Hedgehog Alert! Prickly pets can carry salmonella

NEW YORK (AP) — Add those cute little hedgehogs to the list of pets that can make you sick.In the last year, 20 people were infected by a rare but dangerous form of salmonella bacteria, and one person died. Investigators say the illnesses were linked to contact with hedgehogs kept as pets.Health officials on Thursday say such cases seem to be increasing.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention...

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Market treads water before Friday's employment data

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks were little changed on Thursday as investors were cautious after a mixed bag of economic data, while stellar earnings from chipmaker Qualcomm helped the Nasdaq index to edge higher. The S&P 500 is on track to post its best month since October 2011 and its best January since 1997. Investors expect a pullback in equities after the recent gains,...

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Morsi Rejects Calls for New Unity Government in Egypt

Markus Schreiber/Associated PressChancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, center left, and President Mohammed Morsi of Egypt, center right, reviewed an honor guard on Wednesday before their talks at the chancellery in Berlin. BERLIN — President Mohamed Morsi of Egypt, meeting with Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday, rejected calls for a new unity government in response to the violent demonstrations...

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California police probe stunts that shut down freeways

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The California Highway Patrol is investigating two apparently unrelated stunts that jammed freeways over the weekend, including one involving hundreds of motorcyclists celebrating a marriage proposal that inconvenienced motorists east of Los Angeles.Both events created a flurry of viral Internet videos, fueling concerns about a repeat performance by copycats.On Interstate 10...

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Justin Timberlake & Barbra Streisand Performing at Grammys & Oscars

01/30/2013 at 01:20 PM EST Justin Timberlake and Barbra Streisand Justin Lane/Landov; Walter McBride/Retna How's this for a generational gap?This year's Grammy and Oscar ceremonies will feature top performers from two very different times. For the first time in four years, Justin Timberlake...

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APNewsBreak: EPA moves to ban some rodent poisons

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency is moving to ban the sale of a dozen rat and mouse poisons sold under the popular D-Con brand in an effort to protect children and pets.The agency said Wednesday it hopes to reduce the thousands of accidental exposures that occur every year from rodent-control products. Children and pets are at risk for exposure because the products typically...

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Wall Street flat ahead of Fed after GDP shock

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks were little changed on Wednesday as data showing the economy unexpectedly contracted in the fourth quarter was offset by upbeat parts of the report and strong results from Boeing and Amazon. Economists stressed that the 0.1 percent contraction in U.S. gross domestic product, caused partly by a plunge in government spending and lower business inventories, is...

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China may consider ending its decade-long ban on video game consoles

Shares of Sony (SNE) and Nintendo (NTDOY) surged on Monday following a report from China’s official newspaper that claimed the country is considering the lift of a decade-long ban on video game consoles. An unnamed source told the China Daily newspaper that the Ministry of Culture is “reviewing the policy,” and has conducted surveys and held discussions with other ministries on the possibility of...

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Katy Perry Reveals Her Fast Food Indulgence

How does Katy Perry get that perfectly curvy bod? With lots of hiking, a little bit of training ... and the occasional double cheeseburger. "I've cut out most fast food," the pop star, 28, told PEOPLE last week. "The only thing I stop for now is In-N-Out Burger." Perry, who's been going strong with beau John Mayer for several months, also has a new work out addiction. "I'm really obsessed with...

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Soldier looks forward to driving with new arms

BALTIMORE (AP) — A soldier who lost all four limbs in a roadside bombing in Iraq says he's looking forward to driving and swimming with new arms after undergoing a double-arm transplant."I just want to get the most out of these arms, and just as goals come up, knock them down and take it absolutely as far as I can," Brendan Marrocco said Tuesday.The 26-year-old New Yorker spoke at a news conference...

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