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Tests reveal toxic metal in kids' jewelry from China LOS ANGELES (AP) — Barred from using lead in children's jewelry because of its toxicity, some Chinese manufac- turers have been substitut- ing the more dangerous heavy metal cadmium in sparkling charm bracelets and shiny pendants being sold throughout the Unit- ed States, an Associated Press investigation shows. The most contaminat- ed piece analyzed in lab testing performed for the AP contained a startling 91 percent cadmium by weight. The cadmium content of other contami- nated trinkets, all pur- chased at national and regional chains or fran- chises, tested at 89 per- cent, 86 percent and 84 percent by weight. The testing also showed that some items easily shed the heavy metal, raising additional concerns about the levels of exposure to children. Cadmium is a known carcinogen. Like lead, it can hinder brain develop- ment in the very young, according to recent research. Children don't have to swallow an item to be exposed — they can get persistent, low-level doses by regularly suck- ing or biting jewelry with a high cadmium content. To gauge cadmium's prevalence in children's jewelry, the AP organized lab testing of 103 items bought in New York, Ohio, Texas and Califor- nia. All but one were pur- chased in November or December. N. California cleans up after quake EUREKA (AP) — Residents of a Northern California county ginger- ly cleaned up Sunday after the area dodged a catastrophe, escaping a 6.5 magnitude earthquake with little more than bumps, cuts and broke glass. Eureka's Bayshore Mall had entrances blocked off as engineers surveyed for damage. Area bridges suffered some bent rails, and local stores reported messy aisles where bottles and jars flew from shelves and shattered, authorities said. But the Saturday after- noon temblor — centered in the Pacific about 22 miles west of Ferndale — caused no major injuries, only limited structural damage and just a few hours where thousands of residents were without power. ''I think we can attribute some of this to being prepared,'' said Phil Smith-Hanes, Humboldt County spokesman. ''Folks in this area are used to living in earth- quake country.'' The quake's location — offshore, deep under the ocean and away from urban areas — helped the region escape relatively unscathed what could have been a major disas- ter. A quake of similar size — 6.7 magnitude — killed 72 people and caused $25 billion in damage in 1994 in the Los Angeles area. Yemen head willing to open dialogue with al-Qaida SAN'A, Yemen (AP) — Yemen's president said he is ready to talk to al- Qaida members who renounce violence, sug- gesting he could show them the same kind of leniency he has granted militants in the past despite U.S. pressure to crack down on the terror group. Yemen is moving cau- tiously in the fight against al-Qaida, worried over a potential backlash in a country where anger at the U.S. and extremism are widespread. Thou- sands of Yemenis are bat- tle-hardened veterans of past ''holy wars'' in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Chechnya and Iraq, and though most are not engaged in violence now they preserve a die-hard al-Qaida ideology. ''Any movement against al-Qaida will lead to the fall of the Yemeni regime,'' warned Ali Mohammed Omar, a Yemeni who fought in Afghanistan from 1990- 1992 and says he met Osama bin Laden twice during that time. If the U.S. or its allies become directly involved, ''the whole (Yemeni) peo- ple will become al-Qaida. Instead of 30 or 40 peo- ple, it would become mil- lions,'' he told The Asso- ciated Press in an inter- view. Obama: 'no intention' to send troops to Yemen or Somalia WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama says he has no intention of sending American troops to Yemen or Somalia. Obama told People magazine in an interview to be published Friday that he still believes the center of al-Qaida activity is along the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. ''I never rule out any possibility in a world that is this complex,'' Obama said. However, he said, ''in countries like Yemen, in countries like Somalia, I think working with international partners is most effective at this point.'' Terrorism concerns are rising in Yemen, at the bottom of the Arabian peninsula, and in Soma- lia, critically located along key global shipping routes to Mideast oil fields. U.S. officials say they believe the suspect in the Detroit airliner attack received al-Qaida training in Yemen. ''I have no intention of sending U.S. boots on the ground in these regions,'' Obama said. China now biggest exporter BEIJING (AP) — Already the biggest auto market and steel maker, China edged past Germany in 2009 to become the top exporter, yet another sign of its rapid rise and the spread of economic power from West to East. Total 2009 exports were more than $1.2 trillion, China's customs agency said Sunday. That was ahead of the 816 billion euros ($1.17 trillion) fore- cast for Germany by its for- eign trade organization, BGA. China's new status is mostly symbolic but high- lights its growing presence as an industrial power, major buyer of oil, iron ore and other commodities and, increasingly, as an investor and key voice in managing the global economy. Its ability to unseat long- time export leader Ger- many reflects the ability of agile, low-cost Chinese manufacturers to keep sell- ing abroad even as other exporters have been ham- mered by a slump in global demand. NBC ending Leno's show, PASADENA (AP) — NBC said Sunday it decided to pull the plug on the Jay Leno experi- ment when some affiliate stations considered drop- ping the nightly prime- time show, and the net- work is waiting to hear if Leno and ''Tonight'' host Conan O'Brien accept its new late-night TV plans. NBC Universal Televi- sion Entertainment Chair- man Jeff Gaspin said that ''The Jay Leno Show'' at 10 p.m. EST will end with the Feb. 12 beginning of the Winter Olympics, which will air in the prime-time hours, includ- ing Leno's slot. 6A – Daily News – Monday, January 11, 2010 824-3502 • 2126 Solano St., Corning Clark's Drug Store & Clarks Floral Come to us for your prescription needs. We will meet or beat any cash price on prescriptions. 649 Main Street Downtown Red Bluff GAYLE'S 14th Save up to 60% throughout the store ANNIVERSARY S A L E Go to: and check out our NEW digital edition of the newspaper. Itʼs a page turner! New Year... ... 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