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Shots - Health Blog
4:28 pm
Mon July 2, 2012

A Parasite Carried By Cats Could Hurt Humans' Sanity

Credit Hans Martens / iStockphoto.com
What's the link between cats and madness?

Originally published on Wed July 4, 2012 3:31 am

There's fresh evidence that cats can be a threat to your mental health.

To be fair, it's not kitties themselves that are the problem, but a parasite they carry called Toxoplasma gondii.

A study of more than 45,000 Danish women found that those infected with this feline parasite were 1.5 times more likely to attempt suicide than women who weren't infected.

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World Cafe
4:02 pm
Mon July 2, 2012

Next: Japandroids

Credit Courtesy of the artist
Japandroids.

Originally published on Mon July 2, 2012 4:31 pm

Before Japandroids reached the popularity they've earned today, guitarist Brian King and drummer David Prowse had to endure some ups and downs. In the beginning, the duo gave up the search for a lead vocalist and third member, deciding instead to split vocal duties. This turn of events ended up affecting the band's dual but equal decision-making process — even the band's name is a hodgepodge of ideas from each member.

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The Salt
3:52 pm
Mon July 2, 2012

Cleaner, 'Greener' Cookstoves Need Better Marketing In Bangladesh

Credit UN Foundation
A woman at home in Bangladesh with an improved cookstove

Cooking can be hazardous to your health and to the environment, particularly if you are cooking indoors over an open fire and burning wood and dung, as many people in poor, rural areas of the world do every day.

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The Two-Way
3:44 pm
Mon July 2, 2012

Phelps Will Not Try For 8 Medals This Year

Credit Frederic J. Brown / AFP/Getty Images
Michael Phelps reacts after winning the men's 200m Butterfly semifinal on day six of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials on Saturday.

Michael Phelps, the American Olympic swimming star, will not try to repeat his incredible feat of Beijing. Phelps collected eight gold medals in 2008, which essentially cemented his place as the the best swimmer the world has seen.

The New York Times reports that Phelp's coach, Bob Bowman, announced today that Phelps will not compete in the 200-meter freestyle in London, which reduces his event load to seven.

The Times adds:

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Africa
3:33 pm
Mon July 2, 2012

With Problems Egypt, Will Morsi Play Role In Region

Originally published on Sun July 8, 2012 7:31 am

Transcript

ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST:

The election of Egypt's first Islamist president could alter alliances across the Mideast. Diplomats and analysts are trying to figure out how Egypt's relations with Iran, Israel and other countries may change now that a member of the long-banned Muslim Brotherhood will be leading the country.

From Cairo, NPR's Peter Kenyon has our story.

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