Speaking at Thursday's meeting with the military brass, Putin said the move shouldn't be interpreted as saber-rattling. He said the Mediterranean is a "strategically important region, where we have interests connected with ensuring Russia's national security."

Gen. Valery Gerasimov said Russian squadron currently deployed to the area consists of 16 navy ships. The Defense Ministry said it would regularly rotate them to keep a constant presence of about a dozen ships.

Russia has a navy base in the Syrian port of Tartus, the only such outpost outside the ex-Soviet Union, and its ships have been making regular visits to the Mediterranean in a show of support for Syrian President Bashar Assad.

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BERLIN (Reuters) - Angela Merkel has dismissed claims in a new book that she was more actively committed to East Germany's communist regime than she has acknowledged, saying she has never kept anything secret about her past.

The book, "The first life of Angela M.", says that Merkel, who will seek a third term as chancellor in a federal election in September, was responsible for Marxist-Leninist education in a unit of the state's youth wing, in a role that went beyond the cultural duties she has previously spoken of.

Asked about the claims late on Sunday after a screening of her favorite film, a 1973 East German love story, Merkel said she had always spoken openly and to the best of her memory.

"I can only fall back on my memories. You just have to accept this... if something else turns up, then I can live with it," said the 58-year-old chancellor. "What is important to me is that I never kept anything secret."

The book's claims are unlikely to affect Merkel's chances of re-election but they highlight how enigmatic she remains for many Germans after nearly eight years in power.

German media have had a field day printing pictures of Merkel, who is extremely protective of her private sphere, as a willowy 20-something on Baltic beach holidays, tending a camp fire or drinking with student friends, as commentators try to fathom her early political persuasions.

Merkel joked there may be other aspects of her earlier life to be unearthed: "It is always the case that when something emerges, which of course from the perspective of the former West Germany looks very different, then people say 'she hasn't told us this yet' and 'she hasn't told us that yet'."

"I don't know - maybe there are other things I didn't talk about because no one ever asked me."

Merkel was 35 when the Berlin Wall fell in 1989 and was working as a scientist at an academic institute. She has described her early life as non-political, in contrast to German President Joachim Gauck, a former East German pastor who vigorously opposed the regime.

While at the science research institute Merkel said she was a cultural official for the Free German Youth (FDJ), the movement nearly all East German youngsters joined as teenagers.

Commenting on her role in a 2004 book, Merkel said she took it to get out more often, particularly as her then husband mostly wanted to stay at home. It entailed organizing outings, readings by young Soviet writers and getting theatre tickets.

The new book repeats previous claims that the role was as an "Agitation and Propaganda (agitprop) functionary" and was at a higher hierarchical level than Merkel had previously stated.

Asked in 2004 about an "agitprop" role, Merkel said: "I cannot remember agitating in any way whatsoever. I was responsible for culture."

In its heyday, the FDJ, whose members wore blue shirts and pledged to be "ready for peace and socialism", had more than 2 million members. East Germany's long-time leader Erich Honecker was a former leader of the FDJ, as was his successor Egon Krenz.

(Additional reporting by Andreas Rinke and Reuters television, editing by Gareth Jones and Alistair Lyon)

NEW YORK (Reuters) - American chef Richard Blais may be best known for using gimmicks and gadgets in his television appearances but in his first cookbook, "Try This At Home!", he shows his cooking can be fun and tasty without being complicated.

The 41-year-old used often used liquid nitrogen and immersion circulators to make dishes on the U.S. cooking competition show "Top Chef All-Stars," which he won more than two years ago.

Blais, a marathon runner and soccer fan, was born in Uniondale, New York and now lives in Atlanta where he owns The Spence and several other restaurants.

The classically trained chef spoke to Reuters about his reputation as a molecular chef, cooking for his family and being a celebrity.

Q: Is there a misconception about your cooking?

A: My food has gotten a rap that it's really overly complicated, scientific, tech-driven. That's not necessarily the case. I cook simple food at home. People could buy the book and cook from it, not just look at the pretty pictures. It's not just about showcasing the food at the restaurant but also the simple food we make every day as well.

Q: How would you describe your cuisine?

A: My food is generally modern American. We take joy in interpreting classic food. The cookbook might take a beef goulash or a roast chicken or pizzas broken down in different ways. We like to take common comfortable American dishes and reinvent them or re-imagine them.

Q: Are there recipes in your book aimed at people who watched you cooking with liquid nitrogen and immersion circulators on television?

A: Those recipes are in the book as well. They are there to take a dish to the next step. We definitely want to put that style and those techniques in the book. We want to educate more people about those techniques and show them how they are applicable for the home cook.

Q: What specific points or techniques do you want readers to learn from your book?

A: Hopefully the book teaches them to cook a little better ... But the main thing is that cooking should be fun. It's an adventure. It's OK to make mistakes. Hopefully it opens up people's minds to have more fun in the kitchen and be more creative.

Q: What do you cook for your family?

A: We roast chickens. We do make a lot of pasta at home. We eat simple food whether it's a bowl of salad or a grilled cheese sandwich. Even though I'm a chef, we eat like most American families do.

Q: Do you find it interesting that you might be better known than some of your mentors like Thomas Keller and Daniel Boulud because of television?

A: It is funny to me, for sure. These are my personal heroes and two of my personal mentors, chefs who are much more experienced, wiser and better. That's one part that's scary and also crazy to me.

Q: What advice do you have for aspiring chefs?

A: Make sure you love cooking and feeding people and keeping them happy. It took me 10 years before I popped up on a television show. It was 10 years of six-day work weeks and 16-hour days, doing some of the lowest level work, peeling potatoes and chopping vegetables. If you are in it just to be on a TV show or just to get some popularity because you cook, it's probably not a right choice you made for your career.

Q: But there might be those who look to you and others and think being on television is a good shortcut to achieve success.

A: Most of us who have been on the show 'Top Chef' have been accomplishing things before we got the call to be on a television show. Keep sending in applications. Go for it. Most of the chefs on my team are constantly sending out applications and answering casting calls for various shows. I recommend it. But make sure you are in the industry because you love to cook. For me, tomorrow if there is no more book and no more TV, I'll still be cooking and that'll make me happy.

Potato chip omelet (serves 4)

12 large eggs

3 tablespoons heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon minced fresh chives

6 cups plain kettle-cooked potato chips

2 tablespoons unsalted butter or vegetable oil

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degree Fahrenheit. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, cream, white pepper, parsley, and chives together until combined. Fold in the potato chips until they are completely covered in the egg mixture, but try not to crush the chips too much. Let stand for 10 minutes, until the chips soften slightly.

2. Heat the butter in an over-proof 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, swirling the pan to coat the bottom completely, until very hot. Carefully pour in the egg mixture and spread it evenly in the pan, then immediately reduce the heat to low. Cook until the eggs are set and the bottom is light golden, about 15 minutes. If the bottom is golden but the eggs are still runny on the top transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake until the eggs are completely set, 3 to 4 minutes.

3. To serve, invert a large flat plate over the pan and flip the pan and the plate to invert the omelet onto the plate. Let stand for at least 5 minutes before cutting into wedges and serving.

(Reporting by Richard Leong; Editing by Patricia Reaney and Eric Walsh)

(Logo - )

Recall Summary

Name of product: Easy Go XP Lock Via Ferrata Lanyards

Hazard: The elastic webbing on the lanyards can deteriorate over time and break while in use, posing a risk of serious injury or death to the climber.

Remedy: Replacement, Refund

Consumer Contact: Liberty Mountain; toll-free at (800) 366-2666, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. MT Monday through Friday, or online at . Click on "Contact Us" for more information.

Photos are available at.

Recall Details

Units: About 140

Description: This recall involves Easy Go XP Lock Via Ferrata Lanyards used for shock absorption on Via Ferrata mountain climbing routes. The lanyard has two elasticized webbing branches with self-locking carabiners at each end. Recalled units can be identified by the elasticized webbing. "EASY GO XP LOCK" is printed on a white tag sewn into the zipper pouch.

Incidents/Injuries: None reportedRemedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled lanyards and contact Liberty Mountain for a refund or replacement.Sold at: Specialty climbing shops nationwide and online at Amazon.com and other internet retailers between April 2011 to August 2012 for about $120.Importer: Liberty Mountain, of Salt Lake City, Utah

Manufacturer: Singing Rock, of Ponikla, Czech Republic

Manufactured in: Czech Republic

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about your experience with the product on .

Media Contact

Please use the phone numbers below for all media requests.

Phone: (301) 504-7908

Spanish: (301) 504-7800

CPSC Consumer Information Hotline

Contact us at this toll-free number if you have questions about a recall:

800-638-2772 (TTY 301-595-7054)

Times: 8 a.m. 5:30 p.m. ET; Messages can be left anytime

Call to get product safety and other agency information and to .

CPSC is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associated with the use of the thousands of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $900 billion annually. CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical or mechanical hazard. CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters and household chemicals contributed to a significant decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

Federal law bars any person from selling products subject to a publicly-announced voluntary recall by a manufacturer or a mandatory recall ordered by the Commission.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury go online toor call CPSC's Hotline at (800) 638-2772 or teletypewriter at (301) 595-7054 for the hearing impaired. Consumers can obtain news release and recall information at , on Twitteror by subscribing to CPSC's .

SOURCE U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

DUBLIN, Ohio (Reuters) - Charl Schwartzel has victory in his sights at this week's Memorial Tournament but also has the Presidents Cup in sharp focus, even though the biennial competition is four months away.

The Ryder Cup-style event which pits a 12-man team from the United States against a line-up of international players from outside Europe will be held from Oct 4-6 at Muirfield Village Golf Club, the same venue staging this week's PGA Tour stop.

South African Schwartzel was among several likely members of the Internationals team who linked up with captain Nick Price and his assistants here earlier in the week, the latest meeting to plot how to break the virtual U.S. stranglehold on the Cup.

The Americans, captained by Fred Couples, will be bidding to lift the trophy for an eighth time in 10 editions to continue a dominant run which Schwartzel finds hard to explain.

"It's difficult," the 2011 Masters champion told Reuters after taking control of the Memorial Tournament with a sizzling seven-under-par 65 in the opening round at Muirfield Village.

"I don't know why they (the Internationals) have lost so many times but if you look at the stats, the American are always a lot stronger.

"Their 12th man is a lot of times ranked as high as our fourth or fifth so we've got eight other guys who are a lot weaker. We are the underdogs. The stats don't lie."

Schwartzel, who made his Presidents Cup debut at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Australia in 2011 when the U.S. triumphed 19-15, accepted that matchplay golf was highly unpredictable but felt that respective rankings would always be a big factor.

"In 18-hole matchplay, anyone can beat anyone at the end of the day, but you know you've earned that 30th world ranking by being more consistent than the guy who is 60th," the slender South African said.

"So over four days the guy who is 30th is going to beat the guy ranked 60th more often than not. That's why he's 30th, so coming down the stretch the Americans will have a stronger team."

EUROPEAN LESSON

Schwartzel, who clinched his maiden major title with a grandstand four-birdie finish to win the 2011 Masters by two strokes, also felt the Internationals could learn from Europe, who have generally gelled superbly as a team at the Ryder Cup.

"We need to get a bit more into it, a bit like the Europeans do, be more of a team and beat the U.S. guys that way," said Schwartzel, referring to Europe's impressive run of seven Ryder Cup victories in the last nine editions.

"We are going to try and play as many practice rounds together as we can (at PGA Tour events) with the guys who are currently in the team.

"The guys are really going to try this year to be up for it, see if we can be more of a team and arrive at Muirfield Village earlier in the week."

Schwartzel predicted that team bonding by the Internationals would be further enhanced by the laidback captaincy style already adopted by three-times major winner Price, a veteran of five Presidents Cups as a player.

"Nick will be a great captain," said Schwartzel. "He is very relaxed which is a good thing because guys who are more relaxed normally play better. I think we will bond a lot earlier this time.

"We've already had a few meetings with Nick and he's asked us to spend a bit of time on certain parts of our games. At the end of the day, though, he wants us to walk off on the Sunday with everyone on the team having had a really good time."

The leading 10 players in the Internationals points standings after the Deutsche Bank Championship ends on September 2 will automatically qualify for the Presidents Cup and Schwartzel is excited that seven South Africans already occupy those spots.

"In a way it's going to be to our benefit because normally you've got players from all over the world on the Internationals team," he said.

"As we all know, you sort of stick with the guys that you know from the same country, so I think it will be a big benefit for us if there are a lot of South Africans and a lot of Australians."

(Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes; Editing by Frank Pingue)

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Swiss drugmaker Roche Holding AG is exploring a sale of its blood glucose meters business, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters on Wednesday, as the industry grapples with increased competition and reimbursement pressure.

The discussions about a potential sale of the Roche unit are still in their early stages and a deal may not materialize, one of the people said.

Earlier this year, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced it was cutting the reimbursement for diabetes test supplies by up to 72 percent. That would make it more difficult for companies to be profitable in this space, said another of the sources.

The change takes effect July 1.

It could not be learned how much the Roche unit was worth. All the sources wished to remain anonymous because the matter is not public. A Roche spokesman declined to comment.

Last year, Bayer AG, Germany's biggest drugmaker, attempted to sell its blood glucose meter business for around $1.5 billion, only to pull the plug on the sale early this year after failing to find sufficient buyer interest.

There are only a handful of companies that sell blood glucose meters, including Medtronic Inc and Johnson & Johnson, that would make logical buyers, two of the people said.

(Reporting By Jessica Toonkel, Editing by Soyoung Kim)

And yet photovoltaic solar panels, the instruments that convert solar radiation into electricity, produce only 0.7 percent of the energy the .

So what gives?

For one, cost: Theestimates an average cost of $156.90 per megawatt-hour for solar, while conventional coal costs an average of $99.60 per MW/h, nuclear costs an average of $112.70 per MW/h, and various forms of natural gas cost between $65.50 and $132 per MW/h. So from an economic standpoint, solar is still uncompetitive.

And from a technical standpoint, solar is still tough to store. "A major conundrum with solar panels has always been how to keep the lights on when the sun isn't shining," says Christoph Steitz and Stephen Jewkes at .

But thanks to huge advancements, solar's cost and technology problems are increasingly closer to being solved.

(Bloomberg & New Energy Finance)

If the trend stays on track for another 8-10 years, solar generated electricity in the U.S. would descend to a level of $120 per MW/h — competitive with coal and nuclear — by 2020, or even 2015 for the sunniest parts of America. If prices continue to fall over the next 20 years, solar costs would be half that of coal (and have the added benefits of zero carbon emissions, zero mining costs, and zero scarcity).

Scientists have madein thermal storage as well, finding vastly more efficient ways to store solar energy. (In one example, solar energy is captured and then stored in beds of packed rocks.)

Lower costs and better storage capacity would mean cheap, decentralized, plentiful, sustainable energy production — and massive relief to global markets that have been squeezed in recent years by , a burden passed on to the consumer. All else being equal, falling energy prices mean more disposable income to save and invest, or to spend.

The prospect of widespread falling energy costs could be a basis for a period of strong economic growth. It could help us replace our dependence on foreign oil with a robust, decentralized electric grid, where energy is generated closer to the point of use. This would mean a sustainable energy supercycle — and new growth in other industries that benefit from falling energy costs.

Indeed, a solar boom could prove wrong those who claim that humanity has over-extended itself and that the era of growth is over.

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"A savage capitalism has taught the logic of profit at any cost, of giving in order to get, of exploitation without thinking of people... and we see the results in the crisis we are experiencing," the pope said.

Francis greeted the men and women coming to the 'Gift of Maria' food kitchen, located at the walls of the Vatican.

The first non-European pontiff in centuries, the Argentine-born pope last week called for financial reform, condemning a "dictatorship of the economy" and a "cult of money".

Francis has set a simpler style for the papacy since taking office in March, shunning traditional ornate garments and living in a guest house instead of the Apostolic Palace. He has said he wants the 1.2-billion-member Catholic Church to defend the poor and to be more austere itself.

(Reporting by Naomi O'Leary; Editing by Michael Roddy)

The UCI says the second test confirmed the presence of Heptaminol in a urine sample Georges gave after the seventh stage of the Giro d'Italia.

The 28-year-old French rider for AG2R La Mondiale was pulled from the Giro last Wednesday after the first positive test was reported.

Heptaminol is considered a specified substance, which allows athletes the chance to prove they did not intend to enhance their performance. Bans for such substances are often shorter.