SPRINGFIELD, Ill., May 23, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Thousands of Illinois citizens do not have access to basic health and dental care even when employed. But today's State Senate passage of a key legislative measure means critical help is on the way through the establishment of the state's first Health Insurance Marketplace. House Bill 3227 today passed the Senate by a vote of 39-19 and is on its way to the State House. AARP is urging State Representatives to vote Yes on this urgently-needed legislation.

"Too many Illinoisans simply do not have access to the health insurance they need for themselves and their families, even though they are working," said AARP Illinois State Director Bob Gallo. "HB3227 will help over one million Illinoisans become eligible to purchase health and dental plans in an individual market. This bill will also help create plans for small business owners, so they can enroll their employees. We commend the Senate for approving this bill and we urge the House to do the same."

HB3227 if enacted will be a critical step in the effort to extend health coverage to those currently without it, and to improve access for those already in the individual and small group markets.

The legislation will ensure that Illinois consumers' voices are represented in the Marketplace Governing Board that will be created to review and approve the plans recommended by the Department of Insurance. The Board will reflect the geographic, gender, cultural, racial and ethnic diversity of the state.

AARP, along with over 100 non-profit and health advocacy organizations supports HB3227. AARP strongly believes that a Health Insurance Marketplace will address the needs of the consumer as well as the rights of all Illinoisans to access comprehensive health care coverage.

SOURCE AARP Illinois

"Since 2009 the international community has acted on new knowledge on the devastating impact of malnutrition in the critical 1,000 days between pregnancy and age two," said Rev. David Beckmann, president of Bread for the World. "Consensus on evidence-based cost-effective interventions has spurred action and achieved tremendous results thus far."

In 2010, the United States and Ireland launched the 1,000 Days Partnership to help jump start the . Forty countries have now joined the movementmany developing national nutrition plans to guide their efforts. Earlier this week, nutrition experts from around the world met in London to launch the British medical journal, ." The series updates and adds to the evidence base; most significantly it revealed that malnutrition is responsible for nearly half of all child deaths each year. This underscores the urgency of additional resources and continued political will.

At today's summit in London, world leaders committed $4.15 billion to scale up direct nutrition interventions and an additional $19bn for nutrition sensitive programs in agriculture and other sectors. The United States Government, represented at the summit by United States Agency for International Development Administrator Dr. Rajiv Shah, announced a significant scale up of resources for nutrition over the last few years and committed to maintaining this higher level of funding to support countries that are scaling up nutrition. The United States joined world leaders in committing to specific targets including reaching 500 million pregnant women and young children with the right nutrients; reducing the number of children under five who are stunted by an additional 20 million and saving the lives of nearly 2 million by 2020.

"In this fiscal environment, we are delighted by the strong U.S. and global commitment to this effort," added Beckmann. "However, it is important that we continue to dedicate and increase funds to reducing malnutrition in this critical 1,000-day window and work with policymakers on a strategy to ensure that the money achieves the targets agreed to today."

On Monday, June 10, Bread for the World and Concern Worldwide U.S. will host an event in Washington, D.C. called "" to celebrate progress made over the last 1,000 days and look ahead to the possibilities and opportunities to accelerate progress towards a world free of malnutrition.

The international meeting coincides with Bread for the World's , June 8-11 and will take place at the Mead Center for American Theater, 1101 6th St., SW, Washington, DC 20024. The schedule for the meeting can be found . Media are asked to register for the event at .

Bread for the World () is a collective Christian voice urging our nation's decision makers to end hunger at home and abroad.

SOURCE Bread for the World

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BAGHDAD (Reuters) - More than 7,000 Syrian refugees in Iraq have crossed back to the rebel-held Syrian border town of Albu Kamal in recent weeks due to better security there, an Iraqi official said on Sunday.

The reverse flow coincides with a lull in battles and air raids by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's military, which has been on the offensive elsewhere in Syria, especially in the western town of Qusair, around Damascus and in the south.

The mayor of the Iraqi border town of al-Qaim said 7,000 out of 11,000 Syrian refugees hosted there had returned home.

"Each week, we receive refugee requests to go back to their towns across the border, they are freely going back," Farhan Ftaikhan told Reuters by telephone.

"The security situation in Albu Kamal is very calm. There have been no clashes or air strikes for about three months."

Around 152,000 Syrian refugees have been registered in Iraq, according to the U.N. refugee agency, most of them Kurds and Sunni Muslims who fled to Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region and the Sunni-dominated western province of Anbar.

Dealing with Syrian refugees has been a tricky question for Iraq's Shi'ite-led government, which fears Sunni Islamist fighters seeping back across the border from Syria's conflict to worsen Iraq's own increasingly sectarian violence.

Iraqi security officials worry that Syrian rebel-held border towns will become bases for Sunni Islamist insurgents and al Qaeda to launch attacks in Iraq. Al Qaeda's local wing has already benefited from the flow of arms and fighters into Syria.

More than 1,000 people were killed in Iraq in May, making it the deadliest month since the Sunni-Shi'ite slaughter of 2006-2007, the United Nations said on Saturday.

The renewed bloodletting reflects worsening tensions between majority Shi'ites and minority Sunnis angered at their treatment since the U.S.-led invasion of 2003 overthrew Saddam Hussein.

(Editing by Patrick Markey and Alistair Lyon)

The verdict against Roman Murad Saad was handed down on Saturday. It's the latest in a surge of blasphemy cases following Egypt's 2011 uprising.

Saad was sentenced in absentia. If he's arrested or surrenders to authorities, he will be given a retrial and will have to pay 10,000 Egyptians pounds (around $1,400) in fines.

Court officials say Saad was found guilty of ridiculing Islam's holy book, the Quran, at a lawyers' union library. No further details were immediately available in the case.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to media.

I'm scared other kids will make fun of me for being different. I have already gotten laughed at. What should I do? -- EMBARRASSED TEEN

DEAR EMBARRASSED TEEN: When people laugh at a person who has a disability, it is usually out of ignorance. Because this happened at school or another place where there is adult supervision, you and your parents should talk to the principal or person in authority so that person can speak privately with the guilty parties and explain why your hearing aids and the microphone are necessary. Your parents should also have a meeting with the principal of your high school before you go so the problem can be avoided.

When I was in grammar school, a classmate of mine had severe hearing loss. Because the students understood what her problem was, she was never ridiculed.

P.S. Making fun of a child who has a disability is a form of bullying, and should be treated as such.

DEAR ABBY: I'm 25 and have been with my husband for nine years, married for four. I cheated on him twice. He caught me both times.

Even though I strayed, he decided to stay. But now he treats me like I'm a child and a prisoner. He took away my phone, my Internet and I can't go anywhere. He says this is my punishment for what I did. Do I really deserve that? I know we're both wrong, but is he more wrong? -- BROKEN WIFE

DEAR BROKEN WIFE: From where I sit, you are equally wrong. How long ago did the cheating incidents occur? If they are recent, you two should be in marriage counseling. If they were long ago, then you must decide if you want to live the rest of your life being treated as a child and a prisoner.

Your husband doesn't trust you because you haven't been trustworthy. But taking away your phone and Internet and keeping you under lock and key will not help you to rebuild it.

You two need more help than anyone can give you in a letter, and I hope you will seek it. If he won't go for counseling, you should go without him because I don't think the status quo can last.

DEAR ABBY: My sister and brother-in-law passed away two years ago. I am the only living relative of their 28-year-old son, "Louis." He is a loner, spoiled and a poor houseguest. I invite Louis over only because I don't want him to be alone at holiday times. My husband, teenage daughter and I have nothing in common with him, and frankly, he spoils our holidays.

How can I stop inviting my nephew without feeling guilty? Or is there another solution? I hate to make waves. -- HOLIDAY HATER IN CANADA

DEAR HOLIDAY HATER: If you invite your nephew for fewer holidays you will be able to ease your conscience, enjoy more holidays and allow the young man a chance to become more proactive in planning entertainment for himself.

DEAR ABBY: I may be wrong, but isn't it presumptuous for someone to open the message card on a flower delivery before you get home when the flowers are for you? -- KIMBERLY IN MARYLAND

DEAR KIMBERLY: You're not wrong. The person opening the cards isn't being helpful, but nosy. And it wouldn't be out-of-line to tell the person not to do it again.

Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Write Dear Abby ator P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

Abby shares more than 100 of her favorite recipes in two booklets: "Abby's Favorite Recipes" and "More Favorite Recipes by Dear Abby." Send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $14 (U.S. funds) to: Dear Abby, Cookbooklet Set, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Shipping and handling are included in the price.)

Williamson, which shares directors with Kapchorua, posted a profit before tax of 1.15 billion shillings, slightly down from the previous year's 1.16 billion shillings.

It attributed the flat performance to two hailstorms in April and August that cut its crop output.

A production rebound in the last quarter due to good rainfall was not enough to counter this decline.

Kapchorua, whose revenues are much smaller than Williamson's, reported a pretax profit of 255.75 million shillings, more than double the 112.58 million shillings achieved in the previous period.

"There was rainfall throughout the year which ensured the crop levels remained high particularly in the last quarter of the year," the company said in a statement.

Both firms warned that unpredictable weather conditions, uncertain market demand, foreign exchange fluctuation and the ever increasing costs of production could curb earnings this year.

ST PETERSBURG, Russia (Reuters) - The International Cycling Union (UCI) was fault free in their handling of the Lance Armstrong doping affair that severely tarnished the sport's reputation and triggered harsh criticism of the federation, UCI president Pat McQuaid said.

Speaking to a small group of reporters at an international sports conference in Russia, McQuaid said the UCI had always been at the forefront in the battle against doping during the American's years of domination from the late 1990s to the mid-2000s.

"I do not think the UCI made mistakes," said McQuaid, who took over as president in 2005, the year of Armstrong's last Tour de France victory.

"The statistics show the UCI was the most advanced in the fight against doping."

Cancer survivor Armstrong was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and banned for life from cycling in 2012 after a report by the United State Anti-doping Agency (USADA) accused him of doping for years.

In January, Armstrong admitted in a television interview that he used banned substances in all of his Tour victories.

"I was fooled," McQuaid said. "I believed the was no way a man so close to death would go and start putting stuff into his body that could be dangerous.

"My experiences as a cyclist convinced me he was real."

Critics accused the UCI of not doing enough to catch the American, who faced several years of doping accusations, while the USADA report also alleged that the body could have done more.

McQuaid, seeking a third term as UCI president, defended his organization by saying the UCI had tested Armstrong 200 times between 1999 and 2005, while USADA had only conducted 12 tests.

The Irishman admitted, though, the tests were no match for the advanced methods used by Armstrong.

"There were no tests available for the products. Ten or 15 years ago the armory (against doping) was weaker. The doping system was weak."

DANGEROUS STUFF

Asked whether he considered resigning over the affair, the Irishman was defiant.

"No, because I firmly believe I am making a difference. I want to eradicate doping. I want to see this thing through. I want to finish what I started."

"There is a change in the peloton. Every little thing I am bringing in is making a difference."

McQuaid said he was still waiting for was an apology from Armstrong and hoped the American would give back to the sport by helping with inquiries.

"I would like to see him jump on his private plane and come to Switzerland (UCI headquarters) and say 'what can I do?'

"He has not apologized to the sport of cycling. Everyone accepts he has not come clean. If he has information that is valuable to the sport he has to come forward."

"He should sit down and work with us ... with USADA and the world Anti-doping Agency (WADA)."

McQuaid said cycling would move past the Armstrong affair as the sport continues to expand into new markets despite the whirlwind of negativity the incident brought.

"We will go beyond it. Cycling has got new champions and it is getting global. It is growing dramatically. I am very positive about cycling and the future," he said.

"Africa, for example has huge potential. It may not have a commercial potential but it has damned good athletes," he said.

"There will be a black African athlete on the podium of a major tour within six years."

(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann. Editing by Patrick Johnston)

ST PETERSBURG (Reuters) - Hockey and rugby will play their Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympics competitions at the more remote Deodoro area of the city after organizers boosted the number of sports there to liven up what they say has now become a second Olympic park.

With hockey, initially set to be at the main Olympic park by the sea, forced to move to the Deodoro cluster, organizers said they were also placing Olympic debutants rugby sevens there, as well as some basketball preliminaries.

"For us it is quite important because we now have eight sports and 12 disciplines there," said Rio Games sports director Agberto Guimaraes. "For the first time there is a second Olympic park."

Guimaraes said as many as 50,000 people were expected to be within the Deodoro Olympic Park.

"We are much happier because it (Rio organizers) has added new team sports there," Kelly Fairweather, the CEO of the International Hockey Federation told Reuters.

Federation officials were initially unhappy about a move to Deodoro after having been told they would be in the main Olympic Park.

Fairweather said the addition of rugby and other sports such as BMX and hugely popular basketball added more value to the area.

"We are comfortable with this legacy. It is now a really good place," he said.

Rugby sevens was not part of Rio's bid file as it became an Olympic sport only in 2009, along with golf.

Deodoro will also host shooting competitions, modern pentathlon, equestrian, canoe slalom and fencing events.

(Editing by Clare Fallon)

Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday that the rate on the 30-year low stayed at 3.53 percent. That's near the 3.31 percent reached in November, which was the lowest on record going back to 1971.

The rate on the 15-year fixed mortgage stayed at 2.77 percent for a second week. The record low is 2.63 percent.

The one-year adjustable mortgage was the only rate to change this week. It averaged 2.61 percent, up from 2.53 percent last week.

Cheap mortgages are giving a boost to the slowly improving housing market.

Increased sales have helped to push home prices up, which makes consumers feel wealthier and helps to boost consumer spending. In addition, the increased housing demand is boosting new home construction.

Still, housing has a long way to go to achieve a full recovery. And many people are unable to take advantage of the low rates, either because they can't qualify under stricter lending rules or they lack the money to meet larger down payment requirements.

To calculate average mortgage rates, Freddie Mac surveys lenders across the country on Monday through Wednesday of each week. The average doesn't include extra fees, known as points, which most borrowers must pay to get the lowest rates. One point equals 1 percent of the loan amount.

The average fee for 30-year loans was 0.8 point, the same as last week. The fee for 15-year mortgages was 0.8 point, up from 0.7 point last week. The fee for one-year adjustable rate mortgages was 0.3 point, down from 0.4 point last week.

Freddie Mac said that the average rate on five-year adjustable-rate mortgages edged up to 2.64 percent this week from 2.63 percent last week. The fee stayed the same at 0.6 point.