The National Football League is making drastic changes to the Pro Bowl in hopes of increasing popularity for the league's All-Star Game.
No longer will the contest feature a matchup between the AFC and NFC. Instead, players will be assigned to teams through a draft. The two leading vote- getters will join two NFL.com fantasy football champions in building the squads. Hall of Famers Jerry Rice and Deion Sanders will assist in the draft process.
In addition to a new format, there are several other aspects within the game itself that have been altered:
- There are no more kickoffs. The coin toss will determine which team is awarded possession first and the ball will be placed on the 25-yard line after scoring plays.
- The ball will change hands after each quarter.
- Each squad will consist of 43 players.
- The defense will be allowed to play Cover 2 and press coverage.
- The clock will stop if the offense does not gain at least one yard following the two-minute mark of every quarter.
"We were very receptive to the ideas that (NFLPA president) Domonique (Foxworth) and the players put forth," said NFL commissioner Roger Goodell in a statement Wednesday. "From there, our office worked closely with him in developing the concept. The players made it clear that they wanted to continue the Pro Bowl and were committed to making it better than ever. We think these changes will enhance the game for both fans and players."
The Pro Bowl player draft will be held Jan. 22, with the game played four days later at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii.
A joyful road trip from the summer of ?78 has found its way back into My London.
Thirty-five years ago, my late father drove me up to Teeswater to visit Canadian visual artist Alan Weinstein, who had won a major competition.
Weinstein was using the studio at his Teeswater-area farm property to display preliminary designs of the tapestry The Musicians, which had been unveiled at Regina?s Saskatchewan Centre for the Arts in late 1977.
My father, taken with the small dock at Weinstein?s property, took a happy plunge into the Teeswater River. Dad was always a cautious driver and the slow road to Wingham and beyond to the Bruce County village had left him ready to cool off with a swim.
Sadly, the Teeswater became clogged because of runoff from the community around it. The swims of old are gone.
?No one does that anymore,? Weinstein said Wednesday of dad?s swim. ?The ?that? should have been in capital letters,? he said.
Memories of the 1978 visit stayed with me as my first big freelance assignment with The Free Press. Reporter and subject reconnected this week after 35?years. Weinstein is completing an inventory of his work and was trying to track down my story from 1978.
?It gave me a charge, and I ran with it,? Weinstein said Wednesday of the way The Musicians and the competition leading to the work influenced his career.
?(It) changed me a lot. It changed my sense of what I was capable of,? he said back in 1978.
Ditto, on a much smaller scale, for his visitor from London. If a trip to Teeswater to meet such an accomplished artist was in my comfort zone, maybe the words would arrive on other occasions, too.
?The sombre quality that Weinstein can bring to his prints is replaced by an exuberant expression of joyful noise,? said the story of Aug. 25, 1978. ?Whether it is the cellist, almost literally at one with the instrument, or the exaggerated pose of the guitarist, the performers form a (jubilant) orchestra.?
Looking at the images of Weinstein?s masterpiece all these years later, that still seems right. Other than an adventurous spelling of ?jubilant? in the original, the words don?t miss by much.
Toronto-born Weinstein, 74, took the inspiration from The Musicians on a career path including a teaching stint in Texas and a decades-long base in Iowa. A major retrospective at the Stratford art gallery more than a decade ago marked his last major foray close to London.
He and his wife still spend several months each summer at Teeswater.
As we chatted Wednesday, Weinstein made a comment that brought a shiver of pleasure like splashing into vintage Teeswater on a hot summer day.
My father had made the drive that day because it wasn?t until the summer of ?79 when a summer job at The Free Press finally steered me behind the wheel.
He always enjoyed meeting other creative spirits and talked about Weinstein?s work while driving home.
It was never about the money. The $8,000 Weinstein won in the competition was by no means the true prize. Something the artist said reminded me how art and memory will always trump lucre. Or should.
?He was very happy,? he recalled of my father. ?What stands out to me in my memory was the relationship between this mature son and this mature father. It was really a lovely thing to see. As a young father at the time, I thought, ?Gee, I hope I can end up this way.? ?
Thanks for the memory, Alan.
James Reaney is a London Free Press arts & entertainment columnist and reporter.
james.reaney@sunmedia.ca
Twitter.com/JamesatLFPress
TEESWATER CREATORS
What: Brief biographic information on Alan Weinstein, visual artist, and Rocio Lasansky Weinstein, writer, who have had a Teeswater base for more than 40 years.
Alan Weinstein was born in Toronto in 1939. After studies at Paris, Princeton and Iowa, he taught at Regina before settling at Teeswater in 1970. ?The first 45 years were the hardest,? he?s said. ?Alan alone remains .?.?. still without pretense .?.?. performing his art and in doing so performing his life, as though doubt and distractions were options one merely does not exercise, countries one chooses not to visit.? ? Canadian writer Clark Blaise
?Nina Barragan? is the pen name of Roc?o Lasansky Weinstein. A fiction writer, Barragan was born in Cordoba, Argentina, in 1943 and raised in Iowa City, Iowa, where she obtained her BA in English from the University of Iowa. Barragan has lived in Ibiza, Holland, Regina, Iowa and Teeswater where she completed her first collection of short fiction. In 1963, she married Alan Weinstein. Her collection of stories No Peace at Versailles was released in the fall of 1990.
General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Egypt's defense minister, has called for nationwide rallies on July 26 to support the military's stand against what he called "violence and terrorism."
The military chief led the ouster of Islamist President Muhammad Morsi on July 3 following massive public protests against his government.
In a televised speech on July 24, Sisi called on Egyptians to turn out in large numbers.
"I ask that this Friday all honest and trustworthy Egyptians come out. But why come out?" Sisi said. "To give me the mandate and order that I confront violence and potential terrorism."
Morsi is being detained by the military at an undisclosed location.
Since he was removed from office, Morsi's supporters have clashed violently both with security forces and anti-Morsi demonstrators.
An estimated 200 people have been killed.
Sisi pledged to follow a political road map that promises new elections in six months and opens a way for reforming the constitution.
"I feel that someone wants to lead this country into a dangerous tunnel. When Egyptians took to the streets in the millions, the army obeyed and enforced their will," he said. "Nobody should think that the road map that we presented and the procedures that we took can be withdrawn."
In response to General Sisi's speech, pro-Morsi Islamists on July 24 called for mass anticoup protests for July 26.
U.S. Delays Jet Sale
In Washington, the Pentagon announced on July 24 that the Obama administration is delaying a planned sale of four F-16 fighter jets to Egypt due to the current situation in the country.
Pentagon press secretary George Little says President Barack Obama made the decision to hold up the sale. Little said the administration has decided to proceed with an annual U.S.-Egyptian military exercise, named Bright Star.
Separately, security officials say gunmen killed two Egyptian soldiers in the Sinai Peninsula on July 24.
The officials said one soldier died after gunmen fired at a checkpoint near the north Sinai town of El-Arish.
Another soldier was shot dead several hours later in an attack on an army vehicle in El-Arish.
A University of Florida college football player has been charged with interfering with a police canine and resisting arrest, after he was spotted barking at a police dog. According to Sky News, Antonio Morrison was arrested early Sunday on two misdemeanours and Alachua County Sherriff's Office said that the footballer walked up to an open window of a police car and barked at a dog called ...
Korea?s Lotte Department Store Mulls Singapore Trust Listing
Intellasia - Tuesday 23rd July, 2013
Lotte Department Store, South Korea?s largest department-store operator by revenue, is considering jumping on the trust-listing bandwagon in Singapore, and could raise at least $1 billion. The company is looking to list some of its retail mall assets in the form of a trust in Singapore, people with knowledge of the deal said Monday. The IPO is likely to be in the fourth quarter or early ...
Russel N. Korea faces ?fundamental choice?
Intellasia - Tuesday 23rd July, 2013
A senior US State Department official urged North Korea Monday to make a ';fundamental choice'; between endless isolation and a path for the well-being of its people. Daniel Russel, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, stressed the US will stick to a ';rules-based, principled approach'; toward North Korea despite Pyongyang?s recent peace ...
N Korea Leader?s aunt ?missing for months?
Intellasia - Tuesday 23rd July, 2013
';Madame Kim'; ? the aunt of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un who?s said to wield much power in the regime ? hasn?t been seen for nearly three months, reports suggest. Kim Kyung-hee, sister of late leader Kim Jong-il, last attended an official event in May, according to the South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo. She?d featured on state TV a month earlier ...
Copper Trades Near One-Month High Amid China Speculation
Intellasia - Tuesday 23rd July, 2013
Copper traded near the highest level in a month amid speculation the government in China, the world?s biggest consumer, may ready to step in to boost growth. Metal for delivery in three months on the London Metal Exchange was little changed at $7,035.25 a metric tonne at 11:18 a.m. in Shanghai. The price climbed to $7,053 yesterday, the highest since June 18. Premier Li Keqiang?s ...
China Sees 7pct as Bottom-Line Growth Tolerable in Slowdown
Intellasia - Tuesday 23rd July, 2013
Premier Li Keqiang?s government sees 7 percent growth as the bottom line for tolerance of an economic slowdown, Chinese news organisations reported, signaling the nation will act to support expansion if needed. Expansion below 7 percent won?t be tolerated because China needs to achieve a moderately prosperous society by 2020, according to a commentary published July 21 by the ...
China?s Interest-Rate Reform Starting Or Stalling
Intellasia - Tuesday 23rd July, 2013
On Friday, the People?s Bank of China announced it was eliminating the floor on lending rates. Prior to the change, which was effective yesterday, banks could not charge less than 30 percent of the benchmark rate set by the PBOC, the nation?s central bank. Reaction to the move has been ? with justification ? overwhelmingly positive. ';Previously, people had thought ...
China Freeing Lending Rates Puts Focus on Saver Returns
Intellasia - Tuesday 23rd July, 2013
The biggest step yet by China?s new leaders to move the nation?s financial system toward market-set lending rates heightens focus on what the central bank says is an even tougher reform: lifting restrictions on savers? returns. The People?s Bank of China ended a floor on borrowing costs previously set at 30 percent below the benchmark, it said July 19. The limit on ...
A revealing map of how the world views China vs. the US
Intellasia - Tuesday 23rd July, 2013
A new Pew survey of people in 39 countries from around the world finds that people tend to have a more favourable view of the United States than they do of China, but with wide variations across regions and countries. It?s a compelling dataset, a sign of shifting global attitudes toward two of the world?s most powerful countries and a glimpse into the complex world of public opinion ...
China to consider complaints of alleged Beijing airport bomber
Intellasia - Tuesday 23rd July, 2013
With public sympathy mounting for a disabled man who allegedly set off a homemade explosive at Beijing?s international airport, Chinese authorities say they will reexamine his complaints about being inadequately compensated after low-level municipal code enforcers allegedly beat him to the point of paralysis. Ji Zhongxing, 33, has been identified by authorities as the man who detonated a ...
China?s ex-leader says nothing to fear from disputes with U.S
Intellasia - Tuesday 23rd July, 2013
Former Chinese president Jiang Zemin, who broke China out of diplomatic isolation in the post-Tiananmen era, has made a rare return to public life, saying that his country should not fear disputes with Washington and that honest dialogue is needed. Ties between the world?s two largest economies have been strained of late by US accusations of Chinese hacking attacks, and China?s ...
Chinese Rocket Engine Test a Big Step for Space Station Project
Intellasia - Tuesday 23rd July, 2013
China has successfully test-fired the rocket engine that will power the next-generation heavy-lift booster, the Long March 5, that will help drive the country?s space exploration into the final frontier. The new rocket engine is closely tied to China?s planned space station, and is a big step forward for the country?s moon exploration programme. The first engine test, carried ...
AmorePacific Cutting-edge cosmetics for Asian beauty
China Daily - Tuesday 23rd July, 2013
/enpproperty--> With its patented cushion technology, South Korean cosmetics giant AmorePacific is expanding its global business to lead the "Korean beauty" trend. In 2008, the company introduced the world's first multifunctional cushion-type cosmetics that have gained immense popularity in global markets. It has since filed patent applications across the world including ...
Hopes for China-ASEAN Expo to boost ties
China Daily - Tuesday 23rd July, 2013
/enpproperty--> China will expand imports from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to balance bilateral trade while urging cooperation in an upcoming expo after South China Sea territorial disputes caused rifts with some of the organization's 10 members, a senior commerce official said on Tuesday. "Bilateral trade with ASEAN members is basically balanced and we ...
Many feared dead as boat sinks off Indonesia reports
West Australian - Tuesday 23rd July, 2013
SYDNEY (AFP) - An asylum-seeker boat heading for Australia has sunk off Java in Indonesia with unconfirmed reports Wednesday that up to 60 people are dead or missing.The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) confirmed to AFP that a rescue operation was underway, but said it was being coordinated by Indonesian authorities."We are aware of an incident south of Java. Indonesian ...
Asian stocks rise Japan gets election boost
Intellasia - Tuesday 23rd July, 2013
Asian markets advanced Monday after China removed a floor on banks? lending rates and Japan?s ruling government regained control of the parliament?s upper house, raising hopes for further reforms in both economies. Japan?s Nikkei Stock Average JP:NIK +0.87 percent rose 0.5 percent, the Shanghai Composite CN:SHCOMP +1.43 percent added 0.6 percent and Hong Kong?s ...
Asian Stocks Advance on China Growth Fed Stimulus
Intellasia - Tuesday 23rd July, 2013
Asian stocks rose, extending a two-month high, after Premier Li Keqiang said China?s economy won?t grow any slower than 7 percent and as US housing data damped concerns the Federal Reserve will reduce stimulus. Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd, the world?s second-biggest lender by market value, jumped 4.1 percent in Hong Kong. Samsung Electronics Co., the largest ...
The rightful place of HK in the yuan?s internationalisation
Intellasia - Tuesday 23rd July, 2013
According to the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, that was the first time that the volume of renminbi cleared under HKMA?s Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) system exceeded that of the Hong Kong dollar. For the yuan, daily turnover was 390 billion (HK$494 billion, or Bt1.97 trillion); for the Hong Kong dollar, it was 487 billion (Bt1.94 trillion). This latest milestone is significant on two ...
Mascotte Hareon to Build Solar Cell Production Plant in Taiwan
Intellasia - Tuesday 23rd July, 2013
Mascotte Holdings Ltd (136), a maker of solar-grade silicon in Taiwan, plans to build a plant with Hareon Solar Technology (600401) Co. to produce 300 megawatts of solar cells annually in Taiwan. The companies also plan to develop solar power projects together, Mascotte said today in a statement to the Hong Kong stock exchange. Investment details weren?t disclosed. Hareon, which makes ...
Taiwan extends condolences to China?s quake victims
Intellasia - Tuesday 23rd July, 2013
Taipei, July 22 (CNA) Taiwan expressed sympathy Monday through the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) over a magnitude-6.6 earthquake that struck the inland Chinese province of Gansu earlier in the day, leaving dozens of people dead and hundreds injured. On learning of the earthquake, the SEF sent a letter to its Chinese counterpart, the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits ...
RPT-Fitch rates Taiwan?s Chailease?s bond ?A?
Intellasia - Tuesday 23rd July, 2013
Fitch Ratings has assigned Taiwan-based Chailease Finance Co. Ltd?s (Chailease) proposed TWD1.4bn 1.6 percent senior unsecured bonds, maturing on 22 July 2018, a National Long-Term ?A(twn)? Rating. Key Rating Drivers The bonds are rated at the same level as Chailease?s National Long-Term Rating of ?A(twn)?, which has a Stable Outlook, as they represent ...
UPDATE 1-Taiwan June export orders shrink for 5th month China demand falls
Intellasia - Tuesday 23rd July, 2013
Taiwan?s June export orders unexpectedly contracted for a fifth straight month, slipping 3.5 percent from a year earlier, as demand from China waned. The data points to a loss of momentum for trade-reliant Asian economies who are banking on a pick-up in the United States to buffer a slowdown in China. Taiwan?s government has cut the island?s growth outlook as it confronts ...
Middle East News Headlines - Yahoo! Newshttp://news.yahoo.com/mideast/ Get the latest Middle East news headlines from Yahoo! News. Find breaking Middle East news, including analysis and opinion on top Middle East stories, photos and more.en-USCopyright (c) 2013 Yahoo! Inc. All rights reservedSun, 21 Jul 2013 09:50:18 -04005Middle East News Headlines - Yahoo! Newshttp://news.yahoo.com/mideast/ http://l.yimg.com/a/i/us/nws/th/main_142c.gif?Auschwitz Borders?: Did John Kerry Really Guarantee New Israeli-Palestinian Peace Talks Will Be Based on Pre-1967 Map?"Nine miles is less than the distance from Barack Obama's Chicago home to Wrigley Field."http://news.yahoo.com/auschwitz-borders-did-john-kerry-really-guarantee-israeli-135018289.htmlSun, 21 Jul 2013 09:50:18 -0400The Blazeauschwitz-borders-did-john-kerry-really-guarantee-israeli-135018289U.S. Guarantees Israel?s Pre-1967 Borders Will Be Basis for Renewed Talks with Palestine, Officials Say"The talks with Kerry were about to collapse, and the letter came as a lifeline in the last minute bargaining"http://news.yahoo.com/u-guarantees-israel-pre-1967-borders-basis-renewed-220412170.htmlSat, 20 Jul 2013 18:04:12 -0400The Blazeu-guarantees-israel-pre-1967-borders-basis-renewed-220412170Prominent Black Feminist Author Compares George Zimmerman to Che Guevara?s Killer"Zimmerman will wish many times in his life that they had given him 100 years."http://news.yahoo.com/prominent-black-feminist-author-compares-george-zimmerman-che-115212181.htmlFri, 19 Jul 2013 07:52:12 -0400The Blazeprominent-black-feminist-author-compares-george-zimmerman-che-115212181This Could Be the Most ?Extreme? Wedding Photo You?ve Seen?We did lots of homework before we did it for real.?http://news.yahoo.com/could-most-extreme-wedding-photo-ve-seen-130415782.htmlThu, 18 Jul 2013 09:04:15 -0400The Blazecould-most-extreme-wedding-photo-ve-seen-130415782Kerry wins Arab backing on Mideast peace effort<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/kerry-wins-arab-backing-mideast-peace-effort-144028349.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/4waqlQ05EywDCsi0VidTpg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/f7cd30d3e990d817370f6a7067000fb8.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry pauses while speaking during a joint press conference with Jordan's Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh, unseen, on Wednesday, July 17, 2013 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Amman. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday won Arab League backing for his effort to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, raising hopes for a quick resumption in the stalled negotiations. (AP Photo/Mandel Ngan, Pool)" align="left" title="U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry pauses while speaking during a joint press conference with Jordan's Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh, unseen, on Wednesday, July 17, 2013 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Amman. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday won Arab League backing for his effort to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, raising hopes for a quick resumption in the stalled negotiations. (AP Photo/Mandel Ngan, Pool)" border="0" /></a>AMMAN, Jordan (AP) ? U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry won Arab League backing Wednesday for his effort to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, raising hopes that the stalled negotiations could resume.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/kerry-wins-arab-backing-mideast-peace-effort-144028349.htmlThu, 18 Jul 2013 02:16:50 -0400Associated Presskerry-wins-arab-backing-mideast-peace-effort-144028349<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/kerry-wins-arab-backing-mideast-peace-effort-144028349.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/4waqlQ05EywDCsi0VidTpg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/f7cd30d3e990d817370f6a7067000fb8.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry pauses while speaking during a joint press conference with Jordan's Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh, unseen, on Wednesday, July 17, 2013 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Amman. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday won Arab League backing for his effort to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, raising hopes for a quick resumption in the stalled negotiations. (AP Photo/Mandel Ngan, Pool)" align="left" title="U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry pauses while speaking during a joint press conference with Jordan's Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh, unseen, on Wednesday, July 17, 2013 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Amman. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday won Arab League backing for his effort to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, raising hopes for a quick resumption in the stalled negotiations. (AP Photo/Mandel Ngan, Pool)" border="0" /></a>AMMAN, Jordan (AP) ? U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry won Arab League backing Wednesday for his effort to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, raising hopes that the stalled negotiations could resume.</p><br clear="all"/>Canadian Mayor Investigated for Saying He Kills Kittens with His Pickup Truck"The other day I backed up over a newborn..."http://news.yahoo.com/canadian-mayor-investigated-saying-kills-kittens-pickup-truck-203611204.htmlWed, 17 Jul 2013 16:36:11 -0400The Blazecanadian-mayor-investigated-saying-kills-kittens-pickup-truck-203611204Outspoken Assad supporter assassinated in Lebanon<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/outspoken-assad-supporter-assassinated-lebanon-181154052.html"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/SDfk1YFEkvt1_plHvpgnVQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/a4f52eaae846d217370f6a706700ccae.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Fatima, right, daughter of Mohammed Darrar Jammo a Syrian political analyst and one of Syrian President Bashar Assad's strongest defenders, who was gunned down inside his home, is comforted by a relative as she mourns her father, in the southern coastal town of Sarafand, Lebanon, Wednesday, July 17, 2013. Clashes between pro and anti-Syrian groups in Lebanon have left scores of people dead in the past months in a spillover of Syria's civil war into its smaller neighbor. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)" align="left" title="Fatima, right, daughter of Mohammed Darrar Jammo a Syrian political analyst and one of Syrian President Bashar Assad's strongest defenders, who was gunned down inside his home, is comforted by a relative as she mourns her father, in the southern coastal town of Sarafand, Lebanon, Wednesday, July 17, 2013. Clashes between pro and anti-Syrian groups in Lebanon have left scores of people dead in the past months in a spillover of Syria's civil war into its smaller neighbor. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)" border="0" /></a>BEIRUT (AP) ? Gunmen burst into the first floor apartment of a pro-government Syrian journalist Wednesday, killing him in a hail of nearly 30 bullets in a Hezbollah stronghold in southern Lebanon.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/outspoken-assad-supporter-assassinated-lebanon-181154052.htmlWed, 17 Jul 2013 15:02:11 -0400Associated Pressoutspoken-assad-supporter-assassinated-lebanon-181154052<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/outspoken-assad-supporter-assassinated-lebanon-181154052.html"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/SDfk1YFEkvt1_plHvpgnVQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/a4f52eaae846d217370f6a706700ccae.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Fatima, right, daughter of Mohammed Darrar Jammo a Syrian political analyst and one of Syrian President Bashar Assad's strongest defenders, who was gunned down inside his home, is comforted by a relative as she mourns her father, in the southern coastal town of Sarafand, Lebanon, Wednesday, July 17, 2013. Clashes between pro and anti-Syrian groups in Lebanon have left scores of people dead in the past months in a spillover of Syria's civil war into its smaller neighbor. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)" align="left" title="Fatima, right, daughter of Mohammed Darrar Jammo a Syrian political analyst and one of Syrian President Bashar Assad's strongest defenders, who was gunned down inside his home, is comforted by a relative as she mourns her father, in the southern coastal town of Sarafand, Lebanon, Wednesday, July 17, 2013. Clashes between pro and anti-Syrian groups in Lebanon have left scores of people dead in the past months in a spillover of Syria's civil war into its smaller neighbor. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)" border="0" /></a>BEIRUT (AP) ? Gunmen burst into the first floor apartment of a pro-government Syrian journalist Wednesday, killing him in a hail of nearly 30 bullets in a Hezbollah stronghold in southern Lebanon.</p><br clear="all"/>Israeli premier phones European leaders after banJERUSALEM (AP) ? Israel's premier talked with a series of European leaders Wednesday, outlining his strong objections to a European funding ban on Israeli institutions operating in occupied territories, officials said.http://news.yahoo.com/israeli-premier-phones-european-leaders-ban-132318645.htmlWed, 17 Jul 2013 14:13:34 -0400Associated Pressisraeli-premier-phones-european-leaders-ban-132318645Egypt: Morsi supporters protest outside Cabinet<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/egypt-morsi-supporters-protest-outside-cabinet-124101765.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/7J_p387QYZtLswKB9eMGew--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/12a613d6e929d617370f6a7067003ed1.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="A supporter of Egypt's ousted President Mohammed Morsi, talks to riot police standing guard during a demonstration near Tahrir Square in downtown Cairo, Egypt, Wednesday, July 17, 2013. Several hundred supporters of Egypt's deposed president massed outside the Cabinet building Wednesday in Cairo, expanding their protests denouncing the country's new government and demanding the reinstatement of Islamist leader Mohammed Morsi.(AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)" align="left" title="A supporter of Egypt's ousted President Mohammed Morsi, talks to riot police standing guard during a demonstration near Tahrir Square in downtown Cairo, Egypt, Wednesday, July 17, 2013. Several hundred supporters of Egypt's deposed president massed outside the Cabinet building Wednesday in Cairo, expanding their protests denouncing the country's new government and demanding the reinstatement of Islamist leader Mohammed Morsi.(AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)" border="0" /></a>CAIRO (AP) ? Several hundred supporters of Egypt's deposed president massed outside the Cabinet building Wednesday in Cairo, expanding their protests denouncing the country's new government and demanding the reinstatement of Islamist leader Mohammed Morsi.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/egypt-morsi-supporters-protest-outside-cabinet-124101765.htmlWed, 17 Jul 2013 11:48:24 -0400Associated Pressegypt-morsi-supporters-protest-outside-cabinet-124101765<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/egypt-morsi-supporters-protest-outside-cabinet-124101765.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/7J_p387QYZtLswKB9eMGew--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/12a613d6e929d617370f6a7067003ed1.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="A supporter of Egypt's ousted President Mohammed Morsi, talks to riot police standing guard during a demonstration near Tahrir Square in downtown Cairo, Egypt, Wednesday, July 17, 2013. Several hundred supporters of Egypt's deposed president massed outside the Cabinet building Wednesday in Cairo, expanding their protests denouncing the country's new government and demanding the reinstatement of Islamist leader Mohammed Morsi.(AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)" align="left" title="A supporter of Egypt's ousted President Mohammed Morsi, talks to riot police standing guard during a demonstration near Tahrir Square in downtown Cairo, Egypt, Wednesday, July 17, 2013. Several hundred supporters of Egypt's deposed president massed outside the Cabinet building Wednesday in Cairo, expanding their protests denouncing the country's new government and demanding the reinstatement of Islamist leader Mohammed Morsi.(AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)" border="0" /></a>CAIRO (AP) ? Several hundred supporters of Egypt's deposed president massed outside the Cabinet building Wednesday in Cairo, expanding their protests denouncing the country's new government and demanding the reinstatement of Islamist leader Mohammed Morsi.</p><br clear="all"/>Kerry briefs Arabs on peace bid, Egypt, Syria<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/kerry-briefs-arabs-peace-bid-egypt-syria-084547775.html"><img src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/4jVIko2GrJLpMqS2ePqS0A--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/170d885ce7eed017370f6a706700ac9f.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, center, Jordan's Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh, right, and Egypt's Foreign Minister Mohammed Kamel Amr, left, arrive for a meeting with the Arab League Peace Initiative at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Amman, Jordan, on Wednesday, July 17, 2013. Kerry is briefing senior Arab officials on his efforts to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and on American views of the crises and Syria and Egypt. (AP Photo/Mandel Ngan, Pool)" align="left" title="U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, center, Jordan's Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh, right, and Egypt's Foreign Minister Mohammed Kamel Amr, left, arrive for a meeting with the Arab League Peace Initiative at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Amman, Jordan, on Wednesday, July 17, 2013. Kerry is briefing senior Arab officials on his efforts to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and on American views of the crises and Syria and Egypt. (AP Photo/Mandel Ngan, Pool)" border="0" /></a>AMMAN, Jordan (AP) ? U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry briefed senior Arab officials Wednesday on his efforts to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and on American views of the crises and Syria and Egypt.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/kerry-briefs-arabs-peace-bid-egypt-syria-084547775.htmlWed, 17 Jul 2013 10:18:53 -0400Associated Presskerry-briefs-arabs-peace-bid-egypt-syria-084547775<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/kerry-briefs-arabs-peace-bid-egypt-syria-084547775.html"><img src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/4jVIko2GrJLpMqS2ePqS0A--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/170d885ce7eed017370f6a706700ac9f.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, center, Jordan's Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh, right, and Egypt's Foreign Minister Mohammed Kamel Amr, left, arrive for a meeting with the Arab League Peace Initiative at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Amman, Jordan, on Wednesday, July 17, 2013. Kerry is briefing senior Arab officials on his efforts to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and on American views of the crises and Syria and Egypt. (AP Photo/Mandel Ngan, Pool)" align="left" title="U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, center, Jordan's Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh, right, and Egypt's Foreign Minister Mohammed Kamel Amr, left, arrive for a meeting with the Arab League Peace Initiative at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Amman, Jordan, on Wednesday, July 17, 2013. Kerry is briefing senior Arab officials on his efforts to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and on American views of the crises and Syria and Egypt. (AP Photo/Mandel Ngan, Pool)" border="0" /></a>AMMAN, Jordan (AP) ? U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry briefed senior Arab officials Wednesday on his efforts to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and on American views of the crises and Syria and Egypt.</p><br clear="all"/>Prominent Assad supporter assassinated in Lebanon<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/prominent-assad-supporter-assassinated-lebanon-111526359.html"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/SDfk1YFEkvt1_plHvpgnVQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/a4f52eaae846d217370f6a706700ccae.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Fatima, right, daughter of Mohammed Darrar Jammo a Syrian political analyst and one of Syrian President Bashar Assad's strongest defenders, who was gunned down inside his home, is comforted by a relative as she mourns her father, in the southern coastal town of Sarafand, Lebanon, Wednesday, July 17, 2013. Clashes between pro and anti-Syrian groups in Lebanon have left scores of people dead in the past months in a spillover of Syria's civil war into its smaller neighbor. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)" align="left" title="Fatima, right, daughter of Mohammed Darrar Jammo a Syrian political analyst and one of Syrian President Bashar Assad's strongest defenders, who was gunned down inside his home, is comforted by a relative as she mourns her father, in the southern coastal town of Sarafand, Lebanon, Wednesday, July 17, 2013. Clashes between pro and anti-Syrian groups in Lebanon have left scores of people dead in the past months in a spillover of Syria's civil war into its smaller neighbor. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)" border="0" /></a>BEIRUT (AP) ? Gunmen assassinated a prominent Syrian pro-government figure at his home in southern Lebanon on Wednesday, shooting him nearly 30 times in the latest sign of Syria's civil war spilling over into its smaller neighbor.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/prominent-assad-supporter-assassinated-lebanon-111526359.htmlWed, 17 Jul 2013 10:12:55 -0400Associated Pressprominent-assad-supporter-assassinated-lebanon-111526359<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/prominent-assad-supporter-assassinated-lebanon-111526359.html"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/SDfk1YFEkvt1_plHvpgnVQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/a4f52eaae846d217370f6a706700ccae.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Fatima, right, daughter of Mohammed Darrar Jammo a Syrian political analyst and one of Syrian President Bashar Assad's strongest defenders, who was gunned down inside his home, is comforted by a relative as she mourns her father, in the southern coastal town of Sarafand, Lebanon, Wednesday, July 17, 2013. Clashes between pro and anti-Syrian groups in Lebanon have left scores of people dead in the past months in a spillover of Syria's civil war into its smaller neighbor. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)" align="left" title="Fatima, right, daughter of Mohammed Darrar Jammo a Syrian political analyst and one of Syrian President Bashar Assad's strongest defenders, who was gunned down inside his home, is comforted by a relative as she mourns her father, in the southern coastal town of Sarafand, Lebanon, Wednesday, July 17, 2013. Clashes between pro and anti-Syrian groups in Lebanon have left scores of people dead in the past months in a spillover of Syria's civil war into its smaller neighbor. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)" border="0" /></a>BEIRUT (AP) ? Gunmen assassinated a prominent Syrian pro-government figure at his home in southern Lebanon on Wednesday, shooting him nearly 30 times in the latest sign of Syria's civil war spilling over into its smaller neighbor.</p><br clear="all"/>Official: Iran open for nuke talks once team named<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/official-iran-open-nuke-talks-once-team-named-113236208.html"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/7aso2YxDI1.fbQpwfC1oUQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/50b53f20aaa2a317370f6a706700c15b.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="FILE - In this Monday, June 17, 2013 file photo, Iranian President-elect Hasan Rouhani, places his hand on his heart as a sign of respect, after speaking at a news conference, in Tehran, Iran. Rouhani on Monday leveled his first criticism of the outgoing administration since June's election, saying it has mismanaged the country's economy. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi, File)" align="left" title="FILE - In this Monday, June 17, 2013 file photo, Iranian President-elect Hasan Rouhani, places his hand on his heart as a sign of respect, after speaking at a news conference, in Tehran, Iran. Rouhani on Monday leveled his first criticism of the outgoing administration since June's election, saying it has mismanaged the country's economy. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi, File)" border="0" /></a>TEHRAN, Iran (AP) ? Iran will be ready to resume nuclear talks with world powers as soon as the country's president-elect puts together his negotiating team, the foreign minister said Wednesday amid signals on both sides to try to quickly restart dialogue.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/official-iran-open-nuke-talks-once-team-named-113236208.htmlWed, 17 Jul 2013 10:11:21 -0400Associated Pressofficial-iran-open-nuke-talks-once-team-named-113236208<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/official-iran-open-nuke-talks-once-team-named-113236208.html"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/7aso2YxDI1.fbQpwfC1oUQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/50b53f20aaa2a317370f6a706700c15b.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="FILE - In this Monday, June 17, 2013 file photo, Iranian President-elect Hasan Rouhani, places his hand on his heart as a sign of respect, after speaking at a news conference, in Tehran, Iran. Rouhani on Monday leveled his first criticism of the outgoing administration since June's election, saying it has mismanaged the country's economy. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi, File)" align="left" title="FILE - In this Monday, June 17, 2013 file photo, Iranian President-elect Hasan Rouhani, places his hand on his heart as a sign of respect, after speaking at a news conference, in Tehran, Iran. Rouhani on Monday leveled his first criticism of the outgoing administration since June's election, saying it has mismanaged the country's economy. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi, File)" border="0" /></a>TEHRAN, Iran (AP) ? Iran will be ready to resume nuclear talks with world powers as soon as the country's president-elect puts together his negotiating team, the foreign minister said Wednesday amid signals on both sides to try to quickly restart dialogue.</p><br clear="all"/>The Europeans Won?t Blacklist Hezbollah But Are Banning This"An economic terror attack."http://news.yahoo.com/europeans-won-t-blacklist-hezbollah-banning-114414191.htmlWed, 17 Jul 2013 07:44:14 -0400The Blazeeuropeans-won-t-blacklist-hezbollah-banning-114414191Al-Qaida branch confirms its No. 2 killed in Yemen<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/al-qaida-branch-confirms-no-2-killed-yemen-102604944.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/sdrQIHLaehXJC55ZNqIiBw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/daa20881e7d7d017370f6a706700041f.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="FILE - In this undated frame grab from video posted on a militant-leaning Web site, and provided by the SITE Intelligence Group, shows Saeed al-Shihri, deputy leader of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula. The Yemen-based branch of al-Qaida says a U.S. drone strike has killed a former Guantanamo Bay prisoner who rose to become the group's No. 2 figure. The announcement, posted on militant websites, gave no date for the death of Saudi-born Al-Shihri. (AP Photo/SITE Intelligence Group, File)" align="left" title="FILE - In this undated frame grab from video posted on a militant-leaning Web site, and provided by the SITE Intelligence Group, shows Saeed al-Shihri, deputy leader of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula. The Yemen-based branch of al-Qaida says a U.S. drone strike has killed a former Guantanamo Bay prisoner who rose to become the group's No. 2 figure. The announcement, posted on militant websites, gave no date for the death of Saudi-born Al-Shihri. (AP Photo/SITE Intelligence Group, File)" border="0" /></a>SANAA, Yemen (AP) ? The Yemen-based branch of al-Qaida confirmed on Wednesday that the group's No. 2 figure, a former Guantanamo Bay prisoner, was killed in a U.S. drone strike.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/al-qaida-branch-confirms-no-2-killed-yemen-102604944.htmlWed, 17 Jul 2013 07:01:33 -0400Associated Pressal-qaida-branch-confirms-no-2-killed-yemen-102604944<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/al-qaida-branch-confirms-no-2-killed-yemen-102604944.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/sdrQIHLaehXJC55ZNqIiBw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/daa20881e7d7d017370f6a706700041f.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="FILE - In this undated frame grab from video posted on a militant-leaning Web site, and provided by the SITE Intelligence Group, shows Saeed al-Shihri, deputy leader of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula. The Yemen-based branch of al-Qaida says a U.S. drone strike has killed a former Guantanamo Bay prisoner who rose to become the group's No. 2 figure. The announcement, posted on militant websites, gave no date for the death of Saudi-born Al-Shihri. (AP Photo/SITE Intelligence Group, File)" align="left" title="FILE - In this undated frame grab from video posted on a militant-leaning Web site, and provided by the SITE Intelligence Group, shows Saeed al-Shihri, deputy leader of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula. The Yemen-based branch of al-Qaida says a U.S. drone strike has killed a former Guantanamo Bay prisoner who rose to become the group's No. 2 figure. The announcement, posted on militant websites, gave no date for the death of Saudi-born Al-Shihri. (AP Photo/SITE Intelligence Group, File)" border="0" /></a>SANAA, Yemen (AP) ? The Yemen-based branch of al-Qaida confirmed on Wednesday that the group's No. 2 figure, a former Guantanamo Bay prisoner, was killed in a U.S. drone strike.</p><br clear="all"/>Officials: Bombing kills 4 people in IraqBAGHDAD (AP) ? Iraqi officials say a bombing targeting a stream where youngsters had sought refuge from the summer heat has killed four people.http://news.yahoo.com/officials-bombing-kills-4-people-iraq-110543767.htmlWed, 17 Jul 2013 07:05:43 -0400Associated Pressofficials-bombing-kills-4-people-iraq-110543767Dubai diet: Slim down, get paid in gold<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/dubai-diet-slim-down-paid-gold-090114923.html"><img src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/711gmmV3wai86oae9VIh4Q--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/195c3ae4e81ad117370f6a7067002fea.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="FILE - In this Tuesday Oct. 9, 2012 file photo, 10 gram gold bars with a purity of 999.9 have been pressed and stamped with the "Emirates Gold" company logo in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Shedding weight is as good as gold under an unusual slim-down initiative in Dubai over growing concerns about rising obesity levels in the wealthy Gulf city-state. Municipal officials are offering a gram of gold _ worth about $45 at current prices _ for each kilogram of weight lost in a 30-day challenge. The minimum drop is two kilos, or 4.4 pounds, to cash in. Across the Gulf Arab states, authorities have raised alarms about rising obesity from increasing fast-food diets and lack of exercise. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili, File)" align="left" title="FILE - In this Tuesday Oct. 9, 2012 file photo, 10 gram gold bars with a purity of 999.9 have been pressed and stamped with the "Emirates Gold" company logo in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Shedding weight is as good as gold under an unusual slim-down initiative in Dubai over growing concerns about rising obesity levels in the wealthy Gulf city-state. Municipal officials are offering a gram of gold _ worth about $45 at current prices _ for each kilogram of weight lost in a 30-day challenge. The minimum drop is two kilos, or 4.4 pounds, to cash in. Across the Gulf Arab states, authorities have raised alarms about rising obesity from increasing fast-food diets and lack of exercise. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili, File)" border="0" /></a>DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) ? Shedding weight is as good as gold under an unusual slim-down initiative in Dubai over growing concerns about rising obesity levels in the wealthy Gulf city-state.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/dubai-diet-slim-down-paid-gold-090114923.htmlWed, 17 Jul 2013 05:46:53 -0400Associated Pressdubai-diet-slim-down-paid-gold-090114923<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/dubai-diet-slim-down-paid-gold-090114923.html"><img src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/711gmmV3wai86oae9VIh4Q--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/195c3ae4e81ad117370f6a7067002fea.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="FILE - In this Tuesday Oct. 9, 2012 file photo, 10 gram gold bars with a purity of 999.9 have been pressed and stamped with the "Emirates Gold" company logo in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Shedding weight is as good as gold under an unusual slim-down initiative in Dubai over growing concerns about rising obesity levels in the wealthy Gulf city-state. Municipal officials are offering a gram of gold _ worth about $45 at current prices _ for each kilogram of weight lost in a 30-day challenge. The minimum drop is two kilos, or 4.4 pounds, to cash in. Across the Gulf Arab states, authorities have raised alarms about rising obesity from increasing fast-food diets and lack of exercise. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili, File)" align="left" title="FILE - In this Tuesday Oct. 9, 2012 file photo, 10 gram gold bars with a purity of 999.9 have been pressed and stamped with the "Emirates Gold" company logo in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Shedding weight is as good as gold under an unusual slim-down initiative in Dubai over growing concerns about rising obesity levels in the wealthy Gulf city-state. Municipal officials are offering a gram of gold _ worth about $45 at current prices _ for each kilogram of weight lost in a 30-day challenge. The minimum drop is two kilos, or 4.4 pounds, to cash in. Across the Gulf Arab states, authorities have raised alarms about rising obesity from increasing fast-food diets and lack of exercise. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili, File)" border="0" /></a>DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) ? Shedding weight is as good as gold under an unusual slim-down initiative in Dubai over growing concerns about rising obesity levels in the wealthy Gulf city-state.</p><br clear="all"/>Al-Qaida branch says No. 2 leader killed in Yemen<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/al-qaida-branch-says-no-2-leader-killed-070539791.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/sdrQIHLaehXJC55ZNqIiBw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/daa20881e7d7d017370f6a706700041f.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="FILE - In this undated frame grab from video posted on a militant-leaning Web site, and provided by the SITE Intelligence Group, shows Saeed al-Shihri, deputy leader of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula. The Yemen-based branch of al-Qaida says a U.S. drone strike has killed a former Guantanamo Bay prisoner who rose to become the group's No. 2 figure. The announcement, posted on militant websites, gave no date for the death of Saudi-born Al-Shihri. (AP Photo/SITE Intelligence Group, File)" align="left" title="FILE - In this undated frame grab from video posted on a militant-leaning Web site, and provided by the SITE Intelligence Group, shows Saeed al-Shihri, deputy leader of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula. The Yemen-based branch of al-Qaida says a U.S. drone strike has killed a former Guantanamo Bay prisoner who rose to become the group's No. 2 figure. The announcement, posted on militant websites, gave no date for the death of Saudi-born Al-Shihri. (AP Photo/SITE Intelligence Group, File)" border="0" /></a>SANAA, Yemen (AP) ? The Yemen-based branch of al-Qaida announced Wednesday that the group's No. 2 figure, a former Guantanamo Bay prisoner, has died in a U.S. drone strike.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/al-qaida-branch-says-no-2-leader-killed-070539791.htmlWed, 17 Jul 2013 04:56:26 -0400Associated Pressal-qaida-branch-says-no-2-leader-killed-070539791<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/al-qaida-branch-says-no-2-leader-killed-070539791.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/sdrQIHLaehXJC55ZNqIiBw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/daa20881e7d7d017370f6a706700041f.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="FILE - In this undated frame grab from video posted on a militant-leaning Web site, and provided by the SITE Intelligence Group, shows Saeed al-Shihri, deputy leader of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula. The Yemen-based branch of al-Qaida says a U.S. drone strike has killed a former Guantanamo Bay prisoner who rose to become the group's No. 2 figure. The announcement, posted on militant websites, gave no date for the death of Saudi-born Al-Shihri. (AP Photo/SITE Intelligence Group, File)" align="left" title="FILE - In this undated frame grab from video posted on a militant-leaning Web site, and provided by the SITE Intelligence Group, shows Saeed al-Shihri, deputy leader of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula. The Yemen-based branch of al-Qaida says a U.S. drone strike has killed a former Guantanamo Bay prisoner who rose to become the group's No. 2 figure. The announcement, posted on militant websites, gave no date for the death of Saudi-born Al-Shihri. (AP Photo/SITE Intelligence Group, File)" border="0" /></a>SANAA, Yemen (AP) ? The Yemen-based branch of al-Qaida announced Wednesday that the group's No. 2 figure, a former Guantanamo Bay prisoner, has died in a U.S. drone strike.</p><br clear="all"/>Pro-government Syrian figure killed in Lebanon<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/pro-government-syrian-figure-killed-lebanon-080918921.html"><img src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/kFxTaoiwvnE.Jkda56tddA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/ae12ad95ac5bab17370f6a706700e13d.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="In this image taken from video obtained from Ugarit News, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows shelling of the Al-Qaboun neighborhood in rural Damascus, Syria, Monday, July 15, 2013. After seizing the momentum in recent months in Syria's civil war, President Bashar Assad's forces are on the offensive against the rebels on several fronts, including in Idlib province along the border with Turkey. Government forces are in firm control of the provincial capital of same name, while dozens of rebel brigades control the countryside.(AP Photo/Ugarit News via AP video)" align="left" title="In this image taken from video obtained from Ugarit News, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows shelling of the Al-Qaboun neighborhood in rural Damascus, Syria, Monday, July 15, 2013. After seizing the momentum in recent months in Syria's civil war, President Bashar Assad's forces are on the offensive against the rebels on several fronts, including in Idlib province along the border with Turkey. Government forces are in firm control of the provincial capital of same name, while dozens of rebel brigades control the countryside.(AP Photo/Ugarit News via AP video)" border="0" /></a>BEIRUT (AP) ? Gunmen assassinated a prominent Syrian pro-government figure at his home in southern Lebanon on Wednesday in the latest spillover of Syria's civil war into its smaller neighbor, security officials said.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/pro-government-syrian-figure-killed-lebanon-080918921.htmlWed, 17 Jul 2013 04:09:18 -0400Associated Presspro-government-syrian-figure-killed-lebanon-080918921<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/pro-government-syrian-figure-killed-lebanon-080918921.html"><img src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/kFxTaoiwvnE.Jkda56tddA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/ae12ad95ac5bab17370f6a706700e13d.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="In this image taken from video obtained from Ugarit News, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows shelling of the Al-Qaboun neighborhood in rural Damascus, Syria, Monday, July 15, 2013. After seizing the momentum in recent months in Syria's civil war, President Bashar Assad's forces are on the offensive against the rebels on several fronts, including in Idlib province along the border with Turkey. Government forces are in firm control of the provincial capital of same name, while dozens of rebel brigades control the countryside.(AP Photo/Ugarit News via AP video)" align="left" title="In this image taken from video obtained from Ugarit News, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows shelling of the Al-Qaboun neighborhood in rural Damascus, Syria, Monday, July 15, 2013. After seizing the momentum in recent months in Syria's civil war, President Bashar Assad's forces are on the offensive against the rebels on several fronts, including in Idlib province along the border with Turkey. Government forces are in firm control of the provincial capital of same name, while dozens of rebel brigades control the countryside.(AP Photo/Ugarit News via AP video)" border="0" /></a>BEIRUT (AP) ? Gunmen assassinated a prominent Syrian pro-government figure at his home in southern Lebanon on Wednesday in the latest spillover of Syria's civil war into its smaller neighbor, security officials said.</p><br clear="all"/>Israel: Suspects from Syria enter Israel army post<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/israel-suspects-syria-enter-israel-army-post-062511406.html"><img src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/TkBLQjylIZvU5fesjtijUw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/ac984b72c996bb17370f6a7067007673.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Israeli soldiers sit in a position on the border with Syria on the Israeli controlled Golan Heights as smoke rises following explosions, Tuesday, July 16, 2013. Three mortar shells exploded on the Israeli side of the border fence with Syria on the Golan Heights Tuesday morning. No casualties or damage were reported from the incident, and there are currently no special security instructions for residents of the area. The shells fell at 6 a.m. local time, and the IDF was combing the area to collect any residual material from the exploded ordinance, the IDF Spokesperson?s Unit said. According to the IDF, the fire was not directed at Israel, but was fired as part of the battle currently raging in the nearby Syrian village of Al-Madriya, where rebels are clashing with regime forces. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)" align="left" title="Israeli soldiers sit in a position on the border with Syria on the Israeli controlled Golan Heights as smoke rises following explosions, Tuesday, July 16, 2013. Three mortar shells exploded on the Israeli side of the border fence with Syria on the Golan Heights Tuesday morning. No casualties or damage were reported from the incident, and there are currently no special security instructions for residents of the area. The shells fell at 6 a.m. local time, and the IDF was combing the area to collect any residual material from the exploded ordinance, the IDF Spokesperson?s Unit said. According to the IDF, the fire was not directed at Israel, but was fired as part of the battle currently raging in the nearby Syrian village of Al-Madriya, where rebels are clashing with regime forces. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)" border="0" /></a>JERUSALEM (AP) ? Two Syrian suspects briefly infiltrated an unmanned Israeli military post on the border between Syria and the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights, the military said Wednesday.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/israel-suspects-syria-enter-israel-army-post-062511406.htmlWed, 17 Jul 2013 03:45:32 -0400Associated Pressisrael-suspects-syria-enter-israel-army-post-062511406<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/israel-suspects-syria-enter-israel-army-post-062511406.html"><img src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/TkBLQjylIZvU5fesjtijUw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/ac984b72c996bb17370f6a7067007673.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Israeli soldiers sit in a position on the border with Syria on the Israeli controlled Golan Heights as smoke rises following explosions, Tuesday, July 16, 2013. Three mortar shells exploded on the Israeli side of the border fence with Syria on the Golan Heights Tuesday morning. No casualties or damage were reported from the incident, and there are currently no special security instructions for residents of the area. The shells fell at 6 a.m. local time, and the IDF was combing the area to collect any residual material from the exploded ordinance, the IDF Spokesperson?s Unit said. According to the IDF, the fire was not directed at Israel, but was fired as part of the battle currently raging in the nearby Syrian village of Al-Madriya, where rebels are clashing with regime forces. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)" align="left" title="Israeli soldiers sit in a position on the border with Syria on the Israeli controlled Golan Heights as smoke rises following explosions, Tuesday, July 16, 2013. Three mortar shells exploded on the Israeli side of the border fence with Syria on the Golan Heights Tuesday morning. No casualties or damage were reported from the incident, and there are currently no special security instructions for residents of the area. The shells fell at 6 a.m. local time, and the IDF was combing the area to collect any residual material from the exploded ordinance, the IDF Spokesperson?s Unit said. According to the IDF, the fire was not directed at Israel, but was fired as part of the battle currently raging in the nearby Syrian village of Al-Madriya, where rebels are clashing with regime forces. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)" border="0" /></a>JERUSALEM (AP) ? Two Syrian suspects briefly infiltrated an unmanned Israeli military post on the border between Syria and the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights, the military said Wednesday.</p><br clear="all"/>Ahead of draft, ultra-Orthodox soldiers under fire<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/ahead-draft-ultra-orthodox-soldiers-under-fire-070250477.html"><img src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/NQumSPyDTH4Rz8RWQMuuVA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/35f5e946e737cd17370f6a706700720f.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="In this Sunday, July 14, 2013 photo, ultra-Orthodox Jewish men walk past a poster in the ultra-Orthodox Jewish Mea Shearim neighborhood in Jerusalem. A large cartoon poster depicts Haredi soldiers rolling through the streets atop tanks trying to lure young boys onto their vehicles. The ad denounces the soldiers as Zionist "ambassadors" and "missionaries." The soldiers in sidecurls have been coined the insulting nickname "Hardak" _ a combination of Haredi and insect. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)" align="left" title="In this Sunday, July 14, 2013 photo, ultra-Orthodox Jewish men walk past a poster in the ultra-Orthodox Jewish Mea Shearim neighborhood in Jerusalem. A large cartoon poster depicts Haredi soldiers rolling through the streets atop tanks trying to lure young boys onto their vehicles. The ad denounces the soldiers as Zionist "ambassadors" and "missionaries." The soldiers in sidecurls have been coined the insulting nickname "Hardak" _ a combination of Haredi and insect. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)" border="0" /></a>JERUSALEM (AP) ? The Israeli soldier was walking home on a busy Jerusalem street when suddenly a car stopped next to him, and men inside spat upon him and hurled insults, trash and water bottles. When the assailants stepped out, he was fearful enough to call the police who swiftly arrived to rescue him.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/ahead-draft-ultra-orthodox-soldiers-under-fire-070250477.htmlWed, 17 Jul 2013 03:02:50 -0400Associated Pressahead-draft-ultra-orthodox-soldiers-under-fire-070250477<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/ahead-draft-ultra-orthodox-soldiers-under-fire-070250477.html"><img src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/NQumSPyDTH4Rz8RWQMuuVA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/35f5e946e737cd17370f6a706700720f.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="In this Sunday, July 14, 2013 photo, ultra-Orthodox Jewish men walk past a poster in the ultra-Orthodox Jewish Mea Shearim neighborhood in Jerusalem. A large cartoon poster depicts Haredi soldiers rolling through the streets atop tanks trying to lure young boys onto their vehicles. The ad denounces the soldiers as Zionist "ambassadors" and "missionaries." The soldiers in sidecurls have been coined the insulting nickname "Hardak" _ a combination of Haredi and insect. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)" align="left" title="In this Sunday, July 14, 2013 photo, ultra-Orthodox Jewish men walk past a poster in the ultra-Orthodox Jewish Mea Shearim neighborhood in Jerusalem. A large cartoon poster depicts Haredi soldiers rolling through the streets atop tanks trying to lure young boys onto their vehicles. The ad denounces the soldiers as Zionist "ambassadors" and "missionaries." The soldiers in sidecurls have been coined the insulting nickname "Hardak" _ a combination of Haredi and insect. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)" border="0" /></a>JERUSALEM (AP) ? The Israeli soldier was walking home on a busy Jerusalem street when suddenly a car stopped next to him, and men inside spat upon him and hurled insults, trash and water bottles. When the assailants stepped out, he was fearful enough to call the police who swiftly arrived to rescue him.</p><br clear="all"/>
New understanding of tiny RNA molecules could have far-ranging medical applicationsPublic release date: 30-Jun-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Mika Ono mikaono@scripps.edu 858-784-2052 Scripps Research Institute
LA JOLLA, CA June 30, 2013 A team led by scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) has identified a family of tiny RNA molecules that work as powerful regulators of the immune response in mammals. Mice who lack these RNA molecules lose their normal infection-fighting ability, whereas mice that overproduce them develop a fatal autoimmune syndrome.
"This finding gives us insights into immune regulation that could be very helpful in a range of medical applications, from viral vaccines to treatments for autoimmune diseases," said Changchun Xiao, assistant professor in TSRI's Department of Immunology and Microbial Science and senior investigator for the study, which appears in the June 30, 2013 issue of Nature Immunology.
Unraveling a Crucial Process
The finding concerns a key interaction between T cells and B cells, the allied lymphocyte armies that make up most of the adaptive immune system of mammals. B cells, which produce antibodies, usually lie in wait for pathogens in special zones called follicles within lymph nodes and the spleen. But to start proliferating normally and pumping out antibodies to fight an infection, these B cells have to be assisted, in effect, by T cells known as "follicular helper" T cells (TFH cells). "The TFH cells have to migrate into the B cell follicles and physically contact the B cells in order to provide help to them," said Xiao. "However, the molecular pathways that control TFH cell differentiation and migration have not been well understood."
In 2009, other researchers proposed that this crucial process requires the suppression of the miR-17~92 family of RNA molecules. These are among the thousands of short RNA molecules (often known as micro-RNAs, miRs, or miRNAs) that are made by mammalian cells and are meant to do their jobs while in RNA form. Typically an miRNA works inside the cell as a basic regulator or "dimmer switch" for the activity of tens to hundreds of genesit binds to transcripts of those genes and slows down their translation into proteins.
Xiao, who had been studying the miR-17~92 family since 2005, decided to examine their role in TFH differentiation. His team began by measuring the levels of these miRNAs in young, "nave" T cells and in the TFH cells to which these T cells gave birth after exposure to foreign antigens.
Surprising Finding
To the researchers' surprise, the miR-17~92s showed the opposite pattern of expression than expected: their levels jumped as the nave T cells began differentiating into TFH cells, but fell back by the time the process was finished. The finding suggested that, far from acting as a brake on TFH differentiation, miR-17~92s work as enablers of the process.
To confirm their suspicion, team members developed mutant mouse lines in which some or all of the miR-17~92 miRNAs were knocked out of T cells. These miR-17~92-deficient T cells turned out to be much less able to differentiate into TFH cells. As a result, the follicle-dwelling B cells that depend on TFH assistance also lost much of their ability to respond to an immune challenge. "These mutant mice showed a deficient antibody response to a standard immune-provoking protein," said Seung Goo Kang, a postdoctoral research associate in the Xiao laboratory who was the leading author of the study.
Collaborating TSRI scientists led by John Teijaro, a senior research associate in the laboratory of Michael B. A. Oldstone, professor in the Department of Immunology and Microbial Science, showed further that these transgenic miceunlike ordinary lab micecould not clear a chronic virus infection that is used as a standard challenge in immunological experiments.
By contrast, when the team raised transgenic mice whose T cells produced four to six times the normal amount of miR-17~92s, these T cells differentiated into TFH cells spontaneouslythat is, without an immune-stimulating inoculation.
These mice developed antibody responses to their own tissues, and died young, with swollen spleen and lymph nodes. "The accumulation of autoantibodies is also seen in lupus and other autoimmune diseases in humans," said Wen-Hsien Liu, another postdoctoral research associate in the Xiao laboratory and a co-first author of the paper.
Important Targets
Liu and Kang were able to track down a key target gene of miR-17~92s, which the miRNAs suppress to enable TFH cell differentiation. The targeted gene codes for Phlpp2, a recently discovered signaling inhibitor. "Lowering Phlpp2 protein levels in our miR-17~92-knockout T cells restored much of their ability to become TFH cells," Kang said.
"Phlpp2 is one important target, but we believe there are others too, and we are now looking for those," Xiao said. He and his colleagues also plan to investigate methods for manipulating miR-17~92s and their TFH cell-related pathways, in order to boost antibody responses to vaccines for exampleor alternatively to lower autoantibody productions in people with autoimmune diseases.
###
The study, "miR-17~92 family microRNAs are critical regulators of T follicular helper cell differentiation," was a collaboration that also involved the laboratory of Hai Qi at Tsinghua University in Beijing and the laboratory of Eric Verdin at the Gladstone Institute of Virology and Immunology at the University of California, San Francisco. A co-first author of the study was Peiwen Lu of the Qi laboratory; other co-authors were Hyung W. Lim of the Verdin laboratory, Daniel Fremgen of the Oldstone laboratory and Hyun Yong Jin and Jovan Shepherd of the Xiao laboratory.
The study was funded by the PEW Charitable Trusts, the Cancer Research Institute, the Lupus Research Institute, the American Heart Association (grant 11POST7430106 ), the National Institutes of Health (R01AI019484 and R01AI087634) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81161120405).
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
New understanding of tiny RNA molecules could have far-ranging medical applicationsPublic release date: 30-Jun-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Mika Ono mikaono@scripps.edu 858-784-2052 Scripps Research Institute
LA JOLLA, CA June 30, 2013 A team led by scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) has identified a family of tiny RNA molecules that work as powerful regulators of the immune response in mammals. Mice who lack these RNA molecules lose their normal infection-fighting ability, whereas mice that overproduce them develop a fatal autoimmune syndrome.
"This finding gives us insights into immune regulation that could be very helpful in a range of medical applications, from viral vaccines to treatments for autoimmune diseases," said Changchun Xiao, assistant professor in TSRI's Department of Immunology and Microbial Science and senior investigator for the study, which appears in the June 30, 2013 issue of Nature Immunology.
Unraveling a Crucial Process
The finding concerns a key interaction between T cells and B cells, the allied lymphocyte armies that make up most of the adaptive immune system of mammals. B cells, which produce antibodies, usually lie in wait for pathogens in special zones called follicles within lymph nodes and the spleen. But to start proliferating normally and pumping out antibodies to fight an infection, these B cells have to be assisted, in effect, by T cells known as "follicular helper" T cells (TFH cells). "The TFH cells have to migrate into the B cell follicles and physically contact the B cells in order to provide help to them," said Xiao. "However, the molecular pathways that control TFH cell differentiation and migration have not been well understood."
In 2009, other researchers proposed that this crucial process requires the suppression of the miR-17~92 family of RNA molecules. These are among the thousands of short RNA molecules (often known as micro-RNAs, miRs, or miRNAs) that are made by mammalian cells and are meant to do their jobs while in RNA form. Typically an miRNA works inside the cell as a basic regulator or "dimmer switch" for the activity of tens to hundreds of genesit binds to transcripts of those genes and slows down their translation into proteins.
Xiao, who had been studying the miR-17~92 family since 2005, decided to examine their role in TFH differentiation. His team began by measuring the levels of these miRNAs in young, "nave" T cells and in the TFH cells to which these T cells gave birth after exposure to foreign antigens.
Surprising Finding
To the researchers' surprise, the miR-17~92s showed the opposite pattern of expression than expected: their levels jumped as the nave T cells began differentiating into TFH cells, but fell back by the time the process was finished. The finding suggested that, far from acting as a brake on TFH differentiation, miR-17~92s work as enablers of the process.
To confirm their suspicion, team members developed mutant mouse lines in which some or all of the miR-17~92 miRNAs were knocked out of T cells. These miR-17~92-deficient T cells turned out to be much less able to differentiate into TFH cells. As a result, the follicle-dwelling B cells that depend on TFH assistance also lost much of their ability to respond to an immune challenge. "These mutant mice showed a deficient antibody response to a standard immune-provoking protein," said Seung Goo Kang, a postdoctoral research associate in the Xiao laboratory who was the leading author of the study.
Collaborating TSRI scientists led by John Teijaro, a senior research associate in the laboratory of Michael B. A. Oldstone, professor in the Department of Immunology and Microbial Science, showed further that these transgenic miceunlike ordinary lab micecould not clear a chronic virus infection that is used as a standard challenge in immunological experiments.
By contrast, when the team raised transgenic mice whose T cells produced four to six times the normal amount of miR-17~92s, these T cells differentiated into TFH cells spontaneouslythat is, without an immune-stimulating inoculation.
These mice developed antibody responses to their own tissues, and died young, with swollen spleen and lymph nodes. "The accumulation of autoantibodies is also seen in lupus and other autoimmune diseases in humans," said Wen-Hsien Liu, another postdoctoral research associate in the Xiao laboratory and a co-first author of the paper.
Important Targets
Liu and Kang were able to track down a key target gene of miR-17~92s, which the miRNAs suppress to enable TFH cell differentiation. The targeted gene codes for Phlpp2, a recently discovered signaling inhibitor. "Lowering Phlpp2 protein levels in our miR-17~92-knockout T cells restored much of their ability to become TFH cells," Kang said.
"Phlpp2 is one important target, but we believe there are others too, and we are now looking for those," Xiao said. He and his colleagues also plan to investigate methods for manipulating miR-17~92s and their TFH cell-related pathways, in order to boost antibody responses to vaccines for exampleor alternatively to lower autoantibody productions in people with autoimmune diseases.
###
The study, "miR-17~92 family microRNAs are critical regulators of T follicular helper cell differentiation," was a collaboration that also involved the laboratory of Hai Qi at Tsinghua University in Beijing and the laboratory of Eric Verdin at the Gladstone Institute of Virology and Immunology at the University of California, San Francisco. A co-first author of the study was Peiwen Lu of the Qi laboratory; other co-authors were Hyung W. Lim of the Verdin laboratory, Daniel Fremgen of the Oldstone laboratory and Hyun Yong Jin and Jovan Shepherd of the Xiao laboratory.
The study was funded by the PEW Charitable Trusts, the Cancer Research Institute, the Lupus Research Institute, the American Heart Association (grant 11POST7430106 ), the National Institutes of Health (R01AI019484 and R01AI087634) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81161120405).
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
A new report based on the information leaked by Edward Snowden is suggesting Britain spied on world leaders at two London summits in 2009. Meanwhile, protestors are demonstrating in support of Snowden in China. NBC's Andrea Mitchell reports.
By Alastair Jamieson, Staff writer, NBC News
LONDON -- British spies intercepted the phone calls of foreign politicians and delegates at the G-20 summit in 2009, according to documents provided to The Guardian by self-declared NSA leaker Edward Snowden, the newspaper reported Monday.
U.K. intelligence agency GCHQ also monitored the computers of delegates at the London conference and tried to capture their passwords, the newspaper said.
Among the foreign politicians targeted were then-President of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev, and Turkish finance minister, Mehmet Simsek, the newspaper said.
Sen. Lindsey Graham says leaker Edward Snowden's actions "compromised our national security" and elaborates on his definition of justice in locating Snowden.
The report came hours before President Barack Obama and other world leaders from the G-8 countries - all of which are in the G-20 ? were due to attend a two-day summit in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland.
Although espionage at international conferences has often been rumored, it is rare for evidence to be uncovered, The Guardian said.
It said the evidence was contained in classified documents shown to its reporters by Snowden, a U.S. citizen who worked for a private defense contractor and now faces a federal investigation into a string of embarrassing leaks about the National Security Agency and the PRISM surveillance program.
Snowden is reportedly in Hong Kong, where he told The Guardian that he was hoping to fight the U.S. government in the courts.
A spokesman for Britain?s foreign ministry declined to comment on the report. A spokesman for GCHQ said the agency never commented on intelligence matters.
Related:
This story was originally published on Mon Jun 17, 2013 8:29 AM EDT
![[ Back to EurekAlert! ]](http://www.eurekalert.org/images/back2e.gif){kind=small}
Public release date: 30-Jun-2013
Share ]