CDC: Flu seems to level off except in the West

New government figures show that flu cases seem to be leveling off nationwide. Flu activity is declining in most regions although still rising in the West.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says hospitalizations and deaths spiked again last week, especially among the elderly. The CDC says quick treatment with antiviral medicines is important, in particular for the very...

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Wall Street Week Ahead: Bears hibernate as stocks near record highs

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks have been on a tear in January, moving major indexes within striking distance of all-time highs. The bearish case is a difficult one to make right now. Earnings have exceeded expectations, the housing and labor markets have strengthened, lawmakers in Washington no longer seem to be the roadblock that they were for most of 2012, and money has returned to stock...

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At Least 30 Die in Egyptian Riots After Soccer Verdict

Tara Todras-Whitehill for The New York TimesA protester threw a tear-gas canister back toward police officers in Cairo on Saturday. More Photos »CAIRO — The Egyptian government appeared to have lost control of the major city of Port Said on Saturday after a court sentenced 21 fans to death for their role in a deadly soccer riot, and their supporters attacked the prison where they were being held,...

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Everything You Need to Know About Kim Dotcom’s Mega

Click here to view the gallery: Hands On With MegaMega — the long-anticipated file sharing and cloud storage site from Kim Dotcom — is now open to the public.[More from Mashable: Google Glasses Spotted and Two Other Stories You Need to Know]Thanks to its association with the now-defunct Megaupload — and the legal issues facing its founder Kim Dotcom — the amount of press, user interest and hype surrounding...

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Joe Manganiello Is Dating Model Bridget Peters

By Monica Rizzo 01/25/2013 at 03:45 PM EST Joe Manganiello and Bridget Peters Seth Browarnik/Startraks Joe Manganiello has a new lady love. The True Blood hunk, 36, has been spending time with the beautiful brunette model Bridget Peters, PEOPLE has learned. Manganiello...

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Penalty could keep smokers out of health overhaul

WASHINGTON (AP) — Millions of smokers could be priced out of health insurance because of tobacco penalties in President Barack Obama's health care law, according to experts who are just now teasing out the potential impact of a little-noted provision in the massive legislation.The Affordable Care Act — "Obamacare" to its detractors — allows health insurers to charge smokers buying individual policies...

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S&P 500 heads for longest winning streak in eight years

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks rose on Friday, with the S&P 500 on track to close above 1,500 for the first time in more than five years on bullish data from Europe and strong earnings reports. The benchmark was on track to extend its winning streak to eight days, the longest since a nine-day run in late 2004. Data showed sales of new U.S. single-family homes fell in December...

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Pentagon Reverses Its Censoring of Passages in Afghan War Book

WASHINGTON — In an illustration of the government’s changeable ideas of what should be secret, Pentagon censors have decided that nearly half of more than 400 passages deleted from an Afghan war memoir can be printed without damaging national security. The decision last week by a Defense Department security office is the latest twist in the striking fate of the 2010 book, “Operation Dark...

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Women in Combat Stoke Twitter Debate

The Pentagon’s decision to allow women in combat has elicited some strong and controversial words from opponents of the move.First, Tucker Carlson. Last night, the Daily Caller publisher tweeted: “Feminism’s latest victory: the right to get your limbs blown off in war. Congratulations.”This drew some swift criticism on Twitter, and a counterpoint from The Week’s Marc Ambinder, who noted that one woman...

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Puppy Bowl's Starting Lineup Revealed

People Pets By Amy Jamieson 01/24/2013 at 03:45 PM EST It's time to set your DVRs, people. Animal Planet has revealed Puppy Bowl IX's starting lineup, and it would be a crime to miss this much cuteness.Thirty-five doe-eyed doggies are primed to strut their adorable assets on Feb. 3 at 3 p.m. ET/PT – and each...

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