WHO wants HIV patients treated sooner to save lives, halt spread

By Kate Kelland

LONDON (Reuters) - Doctors could save three million more lives worldwide by 2025 if they offer AIDS drugs to people with HIV much sooner after they test positive for the virus, the World Health Organization said on Sunday.

While better access to cheap generic AIDS drugs means many more people are now getting treatment, health workers, particularly in poor countries with limited health budgets, currently tend to wait until the infection has progressed.

But in new guidelines aimed at controlling and eventually reducing the global AIDS epidemic, the U.N. health agency said some 26 million HIV-positive people - or around 80 percent of all those with the virus - should be getting drug treatment.

The guidelines, which set a global standard for when people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) should start antiretroviral treatment, were drawn up after numerous studies found that treating HIV patients earlier can keep them healthy for many years and also lowers the amount of virus in the blood, significantly cutting their risk of infecting someone else.

"We are raising the bar to 26 million people," said Gottfried Hirnschall, the WHO's HIV/AIDS department director.

"And this is not only about keeping people healthy and alive but also about blocking further transmission of HIV."

Some 34 million people worldwide have the HIV virus that causes AIDS and the vast majority of them live in poor and developing countries. Sub-Saharan Africa is by far the worst affected region.

But the epidemic - which has killed 25 million people in the 30 years since HIV was first discovered - is showing some signs of being turned around. The United Nations AIDS program UNAIDS says deaths from the disease fell to 1.7 million in 2011, down from a peak of 2.3 million in 2005 and from 1.8 million in 2010.

Swift progress has also been made in getting more HIV patients into treatment, with 9.7 million people getting life-saving AIDS drugs in 2012, up from just 300,000 people a decade earlier, according to latest WHO data also published on Sunday.

Indian generics companies are leading suppliers of HIV drugs to Africa and to many other poor countries. Major Western HIV drugmakers include Gilead Sciences, Johnson & Johnson and ViiV Healthcare, which is majority-owned by GlaxoSmithKline.

"IRREVERSIBLE DECLINE"?

Margaret Chan, the WHO's director general, said the dramatic improvement in access to HIV treatment raised the prospect of the world one day being able to beat the disease.

"With nearly 10 million people now on antiretroviral therapy, we see that such prospects - unthinkable just a few years ago - can now fuel the momentum needed to push the HIV epidemic into irreversible decline," she said in a statement.

The WHO's guidelines encourage health authorities worldwide to start treatment in adults with HIV as soon as a key test known as a CD4 cell count falls to a measure of 500 cells per cubic millimeter or less.

The previous WHO standard was to offer treatment at a CD4 count of 350 or less, in other words when the virus has already started to damage the patient's immune system.

The guidelines also say all pregnant or breastfeeding women and all children under five with HIV should start treatment immediately, whatever their CD4 count, and that all HIV patients should be regularly monitored to assess their "viral load".

This allows health workers to check whether the medicines are reducing the amount of virus in the blood. It also encourages patients to keep taking their medicine because they can see it having positive results.

"There's no greater motivating factor for people to stick to their HIV treatment than knowing the virus is ?undetectable' in their blood," said Gilles van Cutsem, the medical coordinator in South Africa for the international medical humanitarian organisation M?decins Sans Fronti?res (MSF).

MSF welcomed the new guidelines but cautioned that the money and the political will to implement them was also needed.

"Now is not the time to be daunted but to push forward," MSF president Unni Karunakara said in a statement. "So it's critical to mobilize international support... including funding for HIV treatment programs from donor governments."

The WHO's Hirnschall said getting AIDS drugs to the extra patients brought in by the new guidelines would require another 10 percent on top of the $22-$24 billion a year currently needed to fund the global fight against HIV and AIDS.

(Editing by Gareth Jones)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/wants-hiv-patients-treated-sooner-save-lives-halt-042525713.html

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Anna Nicole Smith Movie Review: Ripped From the Headlines, Six Years Later

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Stones play long-awaited Glastonbury gig

PILTON, England (AP) ? There's a first time for everything, even if you're the Rolling Stones.

The rock rabble-rousers who formed half a century ago played Britain's Glastonbury Festival on Saturday, their debut appearance at the country's most prestigious rock music event.

A majority of the 135,000 festival ticket-holders crammed into the fields in front of Glastonbury's Pyramid Stage for the gig, which opened with a rousing "Jumpin' Jack Flash."

As on recent tour dates, the Stones gave fans a fistful of classic hits ? including "It's Only Rock 'n' Roll (But I Like It)," ''Paint it Black," ''Wild Horses" and "Gimme Shelter" ? as well as newer songs.

There was even a brand-new folky number called "Glastonbury Girl," written specially for the occasion.

Singer Mick Jagger, who turns 70 in July, has lost none of his swagger, strutting the stage in a sequined green jacket, a satin-lined black cape ? on "Sympathy For the Devil" ? and other eye-catching outfits.

He thanked fans who had followed the band for five decades, and told newcomers, "do come again," before giving the crowd what it had been waiting for ? an encore of "Satisfaction."

In a pre-show BBC radio interview, Jagger gave no clue about whether the band he started with Keith Richards in 1962 will ever call it quits. He said, "I've no idea," before telling an interviewer that he'd probably continue as long as he was wanted.

The band recently played a string of North American dates on its "50 and Counting" tour and is due to play two concerts in London's Hyde Park next month.

The Stones turned down offers to play Glastonbury for years, but appeared to embrace the down-to-earth spirit of the festival, held on a farm in southwest England. On Saturday, Jagger tweeted a picture of himself outside a yurt, a Mongolian-style felt tent where he reportedly spent the night.

And he told the crowd he had been to see Friday night's headliners, Arctic Monkeys.

Guitarist Richards said ahead of the show that the band was "destined to play Glastonbury."

"I look upon it as a culmination of our British heritage really," he said. "It had to be done."

The Glastonbury Festival was founded by Michael Eavis in 1970 on his Worthy Farm near Pilton, 120 miles (193 kilometers) southwest of London. It is famous for its eclectic lineup ? and the mud that overwhelms the site in rainy years.

Other performers on Saturday included Elvis Costello and Primal Scream. But for many festivalgoers, the Stones were the main event.

The three-day festival wraps up Sunday with a headlining set from Britain's Mumford & Sons.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/stones-play-long-awaited-glastonbury-gig-214124066.html

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Obama stresses food security in western Africa (Washington Bureau)

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Small business owners support Obama's clean energy and ...

June 28, 2013 | Washington Post

Most small business owners support some of the climate control and clean energy plans outlined this week by the Obama administration, according to a poll released Thursday.

More than three-fourths (79 percent) of small employers think the the government should set a national goal to increase energy efficiency by half over the next decade, and nearly twice as many believe government incentives for clean energy innovation should be a high or top priority than believe they should be a low or non-priority.

The results are part of a report released by the American Sustainable Business Council, a business advocacy and research organization. David Levine, the group?s chief executive, noted that most of the responses did not vary based on respondents? political persuasions.

?Small business owners across the country and across the political spectrum believe that clean energy makes sense not only for the environment, but it makes good business sense, too,? Levine said in an interview. ?There?s a recognition that these clean energy policies really are better for their financial bottom lines.?

During a speech in Washington on Tuesday, Obama announced several ambitious proposals aimed at reversing recent climate changes and making the country more self-sufficient. Most notably, he ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to limit carbon dioxide emissions for coal- and gas-powered utilities by 2015.

?I refuse to condemn your generation and future generations to a planet that?s beyond fixing,? Obama told students during the event at Georgetown University.

Small business owners support that objective, too. Nearly two-thirds think the EPA should cap emissions in existing power plants, including 86 percent of Democrats and 54 percent of Republicans.

More than half of employers believe the government should also encourage banks to consider environmental criteria when evaluating loan applications and investment opportunities, according to the poll, which was based on 515 responses from employers with fewer than 100 employees. Sixty-three percent support a government mandate that would require 20 percent of electricity to be generated from sustainable energy sources.

It?s a slightly surprising stance from a group that is often considered purely anti-regulations and anti-government involvement, but one small business owner noted that these rules would mainly affect large energy and electricity producers, not firms on Main Street.

Susan Labandibar, president of Tech Networks of Boston in South Boston, Mass., added that devastation from recent natural disasters, including Hurricane Sandy and the twisters in the Midwest, has probably prompted some small employers to take climate shifts more seriously.

?Small businesses are uniquely vulnerable to severe weather events, and there has been a huge amount of disruption from some of these storms,? Labandibar said, noting that her own firm was hit hard by Sandy.

Meanwhile, Levine says the overarching ?businesses-hate-regulations? notion has been fueled by policy discussions that have more to do with political sparring than reviving the economy.

?This shows that, when you ask some of these questions outside of the political arena, you get a different take than what you hear in Congress,? he said. ?We need to change the dialogue in Washington, and get away from party-line rhetoric and talk more about what?s actually good for business and what?s actually good for the economy.?

Follow On Small Business and J.D. Harrison .

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Congress.org

Source: http://congress.org/2013/06/28/small-business-owners-support-obamas-clean-energy-and-environmental-policies-poll-shows/

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Mandela remains 'critical but stable'

COMMENTARY | With the sesquis?sequic?.the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, as well as the Fourth of July weekend coming up, it's a good time to beat the heat and see some history. Here are the five best Civil War films to see, and three you might want to take a pass on.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/mandela-still-critical-zuma-says-hopes-leave-hospital-110659787.html

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Toys R Us In Caesar's Bay Shopping Center Reopens After Sandy ...

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It's been closed since Hurricane Sandy, but now, a mega toy store on the Brooklyn waterfront has finally bounced back. NY1's Jeanine Ramirez filed the following report.

With long lines and full shopping carts, it looked like Black Friday, traditionally the busiest holiday shopping day of the year, at a Toys R Us on Bay Parkway Friday. But on this Friday, it was the reopening of the store, eight months to the day after Hurricane Sandy destroyed it.

"It took eight months to rebuild what Sandy has done, and as you can see, today's a great day in Toys R Us history and for Brooklyn," said Steven Caruso, the store's co-manager.

The store is one of only two Toys R Us stores in the borough.

'We really had to go to Manhattan or further away to find a big Toys R Us store like this," said one shopper.

A temporary tent was put up in the parking lot while the building was being repaired, but it had limited inventory.

"To make sure the community knew we were still here," said Sal Lobosco, the store's co-manager. "We didn't want to leave the parking lot here."

The store sits on the waterfront, and Hurricane Sandy's surge came up through the piers and buckled the floors. After millions of dollars of damage, the store is now re-designed. It now combines Toys R Us and Babies R Us under one roof.

As part of the store's makeover, the entrances and exits were relocated.

"I'm so glad that it opened now," said one shopper. "It's hard to find stuff because I don't really know the store anymore because they changed the games to the back, but I mean, you're going to get used to it eventually."

"I feel like I need a map to be in here, 'cause it's so beautiful," said another. "And I'm glad that it's open. It's great for the community."

The Toys R Us was the last part of the Caesar's Bay shopping center to bounce back. The Kohl's, which was also damaged by the storm, reopened in April.

To welcome back the community, the Toys R Us is offering all kinds of sales and special events.

"I'm excited to get a pool here and all new summer stuff," said one shopper.

The crowds turned out for the store's reopening Friday. There were kids in pools that had no water, and some hidden in carts covered in toys.

Source: http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stories/184680/toys-r-us-in-caesar-s-bay-shopping-center-reopens-after-sandy-repairs

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Gut Microbes Spur Liver Cancer in Obese Mice

The link between cancer and obesity may be related to changes in gut fauna, at least in obese mice with liver cancer. Pictured: Clostridium difficile Image: Flickr/AJ Cann

• 

  Showcasing more than fifty of the most provocative, original, and significant online essays from 2011, The Best Science Writing Online 2012 will change the way...

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The gut bacteria of obese mice unleash high levels of an acid that promotes liver cancer, reveals one of the first studies to uncover a mechanism for the link between obesity and cancer. The research is published today in Nature.

?Obesity in general has many different types of cancer associated with it,? says Eiji Hara, a cancer biologist at the Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research in Tokyo and one of the study authors. But in the case of liver cancer, he says, ?I never expected the microbiome was linked.?

Hara and his colleagues initially set out to study how dying cells influence obesity-linked cancers. Cells that are irreparably damaged or pre-cancerous can become senescent ? meaning that they stop dividing for overall health of the organism. But before senescent cells die, they can spew out chemicals that may cause inflammation and promote cancer development.

To examine whether senescent cells are involved in obesity-induced cancers, Hara and his colleagues worked with genetically engineered mice whose cells emit light upon becoming senescent. They then primed the mice by exposing them to a carcinogenic chemical, a process that Hara says may be similar to humans? exposure to environmental toxins, such as air pollution. Researchers then fed the mice either a normal diet or a high-fat diet.

After 30 weeks, only 5% of the lean mice developed cancer ? in their lungs ? whereas all the obese mice developed liver cancer.

Although the results showed that cell senescence was involved in obesity-linked cancer in the mice, Hara and his colleagues did not initially understand why the liver became a hotbed for tumors. But when they compared the blood serum of the two groups of mice, they found that the obese mice had much higher amounts of deoxycholic acid (DCA), a chemical that causes DNA damage and can induce cell senescence.

Deliver to the liver
DCA is a by-product of metabolism in intestinal bacteria. In the gut, certain types of microbes convert bile acids ? which aid in fat digestion ? to the more harmful DCA, which is then absorbed into the bloodstream and delivered to the liver.

The researchers found that obese mice had a greater number of DCA-producing Clostridium bacteria, and that obese mice given antibiotics to clear intestinal bacteria developed fewer liver tumors.

Peter Turnbaugh, a systems biologist at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, says that the data provide a clear example of how the metabolism of gut microbes links obesity and cancer. ?They?ve uncovered a nice story,? he says.

This article is reproduced with permission from the magazine Nature. The article was first published on June 26, 2013.

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/~r/sciam/basic-science/~3/sKyfrH6BAQQ/article.cfm

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Sony expands high-end Cyber-shot lineup with RX100M2, full-frame RX1R (hands-on)

Sony's brilliant RX100 and RX1 advanced point-and-shoots will live to see another day. Instead of replacing these two well-received pocket cams, the company has opted to expand the upper end of its Cyber-shot lineup, adding two very compelling new models. First up is the RX1R, a full-frame compact that'll retail for $2,799, the same price last year's model still commands today. In fact, it's nearly identical to 2012's flavor, with the exception of a redesigned sensor, which drops the optical low-pass filter in the interest of sharper captures. Of course, without that component, the camera is susceptible to moire and false color issues, so the RX1R is a better fit for landscape photographers than portrait shooters or photojournalists. It also sports Triluminous Color output through the HDMI port, for enhanced visuals on select HDTVs.

The vast majority of shooters are going to be much more excited about the Cyber-shot RX100M2, though. This "Mark II" variant of the RX100 borrows a few features from Sony's NEX line, which is never a bad thing. Looking at the camera, you'll first notice the 3-inch 1.3M-dot tiltable LCD, which can flip 84 degrees upward and 45 degrees downward. There's also a Multi Interface Shoe for adding on accessories like a microphone, OLED EVF or external flash. Additionally, the USB port is now a Multi Interface Terminal, so it'll work with the RM-VPR1 remote, and Sony added WiFi, NFC, and Triluminous Color output through the HDMI connector. On the imaging front, there's a brand new 1-inch BSI CMOS sensor, boosting sensitivity to the tune of one full stop (we're told ISO 3200 shots are comparable to ISO 1600 on the RX100). The top sensitivity also jumps from ISO 6400 to 12,800, which is pretty fantastic for a point-and-shoot.

As with the RX1, you'll still be able to snag the RX100 for some time to come. And for many photographers, last year's model may be the best pick -- the RX100M2, while a bit more feature-packed, retails for a $100 more than its predecessor, with a $750 MSRP. The RX1R, however, maintains the same pricing as the RX1, at $2,799. Both cameras, which you can check out now in the hands-on gallery below, are expected in stores by the middle of July.

Gallery: Sony Cyber-shot RX1R and RX100M2 hands-on

Filed under: Cameras, Sony

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/Kt6oQ_5U_Bw/

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Paula Deen's 'Today' appearance ends in tears

NEW YORK (AP) ? Paula Deen dissolved into tears during a "Today" show interview Wednesday about her admission that she used a racial slur in the past, saying anyone in the audience who's never said anything they've regretted to pick up a rock and throw it at her head.

The celebrity chef, who had backed out of a "Today" interview last Friday, said she was not a racist and was heartbroken by the controversy that began with her own deposition in a lawsuit. Deen has been dropped by the Food Network and as a celebrity endorser by Smithfield Foods.

"I've had to hold friends in my arms while they've sobbed because they know what's been said about me is not true and I'm having to comfort them," she said.

Deen told Lauer she could only recall using the "n-word" once. She had earlier said that she remembered using it when retelling a story about when she was held at gunpoint by a robber who was black while working as a bank teller in the 1980s in Georgia. In a deposition for the lawsuit involving an employee in a restaurant owned by Deen and her brother, she had said she may also have used the slur when recalling conversations between black employees at her restaurants.

Looking distressed and her voice breaking, Deen said if there was someone in the audience who had never said something they wished they could take back, "please pick up that stone and throw it as hard at my head so it kills me. I want to meet you. I want to meet you.

"I is what I is and I'm not changing," she said. "There's someone evil out there that saw what I worked for and wanted it."

An uncomfortable Lauer tried to end the interview, but Deen repeated that anyone who hasn't sinned should attack her.

Deen said she appreciated fans who have expressed anger at the Food Network for dropping her, but said she didn't support a boycott of the network.

"These people who have met me and know me and love me, they're as angry as the people who are reading these stories that are lies," she said.

___

Online:

http://www.today.com/

___

Follow Dave Bauder on Twitter at http://twitter.com/dbauder

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/paula-deens-today-appearance-ends-tears-120225940.html

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95% Stories We Tell

All Critics (80) | Top Critics (35) | Fresh (76) | Rotten (4)

Everyone has a different story. I found myself holding my breath listening to them talk. The story twists like a thriller.

Stories We Tell is not just very moving; it is an exploration of truth and fiction that will stay with you long after repeated viewings.

Part of the movie's pleasure is how comfortable the "storytellers" are with their director; you get a sense of a complicated but tight-knit family, going along with Sarah's project because they love her.

Never sentimental, never cold and never completely sure of anything, Polley comes across as a woman caught in wonder.

After you see it, you'll be practically exploding with questions - and with awe.

Polley ... smilingly tells us that a story like hers can never truly be tied down, even as she screws every last piece into place.

Polley's cine-tribute is a gripping and absorbing meditation on the unknowability of other lives.

The films greatest achievement is in how deeply mesmerising one woman's story can be, regardless of whether she's famous or not.

Honestly, it's one of the best things you'll see this year.

Polley's fearless personal journey is a huge achievement, a genuine revelation - but the less detail you know beforehand, the better. Go in cold, come out warmed.

Sarah Polley is often referred to in Canada as a 'national treasure'. She's far more than that. She's a treasure to the world - period. And so, finally, is her film.

An absorbing exercise not only in documentary excavation but in narrative construction.

Sarah Polley's exploration of her tangled family history is a complex and thoroughly fascinating inquiry into the nature of truth and memory -- and, inevitably, into Polley herself.

This is simply a gorgeously realised and warmly compiled family album, which lingers with us not because its subjects are so unusual and alien, but because they feel so close to home. What a success.

Sarah Polley's personal "documentary" suffers from one additional emotional beat too many. Otherwise, it's mesmerizing.

Polley interviews her family and acquaintances with remarkable candor and intimacy, perhaps as a method of catharsis, but it never feels like a vanity project or a simple airing of dirty laundry.

The great conceit of Polley's theories of perspective and truth is that she, as director, ultimately controlled everyone's memories because she arranged them on film.

As with her other films, when Sarah Polley takes it upon herself to tell us a story, you can bet it's a tale well-told and one that you'll want to hear.

What Stories We Tell does so brilliantly is both tell the story and tell about how we tell our stories. The truth may not be out there.

This is a warm, brave and thought-provoking piece of autobiography.

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

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Russia, U.S. fail to agree plan for Syria peace talks

By Oliver Holmes and Tom Miles

BEIRUT/GENEVA (Reuters) - Talks between the United States and Russia to set up a Syrian peace conference produced no deal on Tuesday, with the powers on either side of the two-year civil war failing to agree when it should be held or who would be invited.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal accused the Syrian government of "genocide" and described the involvement in the conflict of foreign militias backed by Iran as "the most dangerous development".

Washington and Moscow announced plans for the peace conference last month, but their relations have since deteriorated rapidly, as momentum on the battlefield has swung in favor of President Bashar al-Assad.

Washington decided this month to provide military aid to the rebels fighting Assad, while Moscow refused to drop its support for the Syrian leader it has continued to arm.

After five hours of talks in Geneva sponsored by the United Nations, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said there was still no agreement over whether Assad's ally Iran should be allowed to attend the conference, or who would represent the Syrian opposition.

The United States and Western European powers have joined Arab countries and Turkey in supporting the mainly Sunni Muslim rebels. Russia and Iran support Assad, who has made gains in recent weeks with the help of thousands of fighters from the Iranian-backed Lebanese Shi'ite militia Hezbollah.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will meet next week, and further talks on the conference are expected to follow, a U.N. statement said.

In Damascus, Assad's forces fired mortars and shells at Zamalka and Irbin, just east of the government-held city centre, in an assault backed by air strikes, opposition activists said.

Rebels who grabbed footholds in Damascus nearly a year ago say they now face an advancing Syrian military buoyed by support from Hezbollah.

If the insurgents are driven from the capital's eastern suburbs, they would lose supply routes and suffer a heavy blow in their drive to end four decades of Assad family rule.

In Jeddah, Prince Saud repeated Saudi Arabia's call for the rebels to be armed. "Syria is facing a double-edged attack. It is facing genocide by the government and an invasion from outside the government," he told a news conference with Kerry. "(It) is facing a massive flow of weapons to aid and abet that invasion and that genocide. This must end."

The Saudi foreign minister attacked Iranian involvement. "The most dangerous development is the foreign participation, represented by Hezbollah and other militias supported by the forces of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard," he said.

Saudi Arabia, a Sunni state which views Shi'ite Iran as its arch-rival, has increased aid to Syrian rebels in recent months, supplying anti-aircraft missiles among other weapons.

Security in Syria's neighbors Iraq and Lebanon, where the conflict has aggravated Sunni-Shi'ite tensions, has crumbled.

Suicide bombers killed eight people north of Baghdad on Tuesday, a day after 39 people died when 10 car bombs exploded in the capital. Violence has spiraled in Iraq since April.

"GETTING OUT OF HAND"

In Lebanon, clashes between the Lebanese army and gunmen led by an anti-Hezbollah Sunni cleric engulfed the southern port of Sidon on Sunday and Monday. At least 40 people were killed, including 18 soldiers, security sources said.

Sectarian hatred has even flared in Sunni-majority Egypt, where a crowd attacked and killed five Shi'ites on Sunday.

Lakhdar Brahimi, the U.N.-Arab League mediator, urged the United States and Russia to help "contain this situation that is getting out of hand, not only in Syria but also in the region".

Speaking in Geneva before the talks with U.S. and Russian officials, Brahimi said he doubted that the Syria peace conference could take place next month, citing disarray among Assad's political opponents.

More than 93,000 people have been killed in Syria since peaceful protests erupted in March 2011. Assad's violent response helped to provoke what is now a civil war that has driven nearly 1.7 million refugees into neighbouring countries.

Outgunned rebels are looking to Western and Arab nations to help them to reverse Assad's gains. But although the United States announced unspecified military aid this month, it is unclear whether this can shift the balance against the Syrian leader and his allies.

Kerry wants to ensure aid to the rebels is properly coordinated, partly out of concern that weapons could end up in the hands of Islamist militants who are prominent in their ranks. "Our goal is very clear, we cannot let this be a wider war, we cannot let this contribute to more bloodshed and prolongation of the agony of the people of Syria," he said.

(Additional reporting by Mahmoud Habboush in Dubai and Lesley Wroughton in Jeddah; Writing by Alistair Lyon and Peter Graff, editing by David Stamp)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/syria-military-battles-rebels-eastern-damascus-115452207.html

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Square branches out into e-commerce with new ... - The Next Web

Mobile and digital payment platform Square has moved into a new market today. It?s a bit different than what most people might think ? it?s an e-commerce play called?Square Market and it enables local businesses throughout the United States to sell their products to anyone, anywhere, through the Internet.

A different kind of market

Earlier today, the company tweeted out a tease hinting that it would be expanding into a new market this week. After the recent move into Japan, its second international country, it made sense that Square could be expanding to other places ? perhaps Europe? Australia? South America? We now know that to be inaccurate.

Square Market is the company?s digital marketplace where people can go to find local businesses who want to sell their products anywhere in the US. It?s different from the Square Directory, which was set up as a means to find physical stores that accepted the Square Card Reader. The Market is Square?s way of helping businesses reach more customers. After all, wouldn?t it be great to order Blue Bottle coffee from Las Vegas or New York City?

Creating a global marketplace of local businesses

This e-commerce play is much different than simply shopping on Amazon or large retailers. Square Market is solely focused on the local businesses, which has been the company?s?modus operandi from day one. There?s something to be said about local businesses and the quality and care that they put into their product.

One of the unfortunate downsides of being a local business is that the store is essentially limited to just the community around it. And it doesn?t even have to be a physical store ? after all, there are many people that have tangible goods who might work out of their homes or an office and want to find ways to sell their wares. With Square Market, it looks like the company is helping to create more of a national marketplace accessible to everyone and at a rate that won?t break the bank.

No expensive set up needed

Square says that with its marketplace, sellers won?t need to spend a ton of money dealing with creating a website, fees, or even ?complex inventory management.? The company lets anyone open up a store on its platform for free with items, photos, and a profile. Square only charges a 2.75 percent transaction fee for each item sold.

Merchants can also sync up items sold through their Square Register right with their online store.

But how will customers find the store? Square says that merchants and customers can easily share items that they?ve found in a store through Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Leveraging Twitter?s Cards API, the item?s description and photo will appear within the Tweet.

Naturally, Square will handle all transactions. Through its dashboard, merchants can view all order details and also choose how an item is to be shipped.

Fulfillment not included

Square Market isn?t going to do all the work for the merchant. Once the transaction has been processed, it?s up to the seller to ship the item and handle all fulfillment requests. In a sense, one could think about it as if you?re in New York City and you bought a cup of coffee from Blue Bottle in San Francisco. The barrista would need to package it and ship it to you either through FedEx, UPS, DHS, or even the US postal service.

Social selling

Square?s entry into the social selling space is an interesting one, especially as it seems more companies are seeking to find ways to monetize it. It could also be advantageous if Square finds a way to effectively utilize it, especially in light of the competition it?s facing from PayPal, Intuit, Amazon, and others.

But let?s also not forget those startups that have been here for a while, including Chirpify and Ribbon. They are the ones that have made it so brands can sell their wares using a simple Tweet, Facebook post, or even a YouTube video.

Ajit Varma, Square?s Director of Discovery, says that the company is ?focused on making easy-to-use tools for merchants that create an incredible experience for their customers ? no matter where they are. Creating an online marketplace is our next step in making commerce easy for everyone. Square Market makes local businesses accessible to customers down the block and across the country.?

This feature is available also on mobile devices. Since the service already syncs with the Square Register app, it wouldn?t be that unbelievable that when a purchase is made, the merchant will be notified on their phone or tablet device and easily process the transaction. It could also be registered using Square?s newest device, Stand, which was revealed in May for US retailers to have for $299.

Busy year for Square

Today?s news just adds onto Square?s busy year. It is already processing $15 billion payments annually (not including the amount from Starbucks, which is a major investor in the company).

The company also has made strides to expand itself internationally, with the hiring of former Google executive Francoise Brougher and former US Deputy Trade Representative Demetrios Marantis. As mentioned earlier, Square has brought its platform to Japan, making it the second non-US country following Canada.

It also comes on the heels of company co-founder Tristan O?Tierney announcing his departure after 4.5 years.

Square Market is available starting today for US merchants to set up their shops and begin selling online.

Update:?Square co-founder and CEO Jack Dorsey tweeted out that Square Market was created in just three months.

? Square Market

Source: http://thenextweb.com/insider/2013/06/26/square-branches-out-into-ecommerce-with-new-square-market-virtual-stores-for-us-businesses/

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Immigration reform takes giant leap forward with Senate vote

Senators think they have to pass immigration reform overwhelmingly to persuade the House to play ball. They paved the way for that to happen by passing an important amendment Monday.

By David Grant,?Staff writer / June 24, 2013

Sen. Bob Corker (R) of Tennessee speaks with reporters at the Capitol in Washington Monday. A measure he crafted with Sen. John Hoeven (R) of North Dakota would amend the comprehensive immigration reform bill to double the size of the US Border Patrol and complete 700 miles of fencing on the border with Mexico.

J. Scott Applewhite/AP

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The Senate took a giant leap toward passing an immigration reform bill on Monday by approving a bipartisan amendment promising a border security ?surge.?

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The 67-to-27 vote opens the door for a dozen or more Senate Republicans to help assure the bill?s overwhelming final passage before week?s end. Fifteen Republicans ? one third of the party conference ? voted in favor of the measure.

The compromise amendment broke the Senate?s stalemate on immigration ? finding long-sought middle way between Republican requirements of stiffer border security and Democratic demands that the path to citizenship for those in the country illegally not be delayed indefinitely. It brought a number of Republicans into the immigration reform fold and firmed up support among some conservative-leaning Democrats.

?The bill has been improved dramatically tonight by this vote, there?s no question? says Sen. Bob Corker (R) of Tennessee, who crafted the amendment with Sen. John Hoeven of North Dakota and the main bill's bipartisan "Gang of Eight" authors.

In addition to addressing border security, the amendment was important because it also incorporated amendments from Sens. Susan Collins (R) of Maine and Bernie Sanders (I) of Vermont that should swing more support to the final bill. And that process isn't finished. The discussions among Senator Corker, Senator Hoeven, and the Gang of Eight also laid the groundwork for amendments from other senators ? such as Sen. Rob Portman (R) of Ohio ? that could broaden the appeal of the bill further.

?Hopefully there will be other improvements made with other amendments, and my sense is we?re going to pass an immigration bill out of the United States Senate that is no doubt historic and I think is something very, very important for this nation,? Corker said.

The amendment's key provisions include:

• More than 19,000 new border patrol agents by 2019, nearly doubling the size of the border patrol, and separately add some 3,500 more customs agents by 2017.
• The construction of 700 miles of fencing along the US-Mexico border, up from 350 miles in the original legislation.
• Specific border security materiel for each section of the border, from the number of video surveillance systems near Tucson to the number of ground sensors buried near San Diego, for example. Among the new assets will be four border surveillance drones and a clutch of Blackhawk helicopters for borderwide surveillance and enforcement.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/dAuhuFcUDg8/Immigration-reform-takes-giant-leap-forward-with-Senate-vote

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Carnival sees fewer bookings, replaces its CEO

NEW YORK (AP) ? Passengers remain hesitant to book cruises, despite deep discounts. But that didn't stop Carnival Corp. from eking out a $41 million second-quarter profit thanks to lower fuel costs and the timing of some administrative expenses.

The Miami-based company also announced Tuesday that Micky Arison, who has been CEO since 1979 and is the son of Carnival co-founder Ted Arison, is being replaced by Arnold W. Donald, who has served on the company's board for the past 12 years. Arison will continue to serve as chairman of the board.

The profit was nearly triple the $14 million the world's largest cruise company earned during same period last year, a quarter which it suffered from steep losses on fuel prices bets known as derivatives.

Earnings totaled of 5 cents per share this quarter, up from 2 cents a share last year at this time. Revenue fell 1.7 percent to $3.48 billion. The financial results fell slightly short of Wall Street's expectations. Analysts polled by FactSet had expected earnings of 6 cents per share on revenue of $3.56 billion.

Shares of Carnival fell 11 cents to $32.88 in morning trading.

Arison led the company through an aggressive expansion that included the acquisition of several brands, including Holland America, Costa Cruises, Cunard and Seabourn. In 2003, he oversaw a merger between Carnival Corp. and P&O Princess Cruises. Today, Carnival runs cruises under 10 brands.

However, Arison came under fire during Carnival's bad publicity earlier in the year when a string of its cruise ships suffered through mechanical problems and fires. The most dramatic of them was the Carnival Triumph where passengers were stranded at sea for five days as toilets backed up and air conditioners failed. There were media reports of raw sewage seeping through walls and carpets.

Arison, who also owns the Miami Heat basketball team, took some heat of his own for attending a game while the crisis was ongoing.

Donald founded and led Merisant, a company whose products include sweetener brands Equal and Canderel. He also held multiple senior management roles at Monsanto over the course of 20-plus years, including president of the company's consumer and nutrition sector and president of its agricultural sector.

The Triumph nightmare was followed up with problems on three other Carnival ships: The Elation, Dream and Legend ? all which made big headlines.

None of that helped restore confidence in vacationers who are still wary after the January 2012 sinking of the Costa Concordia, also owned by Carnival.

In its earnings release Tuesday, Carnival said that advance bookings for the rest of 2013 are running behind last year's levels, even at lower prices. Bookings on its namesake Carnival line are particularly weak.

Arison said in a statement that Carnival is working to market the "truly exceptional vacation values" that cruises offer through travel agents and other industry partners.

"We believe these initiatives, combined with slower supply growth, will lead to increased yields," he said. "In addition, we remain focused on reducing our fuel dependence. By year end, we will achieve a 23 percent cumulative reduction in fuel consumption since 2005 and expect our research and development efforts in fuel saving technologies to continue to bear fruit."

Those fuel-savings efforts seem to be paying off. In the quarter that ended May 31, the company saw a 14-percent drop in its fuel bill. The company spent $555 million on fuel, down from $645 million during the same quarter last year. Cruise companies, airlines and other large consumers of fuel typically make bets, called derivatives, on the price of oil to hedge again any sudden spikes. Last year, Carnival lost $145 million in the second quarter on such bets. This year, that loss was narrowed to $31 million.

During the second quarter, the company took delivery of Princess Cruises' 3,560-passenger Royal Princess, the first of a new class of ships for Princess. Additionally, Carnival Sunshine entered service in May following a $155 million modernization.

__

Scott Mayerowitz can be reached at http://twitter.com/GlobeTrotScott.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/carnival-sees-fewer-bookings-replaces-ceo-141836593.html

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Bride's Quiet Moment at Father's Grave Site Goes Viral

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/06/brides-quiet-moment-at-fathers-grave-site-goes-viral/

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Rdio updates family plan, bumps the limit to five users for $32.99 a month

On its blog today, Rdio announced that it will now support up to five people on its family plan. Previously, only three customers were able to buddy up on the music-streaming service, with monthly pricing set at $17.99 for two users and $22.99 for three. Fees for two and three users will remain the same, while four members cost $27.99 and maxing out with five listeners will set you back $32.99 per month. If you already have an account and want to get your sibs in on the actions, head to your Rdio settings and select "Unlimited Family." From there, you can invite the family to sign on.

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Source: Rdio Blog

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/06/24/rdio-updates-family-plan-five-users/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget

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Start spamming your friends today for an early shot at Jay-Z's new album

Samsung is teaming up with rapper Jay-Z to bring 1 million copies of his upcoming album "Magna Carta Holy Grail" a few days before it goes on sale, and the Android app that'll do it for you is now available for download.

You'll need to have the Samsung Galaxy S3, Galaxy S4 or Galaxy Note 2 to participate. And then you'll need to log in using either Facebook or Twitter. And then you'll have to spam share content from the app with your friends. At 12:00:01 a.m. July 4, 1 million lucky fans will get the record that might or might not leak early anyway, a full three days before the official July 7 release.

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/YyYKOds1NZ8/story01.htm

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S. Africa president urges prayers for Mandela

JOHANNESBURG (AP) ? South Africa's president on Monday said a critically ill Nelson Mandela was "asleep" when he visited the 94-year-old at the hospital, and he urged the country to pray for Mandela, describing him as the "father of democracy" who made extraordinary sacrifices on behalf of his people.

President Jacob Zuma told dozens of foreign and South African journalists that doctors are doing everything possible to help the former president feel comfortable on his 17th day in a Pretoria hospital, but refused to give details of Mandela's condition, saying: "I'm not a doctor." The briefing came a day after the government said Mandela's condition had deteriorated and was now critical.

Monday's press gathering highlighted the tension between the government's reluctance to share more information about Mandela on the basis of doctor-patient confidentiality, and media appeals for thorough updates on a figure of global interest. The government's belated acknowledgement that an ambulance carrying Mandela to the hospital on June 8 broke down has fueled the debate about transparency versus the right to privacy.

Zuma's briefing was also an indicator of the extent to which reports on Mandela's health sometimes overshadow the business of the state. Under questioning, Zuma said President Barack Obama would go ahead with a visit to South Africa, despite concerns about Mandela's health.

"President Obama is visiting South Africa," Zuma said. "I don't think you stop a visit because somebody's sick."

Obama, who arrives in Africa this week, is due to visit Senegal, South Africa and Tanzania.

White House spokesman Jay Carney wouldn't speculate about how Mandela's health would impact Obama's upcoming visit to South Africa, saying only that the U.S. president "continues to look forward to his trip."

"The president obviously has long seen Nelson Mandela as one of his personal heroes, and I think he's not alone in that in this country and around the world," Carney said.

Zuma, who in the past has given an overly sunny view of Mandela's health, briefly spoke of his visit Sunday night to Mandela in the hospital in the capital. That visit was mentioned in a presidential statement on the same night that said Mandela, previously described as being in serious but stable condition, had lapsed into critical condition within the previous 24 hours.

"It was late, he was already asleep," Zuma said. "And we then had a bit of a discussion with the doctors as well as his wife, Graca Machel, and we left."

The president said South Africans should accept that Mandela is old, and he urged people to pray for their former leader.

"Madiba is critical in the hospital, and this is the father of democracy. This is the man who fought and sacrificed his life to stay in prison, the longest-serving prisoner in South Africa," Zuma said, using Mandela's clan name.

Mandela, who became South Africa's first black president after the end of apartheid in 1994, was hospitalized for what the government said was a recurring lung infection. This is his fourth hospitalization since December.

Mandela was jailed for 27 years under white racist rule and was released 23 years ago, in 1990. He then played a leading role in steering the divided country from the apartheid era to an all-race democracy. As a result of his sacrifice and peacemaking efforts, he is seen by many around the world as a symbol of reconciliation.

"Nelson Mandela, for me, is like my father," Alex Siake, a South African, said in Pretoria. "Every day, I just pray that he can recover quickly and be among us again."

The Democratic Alliance, South Africa's main opposition party, said in a statement that the news that Mandela was in critical condition came "as a blow to all South Africans."

Zuma referred to the transfer of Mandela from an ambulance with engine trouble to another ambulance on the night he was taken to the hospital in Pretoria.

"Nobody can predict whether the car is going to break down or not," he said. But he said he was pleased because seven doctors, including specialists, in the convoy "made all the contingencies before leaving" and Mandela's health was therefore not affected.

Asked why none of Mandela's doctors had been made available for a news briefing, presidential spokesman Mac Maharaj said an arrangement had been made in consultation with Mandela's family whereby information would be provided through a "single source in an authoritative way."

"We've come to that arrangement on the basis that we need to respect the privacy of the family, we need to adhere to doctor-patient confidentiality," he said.

"You can be assured that what we are saying is based on agreement with the doctors," Maharaj said. Doctors approve the text of announcements on Mandela's health, and believe some media reporting has transgressed professional ethics, he said.

Monday also marked the 18th anniversary of Mandela's appearance at the 1995 Rugby World Cup final in Johannesburg, a day still enshrined as a hugely significant moment for South Africa.

In a move crucial in unifying sections of a previously fractured society, Mandela wore a green and gold Springboks rugby jersey at the June 24 final in Johannesburg and brought all South Africans together in support of their national team ? once an all-white bastion of the apartheid regime and hated by blacks.

Mandela shook hands with and patted the shoulder of the Springboks' captain, Francois Pienaar, after South Africa won a tense final against New Zealand, underlining the new president's dedication to reconciliation.

___

Associated Press writer Julie Pace in Washington contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/south-africa-leader-mandela-asleep-during-visit-164903201.html

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Stanford Center for Sleep Sciences and Medicine: Stanford's Research Provides Hope for Patients With Narcolepsy

Julie Flygare and Dr. Emmanuel Mignot at the SLEEP 2013 meeting in Baltimore.

On a recent trip to San Francisco, I boarded a train headed south to Palo Alto to visit the Stanford Center for Narcolepsy. As the train whizzed through the Bay Area, I reflected on my long and unexpected journey to arrive at this point.

In 2005, I awoke one night to a burglar breaking into my apartment. I'd recently graduated from Brown University and moved into my first "grown up" apartment with a friend in Boston. On this evening, a man in a dark brown hoodie approached me with his arms stretched out toward my neck. I squirmed to get away, but couldn't move. My body was unresponsive, as if wearing a straitjacket.

A few minutes later, I could move again and sat up abruptly, my heart racing with adrenaline pumping. Where was the intruder now? The apartment was silent and all the windows and doors were securely locked. I went back to sleep, confused.

Later that year, I was laughing with a friend about a joke when my knees buckled slightly, as if someone had poked behind my knees. The weakness felt dramatic inside but passed quickly before I was sure what had happened.

This strange momentary weakness began happening every few weeks and started affecting my arms and neck as well. More emotions brought it on -- like annoyance, sexual pleasure, and surprise.

In the fall of 2006, I entered law school, excited for the academic challenges ahead. Before long, I was struggling more than I'd imagined, unable to stay awake in class and while studying at night. Where was my strong willpower?

One morning toward the end of my first year of law school, I awoke in my school's parking lot, unable to recall arriving there. I'd driven just 15 minutes in the morning after getting nine hours to sleep.

"Maybe I have a sleep problem," I said to myself for the first time.

By this time, burglars and other realistic night visitors invaded my sleep regularly. My body continued collapsing with emotions and had gotten worse. Now, I was falling to the ground for a minute or two, paralyzed and unable to speak or move, but remaining conscious and aware of my surroundings.

After multiple primary care doctors missed my diagnosis, I randomly mentioned my knee-buckling laughter to a sports medicine therapist who thought she'd heard of something like that called "cataplexy." At home, I Googled "cataplexy" and discovered it was defined as sudden muscle weakness often triggered by emotion. This described my knee-buckling laughter precisely.

I learned that cataplexy was a symptom of narcolepsy. Other symptoms included excessive daytime sleepiness, hypnagogic hallucinations, and sleep paralysis. Excessive daytime sleepiness offered a possible explanation for my difficulties staying awake. My realistic nighttime burglar experiences sounded a lot like hypnagogic hallucinations and sleep paralysis.

Soon thereafter, I visited a narcolepsy specialist and in September of 2007, at the age of 24, I was officially diagnosed with "narcolepsy with cataplexy," a neurological sleep disorder affecting one in 2,000 Americans and 3 million people worldwide, according to the Narcolepsy Network.

Adjusting to narcolepsy in law school wasn't easy. The treatments improved my symptoms but did not erase them. The medications' side effects left me nauseated and sick in other ways. A few months after the diagnosis, I reached an all-time low, realizing narcolepsy was a serious illness I would face every day of my life. There was no cure.

A half year later, I sat in the silent law school library reading a New York Times article about a researcher named Dr. Emmanuel Mignot, Director of Stanford University's Center for Narcolepsy. Dr. Mignot was unraveling the mysteries of narcolepsy and the possible autoimmune pathology.

The article described: "Dr. Mignot is optimistic about cracking the immune-system connection in narcolepsy soon. 'I don't care actually even if it's going to take a long time,' he said. 'I'm ready to cross deserts.'"

In the article, another doctor states that Dr. Mignot was ideally suited for this work, describing, "This is what is good about Mignot. He is relentless."

Goosebumps raised on my arms as I read this description of Dr. Mignot, a relentless researcher crossing deserts for narcolepsy. That day in the library, I vowed to do my part to help Dr. Mignot build a brighter future for narcolepsy. Although not a scientist, I was determined to make a contribution.

After graduating from law school, I moved to Washington, D.C. to write a memoir and advocate for narcolepsy research on Capitol Hill. I also ran the Boston Marathon in 2010 to raise funds for Dr. Mignot's research.

A few years later, while visiting San Francisco, I made the journey to Palo Alto to finally meet the man behind the magic, the Wizard of Narcolepsy.

Arriving at the Center for Narcolepsy's lab, I gave blood for research purposes and met various researchers exploring the mysteries of sleep and narcolepsy. The scientists patiently translated their work to me. Although some terms went over my head, coming together was joyful, a celebration of our mutual passion for the future of sleep and narcolepsy research.

Last but not least, I had the honor of meeting Dr. Mignot in person. He enthusiastically described his research priorities for the coming years.

"I have some crazy ideas too," he said with a smile and sparkle in his eye.

I couldn't help but chuckle. Dr. Mignot having "some crazy ideas" was great news.

As a person with narcolepsy, I face adversity daily. On hard days, I take solace in knowing that the Wizard of Narcolepsy and his fellow researchers at Stanford are working tirelessly and making progress. Their science is our hope.

Julie Flygare, JD is a leading narcolepsy spokesperson and author of Wide Awake and Dreaming: A Memoir of Narcolepsy. She writes the popular REM Runner blog, organizes the National Sleep Walk, and serves on NIH's Sleep Disorder Research Advisory Board. She is also a patient of the Stanford Center for Sleep Sciences and Medicine. This Center is the birthplace of sleep medicine and includes research, clinical, and educational programs that have advanced the field and improved patient care for decades. To learn more, visit us at: http://sleep.stanford.edu/.

Sources:

Narcolepsy Network. Accessed: June 17, 2013.

Narcolepsy Fact Sheet. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Accessed: June 17, 2013.

For more from the Stanford Center for Sleep Sciences and Medicine, click here.

For more on sleep, click here.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stanford-center-for-sleep-sciences-and-medicine/living-with-narcolepsy_b_3412263.html

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A Weather App That Suggests The Best Times To Do Things

If there are weather apps, calendar apps and to do list apps, there should be an app that spits out an optimal schedule for you to follow. What's the point of jogging in the rain and then doing laundry when the sun comes out? Or maybe you like to run in the rain because it cools you off. Or you're really pale and trying to avoid direct sun. Whatever. It's between you and Foresee now.

Read more...

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/jAeS2fiN3nw/a-weather-app-that-suggests-the-best-times-to-do-things-548511936

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Meredith Melnick: HuffPost Workouts: First Run Of The Summer

Get Healthy Living Alerts:

Friday was the Summer solstice, although it's hard to imagine that fact escaped anyone's notice. And if you're as lazy on Friday mornings as I am, chances are this very day marks your first workout of summer.

Though extra precautions must be taken for this more strenuous season, summer workouts -- especially outdoors -- are a true pleasure: It's light later, the weather calls for little more than some running shorts and a tank top and everyone is in a better mood. That's a recipe for added energy and just the thing to get you moving.

Which means it's time for a summer playlist. The best thing to happen to my headphones this season has been the late spring arrival of Bleached's joyful garage pop album, dreamy tunes from Phoenix and Vampire Weekend's predictable but pleasing new record. For a short weekend run, this is what I'm queuing up:

A Tout A L'Heure -- Biblio
Entertainment -- Phoenix
Diamond -- Lightening Dust
East Coast Girl -- Cayucos
Dead Boy -- Bleached
Finger Back -- Vampire Weekend
Falling -- Haim
Wheel of Fortune -- The Virgins

Tell us in the comments -- what are you listening to this week?

?

Follow Meredith Melnick on Twitter: www.twitter.com/meredithcm

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/meredith-melnick/huffpost-workouts-summer-playlist_b_3480256.html

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