'BATKID' FIGHTING CRIME IN SAN FRANCISCO

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Dressed in a black Batman costume, his fists clenched as he took on foe after foe around San Francisco, a 5-year-old boy who has battled leukemia for years fulfilled his wish Friday to be his favorite superhero.

In the process, Miles Scott became a darling of social media and attracted thousands of fans around the country, including the White House.

"When you have an illness, it's very important to know you have a support system," said Gina Futrell, 51, who was among a large crowd gathered at Union Square for a chance to see the Batkid during his day of capers. Futrell has multiple sclerosis. "I have an extremely strong support system, and I hope he does too. He's such a little hero."

Batkid was called into service by San Francisco Police Chief Greg Suhr to help fight crime. He rescued a woman from cable car tracks in Nob Hill and captured the Riddler in the act of robbing a downtown bank. He even rescued the San Francisco Giants mascot - Lou Seal - who was kidnapped by the Penguin.

Miles, who is now in remission, was able to fulfill his wish through the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the city.

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US QUIETLY OFFERS BOUNTIES FOR BENGHAZI ATTACKERS

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The State Department said Friday that it has been quietly offering rewards since January of up to $10 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction of any person involved in last year's attack on a US diplomatic compound in Libya. The announcement ends weeks of Obama administration silence on questions about whether it was using all available means to catch the attackers.

In a letter sent to lawmakers on Friday, the department said the rewards were not publicized on its "Rewards for Justice" website as is normally done because of security issues around the ongoing investigation into the Sept. 11, 2012, attack on the mission in Benghazi that killed U.S. Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens and three other Americans.

"Due to security issues and sensitivities surrounding the investigation, the event-specific reward offer has not been publicly advertised on the RFJ website," the department said in a statement. "RFJ tools can be utilized in a variety of ways, without publicizing them on the website."

A State Department official familiar with the letter sent to Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, by Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs Julia Frifield acknowledged that it's unusual not to publicize offers of rewards, but said investigators have other ways of making sure the information is known "as needed." In the course of the probe, investigators have made it known to individuals that cash is available for those coming forward with actionable information.

The official said the rewards have been in place since Jan. 7, while Hillary Rodham Clinton was still secretary of state. The official was not authorized to speak publicly about the private correspondence and spoke on condition of anonymity.

DOCTORS ARE TOLD TO GET SERIOUS ABOUT OBESITY

ATLANTA (AP) -- Next time you go for a checkup, don't be surprised if your doctor gets on your case about your weight.

The medical profession has issued new guidelines for fighting the nation's obesity epidemic, and they urge physicians to be a lot more aggressive about helping patients drop those extra pounds.

Doctors should calculate your body mass index, a weight-to-height ratio. And if you need to lose weight, they should come up with a plan and send you for counseling.

"We recognize that telling patients to lose weight is not enough," said Dr. Donna Ryan, co-chair of the guidelines committee.

The good news? By next year, most insurance companies are expected to cover counseling and other obesity treatments, following in the steps of the Medicare program, which began paying for one-on-one help last year.

More than a third of U.S. adults are obese, and that's been the case since the middle of the last decade. Officials define someone with a BMI of 30 or higher as obese. A 5-foot-9 person would be obese at 203 pounds.

Doctors are well aware that excess weight can trigger diabetes and lead to heart disease and other health problems. Yet surveys have shown that only about a third of obese patients recall their doctor talking to them about their BMI or counseling them about weight loss.

The guidelines were released this week by a group of medical organizations that include the American Heart Association, the American College of Cardiology and the Obesity Society.