Republicans emphatically approved a toughly worded party platform at their national convention Tuesday that would ban all abortions and gay marriages, reshape Medicare into a voucher-like program and cut taxes to energize the economy and create jobs.

Welfare groups say shrinking pensions are forcing older Germans to keep working even after they have reached retirement age.

Ohio is one step closer to implementing changes aimed at better coordinating medical care for some of the state's sickest and most expensive patients.

The California county is also suing Facebook, Toyota Motors and Countrywide Financial over stock price drops, hurting the pension program's investments.

State employees want the North Carolina treasurer to answer questions about why the state's pension fund used a firm that invested in Facebook stock.

New York auditors note partial steps have been taken by the state Health Department to stem improper Medicaid payments to managed care plans and providers on behalf of patients with duplicate or multiple identification numbers.

The University of Nebraska Medical Center has received two grants worth nearly $1.6 million to help improve rural health care.

Germany has borrowed money again at negative interest rates, meaning investors are taking a loss for the chance to hold the super-safe securities during the eurozone debt crisis.