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By Christine Kearney NEW YORK, July 23 (Reuters) - New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O: ) co-founder Bill Gates pledged $375 million on Wednesday to fight what they called a global tobacco epidemic. The billionaires said the money would go to anti-smoking groups working with governments of developing countries such as India and China to curb tobacco use. Bloomberg, who championed New York City's groundbreaking smoking ban in 2002, is adding $250 million over four years to a program he started several years ago that has $125 million committed to it. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will invest $125 million over the next four years. "Smoking is an epidemic that can be stopped, and we want more people to get involved," Gates said at his first public event as chairman of his philanthropic foundation... [read full story]
