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Abbas says Palestinians support US peace moves

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas on Wednesday reiterated his support for US Secretary of State John Kerry's efforts to revive peace talks with Israel. During a meeting with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton in Ramallah, Abbas talked of the Palestinians' "commitment to the success of Kerry's efforts to save the peace process in order to restart serious talks leading to the end of the occupation and the establishment of a an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital".

Lawmakers float bill for Medicare to cover obesity treatment

By Yasmeen Abutaleb WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A day after the American Medical Association classified obesity as a disease, U.S. lawmakers introduced bipartisan bills in the Senate and House of Representatives that would require Medicare to cover more obesity treatment costs.

Nowhere to hide from diarrhea-causing bacteria: study

By Andrew M. Seaman NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Otherwise healthy people with a diarrhea-causing infection may have picked up the bacteria in doctors' offices or other healthcare sites, according to a new government study that also hints heartburn medications might increase the risk.

Deadly new coronavirus a "serious risk" in hospitals - Saudi study

By Kate Kelland LONDON (Reuters) - The new Middle East coronavirus that has killed 38 people after emerging late last year is a serious risk in hospitals because it is easily transmitted in healthcare environments, infectious disease experts said on Wednesday. In a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the researchers said the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS)was not only easily transmitted from patient to patient, but also from the transfer of sick patients to other hospitals.

Housing recovery to 'accelerate' U.S. economy: Summers

By Steven Scheer JERUSALEM (Reuters) - A recovery in the housing market and strong growth in consumer wealth will help jump-start the U.S. economy later in 2013, said Larry Summers, a former adviser to President Barack Obama. Summers, considered a possible candidate to replace Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke when his current term ends next year, said a further boost would come from an increase in U.S. energy production

Greek coalition signals state TV deal near, to meet again

By Lefteris Papadimas and Renee Maltezou ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece's ruling party leaders have signaled they are moving towards a compromise on the restart of state TV broadcasts and pledged to resolve a political standoff by Thursday. A court ruling on Monday ordered the public broadcaster ERT back on air, but its screens were still black or showing color bars after Prime Minister Antonis Samaras's surprise decision a week ago to pull the plug at a few hours' notice to save money.

US seizure of journalist records called 'chilling'

The US government's secret seizure of Associated Press phone records had a "chilling effect" on newsgathering by the agency and other news organizations, AP's top executive said Wednesday. "Some longtime trusted sources have become nervous and anxious about talking with us," AP president and chief executive Gary Pruitt said in a speech to the National Press Club. "In some cases, government employees we once checked in with regularly will no longer speak to us by phone. Others are reluctant to meet in person ... This chilling effect on newsgathering is not just limited to AP.

Budget cuts hit security checks for defense contractors

By Mark Hosenball WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A budget shortfall has forced a Pentagon security unit to sharply cut back on regular investigations used to update security clearances for defense contractor employees. In a little-noticed announcement posted on its website on June 7, the Defense Security Service said that "due to a funding shortfall," it has been obliged to suspend "most" routine re-investigations of defense contractor employers cleared at the "Top Secret" level, at least through the end of September.

2 ex-BP employees face new indictments in federal probe of massive Gulf oil spill

NEW ORLEANS - Justice Department prosecutors secured new indictments Wednesday against a former BP engineer and a former BP executive charged separately with obstructing probes of the company's 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The new indictment of former BP executive David Rainey adds language alleging that he knew of the pending congressional investigation he is charged with obstructing. A federal judge had dismissed the obstruction of Congress charge from Rainey's original indictment, in part because it didn't contain that allegation.

Study says focusing preventive health care on those in poor health could save billions

CALGARY - Billions of dollars could be saved in Canada's health-care system with the introduction of preventative programs that focus on those individuals in poor health, says a study by the School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary. "Canadian medicare with its focus on illness treatment has made illness and disease a growth industry," lead author Herb Emery told reporters Wednesday.
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