Britain called for direct talks with Iran over 15 captive Britons on Tuesday. British Prime Minister Tony Blair's office said both sides "share a desire for an early resolution" through direct talks. London is now waiting for Tehran's response. The statement followed Britain's meeting for the first time with the chief Iranian international negotiator, and the release of an Iranian diplomat held in Iraq. The release suggests the standoff over the captive Britons may end with a de facto prisoner swap, something both governments have publicly discounted. The British personnel have been held by Iran since March 23.

An international study has identified a gene that apparently can raise the risk of developing the most common form of Alzheimer's disease, according to the AP, a discovery that may help scientists develop new treatments. Scientists analyzed DNA from more than 6,000 people from a variety of ethnic groups and found evidence implicating certain versions of the gene, called SORL1.It's too soon to tell how much those gene versions raise the risk of getting Alzheimer's, or what percentage of cases they account for, the researchers said. They said the effect on risk appears to be modest. Still, if the finding is confirmed by other scientists, it would be "a very substantial step forward in our understanding of the genetics of Alzheimer's disease," said one expert not involved in the work, Jonathan Haines of Vanderbilt University. By shedding light on the biology of the illness, the discovery could help lead scientists to find new treatments, he and other experts said.