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Politics and personalities swirl around budget negotiations

The Wall Street Journal reports that House Democrats are gaining leverage — and, according to The Washington Post, Rep. Donna Edwards, D-Md., is a key liberal leader. Meanwhile, statements by Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., a GOP presidential hopeful, highlight the GOP's rift.

16 Jul 2011

Heavy rains, disease affecting drought refugees in Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia

People who have fled the drought in Somalia to camps near the capital Mogadishu are being hit by cold, heavy rains, and at least five people have died of exposure, according to aid workers, BBC News reports.

16 Jul 2011

Yukon, Canadian Cancer Society announce Kordyban Lodge construction

The ground adjacent to the University Hospital of Northern B.C. is no longer a parking lot. Today, the Canadian Cancer Society B.C. and Yukon together with local government representatives and supporters celebrated the start of construction on the Kordyban Lodge by breaking ground.

16 Jul 2011

Capsules: Drug industry rebates: The sequel

Mary Agnes Carey writes that, "at a Friday news conference, President Barack Obama made it clear that drug industry rebates to Medicare are very much in the mix as negotiators try to find ways to reduce federal spending on entitlement programs.

16 Jul 2011

California's state-mandated nurse staffing ratios effective in increasing RNs

In a comprehensive analysis comparing nurse staffing in California hospitals to similar hospitals in the U.S. over nearly a decade, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing have found that controversial legislation setting nurse-to-patient ratios added more registered nurses to the hospital staffing mix, not fewer as feared.

16 Jul 2011

WAPF urges FDA to focus on large industrialized food suppliers

The Weston A. Price Foundation (WAPF), a consumer nutrition organization, is urging the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to focus its resources on the large, industrialized food suppliers who pose the highest risk of injury to American consumers.

16 Jul 2011

Nearly 700 participants to attend Fifth National Summit on Women Veterans' Issues

Over 700 participants plan to attend the Fifth National Summit on Women Veterans' Issues scheduled July 16-17 at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki will give remarks to open the summit this Saturday, which will focus on expanding outreach to women Veterans and increasing awareness of the enhanced VA benefits and services available to them.

16 Jul 2011

International affairs budget is issue of national security, State Department official says

Tom Nides, the State Department's new deputy secretary for management, said the State Department will argue against potential budget cuts by highlighting the essential role international affairs spending plays in preserving U.S. national security, Foreign Policy's "The Cable" blog reports.

16 Jul 2011

New healthcare option for seniors

Seniors in Central Virginia will soon have a new option for receiving long-term care without moving to a nursing home.

16 Jul 2011

Tips for preventing allergy during ragweed pollen season

Feel like there's no end in sight when it comes to fall allergy misery? Blame global warming. Research suggests that with global warming, nasal allergy during the ragweed pollen season - also called hay fever or seasonal allergic rhinitis - lasts up to three weeks longer than it used to, and the further north you live, the longer you have to wait for relief.

16 Jul 2011

Viewpoints: Debt dilemma; IPAB intense defense; Minnesota middle-ground

Let's talk for a minute about what Republican leaders are rejecting. President Obama has made it clear that he's willing to sign on to a deficit-reduction deal that consists overwhelmingly of spending cuts, and includes draconian cuts in key social programs, up to and including a rise in the age of Medicare eligibility. These are extraordinary concessions.

16 Jul 2011

Roundup: Minn. officials reach deal to end shutdown; Calif. wrestling with adult day care benefits

Gov. Mark Dayton had to disappoint some of his strongest political supporters to come up with the deal Thursday that will end Minnesota's government shutdown. ... But Dayton did extract things from Republicans that they hadn't been willing to yield at shutdown time. The Republican "policy issues" that run throughout the Republican budget bills will disappear.

16 Jul 2011

Tips for swimmers to minimize risk of shoulder injury

Swimming is one of the best forms of exercise. It's easy on the joints and provides a terrific workout in terms of aerobic exercise and improving muscle strength.

16 Jul 2011

Research roundup: Putting good science into practice; shifting hospital costs; finding savings in Mass.

In 2006, researchers published a widely reported study showing that for many patients who had suffered a heart attack more than 24 hours before and had a blocked coronary artery, certain heart procedures, such as balloon angioplasty and the insertion of stents, were no more effective than drugs alone. In 2007, the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology issued guidelines urging doctors to not use such treatments in those patients.

16 Jul 2011

Pennsylvania State reminds massage therapists to become licensed before December deadline

The Pennsylvania State Massage Therapy Licensing Board is reminding existing massage therapists of the approaching December deadline to become licensed under the grandfather provision of state law. The board operates under the Department of State.

15 Jul 2011

First Edition: July 15, 2011

In today's news -- the debt-ceiling strategy appears to move toward a "plan B."

15 Jul 2011

Experts available to discuss various effects of sun exposure

After many long winter months, Canadians are eager to get outside and enjoy the short and sweet season of warm summer sunshine. Although soaking up the sun can help us forget our winter blues, too much or unprotected exposure can have harmful consequences to your health.

15 Jul 2011

Studios can reduce and even eliminate smoking in youth-rated movies

The amount of smoking in top-grossing, youth-rated movies has dropped significantly in the past five years, with far larger declines by studios that have published policies to reduce smoking in youth-rated films, according to a new study published today by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

15 Jul 2011

Horn of Africa nations risk 'massive famine,' Shah says

The nations in the drought-stricken Horn of Africa "are at risk of 'massive famine,' Rajiv Shah, the administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), told the Huffington Post Wednesday."

15 Jul 2011