There has been a sharp rise in the number of elderly people being treated for drinking problems in London, new figures suggest.

See more here:
Elderly drink treatment ‘rises’

The manager of Castle Court in Belfast says that the number of people coming through the doors has increased significantly compared to the week before Christmas last year.

Read this article:
Shopping footfall ’15% increase’

Throughout Medicare’s 46-year history, monitoring the cost of the government health plan for the elderly has been a bit like the old joke: No one asked if spending would jump. They only asked how high. But in early 2010, the number crunchers at Medicare headquarters in Baltimore saw something surprising: a sharp drop in the volume of doctor visits and other outpatient services. Instead of growing at the usual 4 percent a year, the number of claims was suddenly climbing by less than 2 percent. Was this a one-time blip, or a fundamental shift in how seniors were receiving care? Read full article > >

Read the original here:
Medicare spending growth rising slower but enrollment will rise

As more doctors and hospitals have digitized patient records, the number of reported breaches has increased 32 percent this year from last year at a cost of $6.5 billion to the industry.

Link:
As Patient Records Are Digitized, Data Breaches Are on the Rise

The Irish government begins to outline a fresh round of austerity measures, including a 6,000 drop in the number of staff employed in the public sector.

Read the original:
Budget cuts announced in Republic

The state’s crackdown on illegal immigration coincides with a surge in the number of Latinos of voting age.

Originally posted here:
With Boom in Hispanic Voters, Obama Sees Opportunity in Arizona

A minister has defended the timing of a big announcement on housing – the day before figures suggested a drop in the number of social homes being built.

Read the original post:
Clash over housing stats timing

A minister has defended the timing of a big announcement on housing – the day before figures suggested a drop in the number of social homes being built.

Continued here:
Clash over housing stats timing

A boost in the number of its business and European travellers helps Easyjet to report increased profits for 2011.

Excerpt from:
Business travel boost to Easyjet

Education Secretary Michael Gove has said the number of pupils being given the top grade at A-Level could be limited in future.

See original here:
A*s could be limited at A-Level

WASHINGTON — Federal health authorities say a nationwide outbreak of listeria in Colorado cantaloupes is now responsible for 21 deaths and the number may continue to grow. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday reported new deaths in Indiana and New York. The CDC also confirmed a death in Wyoming that state officials reported last week. CDC said 109 people have been sickened in the outbreak — including the 21 dead — in 23 states from California to the East Coast. Read full article > >

Read more here:
21 deaths now linked to listeria in cantaloupe, new deaths reported in Indiana, New York

The State Department is racing against an end-of-year deadline to take over Iraq operations from the U.S. military, throwing up buildings and marshalling contractors in its biggest overseas operation since the effort to rebuild Europe after World War II. While attention in Washington and Baghdad has centered on the number of U.S. troops that may remain in Iraq, they will be dwarfed by an estimated 16,000 civilians under the American ambassador — the size of an Army division. Read full article > >

The rest is here:
State Department readies Iraq operation, its biggest since Marshall Plan

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Bank of America says it will cut about 30,000 jobs over the next few years in a bid to save $5 billion per year. The troubled bank says it expects many of the cuts will come through attrition and eliminating unfilled positions. The company says the number of job cuts isn’t fixed, but that it expects they will total 30,000. Read full article > >

Read the rest here:
Bank of America plans to cut 30,000 jobs over several years in bid to save $5B per year

District students head back to school today, and at a few D.C. Public Schools, they will walk into brand-new or brilliantly renovated facilities . But at many more schools, students will find smaller but significant upgrades: new salad bars. This year, 27 DCPS schools will feature cafeteria salad bars, about double the number from last year. It’s the latest upgrade to school meals under nutrition chief Jeff Mills , who was hired by ex-chancellor Michelle A. Rhee to overhaul the school system’s dismal food service . Read full article > >

Link:
D.C. Public Schools expand salad bars

District students head back to school today, and at a few D.C. Public Schools, they will walk into brand-new or brilliantly renovated facilities . But at many more schools, students will find smaller but significant upgrades: new salad bars. This year, 27 DCPS schools will feature cafeteria salad bars, about double the number from last year. It’s the latest upgrade to school meals under nutrition chief Jeff Mills , who was hired by ex-chancellor Michelle A. Rhee to overhaul the school system’s dismal food service . Read full article > >

The rest is here:
D.C. Public Schools expand salad bars