Possible tornado struck Washington, D.C. and the White House 100 years ago (PHOTOS)

On the White House grounds, there were 16 trees uprooted and 25 that were damaged during the severe thunderstorm of July 30, 1913. (Library of Congress)

A hot and humid airmass set the stage for a destructive thunderstorm and possible tornado that tore through the District 100 years ago today (July 30, 1913).

On the afternoon of July 30, 1913, the temperature in Washington had surged to 97 degrees for the second straight day.? It was the fourth consecutive day the temperature had exceeded 90.

Late that afternoon, a severe thunderstorm erupted near Washington, D.C. and it raked the city with violent wind gusts. Its torrential rains exceeded two inches.? The storm resulted in considerable building and tree damage, particularly in northwest D.C.

Several hours after the storm, the Weather Bureau posted this bulletin, at 8 p.m. on July 30, 1913:

The most striking feature of the weather during Wednesday was the occurrence of a severe local storm at Washington, D.C. and vicinity.? The storm was due to the intense heat of the last few days and at times exhibited a tornadic tendency.? It was, however, purely local in character, as reports thus far received do not indicate unusual occurrences at any considerable distance beyond the limits of the District of Columbia.? The storm lasted 30 minutes and the highest wind velocity was 66 miles an hour from northeast.? Considerable hail fell and the total precipitation from the storm was 2.02 inches.

The Saul Building at 7th and L Streets, NW is badly damaged by a severe thunderstorm on July 30, 1913.? The Weather Bureau said the storm ?exhibited a tornadic tendency?.? (Library of Congress)

It seems likely that the thunderstorm produced a tornado in Washington although a microburst is another possible explanation for the destructive winds.? The damage to a few buildings was quite severe.? At the Pension Building and Patent Office, the Washington Post reported? $60,000 in repairs were required.

There was widespread tree damage throughout Washington.? In the city?s parks, 213 trees were uprooted and 1,175 trees damaged. At the White House, 16 trees were uprooted and 25 trees were damaged. The grand total of trees in Washington destroyed by the storm was tallied at 229.? The Washington Post reported these numbers in an article that ran on August 12, 1913.

I?m not sure who went through the city counting all of the uprooted and damaged trees, but the reports are very detailed by today?s standards.? Not surprisingly, there were no reports of power outages since the power grid was not yet established.? But, there was a report that ?telephone and telegraph communication was crippled.?

The thunderstorm of July 30, 1913 produced 2.02? of rain in a short time period which caused flash flooding in the streets of Washington.? Note the extensive tree damage.? (Library of Congress)

One storm-related lawsuit made the news in Washington during the days that followed the storm.? Eugene Folsom rented a house on 513 F Street NW that had its roof blown off.? Folsom?s clothes and household possessions were ruined by the heavy rain that fell into the house after the roof was blown free from the walls.? The law suit demanded $5,000 in damages and claimed that the landlord had neglected the roof before the storm which made it easier for the roof to blow free from the building.

Two days earlier, on July 28, 1913, Baltimore was struck by a severe thunderstorm that was very similar to the storm that hit Washington .? The storm occurred during the same heatwave.? There were 18 people injured in Baltimore and there was $100,000 in property damage reported.? Flash flooding also occurred in Baltimore.? The Washington Post published the following:? ?Not for years has such a storm raged in Baltimore.? Wind, rain, and lightning played havoc.?

A crowd gathers in the street to examine roofing material that was blown down by the thunderstorm of July 30, 1913. This photo was taken at the Masonic Hall at 9th and F Streets, NW. (Library of Congress)

I would like to end this post by giving a shout out to the Library of Congress for supplying an amazing set of online resources for the public.? I was very happy to find a nice assortment of high-quality photos from a storm that happened 100 years ago.? Very cool, thanks LOC!

As a FYI regarding 1913, here are a few facts from infoplease:

Federal spending in 1913:?? $720 million
Consumer Price Index in 1913:?? 9.9
Unemployment in 1913:?? 4.3%
Cost of a first-class stamp in 1913:?? 2 cents
World Series ? Philadelphia A?s at NY Giants (4-1)
Stanley Cup ? Quebec Bulldogs
Kentucky Derby Champion ? Donerail
NCAA Football Champions ? Harvard (9-0-0)

Row houses damaged in Washington, July 30, 1913. (Library of Congress)

An uprooted tree at the White House, July 30, 1913. (Library of Congress)

Tree and roof damage in Washington, July 30, 1913. (Library of Congress)

High water and tree damage in the streets of Washington, July 30, 1913. (Library of Congress)

An uprooted tree at the White House, July 13, 1913. (Library of Congress)

Tree damage in Washington, July 30, 1913. (Library of Congress)

Parts of a roof were blown down from a nearby building and deposited in the street, July 30, 1913. (Library of Congress)

Row house damage in Washington, July 30, 1913. (Library of Congress)

Extensive building damage at 7th and L Streets, NW., July 30, 1913.? It is possible that a tornado caused this damage.? (Library of Congress)

A photo at the White House after the storm, July 30, 1913. (Library of Congress)

Kevin Ambrose is a writer and photographer for the Capital Weather Gang. He specializes in storm photography, weather history, and writing articles and books about the weather and the Civil War. His most recent book is titled, "The Knickerbocker Snowstorm."

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/wp/2013/07/30/possible-tornado-struck-d-c-and-the-white-house-100-years-ago-photos/

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Blood Pressure Swings Could Be Linked to Mental ... - Health.com

By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, July 30 (HealthDay News) ? Wide fluctuations in blood pressure may be associated with memory and thinking difficulties in older adults already at high risk for heart disease, a new European study suggests.

Regardless of average blood pressure, ?high variability in blood pressure may lead to mental impairment,? said lead researcher Dr. Simon Mooijaart, director of the Institute for Evidence-Based Medicine in Old Age in Leiden, the Netherlands.

The three-year study, published July 30 in the online edition of the BMJ, involved more than 5,000 seniors, average age 75.

Fluctuating blood pressure has previously been linked with an increased risk of stroke, and evidence is mounting that factors that disrupt blood flow to the brain contribute to dementia?s development and progression, the researchers noted.

However, because the study shows only an association, not a cause-and-effect relationship, Mooijaart cautioned that it is still too early to make definitive claims about blood pressure inconsistency and mental decline.

?It?s an interesting association, because it might very well be causal,? he said. If it is causal, controlling these fluctuations with blood pressure medication might help reduce the risk of dementia, Mooijaart added. But further research is needed, the study authors noted.

?It?s very important to keep your vasculature healthy to prevent detrimental effects to your body,? Mooijaart said.

Another heart expert agreed.

?Variability in blood pressure readings has been shown to be associated with greater risk of heart attack and stroke, independent of average blood pressure readings,? said Dr. Gregg Fonarow, a professor of cardiology at the University of California, Los Angeles, and a spokesman for the American Heart Association.

Blood pressure medications can reduce fluctuations and lower the risk of cardiovascular events, stroke and, some studies suggest, decline in mental function, he added.

?Physicians and patients with hypertension should increase focus on keeping blood pressure levels consistently at goal levels minimizing, to the extent possible, fluctuations in blood pressure,? Fonarow said.

To gauge the effect of blood pressure changes on mental ability, Mooijaart?s team collected data on more than 5,400 men and women, aged 70 to 82, who took part in the Prospective Study of Pravastatin in the Elderly at Risk. That study, conducted by centers in Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands, looked at whether lowering cholesterol protected people at risk for heart disease.

Over three years of follow-up, participants? blood pressure was checked every three months. Researchers looked at the variability in those readings and tested participants? mental functioning. Specific tests evaluated attention, reaction time and memory.

Mooijaart?s team found that people whose blood pressure varied from visit to visit performed worse on all of the tests than those with stable readings. These results persisted after the researchers accounted for cardiovascular disease and average blood pressure.

But Mooijaart said it isn?t clear whether blood pressure variability is a cause or consequence of impaired mental function.

Several explanations may exist for this connection, he said. It?s possible that blood pressure variability and mental impairment both result from cardiovascular risk factors. Or blood pressure variability might be a sign of long-term instability in blood flow to vital organs. Another possibility is that blood pressure fluctuations could deprive the brain of blood, which might lead to poorer mental functioning, Mooijaart noted.

More information

For more information on blood pressure, visit the American Heart Association.

Source: http://news.health.com/2013/07/30/blood-pressure-swings-could-be-linked-to-mental-decline-study/

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Salad pegged in Iowa, Neb. cyclospora outbreak

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) ? Health officials in Iowa and Nebraska on Tuesday identified prepackaged salad mix as the source of a severe stomach bug that sickened hundreds of people in both states, but federal authorities said it's not clear whether cyclospora outbreaks elsewhere in the U.S. are also linked to that produce.

Cyclospora is a rare parasite that causes a lengthy gastrointestinal illness, and outbreaks of the illness have been reported in 15 states. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday that it's not clear whether all of the illnesses are linked to a single source. The outbreak has sickened at least 145 residents in Iowa and 78 in Nebraska.

Nebraska officials said the salad mix in question included iceberg and romaine lettuce, along with red cabbage and carrots, which came through national distribution chains. They did not identify specific brands. A Nebraska health department spokeswoman said the agency was working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to get a "clear picture" of which were involved and whether they're tied to one common source, such as the same farm or producer.

"Our goal is to protect Nebraskans, pinpoint the source of the illness and make sure the risk is eliminated," said Dr. Joseph Acierno, the department's chief medical officer and director of public health.

In Iowa, officials said they were confident that most if not all of the product was no longer on the shelves. The affected products were traced to grocery stores and restaurants, said Steven Mandernach, the state's top food-safety inspector. Mandernach said cases were reported throughout the state, but the largest number was in the eastern Iowa city of Cedar Rapids.

Mandernach said officials have traced 80 percent of the Iowa cases to a common source, which he did not identify because officials believe there's no longer any immediate safety threat. Mandernach said it's possible that the parasite spread through contaminated floodwater and onto farm fields after arriving in the state. Before the outbreak, he said, Iowa had seen about 20 cases of cyclospora in the last decade.

Local health departments are working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to identify exactly where the contamination originated in the food production chain and where the product was distributed.

The CDC says 372 cases of the cyclospora infection, which causes diarrhea and other flu-like symptoms, have been reported in 15 states: Iowa, Texas, Nebraska, Florida, Wisconsin, Illinois, New York, Georgia, Missouri, Arkansas, Connecticut, Kansas, Minnesota, New Jersey and Ohio.

The CDC said at least 21 people have been hospitalized and most of the reported illnesses occurred from mid-June to early July. The CDC and the Food and Drug Administration are investigating the cyclospora infections but have not yet pointed to a source.

"CDC is still actively pursuing all leads and hasn't implicated any single food item as the cause of the outbreak in all states," said CDC spokeswoman Sharon Hoskins. "We're still not sure if the cases in all of the states are linked to the same outbreak."

Hoskins said that in some previous outbreaks of cyclospora, the cause was never discovered. The illness is rare in the United States but is sometimes contracted abroad or from imported food, according to the CDC.

The FDA said investigators are trying to trace the paths of food eaten by those who fell ill. That process is "labor intensive and painstaking work, requiring the collection, review and analysis of hundreds and at times thousands of invoices and shipping documents," the FDA said.

The agency said it has a seven person team in its Maryland headquarters and specialists in 10 field offices across the country working to identify the source of the outbreak.

Cyclospora illnesses are spread when people ingest food or water contaminated with feces. The illnesses are most often found in tropical or subtropical countries and have been linked to imported fresh fruits and vegetables in the past.

In Texas, public health officials have received 122 reports of the illness but have not yet found a link. The state issued an advisory that urged health care providers to test patients if they show symptoms of the infection, said Christine Mann, a spokeswoman for the Texas Department of State Health Services.

Connecticut has two reported cases, state Department of Public Health spokesman William Gerrish said Tuesday. Gerrish said the agency interviewed the two people to determine if there is any relation to the national outbreak. One patient likely acquired the infection while traveling internationally and the case is not related to the multistate outbreak, he said

In Kansas, state health department spokeswoman Miranda Steele said two cyclospora cases were tied to the outbreak. Steele said officials there believe both illnesses were caused by food eaten in Nebraska.

___

Jalonick contributed from Washington, D.C. Associated Press writers Nomaan Merchant in Dallas, Stephen Singer, in Hartford, Conn., and Roxana Hegeman in Wichita, Kan., contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/salad-pegged-iowa-neb-cyclospora-outbreak-193757365.html

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Yahoo! News - Latest News & Headlines

http://news.yahoo.com/ The latest news and headlines from Yahoo! News. Get breaking news stories and in-depth coverage with videos and photos.en-USCopyright (c) 2013 Yahoo! Inc. 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Pope Francis reached out to gays on Monday, saying he wouldn&#039;t judge priests for their sexual orientation in a remarkably open and wide-ranging news conference as he returned from his first foreign trip. &quot;If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?&quot; Francis asked. His predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, signed a document in 2005 that said men with deep-rooted homosexual tendencies should not be priests. Francis was much more conciliatory, saying gay clergymen should be forgiven and their sins forgotten. Francis&#039; remarks came Monday during a plane journey back to the Vatican from his first foreign trip in Brazil. (AP Photo/Luca Zennaro, Pool)" align="left" title="Pope Francis answers reporters questions during a news conference aboard the papal flight on its way back from Brazil, Monday, July 29, 2013. Pope Francis reached out to gays on Monday, saying he wouldn&#039;t judge priests for their sexual orientation in a remarkably open and wide-ranging news conference as he returned from his first foreign trip. &quot;If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?&quot; Francis asked. His predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, signed a document in 2005 that said men with deep-rooted homosexual tendencies should not be priests. Francis was much more conciliatory, saying gay clergymen should be forgiven and their sins forgotten. Francis&#039; remarks came Monday during a plane journey back to the Vatican from his first foreign trip in Brazil. (AP Photo/Luca Zennaro, Pool)" border="0" /></a>ABOARD THE PAPAL AIRCRAFT (AP) ? A remarkably candid Pope Francis struck a conciliatory stance toward gays Monday, saying &quot;who am I to judge&quot; when it comes to the sexual orientation of priests.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/am-judge-pope-says-gay-priests-221340325.htmlMon, 29 Jul 2013 21:46:44 -0400Associated Pressam-judge-pope-says-gay-priests-221340325<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/am-judge-pope-says-gay-priests-221340325.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/3zKy5WXqhwDk6aHKAISyBA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/6d0afed95ba9f519380f6a7067007f69.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Pope Francis answers reporters questions during a news conference aboard the papal flight on its way back from Brazil, Monday, July 29, 2013. Pope Francis reached out to gays on Monday, saying he wouldn&#039;t judge priests for their sexual orientation in a remarkably open and wide-ranging news conference as he returned from his first foreign trip. &quot;If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?&quot; Francis asked. His predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, signed a document in 2005 that said men with deep-rooted homosexual tendencies should not be priests. Francis was much more conciliatory, saying gay clergymen should be forgiven and their sins forgotten. Francis&#039; remarks came Monday during a plane journey back to the Vatican from his first foreign trip in Brazil. (AP Photo/Luca Zennaro, Pool)" align="left" title="Pope Francis answers reporters questions during a news conference aboard the papal flight on its way back from Brazil, Monday, July 29, 2013. Pope Francis reached out to gays on Monday, saying he wouldn&#039;t judge priests for their sexual orientation in a remarkably open and wide-ranging news conference as he returned from his first foreign trip. &quot;If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?&quot; Francis asked. His predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, signed a document in 2005 that said men with deep-rooted homosexual tendencies should not be priests. Francis was much more conciliatory, saying gay clergymen should be forgiven and their sins forgotten. Francis&#039; remarks came Monday during a plane journey back to the Vatican from his first foreign trip in Brazil. (AP Photo/Luca Zennaro, Pool)" border="0" /></a>ABOARD THE PAPAL AIRCRAFT (AP) ? A remarkably candid Pope Francis struck a conciliatory stance toward gays Monday, saying &quot;who am I to judge&quot; when it comes to the sexual orientation of priests.</p><br clear="all"/><p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/child-prostitution-raids-rescue-105-young-people-215355254.html"><img src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/_juKVuj5vSkijuiPTDRRPQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/e73d34fb5c41f819380f6a70670039c7.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Ron Hosko, assistant director of the FBI&#039;s Criminal Investigative Division, speaks during a news conference at FBI headquarters in Washington, Monday, July 29, 2013, about &quot;Operation Cross Country.&quot; The FBI says the operation rescued 105 children who were forced into prostitution in the US and arrested 150 people it described as pimps and others in a series of raids in 76 American cities. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)" align="left" title="Ron Hosko, assistant director of the FBI&#039;s Criminal Investigative Division, speaks during a news conference at FBI headquarters in Washington, Monday, July 29, 2013, about &quot;Operation Cross Country.&quot; The FBI says the operation rescued 105 children who were forced into prostitution in the US and arrested 150 people it described as pimps and others in a series of raids in 76 American cities. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)" border="0" /></a>WASHINGTON (AP) ? Declaring child prostitution a &quot;persistent threat&quot; in America, the FBI said Monday that authorities had rescued 105 young people and arrested 150 alleged pimps in a three-day sweep in 76 cities.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/child-prostitution-raids-rescue-105-young-people-215355254.htmlMon, 29 Jul 2013 22:45:53 -0400Associated Presschild-prostitution-raids-rescue-105-young-people-215355254<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/child-prostitution-raids-rescue-105-young-people-215355254.html"><img src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/_juKVuj5vSkijuiPTDRRPQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/e73d34fb5c41f819380f6a70670039c7.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Ron Hosko, assistant director of the FBI&#039;s Criminal Investigative Division, speaks during a news conference at FBI headquarters in Washington, Monday, July 29, 2013, about &quot;Operation Cross Country.&quot; The FBI says the operation rescued 105 children who were forced into prostitution in the US and arrested 150 people it described as pimps and others in a series of raids in 76 American cities. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)" align="left" title="Ron Hosko, assistant director of the FBI&#039;s Criminal Investigative Division, speaks during a news conference at FBI headquarters in Washington, Monday, July 29, 2013, about &quot;Operation Cross Country.&quot; The FBI says the operation rescued 105 children who were forced into prostitution in the US and arrested 150 people it described as pimps and others in a series of raids in 76 American cities. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)" border="0" /></a>WASHINGTON (AP) ? Declaring child prostitution a &quot;persistent threat&quot; in America, the FBI said Monday that authorities had rescued 105 young people and arrested 150 alleged pimps in a three-day sweep in 76 cities.</p><br clear="all"/><p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/personality-cult-built-around-egypts-top-general-213004116.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/5UglZzkTVjRmaMd0qLpHfw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/284d11f65c7cf919380f6a70670065db.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="FILE - In this Monday, July 8, 2013 file photo, Egyptians chant slogans as they hold a poster of Egyptian Army Chief Lt. Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi during a protest in Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt. Arabic reads on the poster reads, &quot;Sissi, go down, let the Brotherhood hide.&quot; In dark sunglasses and a uniform studded with medals, Egypt?s top general is everywhere, looking down from posters and banners proclaiming him ?lion of the nation.? Adoring songs vow ?We are behind you.? Barely a month after he removed the elected president, Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi is riding a wave of adulation _ in part, state fueled _ that is drawing comparisons between him and modern Egypt?s first charismatic strongman, Gamal Abdel-Nasser. Some are warning that the personality cult could pave the way to new authoritarianism. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil, File)" align="left" title="FILE - In this Monday, July 8, 2013 file photo, Egyptians chant slogans as they hold a poster of Egyptian Army Chief Lt. Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi during a protest in Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt. Arabic reads on the poster reads, &quot;Sissi, go down, let the Brotherhood hide.&quot; In dark sunglasses and a uniform studded with medals, Egypt?s top general is everywhere, looking down from posters and banners proclaiming him ?lion of the nation.? Adoring songs vow ?We are behind you.? Barely a month after he removed the elected president, Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi is riding a wave of adulation _ in part, state fueled _ that is drawing comparisons between him and modern Egypt?s first charismatic strongman, Gamal Abdel-Nasser. Some are warning that the personality cult could pave the way to new authoritarianism. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil, File)" border="0" /></a>CAIRO (AP) ? In dark sunglasses and a uniform studded with medals, Egypt&#039;s top general is everywhere, looking down from posters and banners proclaiming him &quot;lion of the nation.&quot; Adoring songs vow &quot;We are behind you.&quot;</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/personality-cult-built-around-egypts-top-general-213004116.htmlMon, 29 Jul 2013 17:30:04 -0400Associated Presspersonality-cult-built-around-egypts-top-general-213004116<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/personality-cult-built-around-egypts-top-general-213004116.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/5UglZzkTVjRmaMd0qLpHfw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/284d11f65c7cf919380f6a70670065db.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="FILE - In this Monday, July 8, 2013 file photo, Egyptians chant slogans as they hold a poster of Egyptian Army Chief Lt. Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi during a protest in Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt. Arabic reads on the poster reads, &quot;Sissi, go down, let the Brotherhood hide.&quot; In dark sunglasses and a uniform studded with medals, Egypt?s top general is everywhere, looking down from posters and banners proclaiming him ?lion of the nation.? Adoring songs vow ?We are behind you.? Barely a month after he removed the elected president, Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi is riding a wave of adulation _ in part, state fueled _ that is drawing comparisons between him and modern Egypt?s first charismatic strongman, Gamal Abdel-Nasser. Some are warning that the personality cult could pave the way to new authoritarianism. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil, File)" align="left" title="FILE - In this Monday, July 8, 2013 file photo, Egyptians chant slogans as they hold a poster of Egyptian Army Chief Lt. Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi during a protest in Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt. Arabic reads on the poster reads, &quot;Sissi, go down, let the Brotherhood hide.&quot; In dark sunglasses and a uniform studded with medals, Egypt?s top general is everywhere, looking down from posters and banners proclaiming him ?lion of the nation.? Adoring songs vow ?We are behind you.? Barely a month after he removed the elected president, Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi is riding a wave of adulation _ in part, state fueled _ that is drawing comparisons between him and modern Egypt?s first charismatic strongman, Gamal Abdel-Nasser. Some are warning that the personality cult could pave the way to new authoritarianism. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil, File)" border="0" /></a>CAIRO (AP) ? In dark sunglasses and a uniform studded with medals, Egypt&#039;s top general is everywhere, looking down from posters and banners proclaiming him &quot;lion of the nation.&quot; Adoring songs vow &quot;We are behind you.&quot;</p><br clear="all"/><p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/experts-unlikely-us-helped-nz-spy-reporter-200258949.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/P1s0JKKDvsUTn0.wqrwkjg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/5f8d76165c98f919380f6a706700a7da.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="FILE - This June 23, 2013 file photo shows a TV screen shows a news report of Edward Snowden, a former CIA employee who leaked top-secret documents about sweeping U.S. surveillance programs, at a shopping mall in Hong Kong. Surveillance of a New Zealand journalist?s phone conversations with Afghan sources may have occurred under one of several military intelligence programs designed to track militants, intelligence officials and experts say. But US and New Zealand officials deny that the US directly gave New Zealand information on Jon Stephenson. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)" align="left" title="FILE - This June 23, 2013 file photo shows a TV screen shows a news report of Edward Snowden, a former CIA employee who leaked top-secret documents about sweeping U.S. surveillance programs, at a shopping mall in Hong Kong. Surveillance of a New Zealand journalist?s phone conversations with Afghan sources may have occurred under one of several military intelligence programs designed to track militants, intelligence officials and experts say. But US and New Zealand officials deny that the US directly gave New Zealand information on Jon Stephenson. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)" border="0" /></a>WASHINGTON (AP) ? A U.S. official said Monday that the National Security Agency did not monitor phone conversations between a New Zealand journalist and his Afghan sources, following claims by the journalist that his reporting was monitored by the U.S. intelligence programs revealed by NSA leaker Edward Snowden on behalf of New Zealand&#039;s military.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/experts-unlikely-us-helped-nz-spy-reporter-200258949.htmlMon, 29 Jul 2013 20:21:12 -0400Associated Pressexperts-unlikely-us-helped-nz-spy-reporter-200258949<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/experts-unlikely-us-helped-nz-spy-reporter-200258949.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/P1s0JKKDvsUTn0.wqrwkjg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/5f8d76165c98f919380f6a706700a7da.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="FILE - This June 23, 2013 file photo shows a TV screen shows a news report of Edward Snowden, a former CIA employee who leaked top-secret documents about sweeping U.S. surveillance programs, at a shopping mall in Hong Kong. Surveillance of a New Zealand journalist?s phone conversations with Afghan sources may have occurred under one of several military intelligence programs designed to track militants, intelligence officials and experts say. But US and New Zealand officials deny that the US directly gave New Zealand information on Jon Stephenson. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)" align="left" title="FILE - This June 23, 2013 file photo shows a TV screen shows a news report of Edward Snowden, a former CIA employee who leaked top-secret documents about sweeping U.S. surveillance programs, at a shopping mall in Hong Kong. Surveillance of a New Zealand journalist?s phone conversations with Afghan sources may have occurred under one of several military intelligence programs designed to track militants, intelligence officials and experts say. But US and New Zealand officials deny that the US directly gave New Zealand information on Jon Stephenson. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)" border="0" /></a>WASHINGTON (AP) ? A U.S. official said Monday that the National Security Agency did not monitor phone conversations between a New Zealand journalist and his Afghan sources, following claims by the journalist that his reporting was monitored by the U.S. intelligence programs revealed by NSA leaker Edward Snowden on behalf of New Zealand&#039;s military.</p><br clear="all"/><p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/panel-backs-lung-cancer-screening-smokers-210216297.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/sspVSDihBEO_TvTZ0QvSYw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/b5ff26995d4bfc19380f6a7067002ed7.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="FILE - In a June 3, 2010, file photo, Dr. Steven Birnbaum works with a patient in a CT scanner at Southern New Hampshire Medical Center in Nashua, N.H. For the first time, government advisers are recommending screening for lung cancer, saying certain current and former smokers should get annual scans to cut their chances of dying of the disease. Reports on the screening were published Monday, July 29, 2013, in Annals of Internal Medicine. (AP Photo/Jim Cole, File)" align="left" title="FILE - In a June 3, 2010, file photo, Dr. Steven Birnbaum works with a patient in a CT scanner at Southern New Hampshire Medical Center in Nashua, N.H. For the first time, government advisers are recommending screening for lung cancer, saying certain current and former smokers should get annual scans to cut their chances of dying of the disease. Reports on the screening were published Monday, July 29, 2013, in Annals of Internal Medicine. (AP Photo/Jim Cole, File)" border="0" /></a>For the first time, government advisers are recommending screening for lung cancer, saying certain current and former heavy smokers should get annual scans to cut their chances of dying of the disease.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/panel-backs-lung-cancer-screening-smokers-210216297.htmlMon, 29 Jul 2013 18:56:16 -0400Associated Presspanel-backs-lung-cancer-screening-smokers-210216297<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/panel-backs-lung-cancer-screening-smokers-210216297.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/sspVSDihBEO_TvTZ0QvSYw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/b5ff26995d4bfc19380f6a7067002ed7.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="FILE - In a June 3, 2010, file photo, Dr. Steven Birnbaum works with a patient in a CT scanner at Southern New Hampshire Medical Center in Nashua, N.H. For the first time, government advisers are recommending screening for lung cancer, saying certain current and former smokers should get annual scans to cut their chances of dying of the disease. Reports on the screening were published Monday, July 29, 2013, in Annals of Internal Medicine. (AP Photo/Jim Cole, File)" align="left" title="FILE - In a June 3, 2010, file photo, Dr. Steven Birnbaum works with a patient in a CT scanner at Southern New Hampshire Medical Center in Nashua, N.H. For the first time, government advisers are recommending screening for lung cancer, saying certain current and former smokers should get annual scans to cut their chances of dying of the disease. Reports on the screening were published Monday, July 29, 2013, in Annals of Internal Medicine. (AP Photo/Jim Cole, File)" border="0" /></a>For the first time, government advisers are recommending screening for lung cancer, saying certain current and former heavy smokers should get annual scans to cut their chances of dying of the disease.</p><br clear="all"/><p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/weiner-falls-4th-nyc-mayoral-poll-205848594.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/OLzNlCAcDcO5kRaW9Mzy7A--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/ae26f9b35cccfa19380f6a7067005882.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="New York City mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner speaks to voters during a campaign stop at the Nan Shan Senior Center, Monday, July 29, 2013, in the Queens borough of New York. Weiner confirmed that campaign manager Danny Kedem resigned Saturday after reports surfaced that Weiner continued to exchange lewd photos and messages with women despite resigning from Congress in 2011 over the same behavior. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)" align="left" title="New York City mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner speaks to voters during a campaign stop at the Nan Shan Senior Center, Monday, July 29, 2013, in the Queens borough of New York. Weiner confirmed that campaign manager Danny Kedem resigned Saturday after reports surfaced that Weiner continued to exchange lewd photos and messages with women despite resigning from Congress in 2011 over the same behavior. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)" border="0" /></a>NEW YORK (AP) ? New York City mayoral hopeful Anthony Weiner plunged to fourth place among Democrats in a poll taken since he admitted to having illicit online exchanges with women even after he resigned from Congress amid a sexting scandal.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/weiner-falls-4th-nyc-mayoral-poll-205848594.htmlTue, 30 Jul 2013 00:12:45 -0400Associated Pressweiner-falls-4th-nyc-mayoral-poll-205848594<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/weiner-falls-4th-nyc-mayoral-poll-205848594.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/OLzNlCAcDcO5kRaW9Mzy7A--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/ae26f9b35cccfa19380f6a7067005882.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="New York City mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner speaks to voters during a campaign stop at the Nan Shan Senior Center, Monday, July 29, 2013, in the Queens borough of New York. Weiner confirmed that campaign manager Danny Kedem resigned Saturday after reports surfaced that Weiner continued to exchange lewd photos and messages with women despite resigning from Congress in 2011 over the same behavior. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)" align="left" title="New York City mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner speaks to voters during a campaign stop at the Nan Shan Senior Center, Monday, July 29, 2013, in the Queens borough of New York. Weiner confirmed that campaign manager Danny Kedem resigned Saturday after reports surfaced that Weiner continued to exchange lewd photos and messages with women despite resigning from Congress in 2011 over the same behavior. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)" border="0" /></a>NEW YORK (AP) ? New York City mayoral hopeful Anthony Weiner plunged to fourth place among Democrats in a poll taken since he admitted to having illicit online exchanges with women even after he resigned from Congress amid a sexting scandal.</p><br clear="all"/><p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/jackson-concludes-hobbit-filming-zealand-014748832.html"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/ZrHkYq0Ss9QrAJMSysonKQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/f8d38d2b5ac9f119380f6a706700802f.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="This Friday, July 26, 2013 photo taken and released by Peter Jackson, actor Ian Murray McKellen, right, as Gandalf poses with Jackson on the final day of filming of The Hobbit in Wellington, New Zealand. Jackson has wrapped up filming &quot;The Hobbit&quot; trilogy and shared pictures of his last day on the set with his Facebook fans. The New Zealand filmmaker provided a steady stream of updates and photos from the set of the final film, &quot;The Hobbit: There And Back Again,&quot; on Friday, July 26. The second film, &quot;The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,&quot; will be released in December, and the finale appears in 2014. (AP Photo/Peter Jackson) MANDATORY CREDIT(AP Photo/Peter Jackson)" align="left" title="This Friday, July 26, 2013 photo taken and released by Peter Jackson, actor Ian Murray McKellen, right, as Gandalf poses with Jackson on the final day of filming of The Hobbit in Wellington, New Zealand. Jackson has wrapped up filming &quot;The Hobbit&quot; trilogy and shared pictures of his last day on the set with his Facebook fans. The New Zealand filmmaker provided a steady stream of updates and photos from the set of the final film, &quot;The Hobbit: There And Back Again,&quot; on Friday, July 26. The second film, &quot;The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,&quot; will be released in December, and the finale appears in 2014. (AP Photo/Peter Jackson) MANDATORY CREDIT(AP Photo/Peter Jackson)" border="0" /></a>SYDNEY (AP) ? Peter Jackson has wrapped up filming &quot;The Hobbit&quot; trilogy and shared pictures of his last day on the set with his Facebook fans.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/jackson-concludes-hobbit-filming-zealand-014748832.htmlMon, 29 Jul 2013 21:48:09 -0400Associated Pressjackson-concludes-hobbit-filming-zealand-014748832<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/jackson-concludes-hobbit-filming-zealand-014748832.html"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/ZrHkYq0Ss9QrAJMSysonKQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/f8d38d2b5ac9f119380f6a706700802f.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="This Friday, July 26, 2013 photo taken and released by Peter Jackson, actor Ian Murray McKellen, right, as Gandalf poses with Jackson on the final day of filming of The Hobbit in Wellington, New Zealand. Jackson has wrapped up filming &quot;The Hobbit&quot; trilogy and shared pictures of his last day on the set with his Facebook fans. The New Zealand filmmaker provided a steady stream of updates and photos from the set of the final film, &quot;The Hobbit: There And Back Again,&quot; on Friday, July 26. The second film, &quot;The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,&quot; will be released in December, and the finale appears in 2014. (AP Photo/Peter Jackson) MANDATORY CREDIT(AP Photo/Peter Jackson)" align="left" title="This Friday, July 26, 2013 photo taken and released by Peter Jackson, actor Ian Murray McKellen, right, as Gandalf poses with Jackson on the final day of filming of The Hobbit in Wellington, New Zealand. Jackson has wrapped up filming &quot;The Hobbit&quot; trilogy and shared pictures of his last day on the set with his Facebook fans. The New Zealand filmmaker provided a steady stream of updates and photos from the set of the final film, &quot;The Hobbit: There And Back Again,&quot; on Friday, July 26. The second film, &quot;The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,&quot; will be released in December, and the finale appears in 2014. (AP Photo/Peter Jackson) MANDATORY CREDIT(AP Photo/Peter Jackson)" border="0" /></a>SYDNEY (AP) ? Peter Jackson has wrapped up filming &quot;The Hobbit&quot; trilogy and shared pictures of his last day on the set with his Facebook fans.</p><br clear="all"/><p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/10-things-know-tuesday-103642113.html"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/wI.X6vi8LnR0T2R..6gFRg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/a81176f75deaff19380f6a7067000058.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Saeb Erekat, right, Palestinian chief negotiator and Mohammad I. Shtayyeh, left, Minister Palestinian Economic Council for Development and Reconstruction, arrive at the State Department in Washington, Monday, July 29, 2013. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)" align="left" title="Saeb Erekat, right, Palestinian chief negotiator and Mohammad I. Shtayyeh, left, Minister Palestinian Economic Council for Development and Reconstruction, arrive at the State Department in Washington, Monday, July 29, 2013. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)" border="0" /></a>Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about Tuesday:</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/10-things-know-tuesday-103642113.htmlMon, 29 Jul 2013 21:06:05 -0400Associated Press10-things-know-tuesday-103642113<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/10-things-know-tuesday-103642113.html"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/wI.X6vi8LnR0T2R..6gFRg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/a81176f75deaff19380f6a7067000058.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Saeb Erekat, right, Palestinian chief negotiator and Mohammad I. Shtayyeh, left, Minister Palestinian Economic Council for Development and Reconstruction, arrive at the State Department in Washington, Monday, July 29, 2013. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)" align="left" title="Saeb Erekat, right, Palestinian chief negotiator and Mohammad I. Shtayyeh, left, Minister Palestinian Economic Council for Development and Reconstruction, arrive at the State Department in Washington, Monday, July 29, 2013. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)" border="0" /></a>Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about Tuesday:</p><br clear="all"/>TAVARES CITY, Fla. (AP) ? A series of major explosions at a Florida gas plant has injured several workers and left others missing.http://news.yahoo.com/workers-missing-explosions-fla-gas-plant-051641856.htmlTue, 30 Jul 2013 01:16:41 -0400Associated Pressworkers-missing-explosions-fla-gas-plant-051641856TAVARES CITY, Fla. (AP) ? A series of major explosions at a Florida gas plant has injured several workers and left others missing.http://news.yahoo.com/report-workers-missing-fla-gas-plant-blast-043642057.htmlTue, 30 Jul 2013 01:10:53 -0400Associated Pressreport-workers-missing-fla-gas-plant-blast-043642057<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/official-cannes-diamond-heist-actually-nets-136m-211852745.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/U5LHpbRsfbHdZ2z2M5cf3w--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/a04b51d43d18de19380f6a706700a39c.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Police outside the Carlton hotel, in Cannes, southern France, the scene of a daylight raid, Sunday, July 28, 2013. A staggering 40 million euro ($53 million) worth of jewels and diamonds were stolen Sunday from the Carlton Intercontinental Hotel in Cannes, in one of Europe&#039;s biggest jewelry heists recent years, police said. French Riviera hotel was hosting a temporary jewelry exhibit over the summer of the prestigious Leviev diamond house, which is owned by Israeli billionaire Lev Leviev. (AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau)" align="left" title="Police outside the Carlton hotel, in Cannes, southern France, the scene of a daylight raid, Sunday, July 28, 2013. A staggering 40 million euro ($53 million) worth of jewels and diamonds were stolen Sunday from the Carlton Intercontinental Hotel in Cannes, in one of Europe&#039;s biggest jewelry heists recent years, police said. French Riviera hotel was hosting a temporary jewelry exhibit over the summer of the prestigious Leviev diamond house, which is owned by Israeli billionaire Lev Leviev. (AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau)" border="0" /></a>PARIS (AP) ? Wearing a scarf to mask his face, the gunman sneaked into the posh Cannes hotel and held up a diamond show as three security guards looked on, then fled on foot about a minute later. In the end, he made off with a breathtaking $136 million worth of valuables ? the biggest jewelry heist in years, maybe ever.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/official-cannes-diamond-heist-actually-nets-136m-211852745.htmlMon, 29 Jul 2013 18:09:37 -0400Associated Pressofficial-cannes-diamond-heist-actually-nets-136m-211852745<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/official-cannes-diamond-heist-actually-nets-136m-211852745.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/U5LHpbRsfbHdZ2z2M5cf3w--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/a04b51d43d18de19380f6a706700a39c.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Police outside the Carlton hotel, in Cannes, southern France, the scene of a daylight raid, Sunday, July 28, 2013. A staggering 40 million euro ($53 million) worth of jewels and diamonds were stolen Sunday from the Carlton Intercontinental Hotel in Cannes, in one of Europe&#039;s biggest jewelry heists recent years, police said. French Riviera hotel was hosting a temporary jewelry exhibit over the summer of the prestigious Leviev diamond house, which is owned by Israeli billionaire Lev Leviev. (AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau)" align="left" title="Police outside the Carlton hotel, in Cannes, southern France, the scene of a daylight raid, Sunday, July 28, 2013. A staggering 40 million euro ($53 million) worth of jewels and diamonds were stolen Sunday from the Carlton Intercontinental Hotel in Cannes, in one of Europe&#039;s biggest jewelry heists recent years, police said. French Riviera hotel was hosting a temporary jewelry exhibit over the summer of the prestigious Leviev diamond house, which is owned by Israeli billionaire Lev Leviev. (AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau)" border="0" /></a>PARIS (AP) ? Wearing a scarf to mask his face, the gunman sneaked into the posh Cannes hotel and held up a diamond show as three security guards looked on, then fled on foot about a minute later. In the end, he made off with a breathtaking $136 million worth of valuables ? the biggest jewelry heist in years, maybe ever.</p><br clear="all"/><p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/russian-anti-gay-laws-impact-olympics-vodka-sales-202546428.html"><img src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/B1_ZXpjoMDFbYOBaB0nhqQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/b933cae35d54fd19380f6a7067007daa.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="An empty space on a liquor shelf where Russian vodka used to be located at The Sidetrack, a gay bar on the north side of Chicago, Monday, July 29, 2013. Many gay bars across North America have joined a campaign to stop selling Russian vodka due to anti-gay laws in Russia. The chief cause of the anger is a law signed by President Vladimir Putin last month that bans the &quot;propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations&quot; and imposes hefty fines for providing information about the gay community to minors or holding gay pride rallies. (AP Photo/Scott Eisen)" align="left" title="An empty space on a liquor shelf where Russian vodka used to be located at The Sidetrack, a gay bar on the north side of Chicago, Monday, July 29, 2013. Many gay bars across North America have joined a campaign to stop selling Russian vodka due to anti-gay laws in Russia. The chief cause of the anger is a law signed by President Vladimir Putin last month that bans the &quot;propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations&quot; and imposes hefty fines for providing information about the gay community to minors or holding gay pride rallies. (AP Photo/Scott Eisen)" border="0" /></a>NEW YORK (AP) ? Russian vodka and the Winter Olympics in Sochi. For now, those are the prime targets as gays in the United States and elsewhere propose boycotts and other tactics to convey their outrage over Russia&#039;s intensifying campaign against gay-rights activism.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/russian-anti-gay-laws-impact-olympics-vodka-sales-202546428.htmlMon, 29 Jul 2013 18:09:00 -0400Associated Pressrussian-anti-gay-laws-impact-olympics-vodka-sales-202546428<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/russian-anti-gay-laws-impact-olympics-vodka-sales-202546428.html"><img src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/B1_ZXpjoMDFbYOBaB0nhqQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/b933cae35d54fd19380f6a7067007daa.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="An empty space on a liquor shelf where Russian vodka used to be located at The Sidetrack, a gay bar on the north side of Chicago, Monday, July 29, 2013. Many gay bars across North America have joined a campaign to stop selling Russian vodka due to anti-gay laws in Russia. The chief cause of the anger is a law signed by President Vladimir Putin last month that bans the &quot;propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations&quot; and imposes hefty fines for providing information about the gay community to minors or holding gay pride rallies. (AP Photo/Scott Eisen)" align="left" title="An empty space on a liquor shelf where Russian vodka used to be located at The Sidetrack, a gay bar on the north side of Chicago, Monday, July 29, 2013. Many gay bars across North America have joined a campaign to stop selling Russian vodka due to anti-gay laws in Russia. The chief cause of the anger is a law signed by President Vladimir Putin last month that bans the &quot;propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations&quot; and imposes hefty fines for providing information about the gay community to minors or holding gay pride rallies. (AP Photo/Scott Eisen)" border="0" /></a>NEW YORK (AP) ? Russian vodka and the Winter Olympics in Sochi. For now, those are the prime targets as gays in the United States and elsewhere propose boycotts and other tactics to convey their outrage over Russia&#039;s intensifying campaign against gay-rights activism.</p><br clear="all"/><p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/coming-back-phelps-vague-future-145848423.html"><img src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/DwQGGrk0uNbXiA3PEpC2Tw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/97ca19b43d12de19380f6a706700ce4e.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Former Olympic and world swimming champion Michael Phelps of the US attends the unveiling of a mosaic installed in his honour at the FINA Swimming World Championships in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, July 28, 2013 .(AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)" align="left" title="Former Olympic and world swimming champion Michael Phelps of the US attends the unveiling of a mosaic installed in his honour at the FINA Swimming World Championships in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, July 28, 2013 .(AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)" border="0" /></a>BARCELONA, Spain (AP) ? When Michael Phelps walked away from swimming after the London Olympics, he was adamant about one thing: His career was over.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/coming-back-phelps-vague-future-145848423.htmlMon, 29 Jul 2013 20:12:07 -0400Associated Presscoming-back-phelps-vague-future-145848423<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/coming-back-phelps-vague-future-145848423.html"><img src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/DwQGGrk0uNbXiA3PEpC2Tw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/97ca19b43d12de19380f6a706700ce4e.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Former Olympic and world swimming champion Michael Phelps of the US attends the unveiling of a mosaic installed in his honour at the FINA Swimming World Championships in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, July 28, 2013 .(AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)" align="left" title="Former Olympic and world swimming champion Michael Phelps of the US attends the unveiling of a mosaic installed in his honour at the FINA Swimming World Championships in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, July 28, 2013 .(AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)" border="0" /></a>BARCELONA, Spain (AP) ? When Michael Phelps walked away from swimming after the London Olympics, he was adamant about one thing: His career was over.</p><br clear="all"/><p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/swiss-train-crash-injures-40-183531434.html"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/r3fdZwdgfxG1yiGqbpIERw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-07-29T185332Z_1100102877_GM1E97U07LN01_RTRMADP_3_SWITZERLAND-CRASH.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="A rescue worker stands near two Swiss regional trains after a head-on collision near Granges-Pres-Marnand near Payerne" align="left" title="A rescue worker stands near two Swiss regional trains after a head-on collision near Granges-Pres-Marnand near Payerne" border="0" /></a>The driver of one of the trains was still unaccounted for and feared dead.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/swiss-train-crash-injures-40-183531434.htmlMon, 29 Jul 2013 17:27:56 -0400Reutersswiss-train-crash-injures-40-183531434<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/swiss-train-crash-injures-40-183531434.html"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/r3fdZwdgfxG1yiGqbpIERw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-07-29T185332Z_1100102877_GM1E97U07LN01_RTRMADP_3_SWITZERLAND-CRASH.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="A rescue worker stands near two Swiss regional trains after a head-on collision near Granges-Pres-Marnand near Payerne" align="left" title="A rescue worker stands near two Swiss regional trains after a head-on collision near Granges-Pres-Marnand near Payerne" border="0" /></a>The driver of one of the trains was still unaccounted for and feared dead.</p><br clear="all"/>

Source: http://rss.news.yahoo.com/rss/obits

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The naked mole-rat's secret to staying cancer free

Public release date: 31-Jul-2013
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Contact: Polina Petruhin
ppetruh1@univ.haifa.ac.il
972-482-88722
University of Haifa

Mice and rats have long since been a standard animal model for cancer research, mainly due to their short lifespan of four years on average and high incidence of cancer. Naked mole rats however, are a mystery among mammals. This social tiny African subterranean rodent has a maximum lifespan exceeding 30 years and most surprisingly, is cancer-resistant. The fact that so far, not a single incident of cancer has been detected makes the naked mole rat a fitting model for finding novel ways to fight cancer.

Recently, a team of researchers from the University of Rochester in New York and the University of Haifa found the naked mole rat's unique mechanism to staying cancer free- a super sugar called high-molecular-mass Hyaluronan (HMM-HA). They discovered that when secreted from the naked mole rat's cells, HMM-HA prevents cells from overcrowding and forming tumors. "Contact inhibition, a powerful anticancer mechanism, discovered by the Rochester team, arresting cell growth when cells come into contact with each other, is lost in cancer cells", explains Prof. Eviatar Nevo, from the Institute of Evolution at the University of Haifa, "The experiments showed that when HMM-HA was removed from naked mole rat cells, they became susceptible to tumors and lost their contact inhibition".

HMM-HA is a form of Hyaluronan- a long sugar polymer, naturally present as a lubricant in the extracellular matrix of the human body. It is commonly used in the treatment of arthritis or in anti-wrinkle skin care products. According to the current results, the naked mole rat cells secrete extremely high-molecular mass HA, which is over five times larger than human or mouse HA. This high-molecular-mass HA accumulates abundantly in naked mole rat tissues, owing to a more robust synthesis by a protein called HAS2 and a decreased activity of HA-degrading enzymes. When researchers compared the Has2 gene between the naked mole rat and other mammals, they discovered that two unique amino acids, (asparagines), that are 100% conserved among mammals, were replaced by two other amino acids (serines), in the naked mole rat. These unique amino acid changes may be responsible for the high processivity of the naked mole rat HAS2 protein- in charge of HA synthesis. The naked mole rat cells display a two-fold higher affinity to HA than mouse or human cells, contributing to the higher sensitivity of naked mole rat cells to HA signaling. Remarkably, explains Professor Nevo, "the cells of the Israeli solitary blind mole rat, Spalax, which is phylogenetically closer to mice and rats than to naked mole rats, also secreted HMM-HA. This highlights a parallel evolution in unrelated subterranean mammals, presumably a shared adaptation to life underground".

The researchers speculate that naked mole rats evolved higher concentrations of HA in the skin to provide the skin elasticity needed for life in underground tunnels. So far, experiments in human cells have been very limited. However, there has been some evidence showing there is reason for hope. In one of their experiments, the researchers noticed that when naked mole rat HAS2 synthesis protein was overexpressed in human cell tissues, the cells began secreting HMM-HA. This opens new avenues for cancer prevention and life extension in human medicine.

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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.

Public release date: 31-Jul-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Polina Petruhin
ppetruh1@univ.haifa.ac.il
972-482-88722
University of Haifa

Mice and rats have long since been a standard animal model for cancer research, mainly due to their short lifespan of four years on average and high incidence of cancer. Naked mole rats however, are a mystery among mammals. This social tiny African subterranean rodent has a maximum lifespan exceeding 30 years and most surprisingly, is cancer-resistant. The fact that so far, not a single incident of cancer has been detected makes the naked mole rat a fitting model for finding novel ways to fight cancer.

Recently, a team of researchers from the University of Rochester in New York and the University of Haifa found the naked mole rat's unique mechanism to staying cancer free- a super sugar called high-molecular-mass Hyaluronan (HMM-HA). They discovered that when secreted from the naked mole rat's cells, HMM-HA prevents cells from overcrowding and forming tumors. "Contact inhibition, a powerful anticancer mechanism, discovered by the Rochester team, arresting cell growth when cells come into contact with each other, is lost in cancer cells", explains Prof. Eviatar Nevo, from the Institute of Evolution at the University of Haifa, "The experiments showed that when HMM-HA was removed from naked mole rat cells, they became susceptible to tumors and lost their contact inhibition".

HMM-HA is a form of Hyaluronan- a long sugar polymer, naturally present as a lubricant in the extracellular matrix of the human body. It is commonly used in the treatment of arthritis or in anti-wrinkle skin care products. According to the current results, the naked mole rat cells secrete extremely high-molecular mass HA, which is over five times larger than human or mouse HA. This high-molecular-mass HA accumulates abundantly in naked mole rat tissues, owing to a more robust synthesis by a protein called HAS2 and a decreased activity of HA-degrading enzymes. When researchers compared the Has2 gene between the naked mole rat and other mammals, they discovered that two unique amino acids, (asparagines), that are 100% conserved among mammals, were replaced by two other amino acids (serines), in the naked mole rat. These unique amino acid changes may be responsible for the high processivity of the naked mole rat HAS2 protein- in charge of HA synthesis. The naked mole rat cells display a two-fold higher affinity to HA than mouse or human cells, contributing to the higher sensitivity of naked mole rat cells to HA signaling. Remarkably, explains Professor Nevo, "the cells of the Israeli solitary blind mole rat, Spalax, which is phylogenetically closer to mice and rats than to naked mole rats, also secreted HMM-HA. This highlights a parallel evolution in unrelated subterranean mammals, presumably a shared adaptation to life underground".

The researchers speculate that naked mole rats evolved higher concentrations of HA in the skin to provide the skin elasticity needed for life in underground tunnels. So far, experiments in human cells have been very limited. However, there has been some evidence showing there is reason for hope. In one of their experiments, the researchers noticed that when naked mole rat HAS2 synthesis protein was overexpressed in human cell tissues, the cells began secreting HMM-HA. This opens new avenues for cancer prevention and life extension in human medicine.

###

---

[ | 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.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-07/uoh-tn073113.php

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Borst will retire as Toyota finance chief - Automotive News

George Borst's move in 1997 to Toyota Motor Credit Corp. puzzled some Toyota insiders because of his lack of experience within the finance arm.

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LOS ANGELES ? George Borst, who led Lexus through the endaka currency exchange crisis of the mid-1990s and who has been CEO of Toyota Financial Services for the past 13 years, announced his retirement from Toyota today.

Borst will stay with the U.S. credit and insurance arm through the end of September, he told a meeting of top Toyota and Lexus dealers. He will turn 65 on Sept. 2.

His replacement will be Mike Groff, 58, the seventh employee hired by Toyota Motor Credit Corp. when the captive finance company was formed in 1983. Groff has been head of Toyota Financial Services' sales and marketing for the past five years.

Borst presided over massive growth in Toyota's finance arm ? from about $21 billion in assets in 1997 to $91 billion today, with its operating income jumping sixfold in that period, to $1.8 billion. Toyota's share of its dealers' finance business has soared from 37 percent in 1997 to 64 percent today.

In an interview, Borst said Groff is an excellent choice as his successor.

"Mike has worked in the branches and regions, in operations and strategic planning," Borst said. "His five years in sales and marketing have been the toughest five years ever, and we've had terrific results in that time."

Hired by McCurry

Borst was hired in 1985 by legendary Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. executive Bob McCurry to oversee the marketing department, a position that evolved into running Toyota's budding strategic planning department in 1991.

But his biggest challenge may have been as general manager of Lexus Division, a job he assumed in 1993. During his tenure, the dollar collapsed against the yen, making the cost of Japan-built vehicles sold in America much more expensive. The yen went from 115 to 80 to the dollar by 1995, and Lexus' launch momentum was derailed.

"I am most proud of my time at Lexus," Borst said in an interview. "When we started to struggle, we could have had bargain-basement sales and eliminated all those customer handling touches. This was our first test of who we were. And in 1995, even as our sales volume had dropped, we still swept the J.D. Power awards."

Borst's move in 1997 to Toyota Motor Credit Corp. puzzled some Toyota insiders because of his lack of experience within the finance arm. At the time, even Borst admitted he was a bit at sea. But his background in strategic planning helped meld an organization that has become a financial powerhouse.

In 2000, Toyota Motor Corp.'s 16 separate finance arms worldwide were absorbed by a new global finance unit called Toyota Financial Services Corp. Borst was named CEO of Toyota Financial Services U.S.A.

One of his first moves was to create a collaborative management committee to analyze strategies to help build the business. He also changed the unit's field structure.

In 2001, Toyota decided that its 36 finance branch offices should handle only dealer business and stop handling customer interaction. Instead, three call centers handled all customer service. About 1,000 people were affected, and some branch offices were closed. But with more than a year's notice, Toyota Financial suffered little loss of service in the move.

Award winner

The increased efficiencies allowed the unit's volumes to nearly double in five years ? growth that slowed only when the recession hit. Again, Borst made a tough decision, refusing to let Toyota Financial back out of leasing when the rest of the industry panicked. Toyota stood by its residual values, and dealers and retail customers stayed loyal to the brand.

As a result, Toyota has 345,000 off-lease customers returning to the fold within the next 18 months ? a significant opportunity for loyalty retention, Borst said.

"When you think of how competitive this market is, that's a significant advantage," he said. "Were giving dealers 18,000 leads a month from this."

Toyota Financial Services is now the No. 2 issuer of commercial paper in the world, behind General Electric. And the unit's in-house treasury department has won all four of the financial services industry's coveted awards for performance, stability, speed-to-market and risk management. No company, automotive or otherwise, has ever done that, Toyota said.

Those were key reasons why Borst was named an Automotive News All-Star in 2012.

Borst said he was proud that Toyota's finance arm ranked atop seven categories in the recent National Automobile Dealers Association survey.

"Toyota dealers can only get their cars from Toyota," he said. "But finance is a commodity product. It's a relationship business."

You can reach Mark Rechtin at mrechtin@crain.com. -- Follow Mark on

Source: http://www.autonews.com/article/20130729/OEM02/130729894/borst-will-retire-as-toyota-finance-chief

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