenager received while part of the program.

"At the time, the school reached out to the parent who stated that she would prefer to handle the matter personally," Wasko said Wednesday in a statement. "The school has since contacted the parent again in writing seeking to resolve the concerns, and is awaiting a response."

The district will review the leadership mentoring program at Douglass Academy, he added.

Detroit area attorney Ivan Land said he represents the teen's mother and told The Detroit News that the gifts included a $350 cellphone and prom clothing. The teen also received $160 in cash from Pugh, Land said.

Pugh, a former TV anchor, resigned in 2009 from Detroit's Fox Network affiliate and a local radio station to run for council. He became council president after receiving the most votes in that year's general election.

"I have a mandate from the people of Detroit," Pugh said after the election. "The people say they trust me and believe in me, and are looking forward to what new things I bring to the table. We need some new leadership, better collaboration and better cooperation."

Earlier this year, Pugh said he would not seek re-election.

If Pugh steps down, only six council members will remain to conduct city business. Kwame Kenyatta resigned last week and City Council President Pro Tem Gary Brown moves July 1 to Orr's staff.

Detroit City Clerk Janice Winfrey said the council can continue to operate as long as there are enough members to make a quorum, but the loss of members will make it difficult for the smaller council committees to meet.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/27/charles-pugh-kevyn-orr-detroit-city-council_n_3507513.html

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Here's How to Get the Windows 8.1 Preview for Free Right Now

The preview version of Windows 8.1 is available to download and try out right now. Here's how to get it.

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Tokyo gets most IOC praise in technical report

LONDON (AP) ? Less than three months before the IOC vote, Tokyo received the most praise in a technical assessment of the three cities bidding for the 2020 Olympics on Tuesday.

The IOC evaluation report said Tokyo, Istanbul and Madrid all offer "high quality" bids and present their own "unique approach" to hosting the Summer Games.

The report touched on the financial crisis in Spain, saying Madrid's Olympic project was feasible despite the recession. The report was finalized in April and did not address the anti-government protests that have swept across Turkey recently and raised questions about Istanbul's bid.

Overall, Tokyo received the most glowing marks from the report, which described the Japanese capital as "a modern, dynamic city that sets global trends" and praised its compact venue plans and "one of the most modern and efficient public transport systems in the world."

The 110-page report, which is designed as a risk analysis, does not rank or grade the cities. But the document lays out strengths and weaknesses with details closely watched by the candidate cities as they head into the final stages of the race.

All three can take positives from the report, which was prepared for International Olympic Committee members ahead of a briefing by the bid cities next week in Lausanne, Switzerland.

The IOC will select the host city by secret ballot on Sept. 7 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Before the vote, the cities will make their final direct presentations to the members.

Istanbul is bidding for a fifth time. Tokyo, which hosted the 1964 Olympics, is back for a second consecutive effort, and Madrid is trying for a third straight time.

The evaluation commission was chaired by IOC Vice President Craig Reedie of Britain. His panel visited each of the three cities in March.

"The evaluation commission made sure to produce a report that we feel is an accurate, objective and fair assessment of each of the three candidate cities," Reedie said. "We are indeed very pleased with the quality of each bid and it is clear that the IOC members will have a difficult choice to make this September in Buenos Aires."

The report is packed with facts and figures and covers venue plans, budgets, hotels, security, transportation, environment, marketing, anti-doping programs and government and public support.

"The commission confirms that each of three candidate cities could host the 2020 Olympic Games though, by the very nature of their vision and concept, the risks associated with each project are different," it said.

The report's influence on the race is uncertain. Not all IOC members read the evaluation reports carefully ? if at all ? and host-city votes are often driven by personal and geopolitical reasons more than technical issues.

The presentations to IOC members on July 3-4 are likely to be more crucial. It was at a similar briefing in 2009 where Rio de Janeiro, which did not rank highly in the technical report, seized the momentum in the race for the 2016 Olympics by pushing the theme that it was time to take the games to South America.

Paris rated higher than London in the IOC technical report for the 2012 Olympics, but the British capital was awarded the games.

The report said Tokyo's bid seeks to lift the nation's spirits following the devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan in 2011. It said Tokyo had "well thought-out proposals" for ensuring "safe and secure games" and cited its $4.5 billion reserve fund for financing Olympic construction.

"We are proud that the report confirms our bid's very strong technical excellence, which offers certainty in uncertain times for sport," Tokyo bid leader and Japanese IOC member Tsunekazu Takeda said. "We are also aware that we must deliver much more than just a strong report."

Istanbul, which straddles Europe and Asia, is seeking to take the Olympics to a predominantly Muslim country for the first time. Istanbul would require the most spending and infrastructure work of the three cities, and the IOC report cited potential challenges with construction, traffic and other issues.

"This report confirms that Istanbul's bid is firmly on track," Istanbul bid leader Hasan Arat said. "We particularly welcome the IOC's clear endorsement of Istanbul's unique strengths. We know that we are at least on an equal footing with others in this race."

The report was finalized on April 19 before the protests in Turkey.

"The situation is now largely peaceful," Arat said in a conference call. "The violence that hijacked the peaceful protests has subsided. The most important thing is that the people are staging their democratic right to stage peaceful protests.

"I'm very proud of our people for standing up for their beliefs. This will not be a big issue for the bid. We are open and ready to discuss with IOC members asking questions about this. We feel Istanbul is in a very good position."

Madrid's bid has a capital construction budget of only $1.9 billion, based on the use of 28 existing venues.

Spain has been in recession for most of the past four years and has a 27.2 percent unemployment rate.

"The commission believe that the degree of financial risk facing Madrid 2020 should be manageable over seven years within the Spanish economy and taking into account government guarantees," the IOC report said.

Istanbul ranked highest in the IOC's public opinion survey, which was carried out in January.

The Istanbul bid garnered 83 percent support among city residents and 76 percent across Turkey. Madrid was next with 76 percent in the city and 81 percent in Spain, with Tokyo trailing with 70 percent in the capital and 67 in Japan.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/tokyo-gets-most-ioc-praise-technical-report-125001953.html

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Officials: 3 dead in Afghanistan palace assault

Afghan soldiers stand guard as smoke rises from the gate of the presidential palace in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday June 25, 2013. The Taliban said they have hit one of the most secure areas of the Afghan capital with a suicide attack, as a series of explosions rocked the gate leading into the presidential palace. (AP Photo/Ahmad Jamshid)

Afghan soldiers stand guard as smoke rises from the gate of the presidential palace in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday June 25, 2013. The Taliban said they have hit one of the most secure areas of the Afghan capital with a suicide attack, as a series of explosions rocked the gate leading into the presidential palace. (AP Photo/Ahmad Jamshid)

Afghan policemen stand guard near the entrance gate of the presidential palace in Kabul, Afghanistan Tuesday, June 25, 2013 following an attack. Suicide attackers blew up a car bomb and battled security forces outside Afghanistan's presidential palace Tuesday after infiltrating one of the most secure areas of the capital. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack that came as reporters were gathering for a news event on Afghan youth at which President Hamid Karzai was expected to talk about ongoing efforts to open peace talks with the militant group. (AP Photo/Ahmad Jamshid)

Afghan national security arrive near the entrance gate of the presidential palace in Kabul, Afghanistan Tuesday, June 25, 2013. Suicide attackers blew up a car bomb and battled security forces outside the presidential palace Tuesday after infiltrating one of the most secure areas of the capital. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, which came as reporters were gathering for a news event on Afghan youth at which President Hamid Karzai was expected to talk about ongoing efforts to open peace talks with the militant group. (AP photo/Rahmat Gul)

Afghan security force members investigate nearby the entrance gate of the presidential palace in Kabul, Afghanistan Tuesday, June 25, 2013. Suicide attackers blew up a car bomb and battled security forces outside Afghanistan's presidential palace Tuesday after infiltrating one of the most secure areas of the capital. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the Kabul palace attack, which came as reporters were gathering for a news event on Afghan youth at which President Hamid Karzai was expected to talk about ongoing efforts to open peace talks with the militant group. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

Afghan national security arrive near the entrance gate of the presidential palace in Kabul, Afghanistan Tuesday, June 25, 2013. Suicide attackers blew up a car bomb and battled security forces outside the presidential palace Tuesday after infiltrating one of the most secure areas of the capital. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, which came as reporters were gathering for a news event on Afghan youth at which President Hamid Karzai was expected to talk about ongoing efforts to open peace talks with the militant group. (AP photo/Rahmat Gul)

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) ? Afghan officials say a brazen Taliban assault on the presidential palace in Kabul has left three guards dead.

The militant group had earlier said that all eight attackers died in the early Tuesday attack on one of the most secure parts of the Afghan capital.

Militants with false papers and military-style uniforms bluffed their way through two checkpoints on their way to the palace before jumping out of their explosives-packed vehicle and opening fire on security personnel. Another carload of Taliban fighters got stuck between two checkpoints and detonated their own car bomb.

The Interior Ministry said a fourth guard was wounded.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-06-25-Afghanistan/id-1b62f835f44641c0be3ce935de3891b2

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An Amazing Photo of China's Space Station Crossing the Sun

While it's the International Space Station that tends to take all the glory, there is in fact another: China's Tiangong-1, which went into low-Earth orbit in 2011. In this amazing pictures, you can see it silhouetted against the Sun.

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Addiction relapse might be thwarted by turning off brain trigger

June 24, 2013 ? Researchers at the Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center at UC San Francisco have been able to identify and deactivate a brain pathway linked to memories that cause alcohol cravings in rats, a finding that may one day lead to a treatment option for people who suffer from alcohol abuse disorders and other addictions.

In the study, researchers were able to prevent the addicted animals from seeking alcohol and drinking it, the equivalent of relapse.

"One of the main causes of relapse is craving, triggered by the memory by certain cues -- like going into a bar, or the smell or taste of alcohol," said lead author Segev Barak, PhD, at the time a postdoctoral fellow in the lab of co-senior author Dorit Ron, PhD, a Gallo Center investigator and UCSF professor of neurology.

"We learned that when rats were exposed to the smell or taste of alcohol, there was a small window of opportunity to target the area of the brain that reconsolidates the memory of the craving for alcohol and to weaken or even erase the memory, and thus the craving" he said.

The study, also supervised by co-senior author Patricia H. Janak, PhD, a Gallo Center investigator and UCSF professor of neurology, was published online on June 23 in Nature Neuroscience.

Neural Mechanism That Triggers Alcohol Memory

In the first phase of the study, rats had the choice to freely drink water or alcohol over the course of seven weeks, and during this time developed a high preference for alcohol.

In the next phase, they had the opportunity to access alcohol for one hour a day, which they learned to do by pressing a lever. They were then put through a 10-day period of abstinence from alcohol.

Following this period, the animals were exposed for five minutes to just the smell and taste of alcohol, which cued them to remember how much they liked drinking it. The researchers then scanned the animals' brains, and identified the neural mechanism responsible for the reactivation of the memory of the alcohol -- a molecular pathway mediated by an enzyme known as mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1).

They found that just a small drop of alcohol presented to the rats turned on the mTORC1 pathway specifically in a select region of the amygdala, a structure linked to emotional reactions and withdrawal from alcohol, and cortical regions involved in memory processing.

They further showed that once mTORC1 was activated, the alcohol-memory stabilized (reconsolidated) and the rats relapsed on the following days, meaning in this case, that they started again to push the lever to dispense more alcohol.

"The smell and taste of alcohol were such strong cues that we could target the memory specifically without impacting other memories, such as a craving for sugar," said Barak, who added that the Ron research group has been doing brain studies for many years and has never seen such a robust and specific activation in the brain.

Drug that Erases the Memory of Alcohol

In the next part of the study, the researchers set out to see if they could prevent the reconsolidation of the memory of alcohol by inhibiting mTORC1, thus preventing relapse. When mTORC1 was inactivated using a drug called rapamycin, administered immediately after the exposure to the cue (smell, taste), there was no relapse to alcohol-seeking the next day.

Strikingly, drinking remained suppressed for up to 14 days, the end point of the study. These results suggest that rapamycin erased the memory of alcohol for a long period, said Ron.

The authors said the study is an important first step, but that more research is needed to determine how mTORC1 contributes to alcohol memory reconsolidation and whether turning off mTORC1 with rapamycin would prevent relapse for more than two weeks.

The authors also said it would be interesting to test if rapamycin, an FDA-approved drug currently used to prevent organ rejection after transplantation, or other mTORC1 inhibitors that are currently being developed in pharmaceutical companies, would prevent relapse in human alcoholics.

"One of the main problems in alcohol abuse disorders is relapse, and current treatment options are very limited." Barak said. "Even after detoxification and a period of rehabilitation, 70 to 80 percent of patients will relapse in the first several years. It is really thrilling that we were able to completely erase the memory of alcohol and prevent relapse in these animals. This could be a revolution in treatment approaches for addiction, in terms of erasing unwanted memories and thereby manipulating the brain triggers that are so problematic for people with addictions."

The other co-authors of the paper are Feng Liu, PhD, Sami Ben Hamida, PhD, Quinn V. Yowell, BS, Jeremie Neasta, PhD, and Viktor Kharazia, PhD, all of the Gallo Center and UCSF Department of Neurology.

The study was supported by funds from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and funds from the State of California for Medical Research on Alcohol and Substance Abuse administered through UCSF.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_science/~3/cAQbDkN6BXA/130624173852.htm

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Boost for cars or bust? Ethanol debate heats up

WASHINGTON (AP) ? It's a dilemma for drivers: Do they choose a gasoline that's cheaper and cleaner even if, as opponents say, it could damage older cars and motorcycles?

That's the peril and promise of a high-ethanol blend of gasoline known as E15. The fuel contains 15 percent ethanol, well above the current 10 percent norm sold at most U.S. gas stations.

The higher ethanol blend is currently sold in just fewer than two dozen stations in the Midwest, but could spread to other regions as the Obama administration considers whether to require more ethanol in gasoline.

As a result, there's a feverish lobbying campaign by both oil and ethanol interests that has spread from Congress to the White House and the Supreme Court.

On Monday, the Supreme Court rejected a challenge by the American Petroleum Institute, the oil industry's chief lobbying group, to block sales of E15. The justices left in place a federal appeals court ruling that dismissed challenges by the oil industry group and trade associations representing food producers, restaurants and others.

Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy, an ethanol industry group, hailed the decision as victory for U.S. consumer, who will now have greater choice at the pump.

"Now that the final word has been issued, I hope that oil companies will begin to work with biofuel producers to help bring new blends into the marketplace that allow for consumer choice and savings," Buis said.

The API had argued that E15 was dangerous for older cars.

Putting fuel with up to 15 percent ethanol into older cars and trucks "could leave millions of consumers with broken down cars and high repair bills," said Bob Greco, a senior API official who has met with the White House on ethanol issues.

The ethanol industry counters that there have been no documented cases of engine breakdowns caused by the high-ethanol blend since limited sales of E15 began last year.

"This is another example of oil companies unnecessarily scaring people, and it's just flat-out wrong," said Bob Dinneen, president of the Renewable Fuels Association, an ethanol industry group.

The dispute over E15 is the latest flashpoint in a long-standing battle over the Renewable Fuel Standard, approved by Congress in 2005 and amended in 2007. The law requires refiners to blend increasing amounts of ethanol into gasoline each year as a way to decrease reliance on fossil fuels and lower greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming.

The Environmental Protection Agency has proposed a 16.5 billion-gallon production requirement for ethanol and other gasoline alternatives this year, up from 15.2 billion gallons last year. By 2022, the law calls for more than double that amount.

Biofuel advocates and supporters in Congress say the law has helped create more than 400,000 jobs, revitalized rural economies and helped lower foreign oil imports by more than 30 percent while reducing emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.

But the oil industry, refiners and some environmental groups say the standard imposes an unnecessary economic burden on consumers. Using automotive fuel that comes from corn also has significant consequences for agriculture, putting upward pressure on food prices, critics say.

"The ever increasing ethanol mandate has become unsustainable, causing a looming crisis for gasoline consumers," said the API's Greco. "We're at the point where refiners are being pressured to put unsafe levels of ethanol in gasoline, which could damage vehicles, harm consumers and wreak havoc on our economy."

Along with the E15 court case, the API and refiners have swarmed Capitol Hill and the White House to try to have the current mandate waived or repealed.

Charles Drevna, president of the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers, which represents refineries, accused the EPA of putting politics ahead of science.

An EPA official told Congress earlier this month that the agency does not require use of E15, but believes it is safe for cars built since 2001.

"The government is not saying 'go ahead' " and put E15 in all cars, said Christopher Grundler, of the EPA's director of the office of transportation and air quality. "The government is saying this is legal fuel to sell if the market demands it and there are people who wish to sell it."

Ethanol supporters say E15 is cheaper than conventional gasoline and offers similar mileage to E10, the version that is sold in most U.S. stations.

Scott Zaremba, who owns a chain of gas stations in Kansas, scoffs at claims that E15 would damage older cars. "In the real world I've had zero problems" with engine breakdowns, said Zaremba, whose station in Lawrence, Kan., was the first in the nation to offer E15 last year.

But Zaremba said he had to stop selling the fuel this spring after his gasoline supplier, Phillips 66, told him he could no longer sell the E15 fuel from his regular black fuel hoses. The company said the aim was to distinguish E15 from other gasoline with less ethanol, but Zaremba said the real goal was to discourage use of E15. New pumps cost more than $100,000.

The American Automobile Association, for now, sides with the oil industry. The motoring club says the government should halt sales of E15 until additional testing allows ethanol producers and automakers to agree on which vehicles can safely use E15 while ensuring that consumers are adequately informed of risks.

A spokeswoman for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, which represents 12 major car makers, said E15 gas is more corrosive and the EPA approved it before it could be fully tested.

Older cars were "never designed to use E15," spokeswoman Gloria Bergquist said. Use of the fuel over time could create significant engine problems, she said.

The API cites engine problems discovered during a study it commissioned last year, but the Energy Department called the research flawed and said it included engines with known durability issues.

For now, E15 remains a regional anomaly. About 20 stations currently offer the fuel in Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

___

Follow Matthew Daly on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MatthewDalyWDC

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/boost-cars-bust-ethanol-debate-heats-072447781.html

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Bad weather hampering Indian flood rescue efforts

GAUCHAR, India (AP) ? Bad weather hampered efforts Sunday to evacuate thousands of people stranded in the northern India state of Uttarakhand, where at least 1,000 people have died in monsoon flooding and landslides, army officials said.

The army resumed helicopter flights to rescue stranded people late Sunday after rain stopped and dense fog lifted in the Himalayan region, Brig. Uma Maheshwar said.

Thousands of people were still stranded in high mountain passes in the temple town of Badrinath and rescue efforts were concentrated on getting them to safety.

Troops built makeshift bridges at several places, Maheshwar said.

Despite poor visibility, more than 2,000 people were transported by helicopter to relief camps in the state capital, Dehradun, said Priya Joshi, an air force spokeswoman.

India's national disaster response force used drone aircraft to locate survivors in remote areas that remained inaccessible.

Hundreds of thousands of devout Hindus make a pilgrimage to Uttarakhand, visiting four of Hinduism's holiest shrines in the state during the summer months. The tourists usually head down to the plains before the monsoon breaks in July. But this year, early rains caught hundreds of thousands of tourists, pilgrims and local residents.

The crisis began when torrential rains washed away homes and roads and triggered landslides that cut off communication links with large parts of the state nearly a week ago.

State Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna told reporters late Saturday that the death toll had reached 1,000. The exact number of people who have died in the heavy downpours and flooding of the Ganges River and its tributaries won't be known until rescue efforts end, he said.

About 10,000 army and paramilitary troops, members of India's disaster management agency and volunteers have taken part in six days of rescue and relief efforts. The army has rescued more than 80,000 people by road and air, said Amit Chandola, a state government spokesman.

More rain was expected in the worst-hit Chamoli and Uttarkashi districts over the next few days, said Anand Sharma of the state's meteorological office.

Sharma said the rains in Uttarakhand were the heaviest in nearly 80 years.

In the small town of Gauchar, where the army has set up a camp for those rescued from the temple town of Kedarnath, anxious pilgrims waited for word about relatives yet to be rescued by army helicopters.

"I'm waiting to hear from my daughter and her husband," sobbed Indu Bal Singh, 65, who became separated from her daughter, son-in-law and two grandchildren. Singh was among a group of pilgrims who were rescued first because of her age.

Singh, who has waited two days, refused to return to her home in the eastern Jharkhand state until she is reunited with her family. "I won't move from here until I hear they are safe," she said.

Across India, volunteer groups and ordinary citizens were contributing clothes, food, blankets and money for residents of Uttarakhand whose homes have been washed away by the floods.

The United States will provide $150,000 in emergency relief to families living in remote areas of the state, U.S. Ambassador Nancy J. Powell said Sunday.

"We are deeply saddened by the tremendous personal loss and the damage to houses, public buildings, temples, roads, and bridges, as well as safe drinking water sources, livestock, and agricultural land," Powell said.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/bad-weather-hampering-indian-flood-rescue-efforts-100657869.html

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Immigration bill faces another major hurdle in Senate on Monday

A major addition to the immigration bill that beefs up border security and effectively serves in part as a ?redo? of the legislation will face a crucial procedural vote in the Senate on Monday afternoon.

Written after a series of negotiations between Republican Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee and Democratic Sen. John Hoeven of North Dakota, the amendment is intended to ease concerns of skeptical lawmakers who are calling for tougher border enforcement as part of the bill.

The bill retains the language of the original one proposed by a bipartisan group of eight senators earlier this year, but adds 119 new pages, Corker says. While most of the language would remain the same, the Corker-Hoeven version strengthens security measures by nearly doubling the amount of security agents along the nation's borders. The bill would also mandate the construction of a fence stretching "no less than" 700 miles along the U.S. border with Mexico and provide funding for aerial surveillance of the area. The federal government will be required to meet a series of security benchmarks before immigrants living in the country illegally would be allowed to obtain permanent legal status.

?The American people want a strong, comprehensive immigration reform plan, but we need to get it right,? Hoeven said in a statement last week. ?That means first and foremost securing the southern border before we address other meaningful reforms to our immigration policy. They want to know that ten years from now, we won?t find ourselves in this same position, having to address the same problem.?

The Senate will vote on whether to end debate on the amendment, which will allow it to move on to final passage within the next few weeks.

Lawmakers rejected a similar (and less costly) amendment to the bill proposed by Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn last week by tabling the measure, so supporters of the new amendment hope it will serve as a new vessel to entice more Republicans to sign on to the bill.

The co-authors of the original immigration bill, including Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York and Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, have spoken optimistically about securing as many as 70 votes for the final bill in the Senate, the number they think the bill needs to show the effort has wide bipartisan support. The bill is likely to get the support from 60 members needed to overcome a filibuster, but getting 70 would put pressure on the House?a chamber with a higher concentration of conservative lawmakers?to act.

?We?re very, very close to getting 70 votes," Graham said during a weekend interview on ?Fox News Sunday.?

The Senate is expected to hold the procedural vote on the Corker-Hoeven amendment at about 5:30 p.m. Monday.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/immigration-bill-faces-another-major-hurdle-senate-monday-151728618.html

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How Messy Is Your Computer's Desktop?

We all aspire to a certain amount of digital desktop cleanliness, but I think rather few of us actually keep up on it. As the days go by, the clutter builds bit by bit, and it's just irritating enough to be unpleasant, but not a big enough deal to actually clean up.

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Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/QwW6CEx5qNk/how-messy-is-your-computers-desktop-542920795

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