Congress examines science behind HGH test for NFL

WASHINGTON (AP) — A congressional committee has opened a hearing to examine the science behind a human growth hormone test the NFL wants to start using on its players.Nearly two full seasons have passed since the league and the players' union signed a labor deal that set the stage for HGH testing.The NFL Players Association won't concede the validity of a test that's used by Olympic sports and Major...

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HSBC became bank to drug cartels, pays big for lapses

(Reuters) - In February 2008, Mexican authorities told the CEO of HSBC Holdings Plc's Mexico unit that a local drug lord referred to the bank as the "place to launder money," U.S. prosecutors said on Tuesday, as they announced a record $1.92 billion settlement with the British bank. Lax money laundering controls at HSBC allowed two cartels - one each in Mexico and Colombia - to move $881...

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Bahrain Court Upholds Activist’s Conviction

CAIRO — A court in Bahrain on Tuesday mainly upheld the conviction and prison sentence of a prominent human rights activist in a case that exposed the government to international criticism and was seen as a crucial test of the monarchy’s repeated pledges to allow greater political freedom. The activist, Nabeel Rajab, was sentenced in August to three years in prison on charges of inciting...

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Facebook helps FBI bust cybercriminals blamed for $850 million losses

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Investigators led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and aided by Facebook Inc, have busted an international criminal ring that infected 11 million computers around the world and caused more than $ 850 million in total losses in one of the largest cybercrime hauls in history.The FBI, working in concert with the world’s largest social network and several international...

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Hugh Hefner's Engagement Ring to Crystal Harris Revealed

By Mike Fleeman 12/11/2012 at 07:00 PM EST The wedding's back on – though it may be a good idea to save that gift receipt. Hugh Hefner, 86, officially confirms that he is once again engaged to Crystal Harris, 26, telling his Twitter followers, "I've given Crystal Harris a ring. I love the girl." And to prove...

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DA investigating Texas' troubled $3B cancer agency

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Turmoil surrounding an unprecedented $3 billion cancer-fighting effort in Texas worsened Tuesday when its executive director offered his resignation and the state's chief public corruption prosecutor announced an investigation into the beleaguered agency.No specific criminal allegations are driving the latest probe into the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, said...

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Lawyer says Goldman failed speech software "geniuses"

BOSTON (Reuters) - Goldman Sachs bankers failed to raise red flags about Lernout & Hauspie's accounting irregularities more than a decade ago, costing speech recognition software pioneers at Dragon Systems nearly all of their life's work and about $600 million, a lawyer told a jury on Monday in federal court. "They were relying on Goldman to take care of them and whether or not they...

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World Briefing | Asia: Chinese Leader Offers Policy Hints

The state news media confirmed Monday that Xi Jinping, the new Communist Party chief, visited Guangdong Province over the weekend, a trip first reported by Hong Kong news organizations. Mr. Xi chose Guangdong and the special economic zone of Shenzhen for his first tour outside of Beijing as party chief, signaling that he might favor more market-oriented economic policies. Xinhua, the state news agency,...

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Massive HP conference draws 10,000 attendees to ogle products, speakers, presentations

By Suzy HansenMore than 10,000 customers, partners and attendees flocked to the Hewlett-Packard Discover conference in Frankfurt, Germany, this week to learn about HP’s latest products, exchange ideas, swap business cards and basically examine whether HP can improve the way their companies are run. The event was held at Messe Frankfurt, one of the world’s largest trade exhibition sites.CEO Meg Whitman...

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Hayden Panettiere Splits with Scotty McKnight

12/10/2012 at 07:50 PM EST Hayden Panettiere and Scotty McKnight Splash News Online Is there a tear in her beer?Nashville star Hayden Panettiere has broken up with her boyfriend of more than a year, New York Jets wide receiver Scotty McKnight, a source confirms...

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