Study says meeting contraceptive needs could cut maternal deaths by a third

A new study by researchers at Johns Hopkins University shows that fulfilling unmet contraception demand by women in developing countries could reduce global maternal mortality by nearly a third, a potentially great improvement for one of the world’s most vulnerable populations.

Most Americans earn more than parents, but only a third rise in income class, study says

The overwhelming majority of Americans still make more money than their parents, but upward mobility is elusive for many, particularly for African Americans and those without a college degree, according to a new study released Monday.

Job growth remains tepid

It is increasingly apparent what the economy will look like when President Obama faces voters in November: pretty much what it looks like today.And that picture, a report from the Labor Department made clear on Friday, is far from the booming job growth that prevailed only a few months ago. In June, the economy added a meager 80,000 jobs, and the unemployment rate remained at 8.2 percent.

‘No child left behind’ law whittled down by White House: 26 states are now relieved from meeting the goal of making all students proficient in reading and mathematics by 2014

In just five months, the Obama administration has freed schools in more than half the nation from central provisions of the No Child Left Behind education law, raising the question of whether the decade-old federal program has been essentially nullified.

US warns Egypt’s military over ‘power grab.’ Washington urges ruling military to transfer full power to civilian government as Muslim Brotherhood calls for protests.

The United States has urged Egypt’s military to move swiftly on plans to transfer full power to an elected civilian government and suggested failure to do so would prompt a review of US ties, which includes billions of dollars in military and civilian aid.

Lost in recession, toll on underemployed and underpaid

Throughout the Great Recession and the not-so-great recovery, the most commonly discussed measure of misery has been unemployment. But many middle-class and working-class people who are fortunate enough to have work are struggling as well, which is why Sherry Woods, a 59-year-old van driver from Atlanta, found herself standing in line at a jobs fair this month, with her résumé tucked inside a Bible.