By LAURA MISJAK, Scripps Howard News Service

They're small and furry and have names like Pipsqueak, Mr. Squiggles and Num Nums. These electronic hamsters, Zhu Zhu Pets, are expected to be this year's holiday craze.

Stores are already finding it difficult to keep the cuddly robots in stock.

Skedded, wash.

Mexican gang leaders have found new territory to conquer -- expansive American Indian reservations where populations are often low-income and police presence low.

Methamphetamine use has skyrocketed in tribal communities where addiction rates to alcohol and other substances are traditionally high.

WASHINGTON - Wildlife experts believe the White Nose Syndrome epidemic that has killed more than a million bats isn't going away anytime soon, so Washington's National Zoo is creating an "insurance" population of bats to preserve one species and study the disease.