Soldier with new arms determined to be independent

BALTIMORE (AP) — After weeks of round-the-clock medical care, Brendan Marrocco insisted on rolling his own wheelchair into a news conference using his new transplanted arms. Then he brushed his hair to one side.Such simple tasks would go unnoticed in most patients. But for Marrocco, who lost all four limbs while serving in Iraq, these little actions demonstrate how far he's come only six weeks after...

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Stock futures flat ahead of data, Amazon climbs early

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stock index futures were flat on Wednesday as investors digested recent gains and awaited a new round of key U.S. economic data, though Amazon surged after its earnings results. Equities have soared in recent weeks, with the S&P 500 rising for nine of the past 10 sessions. The Dow Jones industrial average has been flirting with 14,000, a level it hasn't seen since...

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The Female Factor: Chinese Courts Turn a Blind Eye to Abuse

BEIJING — Before they married in 2009, Tan Yong admitted to Li Yan that he had beaten his three previous wives. He promised to change. The promises didn’t last, said Li Dehuai, Ms. Li’s brother. Soon after the wedding, Mr. Tan began abusing his wife. “He stubbed out cigarettes on her face and legs. He would take her hair and hit her head against the wall. He locked her on the balcony...

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Troubled smartphone pioneer RIM prepares to raise the curtain on BlackBerry 10

NEW YORK, N.Y. – After several technical blunders, two unexpected delays and one major shakeup in its leadership, BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion is about to raise the curtain for its new smartphone devices in hopes that consumers share the excitement.The unveiling of the phones and operating system on Wednesday marks the start of an advertising blitz that will stretch to social media, the Super...

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Soldier talks about his new arms after transplant

BALTIMORE (AP) — A soldier who lost all four limbs in an Iraq roadside bombing has two new arms following a double transplant at Johns Hopkins Hospital.Twenty-six-year-old Brendan Marrocco along with the surgeons who treated him will be at the Baltimore hospital on Tuesday to discuss the new limbs.The transplants are only the seventh double-hand or double-arm transplant ever conducted in the United...

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Stock futures tick lower, but Ford, Pfizer rise early

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stock index futures edged lower on Tuesday as investors looked to take profits following an extended rally and as they waited an onslaught of earnings and data. On Monday, the S&P 500 index closed slightly lower, ending an eight-day run of gains. However, the index remained above 1,500, suggesting there was still support for the market. Investors...

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India Ink: One Delhi Gang Rape Suspect Is Ruled a Minor

NEW DELHIThe Indian Juvenile Justice Board ruled Monday that one suspect in the recent fatal gang rape of a young woman on a moving bus is officially a juvenile, which could result in a lenient sentence if he is found guilty of the crime.The teenager, who school records show is 17 years old, could receive a maximum sentence of three years in a detention facility if found guilty. Five other men accused...

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Jennifer Lawrence Feeling Better Thanks to a 'Lot of Medication'

By Dahvi Shira 01/28/2013 at 07:00 AM EST Jennifer Lawrence is on the mend.The ailing Silver Linings Playbook starlet is finally feeling fine after a reported bout with pneumonia. "I'm so much better," Lawrence, 22, told reporters backstage at Sunday's Screen Actors Guild Awards, where she won for lead female actor. "I'm a lot better. I've...

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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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Stocks futures flat, Caterpillar on tap to report

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stock index futures were little changed on Monday, with investors reluctant to make big bets following a rally that took the S&P 500 above 1,500 for the first time in more than five years. A strong start to the earnings season has boosted equities, with major averages rising for four straight weeks. The S&P has gained for eight straight days, its longest winning...

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