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Alfalfa sprouts linked to illnesses

NEW YORK — Minnesota health officials are warning consumers not to eat certain brands of alfalfa sprouts that have been tied to an unusual outbreak involving different disease-causing bacteria. Officials say 23 people in Minnesota have become ill with either E. coli or salmonella infections, with two of them hospitalized. Three had salmonella, and one of them also had a strain of E. coli bacteria called STEC O168:H8. Seven other people were sickened with a different version of E. coli, called STEC O103:H25. Thirteen more had yet another strain, STEC O26:H11. Wisconsin investigators ...

Ticker: Bond market swings back to worries

The relief that swept the bond market just a day earlier disappeared as oil prices, worries about high inflation and the U.S. government’s debt kept rising. That helped knock the U.S. stock market to its worst loss in three weeks on Thursday. The S&P 500 fell 0.9% for a fourth loss in the five days since setting its record last week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1.3%, and the Nasdaq composite sank 1%. Treasury yields climbed after the price of Brent crude rose 2.4% following President Donald Trump’s latest threat to Iran. Walmart reports slowest sales growth in 6 ...

US national debt now stands at $40 trillion

WASHINGTON — The national debt surpassed a record $40 trillion on Wednesday, a staggering milestone as defense costs, social programs like Social Security and Medicare and interest on the burgeoning deficit make up an enormous share of federal spending. The milestone figure was recorded ...

Briefcase: Giant offering flu and pneumonia vaccinations

CARLISLE The Giant Company announced flu and pneumonia vaccinations are now available at all in-store pharmacies. With more than 130 locations across Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia, receiving a flu shot at Giant and Martin’s pharmacies is easy and convenient. Walk-ins are welcome, but customers can also make an appointment if they prefer. Most insurance plans, including Medicare Part B, cover recommended flu vaccinations with little or no out-of-pocket cost. Historically, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends annual influenza vaccinations ...

Ticker: Former Meta engineer testifies in safety trial

A former engineering director at Meta who has testified before Congress about child safety on Instagram told jurors at a landmark trial that the company took a “don’t ask, don’t tell” approach on kids under 13 on its platforms. During his second day of testimony Wednesday, Arturo Bejar said Meta consistently prioritized profits over safety in designing its products. The trial that began Tuesday in federal court in Oakland, California, pits Meta against the states of California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey and is expected to last about six weeks. The company has rejected ...

ABC network sues FCC over challenge to broadcast licenses

Further escalating its battle with the Trump administration, ABC on Tuesday took the rare step of suing the Federal Communications Commission on First Amendment grounds, saying the agency’s demand for early review of its broadcast licenses posed an “existential threat” to the ...