Bayer to pay $1.6 billion to resolve U.S. claims for Essure birth-control device

German drugs and pesticides group Bayersaid on Thursday it will pay around $1.6 billion (1.2 billion pounds) to settle the majority of U.S. claims involving its Essure birth-control device.The agreement follows a $10.9 billion settlement in June of U.S. lawsuits claiming the company's weedkiller Roundup caused cancer.Bayer said the Essure settlement is for around 90% of the nearly 39,000 claims by women alleging injury from the devices and that it was in discussion with counsel for the remaining