Chatter: Markets perky after Spanish bailout

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Need to know:
European and Asian markets
 got off to a strong start this morning, the first trading session since the euro zone agreed to bail out Spain's banks.

Ministers have offered to pump up to €100 billion, or $125 billion, into Spain's struggling financial sector. "This is not a rescue," says Spanish Economy Minister Luis de Guindos, but it seems a huge capital injection by any other name would smell as sweet.

Markets from Madrid to Tokyo, London to Hong Kong, all rose in trading today. US stocks, meanwhile, on Friday posted their best weekly performance of the year so far in anticipation of the deal.

Want to know:
US Secretary of Commerce John Bryson has been cited for felony hit-and-run, police said this morning, after he allegedly caused two car accidents on Saturday evening.

The two incidents, both in southern California, occurred within minutes of each other and ended with Bryson in hospital for minor injuries. According to a police statement, he first rear-ended a car as it waited at a railroad crossing, then left the scene and hit another vehicle. He was found unconscious at the wheel.

Investigators say there's "no indication" at this stage that drugs or alcohol were involved.

Dull but important:
Britain's Leveson Inquiry into press ethics today began what's being billed as its most politically explosive week yet.

Proceedings kicked off this morning with the testimony of former prime minister Gordon Brown, who Rupert Murdoch accuses of declaring war on the News Corp. empire during his time in office. Brown, meanwhile, accuses Murdoch's UK papers of inaccurate and immoral reporting.

Brown will be followed on the stand by current chancellor George Osbourne, ex-PM John Major, and opposition Labour Party leader Ed Miliband. Prime Minister David Cameron will appear on Thursday.

Just because:
Experts say we're at a "turning point" in the global fight to stop the spread of HIV.

Successes in southern African countries have produced valuable lessons on effective approaches to tackle the virus, lessons that need to be learned in US cities where infection rates remain persistently high – particularly among African-Americans.

Meanwhile a political confrontation looms in Washington over critical funding which could threaten gains already made.

In a multi-part investigation, GlobalPost looks at how close we are to the end game – starting with whether the Obama administration can keep its promise to raise an "AIDS-free generation." 

Strange but true:
Extra reasons for congratulations if you're just survived another birthday: researchers say more people are dying on the date they were born

Scientists tracked the death trajectories over more than two million people over a 40-year span, and found a 13.8 percent greater probability that people would die on the date of their birth.

They suggest the emotional stress and strain of birthdays can trigger depression and ill health that can lead to heart attacks, strokes, accidents, and suicides.

Many happy returns... and be careful out there.

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