Some foreign hostages said killed in Algeria assault

ALGIERS (Reuters) - Algeria said several hostages were killed on Thursday when its forces stormed a remote desert gas plant occupied by Islamist militants in retaliation for French intervention in Mali, and local sources said six foreigners were among the dead. Amid reports of many more casualties in one of the biggest international hostage crises in decades, Western leaders expressed anger...

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Amazon holiday results to show sales tax impact

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Acting as a tax collector may have hurt Amazon.com, Inc’s holiday sales analysts and industry executives said, but they expect to know more when the internet retailer reports its fourth-quarter results on January 29.Best Buy Co., an archrival of Amazon in consumer electronics, saw holiday online sales increase in three states where Amazon started collecting sales tax ahead...

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Harley Pasternak Blogs About the Benefits of Eating Avocados

01/16/2013 at 04:00 PM EST Getty. Inset: Lou Rocco/ABC Every morning I receive an email with the newest scientific studies published in the exercise and nutrition world. Once in a while, a study comes up that makes me excited enough that I have to...

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ER visits tied to energy drinks double since 2007

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A new government survey suggests the number of people seeking emergency treatment after consuming energy drinks has doubled nationwide during the past four years, the same period in which the supercharged drink industry has surged in popularity in convenience stores, bars and on college campuses.From 2007 to 2011, the government estimates the number of emergency room visits involving...

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S&P 500 flat as growth concerns temper bank earnings

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The S&P 500 was little changed on Wednesday as a bounceback in Apple shares and gains in bank stocks offset concerns about global economic growth. Goldman Sachs shares hit their highest level since May 31, 2011 as earnings nearly tripled on increased revenue from dealmaking and lower compensation expenses. JPMorgan Chase said fourth-quarter net income jumped...

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Dozens held after Islamists attack Algerian gas field

ALGIERS (Reuters) - Islamist militants attacked a gas field in Algeria on Wednesday, claiming to have kidnapped up to 41 foreigners including seven Americans in a dawn raid in retaliation for France's intervention in Mali, according to regional media reports. The raiders were also reported to have killed three people, including a Briton and a French national. An al Qaeda...

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Facebook search to generate revenue, no rival to Google: analysts

(Reuters) – Facebook Inc’s new search tool has strong potential to generate revenue for the social networking company, though it is unlikely to challenge Google Inc as the world’s dominant search engine, Wall Street analysts said on Wednesday.Facebook’s “graph search” tool, rolled out on Tuesday, lets its more than 1 billion users trawl their network of friends to find everything from restaurants...

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Holly Madison in Doghouse with Homeowners Association

People Pets 01/15/2013 at 03:30 PM EST Holly Madison and dog Louis Denise Truscello/WireImag Holly Madison is having a little trouble getting her neighbors to think pink.The former Playboy pin-up – and current mom-to-be – is moving out of her home in the Rancho...

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Vegas woman who couldn't stop growing dies at 34

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A Las Vegas woman who suffered a rare disorder that made it impossible for her to stop growing has died. Tanya Angus was 34.Karen Strutynski says her daughter stood 7 feet 2 inches and weighed about 400 pounds when she died Monday, apparently from a tear in her heart.Angus was 5 feet 8 as a teenager and had modeled on runways before she was diagnosed with acromegaly, or gigantism,...

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Wall Street flat as Apple down again but retailers rise

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks were nearly flat on Tuesday as tech heavyweight Apple dragged on the market as it extended losses into a third day, while economic data helped retailers advance. Apple was the biggest weight on both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 <.ndx> after reports on Monday of cuts to orders for iPhone parts. Shares were down 3 percent at $486.50 after hitting a session...

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