US abortions fall 5 pct, biggest drop in a decade

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. abortions fell 5 percent during the recession and its aftermath in the biggest one-year decrease in at least a decade, perhaps because women are more careful to use birth control when times are tough, researchers say.The decline, detailed on Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, came in 2009, the most recent year for which statistics are available. Both...

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Wall Street rises after Gaza truce in thin holiday trade

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks advanced on Wednesday after a ceasefire was declared to end the flare-up in violence between Israel and the Palestinians, though the lack of a deal to release aid to Greece kept a lid on gains. Investors also remained anxious about the tax increases and spending cuts that are poised to come into effect in the new year - known as the "fiscal cliff" - though...

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Truce in Gaza Is Close, Egyptian Officials Say

JERUSALEM — Diplomatic efforts accelerated on Tuesday to end the deadly confrontation between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza, as the United States sent Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to the Middle East and Egypt’s president and his senior aides expressed confidence that a cease-fire was close. The diplomatic moves to end the nearly week-old crisis came on a day of some...

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Alicia Keys 'Definitely' Having 'At Least' One More Child

By Maggie Coughlan 11/20/2012 at 02:45 PM EST Swizz Beatz, Alicia Keys and Egypt Daoud Dean James Devaney/FilmMagic When Alicia Keys gave birth to son Egypt two years ago everything changed."To have this type of love in my life at this time in my life, it means...

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Wall Street falls as Bernanke's comments weigh

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks slid as Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's comments added to worries about the economic impact of the U.S. "fiscal cliff" and Hewlett-Packard's stock sank on news of an $8.8 billion accounting charge. Bernanke, in comments before the Economic Club of New York, said the Fed does not have the tools to offset the damage that would result if politicians fail...

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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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Hamas Leader Dares Israel to Invade Amid Gaza Airstrikes

GAZA CITY — The top leader of Hamas dared Israel on Monday to launch a ground invasion of Gaza and dismissed diplomatic efforts to broker a cease-fire in the six-day-old conflict, as the Israeli military conducted a new wave of deadly airstrikes on the besieged Palestinian enclave, including a second hit on a 15-story building that houses media outlets. A volley of rockets fired from Gaza into southern...

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Epic Fashion Faceoff: Nicki Minaj vs. Julie Bowen vs. Paula Patton

Stylewatch Style News Now 11/19/2012 at 01:00 PM ET BroadImage; Getty; WireImageWhat do Nicki Minaj, Julie Bowen and Paula Patton have in common? Before Sunday night, it probably wasn’t much. But now all three are bound by one very...

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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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Wall Street bounces on hopes for budget talk success

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wall Street climbed on Monday, putting the S&P 500 on track for its second straight advance as investors were encouraged by the early tone in talks to tackle the fiscal crunch and data that showed continued improvement in the housing recovery. The S&P 500 is up more than 2 percent over the past two sessions as rhetoric from legislators has provided investors...

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