Two-day test can spot gene diseases in newborns

Too often, newborns die of genetic diseases before doctors even know what's to blame. Now scientists have found a way to decode those babies' DNA in just days instead of weeks, moving gene-mapping closer to routine medical care. Get the complete story

Alcoa plant gets EU boost on Italy power prices

Alcoa plant gets EU boost on Italy power prices

MILAN (Reuters) - The troubled Italian smelter of aluminum group Alcoa will be able to continue using special contracts allowing it to buy electricity at lower prices until 2015 following a decision on Wednesday by the European Commission. The Commission ruled the so-called interruptibility power contracts on the islands of Sardinia and Sicily did not constitute state aid, giving a green light to the schemes being used by heavy-energy users there for the next three years. A statement by the Commission did not mention any company. ...

Source: news.yahoo.com

L.A.'s richest man ups the ante for city, cancer fight

L.A.'s richest man ups the ante for city, cancer fight

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - As owner of 5 percent of the Los Angeles Lakers, Patrick Soon-Shiong could walk into the locker room of the storied basketball franchise any time for a chat with stars like Kobe Bryant. But the richest man in Los Angeles chooses to sit with the rest of his team's fans. "He's not one of those owners who wants to be seen everywhere. He's just one of the fans," said Bryant. The NBA star gives his owner a hug before every game for luck "and maybe some of the success" of the slender Los Angles surgeon who built a fortune exceeding $7 billion as a biotechnology entrepreneur. ...

Source: news.yahoo.com

L.A.'s richest man ups the ante for city, cancer fight

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - As owner of 5 percent of the Los Angeles Lakers, Patrick Soon-Shiong could walk into the locker room of the storied basketball franchise any time for a chat with stars like Kobe Bryant. But the richest man in Los Angeles chooses to sit with the rest of his team's fans. "He's not one of those owners who wants to be seen everywhere. He's just one of the fans," said Bryant. The NBA star gives his owner a hug before every game for luck "and maybe some of the success" of the slender Los Angles surgeon who built a fortune exceeding $7 billion as a biotechnology entrepreneur. ...

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American Alan Gross, jailed in Cuba, may have cancer: lawyer

HAVANA (Reuters) - Alan Gross, the American government contractor jailed in Cuba for crimes against the state, could be suffering from an untreated cancer, according to an independent review of his medical records, his U.S. lawyer said on Tuesday. "Gross has a potentially life-threatening medical problem that has not been adequately evaluated to modern medical standards," U.S.-based radiologist Alan Cohen said in a statement released by Gross attorney Jared Genser. ...

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