(Reuters) - Health problems and the cost of healthcare are the biggest concerns for those entering retirement, according to a study released on Monday from Bank of America Corp's Merrill Lynch. The findings, part of a larger study focused on how people are feeling about and preparing for retirement, were based on a survey of more than 6,300 individuals aged 45 and older across the United States.

EDMONTON - It seems Mother Nature has a thing for Alberta when it comes to severe weather. The Insurance Bureau of Canada says 62 per cent of all insurance losses from natural catastrophes in the country last year were in the province. The trend is hitting the industry and policyholders right in the wallet. The bureau says Alberta's 2012 claims totalled more than $730 million for damage caused by heavy rains, hail and wind, including from major storms that ravaged Calgary, Edmonton and the province's south.

Setting foot on Mars by the 2030s is human destiny and a US priority, and every dollar available must be spent on bridging gaps in knowledge on how to get there, NASA's chief said Monday. Addressing a conference of space experts at George Washington University, NASA administrator Charles Bolden said that despite hard economic times the United States is committed to breaking new boundaries in space exploration.

Liberal Leader Christy Clark has operated a drill, sat in the cab of a huge dump truck and greeted bargain-hunting customers at a Canadian Tire store during her three-day swing through British Columbia's Interior. The 10-city election trek has been heavy on photo opportunities and light on policy.