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Monday, December 10, 2012

Extortion of American stings Bolivian officials

Extortion of American stings Bolivian officials

Extortion of American stings Bolivian officials

Posted: 10 Dec 2012 01:16 PM PST

FILE - In this June 11, 2012 file photo, Jacob Ostreicher, U.S. businessman, center, arrives to attend his court hearing in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. In an unlikely tale, the Orthodox Jew from New York City came to Bolivia to rescue a rice-growing venture, was thrown in jail on suspicion of money laundering and, with the aid of actor Sean Penn, winds up triggering one of the biggest scandals of Evo Morales' presidency. The saga came to light 18 months ago when Ostreicher was arrested while trying to salvage a multimillion-dollar investment he was managing for Swiss partners. After Penn directly interceded on Ostreicher's behalf, it could now be reaching its end game. (AP Photo/File)It is an unlikely tale: Orthodox Jew from New York City comes to Bolivia to rescue a rice-growing venture, gets thrown in jail on suspicion of money laundering and, aided by actor Sean Penn, winds up triggering perhaps the biggest scandal yet for the country's president.

Famed architect gets 6 months for drug smuggling

Posted: 10 Dec 2012 01:11 PM PST

In this Dec. 10, 2008 photo, renown Mexican architect Eugenio Velazquez speaks in Tijuana, Mexico. Velazquez is awaiting sentencing in San Diego for concealing 12 pounds of cocaine while driving into the United States in a special lane for prescreened, trusted motorists last March but in a letter to Tijuana newspapers, Velazquez said he was An acclaimed architect was sentenced Monday to six months in prison for hiding nearly 13 pounds of cocaine in his minivan's battery before he tried to enter the U.S.

Stocks edge higher; Dow boosted by McDonald's

Posted: 10 Dec 2012 01:10 PM PST

FILE - In this Thursday, Dec. 6, 2012 file photo, trader Peter Tuchman works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, in New York. Stocks are opening mixed on Wall Street, Monday, Dec. 10, 2012, after the surprise resignation of Italy's prime minister sent a jolt through European markets. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)Stocks are closing with modest gains after a strong sales report from McDonald's offset concerns about the surprise resignation of Italy's prime minister.

Redskins coach Shanahan says RG3 has mild sprain

Posted: 10 Dec 2012 01:09 PM PST

Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III kneels on the ground after an injury during the second half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens in Landover, Md., Sunday, Dec. 9, 2012. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)Washington Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said Monday that Robert Griffin III has a mild sprain of a ligament in the right knee and hasn't been ruled out for the upcoming game against the Cleveland Browns.

McAfee wants to return to US, 'normal life'

Posted: 10 Dec 2012 01:05 PM PST

Software company founder John McAfee said Sunday he wants to return to the United States and "settle down to whatever normal life" he can.

Jenni Rivera, soulful, troubled Mexican music star

Posted: 10 Dec 2012 01:02 PM PST

FILE - In this Jan. 22, 2012, file photo, Jenni Rivera, from the film "Filly Brown," poses for a portrait during the 2012 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. The wreckage of a small plane believed to be carrying Mexican-American music superstar Jenni Rivera was found in northern Mexico on Sunday, Dec. 9, 2012, and there are no apparent survivors, authorities said. (AP Photo/Victoria Will, file)Jenni Rivera launched her career hawking cassette recordings of her songs at flea markets, but a powerful voice, soulful singing style and frank discussion of personal troubles powered her to the heights of a male-dominated industry, transforming her into the one of the biggest stars of the genre known as grupero.

Ghana's Mahama reaches out to defeated rivals

Posted: 10 Dec 2012 12:58 PM PST

Supporters of the NDC party carry a poster of their candidate John Dramani Mahama as they celebrate his victory along a street in AccraACCRA (Reuters) - Newly elected Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama on Monday urged his defeated political opponents to join him "as partners" to improve the West African state, as his chief rival threatened to launch a court battle over the poll results. Mahama was declared winner of the December 7 election, which was widely seen as a test of whether country - one of the fastest growing economies in Africa - can maintain its reputation as a pillar of democracy in a troubled region. ...

Chavez faces new cancer battle, another operation

Posted: 10 Dec 2012 12:57 PM PST

In this photo released by Miraflores Press Office, Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, center, blows a goodbye kiss prior to boarding his plane at the Simon Bolivar International airport in Maiquetia near Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, Dec 10, 2012. For the first time, Chavez has designated a political heir, who said that if he suffers complications, Vice President Nicolas Maduro should be elected as Venezuela's leader to continue his socialist movement. (AP Photo/Miraflores Press Office, Marcelo Garcia)Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez arrived in Cuba on Monday for a fourth cancer-related operation after designating the vice president as his political heir.

AP PHOTOS: World marks Human Rights Day

Posted: 10 Dec 2012 12:56 PM PST

Activists and supporters of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) hold torches as they participate in a protest march to mark International Human Rights Day in Srinagar, India, Monday, Dec. 10, 2012. More than 68,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed since the outbreak of the insurgency in the region in 1989. Pakistan, Kashmiri separatist leaders and human rights groups have been demanding a reduction in India's military presence in Kashmir. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan)The United Nations marked Human Rights Day on Monday by declaring that everyone has the right to be heard and to shape the decisions that affect their lives and communities.

4 years in, Madoff trustee still pursuing assets

Posted: 10 Dec 2012 12:55 PM PST

FILE - In this Monday, March 19, 2012, photo, David Sheehan, representing the trustee for Bernard Madoff's fraud victims, leaves federal court in New York. Irving Picard, the trustee appointed to recover funds for Madoff victims, and a battalion of lawyers headed by Sheehan have spent long days untangling Madoff's fraud. On the fourth anniversary of Madoff's Dec. 11, 2008, arrest, it's an international effort that shows no signs of slowing. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)When he was first told in 2008 about Bernard Madoff's epic Ponzi scheme, attorney David Sheehan had a response that now sounds inconceivable.

Fla. man sues ex-Elmo puppeteer, claims sex abuse

Posted: 10 Dec 2012 12:54 PM PST

Another man on Monday sued the former Elmo puppeteer who resigned amid sex abuse allegations, claiming the voice actor befriended him in Miami and promised to be a father figure before flying the teen to New York to have sex with him.

Ford says software update will fix fire problem

Posted: 10 Dec 2012 12:54 PM PST

FILE - In this Monday, Jan. 9, 2012, file photo, Derrick Kuzak, Ford group vice president, introduces the 2013 Ford Fusion during the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Ford said on Monday, Dec. 10, 2012, it will update software on 2013 Escape SUVs and Fusion cars to fix a coolant problem that can cause fires. Last month the automaker recalled more than 89,000 of the vehicles after getting complaints about overheating and fires. It urged owners to get loaner cars from dealers until Ford found a fix.(AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)Ford will update software on 2013 Escapes and Fusions to stop their engines from overheating, a problem that has caused a small number of fires.

Review: Hooper's 'Les Miserables' is relentless

Posted: 10 Dec 2012 12:52 PM PST

This film image released by Universal Pictures shows actress Anne Hathaway portraying Fantine, a struggling, sickly mother forced into prostitution in 1800s Paris, in a scene from the screen adaptation of "Les Miserables." (AP Photo/Universal Pictures, Laurie Sparham)powerfully and repeatedly — until you've touched the grime and smelled the squalor and cried a few tears of your own.

Pot legalized in Colo. with gov's proclamation

Posted: 10 Dec 2012 12:47 PM PST

FILE - In this Nov. 6, 2012 file photo, people attending an Amendment 64 watch party celebrate after a local television station announced the marijuana amendment's passage in Denver. Using marijuana for recreational use is now effectively legal in Colorado. Gov. John Hickenlooper declared a voter-approved marijuana legalization amendment as part of the state constitution on Monday, Dec. 10, 2012. It was the last procedural step needed for the amendment to take effect. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley, File)Marijuana for recreational use became legal in Colorado Monday, when the governor took the procedural step of declaring the voter-approved change part of the state constitution.

Bike, large truck deaths soar, bucking trend

Posted: 10 Dec 2012 12:46 PM PST

Deaths of bicyclists and occupants of large trucks rose sharply last year even as total traffic fatalities dropped to their lowest level since 1949, federal safety officials said Monday.

EU criticizes Israeli settlements and Hamas statements

Posted: 10 Dec 2012 12:46 PM PST

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union sharply criticized Israel on Monday over its plans to build settlements in a highly sensitive part of the West Bank, and rebuked Hamas Islamists for questioning Israel's right to exist. "The EU is deeply dismayed by and strongly opposes Israeli plans to expand settlements," foreign ministers of the 27 EU states said in a statement after meeting in Brussels. "The EU will closely monitor the situation and its broader implications, and act accordingly. ...

List of music stars who have died in air crashes

Posted: 10 Dec 2012 12:43 PM PST

In this picture taken March 8, 2012, Mexican-American singer and reality TV star Jenni Rivera poses during an interview in Los Angeles. The California-born singer who rose through personal adversity to become a superstar adored by millions in a male-dominated genre of Mexican-American music, was confirmed dead in a plane crash in northern Mexico, the National Transportation Safety Board confirmed Monday, Dec. 10, 2012. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)With hectic tours to often remote places, the music world has been hit hard by air tragedies over the years. On Sunday, Mexican singing star Jenni Rivera and six others were killed when their Learjet crashed in rugged territory following a concert in Monterrey, Mexico. Here are other notable musicians who lost their lives in air crashes:

Files on accused LA priests could soon be public

Posted: 10 Dec 2012 12:40 PM PST

Confidential files of dozens of priests accused of sex abuse must be turned over by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles to a judge by the end of the month.

Autopsies confirm bodies are missing Iowa cousins

Posted: 10 Dec 2012 12:39 PM PST

Police in Iowa say an autopsy has confirmed that two bodies found last week in a wildlife area are those of two young cousins who have been missing since last summer.

Oregon governor says Nike plans expansion

Posted: 10 Dec 2012 12:39 PM PST

Nike wants to expand its Oregon operations but wants the government to promise it won't change the state tax code.

Judge: Strauss-Kahn, NYC hotel maid settle suit

Posted: 10 Dec 2012 12:35 PM PST

FILE - This combo made from file photos shows former International Monetary Fund leader Dominique Strauss-Kahn on June 6, 2011, left, and Nafissatou Diallo on July 28, 2011, in New York. Diallo's sexual assault lawsuit against the former IMF leader could wrap up as soon as Monday, Dec. 10, 2012, in a quiet deal. A person familiar with the case tells The Associated Press the court date concerns a possible settlement. (AP File Photos)Former International Monetary Fund leader Dominique Strauss-Kahn and a hotel maid settled her lawsuit Monday over sexual assault allegations that sank his political career and spurred scrutiny of his dealings with women on two continents.

Obama tax plan no small deal to small businessmen

Posted: 10 Dec 2012 12:33 PM PST

President Barack Obama gestures as he speaks to workers about the economy during a visit to the Daimler Detroit Diesel plant in Redford, Mich., Monday, Dec. 10, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)President Barack Obama's plan to increase taxes on top earners would have only a small impact on the nation's economy, according to congressional budget experts. But don't tell that to small business owners facing a tax hike.

Obama says he 'won't compromise' on taxes

Posted: 10 Dec 2012 12:28 PM PST

President Barack Obama gestures as he speaks to workers about the economy during a visit to Daimler Detroit Diesel in Redford, Mich., Monday, Dec. 10, 2012. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)President Barack Obama warned Monday that he "won't compromise" on his demands that the wealthiest Americans pay more in taxes, digging in on the chief sticking point between the White House and Republicans as they seek a way to avert the "fiscal cliff."

'Zero Dark Thirty,' 'Lincoln' make AFI top-10 list

Posted: 10 Dec 2012 12:27 PM PST

FILE - This undated publicity image provided by Universal Pictures shows Isabelle Allen, left, as a young Cosette and Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean in a scene from the motion-picture adaptation of "Les Misérables,Kathryn Bigelow's Osama bin Laden thriller "Zero Dark Thirty," Steven Spielberg's Civil War epic "Lincoln" and Christopher Nolan's superhero tale "The Dark Knight Rises" are among the American Film Institute's top-10 movies of the year.

French star Depardieu moves to lower-tax Belgium

Posted: 10 Dec 2012 12:26 PM PST

A Belgian mayor says famed French actor Gerard Depardieu has bought a home and set up legal residence in his small town, lured by the food, the people, the lifestyle — and lower tax rates than back home.

Western Kentucky hires Petrino as football coach

Posted: 10 Dec 2012 12:23 PM PST

FILE - In this file photo taken Aug. 6, 2011, then Arkansas NCAA college football coach Bobby Petrino discusses the Razorbacks prospects during a news conference in Fayetteville, Ark. Western Kentucky has hired Petrino as its new football coach, said a person familiar with the decision. The person said the former Arkansas coach is expected to be introduced at a Monday, Dec. 10, 2012, news conference. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the school has not officially announced Petrino's hiring. (AP Photo/Danny Johnston, file)Western Kentucky announced Monday that it has hired Bobby Petrino as the new Hilltoppers' football coach.

Royals' trade with Rays shows win-now mentality

Posted: 10 Dec 2012 12:21 PM PST

FILE-This is a 2007 file photo of James Shields of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays baseball team. The Kansas City Royals have acquired starting pitchers Shields and Wade Davis from the Tampa Bay Rays for outfielder Wil Myers and a package of minor league prospects Sunday Dec. 9, 2012. (AP Photo/Al Behrman,File)When James Shields broke into the big leagues with Tampa Bay, the Rays were no better than the Kansas City Royals.

Congo rebels dodge meeting as peace talks falter

Posted: 10 Dec 2012 12:20 PM PST

Representatives of rebels attending peace talks with the Congolese government dodged a crucial meeting Monday at which the government delegation was to respond to earlier criticism, a development that could jeopardize negotiations to end the crisis in eastern Congo.

Oregon governor says Nike plans to hire thousands

Posted: 10 Dec 2012 12:20 PM PST

Sporting goods giant Nike plans to expand its operations in Oregon and hire as many as 12,000 new workers by 2020 but wants the government to promise it won't change the state tax code, prompting a special session of the Legislature.

Argentine mom rescues sex slaves, but not daughter

Posted: 10 Dec 2012 12:19 PM PST

President Cristina Fernandez, right, applauds as Susana Trimarco, left, lifts a human rights prize given by the president during a rally to mark the 29th anniversary of the return to democracy in Argentina, on the eve of the Human Rights Day, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Sunday, Dec. 9, 2012. Trimarco is known for her crusade to find her daughter, Maria de los Angeles "Marita" Veron, who disappeared in 2002, and who is believed to had been kidnapped by human traffickers. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano)Susana Trimarco was a housewife who fussed over her family and paid scant attention to the news until her daughter left for a doctor's appointment and never came back.

Oil ends lower on economy concerns

Posted: 10 Dec 2012 12:18 PM PST

Benchmark U.S. crude gave up some early gains Monday on a surprise expansion of German exports and signs of increased oil consumption in China to finish lower. Concerns about the so-called fiscal cliff in the U.S. continued to dog traders and investors.

Fiscal cliff stalemate spurs anxiety in states

Posted: 10 Dec 2012 12:18 PM PST

FILE - This combination of undated 2012 file photos shows, from left, Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe; Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin and Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick. The three governors, who are trying to piece together their own state budgets, are anxiously watching the ongoing stalemate in Washington as Republicans and Democrats struggle to avert a potential plunge over the federal "fiscal cliff." (AP Photo/File)A plunge over the federal "fiscal cliff" may sound like a terrifying risk for many state officials anxiously watching as Washington struggles to avert automatic tax hikes and spending cuts set to start with the new year. Yet their greatest angst may stem not from the potential loss of billions of dollars, but the confusion surrounding it all.

Australian DJs break silence over royal prank tragedy

Posted: 10 Dec 2012 12:14 PM PST

Lisha Barboza stands with her father Ben while he holds a picture of his wife, nurse Jacintha Saldanha, as they leave the Houses of Parliament in LondonCANBERRA (Reuters) - Two Australian radio announcers who made a prank call to a British hospital treating Prince William's pregnant wife Kate broke a three-day silence on Monday to speak of their distress at the apparent suicide of the nurse who took their call. The 2DayFM Sydney-based announcers, Mel Greig and Michael Christian, said the tragedy had left them "shattered, gutted, heartbroken". Greig and fellow presenter and prank mastermind Christian have been in hiding since nurse Jacintha Saldanha's death and the subsequent social media outrage at their prank. ...

Senate bill would extend deposit insurance program

Posted: 10 Dec 2012 12:12 PM PST

To prevent a possible run on banks at the height of the financial crisis four years ago, Congress expanded government insurance for certain bank deposits to include totals above the usual $250,000 limit. Now that the ceiling is about to be re-imposed, community banks fear they'll lose customers to bigger banks and want Congress to come to their rescue.

Spaniards hope for eviction reprieve amid crisis

Posted: 10 Dec 2012 12:11 PM PST

FILE In this Nov. 19, 2012 file photo, 45-year old office manager Irene Gonzalez of Spain, left waits with a friend, to be evicted from her home in Madrid. Irene Gonzalez is a domestic violence victim, works half-time because of layoffs at her air conditioning employer and is a single mother caring for her two children at the small apartment she and her ex-husband bought during Spainís economic boom years. These factors that should prevent her from being kicked out under a new Spanish decree aimed at protecting the needy from being made homeless after at least two economically desperate Spaniards facing eviction committed suicide. Even if Gonzalez manages to stay in her home for a few more years, she still faces debt in unpaid mortgage principle, court fees and interest totaling close to euro140,000 that she and her ex-husband will owe for the rest of their lives. If they don't pay it off, their children inherit it. After putting in place the decree, Spain is now under increasing pressure to come up with a first-of-its kind insolvency law for the country that would allow mortgage debtors to turn in their keys and face limited liability. (AP Photo/Paul White, File)Irene Gonzalez is desperately waiting to hear if she'll benefit from an emergency government decree that protects Spaniards such as her from being evicted for failing to make their mortgage payments.

FDA expands approval of J&J prostate cancer drug

Posted: 10 Dec 2012 12:08 PM PST

The Food and Drug Administration on Monday expanded approval of Johnson & Johnson's prostate cancer pill Zytiga for men with an earlier stage of the disease.

Cops knew man who killed 4 on Calif. reservation

Posted: 10 Dec 2012 12:07 PM PST

Rhoda Hunter, tribal council secretary of the Tule River Indian Reservation, walks into Mater Dolorosa Catholic Church for Mass, Sunday, Dec. 9, 2012, at the Tule River Indian Reservation in California. The church bell, its tower being renovated, has tolled throughout the day on Sunday to honor those killed in what many believe is the worst mass murder in tribal history. Hector Celaya, 31, is a suspect in shootings in which three people died and four others, including two young girls, were wounded Saturday, Dec. 8, 2012, on the reservation in the Sierra foothills of California's Central Valley. Since 1933 the church bell has slowly tolled to alert tribal members when someone dies. "That's our way of notifying our people that someone has passed away," Hunter said. (AP Photo/Tracie Cone)Authorities on Monday were trying to determine what prompted a man to kill four family members and wound two others on a rural Indian reservation in California.

Ariz. Powerball jackpot winner's name released

Posted: 10 Dec 2012 12:05 PM PST

FILE - In this Nov. 29, 2012 photo, Karen Bach, Director of Budget, Products and Communications of the Arizona Lottery, announces during a news conference in Phoenix that one of the winning tickets in the $579.9 million Powerball jackpot was purchased in Fountain Hills, Ariz. The other ticket holders in last week's record $577.5 million Powerball jackpot have claimed their half of the prize but aren't stepping into the spotlight just yet, the Arizona Lottery said Friday, Dec. 7, 2012. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)Arizona Lottery officials have released the name of the man who claimed half of the record Powerball jackpot.

Strauss-Kahn, hotel maid settle civil lawsuit over alleged attack

Posted: 10 Dec 2012 12:02 PM PST

FILE - This combo made from file photos shows former International Monetary Fund leader Dominique Strauss-Kahn on June 6, 2011, left, and Nafissatou Diallo on July 28, 2011, in New York. Diallo's sexual assault lawsuit against the former IMF leader could wrap up as soon as Monday, Dec. 10, 2012, in a quiet deal. A person familiar with the case tells The Associated Press the court date concerns a possible settlement. (AP File Photos)NEW YORK (Reuters) - Dominique Strauss-Kahn and a hotel maid who accused the former International Monetary Fund chief of sexually assaulting her in a New York hotel last year agreed on Monday to settle her civil lawsuit against him for an undisclosed sum. At a brief hearing in New York State Supreme Court in the New York City borough of the Bronx, Justice Douglas McKeon said the terms of deal would remain confidential. Strauss-Kahn was not required by the judge to appear personally in New York. His accuser, Nafissatou Diallo, was present as the judge had ordered. ...

BoE's King warns on growth of managing exchange rates

Posted: 10 Dec 2012 12:01 PM PST

The Governor of the Bank of England Mervyn King speaks to the Economic Club of New York in New YorkNEW YORK (Reuters) - Bank of England Governor Mervyn King on Monday said he was concerned that countries will increasingly resort to "actively managed exchange rates" next year, in place of domestic monetary policies, if the global economy remains unbalanced. King outlined the external threats facing the struggling UK economy, including the euro zone crisis and the U.S. "fiscal cliff," the full effects of which he expects the United States to avoid. But in a speech in New York, he chose to highlight growing worries over central banks using their policies to influence domestic currencies. ...
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