OB/GYNs back over-the-counter birth control pills

WASHINGTON (AP) — No prescription or doctor's exam needed: The nation's largest group of obstetricians and gynecologists says birth control pills should be sold over the counter, like condoms.Tuesday's surprise opinion from these gatekeepers of contraception could boost longtime efforts by women's advocates to make the pill more accessible.But no one expects the pill to be sold without a prescription...

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Futures retreat on Greek deal impasse; U.S. data on tap

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures retreated Wednesday after international lenders were unable to agree on emergency aid for Greece, and ahead of data on the U.S. labor market and consumer confidence. For a second week, euro zone finance ministers, the International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank failed to agree on how to make Greece's debt sustainable, which is...

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Gazans Mourn Dalu Family Killed by Israeli Bomb

GAZA CITY — Sweat streamed through the beards of three men clutching the body of 7-year-old Jamal Dalu as they raced through the streets toward his final resting place here amid bursts from assault rifles fired into the air and shouts of “God is great.” They occasionally bent to kiss the boy’s bare, bloodied head or shrouded feet. But they had to jog to stay ahead of the body of his father on a grand...

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Blake Shelton Has Unforgettable Night on The Voice

TV Watch The Voice By Julia Haskins 11/20/2012 at 08:15 AM EST Cassadee Pope (Blake Shelton inset) Tyler Golden/NBC (2) It was a night of creative growth on The Voice Monday, as the top 10 wowed the coaches in unexpected ways. "This may be the best episode of The...

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New push for most in US to get at least 1 HIV test

WASHINGTON (AP) — There's a new push to make testing for the AIDS virus as common as cholesterol checks.Americans ages 15 to 64 should get an HIV test at least once — not just people considered at high risk for the virus, an independent panel that sets screening guidelines proposed Monday.The draft guidelines from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force are the latest recommendations that aim to make...

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S&P 500 index futures rise briefly after data

NEW YORK (Reuters) - S&P 500 index futures briefly edged higher on Tuesday after data showed housing starts rose to their highest rate in more than four years in October. S&P 500 futures were last up 0.3 point. Dow Jones industrial average futures trimmed declines but were still down 8 points, while Nasdaq 100 futures added 1.25 points. (Reporting By Leah Schnurr;...

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Gaza Clash Escalates With Deadliest Israeli Strike

Bernat Armangue/Associated PressSmoke rose over Gaza City on Sunday, as Israel widened its range of targets to include buildings used by the news media. CAIRO — Emboldened by the rising power of Islamists around the region, the Palestinian militant group Hamas demanded new Israeli concessions to its security and autonomy before it halts its rocket attacks on Israel, even as the conflict took an increasing...

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Adele's Son Is a Cutie, Says Alan Carr

By Simon Perry 11/19/2012 at 09:00 AM EST Adele and boyfriend Simon Konecki have been lying low since she gave birth to a son last month, enjoying the early days with their child away from the spotlight. The private singer hasn't even revealed her little boy's name to fans. But a close pal, comedian Alan Carr,...

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EU drug regulator OKs Novartis' meningitis B shot

LONDON (AP) — Europe's top drug regulator has recommended approval for the first vaccine against meningitis B, made by Novartis AG.There are five types of bacterial meningitis. While vaccines exist to protect against the other four, none has previously been licensed for type B meningitis. In Europe, type B is the most common, causing 3,000 to 5,000 cases every year.Meningitis mainly affects infants...

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Stock futures up on optimism over budget talk

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stock index futures started a holiday-shortened week higher on Monday, with signs of progress in Washington talks to resolve the fiscal crunch lifting investors' mood. Leading Democratic and Republican lawmakers expressed confidence on Sunday that they could reach a deal to avert the "fiscal cliff" even as they laid down markers on raising taxes and spending cuts...

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