Saudi Arabia's crown prince Nayef dies

Saudi Crown Prince Nayef bin Abdul Aziz, a half brother of King Abdullah, died on Saturday, the royal court said, leaving the oil powerhouse with no apparent successor to the throne.

Prince Nayef, a long-serving interior minister, "died outside" Saudi Arabia having recently left the Gulf state for medical treatment, said a statement carried by state media, including Al-Ekhbariyah Television and SPA news agency.

His funeral would be held on Sunday after sunset prayers in the Muslim holy city of Mecca in western Saudi Arabia, after his body is repatriated, it added.

The 79-year-old prince died of "cardiac problems" while he was in Switzerland, at his brother's residence in Geneva, according to a medical source in the city who requested not to be identified.

US President Barack Obama offered King Abdullah, the royal family and the Saudi people his "deepest condolences".

"Under his leadership, the United States and Saudi Arabia developed a strong and effective partnership in the fight against terrorism, one that has saved countless American and Saudi lives," Obama said in a statement issued by the White House.

French President Francois Hollande said his country lost a "friend" who "contributed in a decisive way to Franco-Saudi relations," according to a statement from his office.

Nayef's death, just eight months after he replaced his late brother crown prince Sultan, raises the issue of succession because of the advanced age of the first line of apparent heirs, at a time of turmoil rocking the Arab world.

King Abdullah himself is 88 and ailing, and nobody is officially in line to replace Nayef.

However, his brother Prince Salman, 76, who took over the portfolio of defence minister after Sultan's death, appears to be a strong candidate.

The monarch established in 2006 the allegiance council, a body of around 35 senior princes, as a new succession mechanism aimed in the long term to choose the crown prince.

"No doubt, the new crown prince will be appointed by the allegiance council," said Anwar Eshqi, head of the Jeddah-based Middle East Centre for Strategic Studies.

"All expectations point to Prince Salman to succeed Prince Nayef for his experience in administration, security and politics," he said.

But the new commission had not been activated when Nayef was chosen as crown prince, according to political scientist Khaled al-Dakheel, who argued that naming his successor is a chance to put the new body to use.

"Prince Nayef was named under the old system, without activating the allegiance council system," he said, pointing to the royal decree that established the council and postponed its use until after Abdullah's death.

"This is a chance to activate the allegiance council system... which provides a legal foundation for a peaceful power transfer within the family and leaves no room for surprises. This is important for state stability," Dakheel said.

Nayef, who spearheaded Saudi Arabia's clampdown on Al-Qaeda following a wave of attacks in the conservative kingdom between 2003 and 2006, became heir to the throne in October last year.

He was the middle prince of the Sudairi Seven, the formidable bloc of sons of King Abdul Aziz by a favourite wife, Princess Hassa al-Sudairi.

Prince Nayef travelled abroad several times this year for medical reasons, including to Algeria, the United States and Switzerland, where he was shown on television in Geneva three days ago greeting supporters.

The nature of his illness has not been made public.

Less than two weeks ago, his brother Prince Ahmed bin Abdul Aziz was quoted as saying in a Saudi daily that the crown prince was in "good health" and would "soon" return to the kingdom.

On May 26, SPA reported that Prince Nayef had left the country for medical tests abroad for the second time in less than three months, without naming his destination.

In March, the royal palace said he was in Algeria on holiday after the results of medical tests carried out in the US city of Cleveland were reported as "reassuring."

He returned to Saudi Arabia from Algeria on April 10.

Seen as more conservative than King Abdullah, Prince Nayef was a staunch defender of the Saudi dynasty who resisted any form of opposition.

He ordered and oversaw a fierce crackdown on Al-Qaeda, forcing the jihadist group's leaders and militants to flee to Yemen, from where they continue to threaten Saudi interests.

As interior minister, Prince Nayef also dismantled charitable organisations that collected donations for the terror network.

He was known to be close to the religious establishment, and has opposed introducing elections to vote in members of the all-appointed consultative council, as well as being against allowing women to vote in municipal elections.

During his 37 years as interior minister, Nayef also made sure that women were not allowed to drive, decreeing in 1990, following a daring demonstration in cars by 47 Saudi women, that women were banned from getting behind the wheel.

Jordan, meanwhile, declared a day of national mourning on Sunday while Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said Nayef "worked to strengthen ties between all Arab and Islamic countries."

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Baghdad bomb targets Shi'ite pilgrims, 9 killed

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ScienceDaily: Biochemistry News

http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/matter_energy/biochemistry/ Read the latest research in biochemistry -- protein structure and function, RNA and DNA, enzymes and biosynthesis and more biochemistry news.en-usFri, 15 Jun 2012 10:05:01 EDTFri, 15 Jun 2012 10:05:01 EDT60
Media_httpwwwscienced_sedhd
http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/matter_energy/biochemistry/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily.http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120613133341.htm In the not-too-distant future, scientists may be able to use DNA to grow their own specialized materials, thanks to the concept of directed evolution. Scientists have, for the first time, used genetic engineering and molecular evolution to develop the enzymatic synthesis of a semiconductor.Wed, 13 Jun 2012 13:33:33 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120613133341.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120613133150.htm An implantable fuel cell could power neural prosthetics that help patients regain control of limbs. Engineers have developed a fuel cell that runs on the same sugar that powers human cells: glucose. This glucose fuel cell could be used to drive highly efficient brain implants of the future, which could help paralyzed patients move their arms and legs again.Wed, 13 Jun 2012 13:31:31 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120613133150.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120613102130.htm A scientist may be onto an ocean of discovery because of his research into a little sea creature called the mantis shrimp. The research is likely to lead to making ceramics -- today's preferred material for medical implants and military body armour -- many times stronger. The mantis shrimp's can shatter aquarium glass and crab shells alike.Wed, 13 Jun 2012 10:21:21 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120613102130.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120612145139.htm Researchers have created a computational tool to help predict how proteins fold by finding amino acid pairs that are distant in sequence but change together. Protein interactions offer clues to the treatment of disease, including cancer.Tue, 12 Jun 2012 14:51:51 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120612145139.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120612101458.htm A novel porous material that has unique carbon dioxide retention properties has just been developed.Tue, 12 Jun 2012 10:14:14 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120612101458.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120611193636.htm A newly developed carbon nanotube material could help lower the cost of fuel cells, catalytic converters and similar energy-related technologies by delivering a substitute for expensive platinum catalysts.Mon, 11 Jun 2012 19:36:36 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120611193636.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120611105311.htm New groundbreaking research has found that exposure to nanoparticles can have a serious impact on health, linking it to rheumatoid arthritis and the development of other serious autoimmune diseases. The findings have health and safety implications for the manufacture, use and ultimate disposal of nanotechnology products and materials. They also identified new cellular targets for the development of potential drug therapies in combating the development of autoimmune diseases.Mon, 11 Jun 2012 10:53:53 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120611105311.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120611092345.htm Researchers have created a reliable and fast flu-detection test that can be carried in a first-aid kit. The novel prototype device isolates influenza RNA using a combination of magnetics and microfluidics, then amplifies and detects probes bound to the RNA. The technology could lead to real-time tracking of influenza.Mon, 11 Jun 2012 09:23:23 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120611092345.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120610151304.htm Enabling bioengineers to design new molecular machines for nanotechnology applications is one of the possible outcomes of a new study. Scientists have developed a new approach to visualize how proteins assemble, which may also significantly aid our understanding of diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, which are caused by errors in assembly.Sun, 10 Jun 2012 15:13:13 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120610151304.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120606155808.htm Using ultrafast, intensely bright pulses of X-rays scientists have obtained the first ever images at room temperature of photosystem II, a protein complex critical for photosynthesis and future artificial photosynthetic systems.Wed, 06 Jun 2012 15:58:58 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120606155808.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120606132316.htm A new voyage into "chemical space" ? occupied not by stars and planets but substances that could become useful in everyday life ? has concluded that scientists have synthesized barely one tenth of one percent of potential medicines. The report estimates that the actual number of these so-called "small molecules" could be one novemdecillion (that's one with 60 zeroes), more than some estimates of the number of stars in the universe.Wed, 06 Jun 2012 13:23:23 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120606132316.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120605121639.htm Halogens particularly chlorine, bromine, and iodine ? have a unique quality which allows them to positively influence the interaction between molecules. This ?halogen bonding? has been employed in the area of materials science for some time, but is only now finding applications in the life sciences.Tue, 05 Jun 2012 12:16:16 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120605121639.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120605102842.htm Researchers have developed a highly sensitive detector of infrared light that can be used in applications ranging from detection of chemical and biochemical weapons from a distance and better airport body scanners to chemical analysis in the laboratory and studying the structure of the universe through new telescopes.Tue, 05 Jun 2012 10:28:28 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120605102842.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120604092858.htm A new microscope enabled scientists to film a fruit fly embryo, in 3D, from when it was about two-and-a-half hours old until it walked away from the microscope as a larva.Mon, 04 Jun 2012 09:28:28 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120604092858.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120603191722.htm A new study suggests that the replication process for DNA -- the genetic instructions for living organisms that is composed of four bases (C, G, A and T) -- is more open to unnatural letters than had previously been thought. An expanded "DNA alphabet" could carry more information than natural DNA, potentially coding for a much wider range of molecules and enabling a variety of powerful applications, from precise molecular probes and nanomachines to useful new life forms.Sun, 03 Jun 2012 19:17:17 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120603191722.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120531165752.htm A laboratory test used to detect disease and perform biological research could be made more than 3 million times more sensitive, according to researchers who combined standard biological tools with a breakthrough in nanotechnology.Thu, 31 May 2012 16:57:57 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120531165752.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120531145728.htm Scientists have demonstrated how the world's most powerful X-ray laser can assist in cracking the structures of biomolecules, and in the processes helped to pioneer critical new investigative avenues in biology.Thu, 31 May 2012 14:57:57 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120531145728.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120531145720.htm Biochemists have designed specialized proteins that assemble themselves to form tiny molecular cages hundreds of times smaller than a single cell. The creation of these miniature structures may be the first step toward developing new methods of drug delivery or even designing artificial vaccines.Thu, 31 May 2012 14:57:57 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120531145720.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120531145630.htm Ultrashort flashes of X-radiation allow atomic structures of macromolecules to be obtained even from tiny protein crystals.Thu, 31 May 2012 14:56:56 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120531145630.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120531102207.htm Our ability to "read" DNA has made tremendous progress in the past few decades, but the ability to understand and alter the genetic code, that is, to "rewrite" the DNA-encoded instructions, has lagged behind. A new study advances our understanding of the genetic code: It proposes a way of effectively introducing numerous carefully planned DNA segments into genomes of living cells and of testing the effects of these changes. New technology speeds up DNA "rewriting" and measures the effects of the changes in living cells.Thu, 31 May 2012 10:22:22 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120531102207.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120530152203.htm Researchers have developed a method for building complex nanostructures out of interlocking DNA "building blocks" that can be programmed to assemble themselves into precisely designed shapes. With further development, the technology could one day enable the creation of new nanoscale devices that deliver drugs directly to disease sites.Wed, 30 May 2012 15:22:22 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120530152203.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120530104034.htm Inexpensive, portable devices that can rapidly screen cells for leukemia or HIV may soon be possible thanks to a chip that can produce three-dimensional focusing of a stream of cells, according to researchers.Wed, 30 May 2012 10:40:40 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120530104034.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120530100041.htm Scientists have engineered cells that behave like AND and OR Boolean logic gates, producing an output based on one or more unique inputs. This feat could eventually help researchers create computers that use cells as tiny circuits.Wed, 30 May 2012 10:00:00 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120530100041.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120529113543.htm An integrated chemical chip has just been developed. An advantage of chemical circuits is that the charge carrier consists of chemical substances with various functions. This means that we now have new opportunities to control and regulate the signal paths of cells in the human body. The chemical chip can control the delivery of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. This enables chemical control of muscles, which are activated when they come into contact with acetylcholine.Tue, 29 May 2012 11:35:35 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120529113543.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120528154859.htm Physicists have developed a method that models biological cell-to-cell adhesion that could also have industrial applications.Mon, 28 May 2012 15:48:48 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120528154859.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120528100253.htm Scientists have created and imaged the smallest possible five-ringed structure -- about 100,000 times thinner than a human hair. Dubbed 'olympicene', the single molecule was brought to life in a picture thanks to a combination of clever synthetic chemistry and state-of-the-art imaging techniques.Mon, 28 May 2012 10:02:02 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120528100253.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120527153818.htm Multi-walled carbon nanotubes riddled with defects and impurities on the outside could replace some of the expensive platinum catalysts used in fuel cells and metal-air batteries, according to scientists.Sun, 27 May 2012 15:38:38 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120527153818.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120527153718.htm Scientists have developed an ultra-sensitive test that should enable them to detect signs of a disease in its earliest stages.Sun, 27 May 2012 15:37:37 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120527153718.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120525103614.htm Images of the cell's transport pods have revealed a molecular version of the robots from Transformers. Previously, scientists had been able to create and determine the structure of 'cages' formed by parts of the protein coats that encase other types of vesicles, but this study was the first to obtain high-resolution images of complete vesicles, budded from a membrane.Fri, 25 May 2012 10:36:36 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120525103614.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524143527.htm There's nothing like a new pair of eyeglasses to bring fine details into sharp relief. For scientists who study the large molecules of life from proteins to DNA, the equivalent of new lenses have come in the form of an advanced method for analyzing data from X-ray crystallography experiments.Thu, 24 May 2012 14:35:35 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524143527.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524123232.htm Researchers are using nanoparticles to simultaneously deliver proteins and DNA into plant cells. The technology could allow more sophisticated and targeted editing of plant genomes. And that could help researchers develop crops that adapt to changing climates and resist pests.Thu, 24 May 2012 12:32:32 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524123232.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524092932.htm Quantum physics and plant biology seem like two branches of science that could not be more different, but surprisingly they may in fact be intimately tied. Scientists have discovered an unusual quantum effect in the earliest stages of photosynthesis.Thu, 24 May 2012 09:29:29 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524092932.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523135527.htm Quantum computers may someday revolutionize the information world. But in order for quantum computers at distant locations to communicate with one another, they have to be linked together in a network. While several building blocks for a quantum computer have already been successfully tested in the laboratory, a network requires one additonal component: A reliable interface between computers and information channels. Austrian physicists now report the construction of an efficient and tunable interface for quantum networks.Wed, 23 May 2012 13:55:55 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523135527.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120522152655.htm Rapid DNA sequencing may soon become a routine part of each individual's medical record, providing enormous information previously sequestered in the human genome's 3 billion nucleotide bases. Recent advances in sequencing technology using a tiny orifice known as a nanopore are covered in a new a article.Tue, 22 May 2012 15:26:26 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120522152655.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521164104.htm Scientists have synthesized polymers to attach to proteins in order to stabilize them during shipping, storage and other activities. The study findings suggest that these polymers could be useful in stabilizing protein formulations.Mon, 21 May 2012 16:41:41 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521164104.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521163751.htm Scientists have devised a method for repeatedly encoding, storing and erasing digital data within the DNA of living cells. In practical terms, they have devised the genetic equivalent of a binary digit -- a "bit" in data parlance.Mon, 21 May 2012 16:37:37 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521163751.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521115654.htm Blood tests convey vital medical information, but the sight of a needle often causes anxiety and results take time. A new device however, can reveal much the same information as a traditional blood test in real-time, simply by shining a light through the skin. This portable optical instrument is able to provide high-resolution images of blood coursing through veins without the need for harsh fluorescent dyes.Mon, 21 May 2012 11:56:56 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521115654.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521103808.htm The plague, bacterial dysentery, and cholera have one thing in common: These dangerous diseases are caused by bacteria which infect their host using a sophisticated injection apparatus. Through needle-like structures, they release molecular agents into their host cell, thereby evading the immune response. Researchers have now elucidated the structure of such a needle at atomic resolution. Their findings might contribute to drug tailoring and the development of strategies which specifically prevent the infection process.Mon, 21 May 2012 10:38:38 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521103808.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120518132657.htm Tiny beads may act as minimally invasive glucose sensors for a variety of applications in cell culture systems and tissue engineering.Fri, 18 May 2012 13:26:26 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120518132657.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120518081147.htm Using newly developed imaging technology, chemists have confirmed years of theoretical assumptions about water molecules, the most abundant and one of the most frequently studied substances on Earth.Fri, 18 May 2012 08:11:11 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120518081147.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120517193141.htm Researchers have come closer to solving an old challenge of producing graphene quantum dots of controlled shape and size at large densities, which could revolutionize electronics and optoelectronics.Thu, 17 May 2012 19:31:31 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120517193141.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120517143506.htm Scientists have discovered how adding trace amounts of water can tremendously speed up chemical reactions -? such as hydrogenation and hydrogenolysis ?- in which hydrogen is one of the reactants, or starting materials.Thu, 17 May 2012 14:35:35 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120517143506.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120514104848.htm Three proteins have been found to be involved in the accumulation of fatty acids in plants. The discovery could help plant scientists boost seed oil production in crops. And that could boost the production of biorenewable fuels and chemicals.Mon, 14 May 2012 10:48:48 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120514104848.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120510095622.htm A new approach to generating terahertz radiation will lead to new imaging and sensing applications. The low energy of the radiation means that it can pass through materials that are otherwise opaque, opening up uses in imaging and sensing ? for example, in new security scanners. In practice, however, applications have been difficult to implement.Thu, 10 May 2012 09:56:56 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120510095622.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120509135959.htm To better understand how microRNAs -- small pieces of genetic material -- influence human health and disease, scientists first need to know which microRNAs act upon which genes. To do this scientists developed miR-TRAP, a new easy-to-use method to directly identify microRNA targets in cells.Wed, 09 May 2012 13:59:59 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120509135959.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120508173349.htm Researchers have boosted the efficiency of a novel source of white light called quantum dots more than tenfold, making them of potential interest for commercial applications.Tue, 08 May 2012 17:33:33 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120508173349.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120508152129.htm Chemists have designed a molecular container that can hold drug molecules and increase their solubility, in one case up to nearly 3,000 times.Tue, 08 May 2012 15:21:21 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120508152129.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120503194229.htm Researchers have developed a prototype bioreactor that both stimulates and evaluates tissue as it grows, mimicking natural processes while eliminating the need to stop periodically to cut up samples for analysis.Thu, 03 May 2012 19:42:42 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120503194229.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120503120130.htm A new technique predictably generates complex, wavy shapes and may help improve drug delivery and explain natural patterns from brain folds to bell peppers.Thu, 03 May 2012 12:01:01 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120503120130.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120502132953.htm Liquid crystals, the state of matter that makes possible the flat screen technology now commonly used in televisions and computers, may have some new technological tricks in store.Wed, 02 May 2012 13:29:29 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120502132953.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120502112910.htm A new nanotube super sensor is able to detect subtle differences with a single sniff. For example, the chemical dimethylsulfone is associated with skin cancer. The human nose cannot detect this volatile but it could be detected with the new sensor at concentrations as low as 25 parts per billion.Wed, 02 May 2012 11:29:29 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120502112910.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120502091839.htm A new biomimetic approach to synthesising polymers will offer unprecedented control over the final polymer structure and yield advances in nanomedicine, researchers say.Wed, 02 May 2012 09:18:18 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120502091839.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120501085502.htm Scientists using high-powered microscopes have made a stunning observation of the architecture within a cell ? and identified for the first time how the architecture changes during the formation of gametes, also known as sex cells, in order to successfully complete? the process.Tue, 01 May 2012 08:55:55 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120501085502.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120430151752.htm Biomedical engineers have demonstrated the first all-polymeric bone scaffold that is fully biodegradable and offers significant mechanical support during repair. The technique uses silk fibers to reinforce a silk matrix. Adding microfibers to the scaffolds enhances bone formation and mechanical properties. It could improve repair after accident or disease.Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:17:17 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120430151752.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120430114937.htm Cells regulate their functions by adding or subtracting phosphates from proteins. If scientists could study the process in detail, in individual cells over time, understanding and treating diseases would be greatly aided. Formerly this was impossible without damaging the cells or interfering with the process itself, but scientists have now achieved the goal by using bright infrared beams and a technique called Fourier transform spectromicroscopy.Mon, 30 Apr 2012 11:49:49 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120430114937.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120430105356.htm Researchers have shown how small random patches of disordered, frozen electric charges can make a difference when they are scattered on surfaces that are overall neutral. These charges induce a twisting force that is strong enough to be felt as far as nanometers or even micrometers away. These results could help scientists to understand phenomena that occur on surfaces such as those of large biological molecules.Mon, 30 Apr 2012 10:53:53 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120430105356.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120427100113.htm Engineers have found a novel method for "decorating" nanowires with chains of tiny particles to increase their electrical and catalytic performance. The new technique is simpler, faster and more effective than earlier methods and could lead to better batteries, solar cells and catalysts.Fri, 27 Apr 2012 10:01:01 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120427100113.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120425140403.htm Protein design is technique that is increasingly valuable to a variety of fields, from biochemistry to therapeutics to materials engineering. Chemists have taken this kind of design a step further; Using computational methods, they have created the first custom-designed protein crystal.Wed, 25 Apr 2012 14:04:04 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120425140403.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120423104019.htm Researchers have advanced the ability to view a clear picture of a single cellular structure in motion. By identifying molecules using compressed sensing, this new method provides needed spatial resolution plus a faster temporal resolution.Mon, 23 Apr 2012 10:40:40 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120423104019.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120422162415.htm What does lemon pan sauce chicken have to do with biochemistry and molecular biology? Some will say that successful execution of the dish requires the Maillard reaction, a chemical process that's responsible for the flavors and colors in a variety of food.Sun, 22 Apr 2012 16:24:24 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120422162415.htm

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India: Congress-led UPA nominates Pranab Mukherjee as Presidential nominee

From R. Vasudevan?Reporting from New Delhi

New Delhi, 15 June, (Asiantribune.com):

Pranab_Mukerjee_3_3.jpgFinance Minister Pranab Mukherjee was named on Friday evening as the ruling UPA nominee for the Presidential poll .

The official announcement was made by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi. "Leaders of the constituent parties of the UPA met. It was decided to propose Pranab Mukherjee as candidate for the office of the President of India. There is broad support for his candidature.

The UPA appeals to all the political parties and all MPs and MLAs to support the candidature of Mukherjee for the office of President, announced Sonia Gandhi."

Pranab? schances have brightened following support extended by Samajwadi Party and BSP.

Reacting to the announcement, Pranab Mukherjee said he will talk to other parties in the coming days. He told the media ?I am deeply honoured for the nomination. I seek the support of other parties." About who will be the new FM, Pranab smilingly said ?that decision will be taken by the PM. ?

"PM and Sonia Gandhi informed me about Mukherjee's candidature. Our party will vote for him though we don't agree with UPA government's policies," said Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati. But Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee asserted ?We are firm for Kalam as presidential candidate"

CPM leader Brinda Karat said "We congratulate Pranab Mukherjee for being chosen as the Presidential candidate of UPA. He is a very senior leader of Congress".

"Congratulations to Pranab Da. I have no doubt he will make an excellent president & I'm pleased to have been able to commit NC's support,"

Omar Abdullah Tweeted.

Former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam says he is not keen to contest for presidency.

"Leaders of the constituent parties of the UPA met. It was decided to propose Pranab Mukherjee as candidate for the office of the President of India. There is broad support for his candidature. The UPA appeals to all the political parties and all MPs and MLAs to support the candidature of Mukherjee for the office of President, announced Sonia Gandhi. " She appealed to all political parties to support Pranab Mukherjee.

Ram Gopal Yadav announced Samajwadi Party's support for Pranab.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh personally calls BJP leader Sushma Swaraj to get BJP's support for Pranab Mukherjee. NDA will not oppose Pranab Mukherjee for the presidency, according to Times Now

DMK will back Pranab Mukherjee. This was announced by party leader T.R. Baalu.

Pranab Mukherjee may resign as Finance Minister on June 24, file nomination papers for President's post on June 25.

- Asian Tribune -

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Suu Kyi's doctor expresses concern for her health

In this image taken from AP Television News Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, puts her hand to mouth before becoming ill at a press confernce in Bern, Switzerland, Thursday, June 14, 2012. Suu Kyi said she felt exhausted after her long trip from Asia to Europe. A spokesman for the Swiss Foreign Ministry said Suu Kyi recovered enough to briefly attend a reception with government officials but then retired to her room. Suu Kyi was her first trip to Europe since 1988. (AP Photo/AP Television News) TV OUT

In this image taken from AP Television News Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, puts her hand to mouth before becoming ill at a press confernce in Bern, Switzerland, Thursday, June 14, 2012. Suu Kyi said she felt exhausted after her long trip from Asia to Europe. A spokesman for the Swiss Foreign Ministry said Suu Kyi recovered enough to briefly attend a reception with government officials but then retired to her room. Suu Kyi was her first trip to Europe since 1988. (AP Photo/AP Television News) TV OUT

Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi admires a bed of roses during a sightseeing tour through the city of Bern, Switzerland, Friday, June 15, 2012. Suu Kyi resumed her European tour Friday, after a brief bout of illness prompted by exhaustion forced her to cancel a gala dinner the night before. (AP Photo/Lukas Lehmann, Pool)

(AP) ? Aung San Suu Kyi's doctor expressed worry Friday that the Nobel Peace laureate's whirlwind tour of Europe could weaken her health, after she fell ill on the second day of her two-week trip.

The 66-year-old opposition leader known for her steely grace and longtime struggle for democracy in Myanmar has a weak stomach when it comes to travel, said Pyone Moe Ei, one of Suu Kyi's two personal physicians. Suu Kyi had similar bouts with weakness and vomiting during her rigorous nationwide campaign for a seat in Parliament earlier this year, which doctors attributed to exhaustion and motion sickness.

"I am very concerned for her health," Pyone told The Associated Press in Yangon. "Considering her age, the amount of travel she's doing, the time difference, lack of rest and her extremely tight schedule ? it is very worrisome."

Suu Kyi arrived late Wednesday night in Switzerland, on her first trip to Europe in 24 years. Her high-profile visit also includes stops in Norway, Ireland, England and France.

Thursday's hectic schedule included speeches, receptions and news conferences first in Geneva and then in the Swiss capital Bern, where Suu Kyi looked pale and told reporters she felt exhausted. At one point she pressed a finger to her lips and motioned to an aide who rushed to her side with a bag. She then bent over and threw up before being escorted out of the room.

Suu Kyi canceled an evening dinner in Bern but resumed her schedule Friday with a visit to the Swiss parliament. A highlight of her trip is expected Saturday, when she will be in Norway to formally accept her Nobel Peace Prize 21 years late.

Suu Kyi's doctor said she has no serious health problems but weighs a mere 48 kilograms (106 pounds), has low blood pressure and can get easily weakened by vomiting. Pyone said she had not spoken directly to Suu Kyi after her ill spell in Bern but had been in contact with people close to her. It was not immediately known what treatment, if any, Suu Kyi received.

Doctors in Myanmar had placed Suu Kyi on intravenous drips after motion sickness caused her to fall ill twice during her campaign in March.

The European trip is seen as a sign of gratitude to governments and organizations that supported Suu Kyi's peaceful struggle against Myanmar's former military rulers over more than two decades, 15 years of which she spent under house arrest.

Last month, Suu Kyi made her first trip out of Myanmar in 24 years to neighboring Thailand. Ahead of that trip, aides said she was preparing by packing her medicine for motion sickness.

___

Associated Press writer Jocelyn Gecker in Bangkok contributed to this report.

Associated Press

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Arroyo denies hand in murder, torture of Church people during her reign

Published on June 14, 2012

By RONALYN V. OLEA
Bulatlat.com

MANILA ? Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo urged a local court in Quezon City to dismiss the civil suit filed against her and several of her military officials for human rights violations committed against church workers.

In June 2011, the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) sued Arroyo for damages for the killing of 18 of its pastors and lay leaders, torture and detention of four of its members, among other human rights abuses.

Arroyo, through her lead counsel Jose Flaminiano, filed a motion to dismiss the case, citing several grounds. In a decision dated January 16, 2012, Judge Tita Marilyn Payoyo-Villordon of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 224 junked Arroyo?s petition, saying that ?a judicious scrutiny of the entire complaint as well as the annexes only reveals that there appears to have been a violation of the complainants?s constitutional rights which may or may not sustain Arroyo?s civil liability after the proper determination of the veracity of said defendant?s acts or omission in this regard.?

Arroyo filed a motion for reconsideration to the court?s decision. On June 13, the court held its first hearing on the case as it heard the oral arguments of both parties.

Arroyo?s camp insisted that their allegations are vague and not factual. Flaminiano argued that the UCCP allegations are ?mere conclusions and should therefore be ignored and dismissed.?

In an interview with Bulatlat.com, Emilio Capulong Jr., lawyer of the UCCP, said: ?Their allegations are baseless. What we said in our complaint was very factual. Nobody can dispute that Arroyo, as then commander-in-chief, was in charge of the AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines] and that she had personal knowledge of the Oplan Bantay Laya.?

Capulong said that under Oplan Bantay Laya, human rights violations were committed against the perceived enemies of the state. The UCCP was among the many organizations publicly branded by the AFP as fronts of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).

Karapatan has documented 1,206 cases of extrajudicial killings, 206 victims of enforced disappearances, and 2,059 cases of illegal arrests and detention during the nine-year rule of Arroyo.

In her motion to dismiss, Arroyo said that the complaint ?is a suit against the state because the said complaint is a protest against the government?s implementation of its national security plan and that any act or omission on the part of the defendant [Arroyo] in the performance of her official duties as president and commander-in-chief is an official duty.?

Citing Article 32 of the Civil Code of the Philippines, Capulong said Arroyo should be held liable for violating the right and civil liberties of the Church workers.

The same provision states that ?whether or not the defendant?s act or omission constitutes a criminal offense, the aggrieved party has a right to commence an entirely separate and distinct civil action for damages, and for other relief. Such civil action shall proceed independently of any criminal prosecution (if the latter be instituted), and mat be proved by a preponderance of evidence.?

Capulong?s brother, Noel, was among the UCCP lay leaders killed during the Arroyo administration.

Shortly after the hearing, Capulong told UCCP leaders and members: ?It is clear that we have the upper hand because we are fighting for justice. We stand by the principle that Arroyo, as commander-in-chief of the AFP, must be held liable.?

UCCP members from Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog joined the relatives of the complainants in a prayer action outside the Quezon City Hall of Justice.

?Arroyo?s lawyer said that if the court would not dismiss the case, what would happen to the succeeding presidents. All the more we should win this case so that the succeeding presidents would not violate human rights,? UCCP Bishop Arthur Asi said.

Asi said that under Aquino, two UCCP leaders have already been victims of extrajudicial killings ? Jimmy Liguyon and Rabenio Sungit.

?Our faith compels us to speak out and denounce the climate of impunity that prevails in our nation?The courts must dare to hold perpetrators of human rights violations accountable and stop these heinous crimes. We are speaking out to do our part and we pray that the courts will render justice in response to our efforts,? Asi said.

Fifteen days were given for each party to file their respective memorandum before the court will issue it resolution on Arroyo?s motion for reconsideration.

Asi said they are hoping that Judge Villordon would be firm in her decision.

Jopet Domingo, son of slain UCCP pastor Raul Domingo, thanked all the supporters.

?We know that this battle is difficult but I know we will triumph with the help of those like you who yearn for justice,? Jopet said.

Arroyo, now representative of Pampanga?s second district, is under hospital arrest for charges of electoral sabotage. The Aquino administration has not initiated any case against Arroyo for human right violations. (<a href=http://bulatlat.com)" />

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Bob Lutz: Businessmen are for the GOP

June 14, 2012

BEGIN TRANSCRIPT

RUSH: Now, here's our buddy Bob Lutz.? He was on with Larry Kudlow last night, the Kudlow Report on CNBC.? Kudlow said, "Do you believe that business believes that Romney will be really much better for business?? Business has been very profitable under Obama, some of 'em.? I know they're not hiring, and I know it's an anemic economy in terms of growth rate, but business has made a lot of money under Obama, Mr. Lutz."

LUTZ:? All of the businessmen I talk to are worried about this administration, worried about where the country is going, and they're solidly behind --

KUDLOW:? All right. Sorry.

LUTZ:? -- the Republican Party.

RUSH:? Why did Kudlow seem uninterested in that?? What's Kudlow talking about here, all the businesses doing great under Obama?? Anyway, Lutz, former General Motors vice-chairman, who's blaming me for the failure of the Volt, says that all the businessmen he talks to are worried about this administration, worried about the economy, solidly behind the Republican Party.?

END TRANSCRIPT

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Amid Iraq violence, journalists struggle about government control

A series of coordinated car bombs in Iraq targeted Shiite pilgrims today, killing at least 72 people in violence that recalled the worst years of Iraq's insurgency and sectarian civil war, which peaked in 2006-07.

The killings were a reminder that Iraq remains a very dangerous place, though much improved. And just as the bright, prosperous future that many Iraqis dreamed of at the start of the US-led war in 2003 has yet to materialize, so too have many of the basic freedoms it was assumed would flow from regime change.

Iraqi journalists, in particular, are still struggling to report freely and safely about their nation, something that was brought home when Marwan Ibrahim, a longtime reporter for Agence France-Presse, was seriously injured in a roadside bomb attack in the northern city of Kirkuk this morning.

By one count, more than 340 journalists have been killed since the US-led invasion in 2003, and Iraq remains one of the most dangerous nations on earth to be a journalist, according to Freedom House.

Today death threats, targeted killings and bombed offices may no longer be as much a daily fact of life as they once were. But Iraqi journalists say that pressure and risks persist in other ways, under the increasingly authoritarian government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

"The way of killing journalism, it continues. They are just changing the way of violence to legal violence, under the law," says Ziad al-Ajili, director of the Iraqi Journalistic Freedoms Observatory, a free speech watchdog.

Deputy Interior Minister Adnan al-Assadi has called media freedom a "threat to national security." And a new press law under consideration would impose tough penalties for spreading information "against the public interests," and limit access the Internet.

Freedom House lists Iraq as "not free," and in its 2011 report said the country "remained one of the world's most dangerous places for journalists," complicated by "increasing" restrictions and lawsuits.

"Al Qaeda killed journalists [before]," says Mr. Ajili. "But now the army and police, when they prevent you [from] going to news events or taking pictures or filming, and the government legislates laws to stop you getting information from their sources ? so you are dead."

Ajili should know. He formed his group in 2004 with a string of observers across Iraq, who tabulated killings of journalists, one name at a time.

In an interview with the Monitor in 2006, Ajili said he slept with an AK-47 assault rifle beside him "like a soldier going out on a mission." Colleagues used to call him to reserve space on his website, which posted photographs and details of killed journalists. Even back then, journalism in Iraq was "going backwards," Ajili told the Monitor. When insurgents and militias saw the government shut out key Arabic-language television channels like al-Arabiya and Al Jazeera, they "think they have a right to kill journalists."

CONCENTRATED POWER

These days the pressure comes as Mr. Maliki has been accused of centralizing power into his own hands, at the expense of coalition partners who have sought ? so far unsuccessfully ? to unseat him with a vote of no confidence in parliament.

"Anybody else in his position would do exactly the same thing ... they don't know any better," says Joost Hiltermann, Mideast and North Africa deputy program director for the International Crisis Group. "The reason [Maliki] is doing this is not because at night be dreams of being a dictator and he loves power. What drives him is fear and mistrust and paranoia," says Mr. Hiltermann.

"Paranoia was a survival mechanism for [Maliki and other former exile leaders] in the face of an existential issue, of extermination by the regime," adds Hiltermann. "These guys managed to survive. How? Paranoia, which mirrored the regime's paranoia. That's great, but it doesn't make you a good governor. These are the wrong people to lead the country."

And the old methods are still in play, for some. There were seven assassination attempts on journalists last year, according to Mr. Ajili's group. In an apparent bid to intimidate those critical of Maliki, and his government's crushing of Iraq's Arab Spring-style protests last year, radio commentator and critic Hadi al-Mehdi was gunned down in Baghdad in September.

Security forces raided Ajili's offices last year, trashing them and taking computer hard drives. He also lost his car in a stand-off when men in six Humvees came to arrest him without a warrant. "There is no danger like militias and insurgents; there is nothing else that frightens us," says Ajili. "But now we can't talk about important things."

NOWHERE TO HIDE

And in some ways it is more dangerous. Journalists used to be able to hide from insurgents, says Ajili. But "now [government officials] are watching us, they can find us....Today we can't hide."

Stories of the tug-of-war between journalists and Iraqi officials are common, in a nation where corruption is rife and popular discontent with leaders and parliament is widespread.

Yet well-known journalist Sermad al-Taee is confident that Iraq's oil money will help generate exponential growth in media investment. The columnist is a critic of the regime, and in charge of the newsroom for Al Mada TV, one branch of a large media group that plans to begin broadcasting next October.

"Even with violence and corruption, incomes will double. People busy with guns now will be busy with money in the future," says Mr. Taee, sitting in secured offices in Baghdad, with fine art decorating the walls. "There is optimism, but still big concerns and fears because the ruler in Iraq [Maliki], he hopes to be a dictator," says Taee. "We in the media are fighting this, but we can't reach a high enough level to achieve it."

Overall violence in Iraq is today a fraction, perhaps down 90 percent, of what it was during the worst days of the Iraq conflict. Then, some 3,000 Iraqis were dying every month.

Journalists who are targeted today "don't know the rules of engagement with politicians and others," says Taee. "The people with power, they have their rules [and] now we know their rules... The politicians do not kill me or send me to jail, but they prevent me from having information, and we should fight this," says Taee. Checkpoints "are dealing with cameramen like they are car bombs; they put 1,000 hurdles in your way."

THE NEW NORMAL

That environment has become the new normal for journalists in Iraq, adds Taee, whose 35 years have been defined by conflict. His first memories are not of his mother, but at age three in 1980, of an Iraqi tank rumbling past his house on its way to the front line of the Iran-Iraq War; of other tanks firing away; and of a big ship on fire in the riverine channel of the southern border.

At age 18, Taee fled Iraq. He returned after 2003, but left again during the bloodiest periods of the war. Now he is back to stay, though last month he received a "big warning from a big politician," which he now considers a "normal thing."

Indeed, security forces and pro-Maliki thugs last spring made it clear that anti-Maliki protests ? and coverage of them ? were acceptable only to a very limited degree.

That left officials with "three bad options," says Taee: "kill a journalist and make a martyr; arrest one and he will be a hero; or let him (live) and he will call you names."

The result has been increasing pressure applied through media bosses, "to quiet those with long tongues," says Taee. "The solution is not to stop working, but to keep working and make progress."

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Amazon Cloud Player Streams All Your Music to Your iPhone [Amazon]

If you're an iPhone owner who opted to go the way of Amazon's storage locker as a means of streaming music, then you know listening to music on the go hasn't exactly been convenient (unless you actually like navigating Amazon's site in Safari). But Amazon finally got their act together and released a proper music app for the iPhone. More »


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Chevron ex-CEO sees U.S. oil imports for next 20 years

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