Dead rodents, excrement in peanut processor lead to recall

The Texas Department of State Health Services on Thursday ordered the recall of all products ever shipped from the Peanut Corporation of America’s plant in Plainview, Texas, after discovering dead rodents, rodent excrement and bird feathers in the plant. The order, which applies to products shipped since the plant opened nearly four years ago, came a day after the discovery of filth in a crawl space above a production area during a health services inspection, Texas Health Department Press Officer Doug McBride told CNN in a telephone interview. The plant’s ventilation system pulled debris “from the infested crawl space into production areas of the plant resulting in the adulteration of exposed food products,” a health department news release said.

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Australia’s PM announces day of mourning

A national day of mourning and a memorial service will honor the victims of the past week’s wildfires in southeastern Australia, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced Thursday. “It is important, it is very important that the nation grieves,” Rudd said, according to the Australian Associated Press. The government is working with the Council of Churches on the details of the service.

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New Jason unmasked for ‘Friday the 13th’

Actor Derek Mears has a big hockey mask to fill. Mears was cast as the iconic boogeyman Jason Voorhees in the new “Friday the 13th” movie. A remake of the original 1980 film, the new movie aims to breathe life into the former franchise about a psychopathic killer who preys on a group of young people at the fictitious Camp Crystal Lake

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Russian, U.S. satellites collide in space

Two satellites, one Russian and one American, have collided some 800 kilometers (500 miles) above Siberia, the Russian and U.S. space agencies, said Thursday. The collision on Tuesday produced two large debris clouds, NASA said

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‘Money from heaven’ leaves retiree empty

At first, the investment sounded too good to be true to Emiko, a 74-year-old retired elementary school principal. But she ached to grow her retirement fund so she could take any burden or worry away from her two children. So Emiko invested conservatively, only the equivalent of a few hundred dollars at a time

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Girl, 5, likely taken from Florida home, police say

A missing 5-year-old Florida girl was most likely abducted from her home in rural Florida, police said Wednesday. Haleigh Cummings has been missing since 3 a.m. Tuesday, when her father’s girlfriend called 911 to say the child had vanished from her Putnam County home.

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Spain beat England as Beckham equals record

David Villa and Fernando Llorente scored the goals as European champions Spain extended their amazing unbeaten run to 29 games with a 2-0 victory over an England side for whom David Beckham equalled the Three Lions record of 108 caps for an outfield player. A tight match between two in-form sides in Seville came to life in the 36th minute when Xabi Alonso’s pass found Villa in the area — and the Valencia striker twisted defender Phil Jagielka one way then another before slotting the ball into the corner of the net.

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