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Valeant rejected joint takeover bid from Takeda, TPG in spring: source

Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc received a joint takeover offer from Japan's Takeda Pharmaceutical Co Ltd and TPG Capital Management LP [TPG.UL] this spring that the Canadian drugmaker rejected, according to a source familiar with the matter. The offer was made a few weeks before Joseph Papa took over as Valeant's new chief executive in April last week, the source told Reuters. Takeda and private equity firm TPG were ready to offer a substantial premium to Valeant, whose stock had fallen about 65 percent this year up to the close of trade on April 22 as the drugmaker was not just seeking a new head but was also hit by an accounting scandal, the source added.

As humanitarian needs grow, USAID chief says the world must act

More complex humanitarian disasters such as the war in Syria and the Ebola epidemic threaten to overwhelm the international community's ability to respond, the head of the leading U.S. aid agency told Reuters in an interview. Gayle Smith, the administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), described a global humanitarian system stretched to the limit by the number of disasters and a growing funding gap compounded by emergency responses that cost more than traditional relief methods. “This is not the time to cut resources,” Smith said.

UK court rejects Big Tobacco’s appeal against plain packaging

Britain got the go-ahead on Thursday to make plain packaging compulsory on cigarettes when a UK court rejected a legal challenge brought by the world's top four tobacco companies. Philip Morris International, British American Tobacco, Japan Tobacco International and Imperial Brands had argued the law, due to come into force on Friday, unlawfully took away their intellectual property.

Migrant flow from Turkey to Greece picking up again: IOM

By Stephanie Nebehay GENEVA (Reuters) – The numbers of migrants landing in Greece from Turkey is starting to creep up again, showing efforts to close off the route are coming under strain, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Friday. Around 150 people a day had arrived over the last three days, still way off the numbers seen a month ago, the organization added, but showing an increase since an EU deal with Turkey deal to stem the flow. “The arrivals in Greece which were down to literally zero some days this month, are beginning to creep back up,” IOM spokesman Joel Millman told a Geneva news briefing.

Study finds Zika virus in fetal brain, a clue in outbreak

WASHINGTON (AP) — New details about the possible effects of the Zika virus on the fetal brain emerged Wednesday as U.S. health officials say mosquito eradication here and abroad is key to protect pregnant women until they can develop a vaccine.

Rio will be success despite ‘situation of crisis’: Bach

By Karolos Grohmann ATHENS (Reuters) – This year's Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro will be successful despite the country's financial and political turmoil which have made final preparations harder, International Olympic Committee President (IOC) Thomas Bach said on Wednesday. Brazil is faced with a severe economic downturn, having been awarded the Olympics with the country experiencing a financial boom back in 2009. “It is, as you know, six months before the Olympic Games and it is the most difficult time to prepare for Games,” Bach, speaking at the Greek Olympic Committee headquarters, told reporters.

Abortion-rights activists harassed across Americas, Amnesty says

Scores of women promoting access to safe abortions, sex education and contraception across the Americas have endured death threats, public harassment and physical attacks, a human rights group said Wednesday. Amnesty International said those activists are facing “increasingly vicious smear campaigns” and threats aimed at curbing any debate on these issues, with public attacks from private citizens and government representatives alike. “Daring to speak about abortion and sex education in Latin America seems to be reason enough to be labelled a 'criminal,' a 'murderer,' and even a 'terrorist,'” said Amnesty International's Americas director Erika Guevara.

Bacon fans embrace the hog on cancer report, but futures take fright

“Give me two pounds of bacon,” said Roland Marks, 47, a software engineer, rolling his eyes. “I'll take my chances.” It is too early for consumer or retail market data to show what any longer term impacts of the report will be in the United States, or whether shoppers will shun the traditional Christmas ham this year, say industry analysts. The WHO took to Twitter, too, and also issued a statement to emphasize that its International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) review “does not ask people to stop eating processed meats,” but just indicates that cutting consumption can reduce the risk of colorectal cancer.

Science catching up to media hype around concussions

By Toby Davis LONDON, Oct 24 (Reuters) – The media hype around the issue of concussion in sport is “way ahead of the science”, a leading doctor told Reuters at an annual National Football League (NFL) conference on Saturday. The issue of concussions and head trauma has become an increasingly controversial topic in a number of sports in recent years, with many governing bodies changing rules and protocols to better ensure player safety. Dr. Michael Turner, medical director of the International Concussion and Head Injury Research Foundation (ICHIRF), believes the science behind concussion is now playing catch-up to the media debate around the issue.

IBM to buy Merge Healthcare in $1 billion deal

(Reuters) – International Business Machines Corp said it would buy Merge Healthcare Inc , which provides medical images and clinical systems, in a $1 billion deal and combine it with its Watson Health analytics unit. Merge Healthcare shareholders will get $7.13 per share at a premium of 31.8 percent to Wednesday's close, the companies said. Merge Healthcare shares were up 29.5 percent at $7 in early trading. IBM shares were little changed at $156.78. The equity portion of the offer is valued at $713. …