REUTERS - Turkey's Erdogan says U.N. must decide on any Syria no-fly zone, May 18, 2013

"(Reuters) - Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday it would be up to the U.N. Security Council to decide whether to establish a no-fly zone inside Syria and said he backed the involvement of Russia and China in planned peace talks. Speaking at the Brookings Institution in Washington a day after discussing Syria with President Barack Obama, Erdogan said a no-fly zone could be discussed at a planned international conference on Syria backed by Washington and Moscow. "It is not a decision that could be taken between the United States and Turkey. It is something that would have to come through the U.N. Security Council," Erdogan said. "We are in the process of putting together a conference in Geneva ... If that process decides on such a zone, as Turkey we would also do whatever is necessary," he said."
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REUTERS - France opposes Syria conference if Iran to attend, May 18, 2013

 "(Reuters) - France spelled out on Friday that it would oppose a peace conference for Syria if Bashar al-Assad's regional ally Iran is invited, clouding the prospect for a U.S.-Russian initiative to end the two-year-old war. No date has yet been agreed for the international meeting, which appears to face growing obstacles. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon met Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday and said the conference should take place as soon as possible."
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NZ HERALD - John Roughan: Genetic risk poses dilemma, May 18, 2013

 "Isn't it a little disturbing that genetic science has caused Angelina Jolie to remove a perfectly fine pair of breasts? A "faulty gene" gave her good reason to watch them carefully, but preventive surgery? Now that science has mapped the human genome, is this the future? I have seen no criticism of her decision since her article appeared in the OpEd pages of the New York Times this week and I don't particularly want to be the first. Cancer is a fearful prospect and personal health decisions have to be respected even when someone wants to share her ordeal with the world. But the article went much further. She said, "I am writing about it now because I hope other women can benefit from my experience ... today it is possible to find out through a blood test whether you are highly susceptible to breast and ovarian cancer, and then take action. To "any woman reading this", she said, "I hope it helps you to know you have options ... It has got to be a priority to ensure that more women can access gene testing and lifesaving preventive treatment, whatever their means and background, wherever they live"."
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TEHRAN TIMES - Crazy ants’ invade southeastern U.S., displacing native species, May 18, 2013

" Invading Tawny “crazy ants” from South America are displacing native fire ants across the southeastern United States and could have a dramatic impact on the region’s ecosystem, according to a new study.    Native to northern Argentina and southern Brazil, the tawny crazy ant (Nylanderia fulva) was formally identified in 2012. Often referred to as Raspberry crazy ants, scientists have officially dubbed them “Tawny crazy ants.”   Although Tawny crazy ants do not sting humans like fire ants, they are far more intrusive, establishing super-colonies that push out local ant and arthropod populations. Sometimes they even take over entire homes."
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CHRON - George Michael injured in car crash, May 18, 2013

 "Singer George Michael has been injured in a car crash. The former Wham! star received treatment for “cuts and bruises” following the accident just north of London on Thursday evening but no further details of his condition have been released. A spokeswoman for the “Careless Whisper” hit maker says, “George Michael was a passenger in a vehicle involved in a traffic accident yesterday evening, no third party was involved. He is being treated for superficial cuts and bruises but is fine. We have no further comment at this time.” Michael hit headlines in 2007 and 2010 after twice crashing his car while high on cannabis."
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TIME - Turkey's Erdogan Visits the U.S.: 4 Problems That Won't Be Solved, May 18, 2013

"As domestic scandals clouded Washington, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived for a U.S. visit enveloped in his own fog. The Turkish Premier has been one of the most outspoken international statesmen on the need for intervention in the brutal Syrian civil war raging on his country’s border. The main agenda of his American sojourn was to seek support from an Obama Administration that has watched the conflict warily. At a joint press conference on May 16 in the White House’s Rose Garden, Erdogan and Obama stood in the rain and reaffirmed their shared wish that Syrian President Bashar Assad be removed from power. But much went unspoken. As Erdogan’s visit concludes, here are four geopolitical conundrums that underlie his country’s relationship with Washington."
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