Algeria Begins ‘Final Assault’ on Gas Field; 7 Hostages Reported Killed

BAMAKO, Mali — The hostage crisis in the Algerian desert appeared to be reaching a bloody conclusion Saturday as the official Algerian news agency reported that the army had launched a final assault on the gas field taken over by Islamist militants, killing 11 of them, but only after they had executed seven hostages. “In principle, it’s all over,” a senior Algerian government official said...

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Social media dispute resolution stumps some companies

(Reuters) – If HBO cuts out on you in the middle of the latest “Girls” episode, and you have Charter Communications Inc as your cable provider, don’t try tweeting your dismay to their customer service department. Nobody will hear your lament.Charter, the fourth largest cable provider in the U.S. with 5.2 million customers across 25 states, closed up its social-media based customer service team in...

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Rob Lowe Acquits Himself Nicely in Lifetime's Prosecuting Casey Anthony (Review)

TV Watch By PEOPLE TV Critic Tom Gliatto 01/19/2013 at 11:45 AM EST Rob Lowe in Prosecuting Casey Anthony Allen Fraser/Lifetime     When last we saw Rob Lowe in a Lifetime movie, he was playing murderer Drew Peterson with a sandy mustache that...

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Lilly drug chosen for Alzheimer's prevention study

Researchers have chosen an experimental drug by Eli Lilly & Co. for a large federally funded study testing whether it's possible to prevent Alzheimer's disease in older people at high risk of developing it.The drug, called solanezumab (sol-ah-NAYZ-uh-mab), is designed to bind to and help clear the sticky deposits that clog patients' brains.Earlier studies found it did not help people with moderate...

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Teacher who starred in porn film fight for job, money

The Oxnard teacher who was fired for appearing in porn movies has until Feb. 13 to decide whether to appeal a decision dismissing her from the classroom, school officials said.The Commission on Professional Competence, in a 47-page report dated Jan. 3, found that Stacie Halas, 32, was unfit to teach eighth-grade science at Haydock Intermediate School and ordered her dismissal.Although...

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India Ink: Image of the Day: Jan. 18

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Why Won’t the NRA Say Anything About Its (Possibly Fake) New Video Game?

If this app is, in fact, an unlicensed kind of hoax using the NRA acronym without permission, you’d think the NRA might want to squash the brand association quickly. Despite the gun lobby’s slow response to the Newtown massacre, the NRA isn’t afraid of issuing cease and desists or suing President Obama, the District of Columbia, or the Department of Justice.RELATED:...

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Designers Create Dream Inauguration Dresses for Michelle Obama

Stylewatch Style News Now 01/17/2013 at 01:00 PM ET Courtesy L’Wren Scott; Inset: Cliff Owen/APIt’s a big week for Michelle Obama: she turns 49 today, joined Twitter this morning and will stand by as her husband is sworn in to his...

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Flu remains widespread in US; eases in some areas

Health officials say nine more deaths of children from the flu have been reported, bringing the total this flu season to 29.In a typical season, about 100 children die of the flu, so it is not known whether this year will be better or worse than usual.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says half of confirmed flu cases so far are in people 65 and older.This year's season is earlier than...

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Man molested girls, gave them tattoos, police allege

Authorities were looking Thursday for more possible victims of a Mission Viejo tattoo artist arrested for allegedly molesting two teenage girls after giving them free tattoos and alcohol in his apartment, deputies said.Edder Giovani Nieves-Vera, 29, met one of the 14-year-olds through Facebook and promised to give her a tattoo, alcohol and drugs, said Jim Amormino, a spokesman for the Orange...

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Cameron to Outline a Recast European Role for Britain

Weighted down by centuries of entrenched wariness in this island nation toward the Continent — and the knowledge that a gallery of his predecessors as Conservative prime ministers saw their tenures blighted by divisions within the party over the issue — Mr. Cameron is heading for Amsterdam on Friday to set out his vision of a sharply whittled-down role for Britain in the affairs of 21st-century Europe....

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PlayStation 4 and Xbox 720 could cost just $350, expected to launch this fall

Sony (SNE) and Microsoft (MSFT) are both expected to announce their next-generation gaming consoles at the Electronics Entertainment Expo in June, or even a little before then. While we have seen rumored specs for both the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox 720, one thing that has escaped us is a possible price tag. In a research note to investors on Monday, Colin Sebastian of Baird Equity Research suggested...

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John Mayer Performs for First Time in 10 Months After Battling Voice Problems

By Tim Nudd 01/17/2013 at 11:00 AM EST John Mayer on stage in Bozeman Courtesy John Mayer Sing it, John!Forced to be all but silent for 10 months as he recovered from a second bout of vocal-cord problems, John Mayer returned to the stage Wednesday, performing...

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Large study confirms flu vaccine safe in pregnancy

NEW YORK (AP) — A large study offers reassuring news for pregnant women: It's safe to get a flu shot.The research found no evidence that the vaccine increases the risk of losing a fetus, and may prevent some deaths. Getting the flu while pregnant makes fetal death more likely, the Norwegian research showed.The flu vaccine has long been considered safe for pregnant women and their fetus. U.S. health...

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Woman repeatedly raped inside Nordstrom, police allege

Prosecutors said one of the five people charged in connection with the take-over robbery at a Nordstrom Rack department store in Westchester raped one of the female hostages. Prosecutors offered no details. But a district attorney's office spokeswoman said the victim was sexually assaulted "multiple times." Raymond Sherman Jr., 34, who authorities said was the most violent in the group,...

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WORLD: France Battles Rebels in Mali

January 16, 2013By Mac William Bishop, Channon Hodge, Pedro Rafael Rosado, Axel Gerdau, Krishnan Vasudevan and Elaisha StokesThe Times's Greg Winter talks about the escalating conflict in Mali, where the government along with France is battling Islamist insurgen...

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Joey Fatone Runs a Half Marathon - and a Full Marathon - in One Weekend

01/16/2013 at 10:25 AM EST For two years, Joey Fatone cheered on his wife, Kelly, as she ran the Goofy Challenge at Walt Disney World: a half marathon followed by a full marathon the following day. But when Kelly fractured her foot two months ago, Fatone decided to run in her place. "I just said, 'I'll do it...

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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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Teacher who starred in porn film could lose pay

The Oxnard School District Board of Trustees is expected to make a decision Wednesday on whether to revoke a middle school teacher’s pay after discovering that she had previously appeared in pornographic films. Earlier this month, Stacie Halas, 32, was found unfit to teach eighth-grade science at Haydock Intermediate School by the Commission on Professional Competence, which ordered her...

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India Ink: Image of the Day: Jan. 15

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Tata Consultancy says demand in U.S. strong across segments

MUMBAI/BANGALORE (Reuters) – India’s top software services provider Tata Consultancy Services Ltd (TCS) said demand in the key U.S. market is strong across its business segments, with regional banks stepping up spending on technology.The Mumbai-based company said on Monday that profit jumped 23 percent in the quarter ended December, beating analysts‘ expectations. TCS also gave an upbeat growth outlook,...

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Mindy McCready's Boyfriend David Wilson Died of a Self-Inflicted Gunshot Wound

By Steve Helling 01/15/2013 at 11:30 AM EST Last year, things were looking up for Mindy McCready after a judge awarded her custody of her 6-year-old son, Zander. "It was good news," her rep, Kat Atwood, tells PEOPLE. "The custody battle was over. Zander was comfortable at home with Mindy. She had a new baby....

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Experts: Proposed NY gun law might hinder therapy

NEW YORK (AP) — Mental health experts say a proposed New York state gun control law might interfere with treatment of potentially dangerous people and even discourage them from seeking help.One provision would require therapists and doctors to tell government authorities if they believe a patient is likely to harm himself or others. That could lead to revoking a patient's gun permit and seizing the...

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Man kills wife, leave her body in casino, police allege

About L.A. NowL.A. Now is the Los Angeles Times’ breaking news section for Southern California. It is produced by more than 80 reporters and editors in The Times’ Metro section, reporting from the paper’s downtown Los Angeles headquarters as well as bureaus in Costa Mesa, Long Beach, San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, Riverside, Ventura and West Los Angeles.Have a story tip for L.A. Now?Can I call...

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IHT Rendezvous: 2012: The Year of Extreme Weather

The weather reports are in. 2012 was the hottest and the most extreme year on record in many places.While parts of China are enduring the harshest winter in 30 years, the Antarctic is warming at an alarming rate. In Australia, out of control bushfires are partially the result of record-breaking weather (new colors were added to weather forecast maps, to account for the new kind of heat). In the United...

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RIM says 15,000 BlackBerry 10 apps submitted in under two days

Title Post: RIM says 15,000 BlackBerry 10 apps submitted in under two daysUrl Post: http://www.news.fluser.com/rim-says-15000-blackberry-10-apps-submitted-in-under-two-days/Link To Post : RIM says 15,000 BlackBerry 10 apps submitted in under two daysRating: 100%based on 99998 ratings.5 user reviews.Author: Fluser SeoLinkThanks for visiting the blog, If any criticism and suggestions please leave a...

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It'll Be a Girl for Nick & JoAnna Garcia Swisher

Mom & Babies Celebrity Baby Blog 01/14/2013 at 11:45 AM ET Paul Marks/Broadimage This spring will bring more than just May flowers for Nick and JoAnna Garcia Swisher — the couple will welcome a baby girl that month as well, they confirm to PEOPLE exclusively.“I’m just so excited,” the outfielder...

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Flu more widespread in US; eases off in some areas

NEW YORK (AP) — Flu is now widespread in all but three states as the nation grapples with an earlier-than-normal season. But there was one bit of good news Friday: The number of hard-hit areas declined.The flu season in the U.S. got under way a month early, in December, driven by a strain that tends to make people sicker. That led to worries that it might be a bad season, following one of the mildest...

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Nordstrom hostages made to strip naked; 1 sexually assaulted, police say

Los Angeles police confirmed Sunday evening the arrests of three suspected gang members in the takeover robbery at the Nordstrom Rack in Westchester last week.The Times first reported two arrests, one on Friday and the second Saturday in Phoenix. Sources familiar with the investigation described the man arrested in Phoenix as a principal suspect but would give no further details.In a press...

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Thousands of Russians Rally Against Adoption Ban

MOSCOW – Thousands of Russians marched on Sunday in condemnation of the Russian Parliament’s move to ban adoption of Russian children by American families, an event dubbed a “March Against Scoundrels,” where participants chanted, “Take your hands off children,” and carried posters showing the faces of lawmakers stamped with the word “Shame.” Marchers flooded tree-lined boulevards for many...

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Why This Outdated Dating Manual Did Not Need a Social-Media Update

The Rules, a dating instruction manual of yore by two ladies named Ellen Fein and Sherrie Schneider (they know what they’re talking about ’cause they’re married!), should, by now, have gone the way of the cave drawing or the horse and buggy, as a relic of times past. It was initially published in 1995, nearly 20 years ago, and we don’t even want to calculate what that means in dog years....

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