Juan Luis Guerra, Jesse & Joy win at Latin Grammys

LAS VEGAS (AP) — With their hit "Corre!" Mexican brother-sister pop duo Jesse & Joy ran away from the pack with four awards, including best song and best recording, at the 13th Annual Latin Grammys in Las Vegas on Thursday night.Hosted by actors Cristian De La Fuente and Lucero, the ceremony attracted super-stars new and old, from across the world and from every Latin musical genre to the Mandalay...

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Diabetes rates rocket in Oklahoma, South

NEW YORK (AP) — The nation's diabetes problem is getting worse, and the biggest jump over 15 years was in Oklahoma, according to a new federal report issued Thursday.The diabetes rate in Oklahoma more than tripled, and Kentucky, Georgia and Alabama also saw dramatic increases since 1995, the study showed.The South's growing weight problem is the main explanation, said Linda Geiss, lead author of the...

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Signs mount of possible Israeli invasion of Gaza

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli aircraft pummeled rocket launching operations of Gaza militants on Friday, and as troops, tanks and armored personnel carriers massed near the Palestinian territory, signaling a ground invasion might be growing near.Fighting between the two sides escalated sharply Thursday with a first-ever militant attack on the Tel Aviv area, menacing Israel's heartland. No casualties were...

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Xi Jinping takes helm of China amid reform calls

BEIJING (AP) — Xi Jinping became China's new leader Thursday, assuming the top posts in the Communist Party and the powerful military in a political transition unbowed by scandals, a slower economy and public demands for reforms.Xi was introduced as the new party general secretary at Beijing's Great Hall of the People a day after the close of a weeklong party congress that underlined the communists'...

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Verizon says 1.4 million customers back on its fiber optic network

(Reuters) – Verizon Communications said fiber optic services have been restored to more than 1.4 million customers hurt by Hurricane Sandy.The provider of telephone, Internet and television services said on November 1 that it may take another two weeks to restore telecommunication services for its customers after flooding and power outages knocked out...

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Erdrich wins National Book Award for fiction

NEW YORK (AP) — The National Book Awards on Wednesday honored both longtime writers and new authors, from Louise Erdrich for "The Round House" to Katherine Boo for her debut work, "Beyond the Beautiful Forevers."Erdrich, 58, has been a published and highly regarded author for nearly 30 years but had never won a National Book Award until being cited Wednesday for her story about an Ojibwe boy and his...

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New gene triples risk for Alzheimer's disease

Scientists have identified a new gene variant that seems to strongly raise the risk for Alzheimer's disease, giving a fresh target for research into treatments for the mind-robbing disorder.The problem gene is not common — less than 1 percent of people are thought to have it — but it roughly triples the chances of developing Alzheimer's compared to people with the normal version of the gene. It also...

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FBI terror expert started Petraeus probe

The FBI agent who investigated harassing emails to a Florida socialite, a probe that set off a chain of events leading to the resignation of CIA director David Petraeus over an extramarital affair, was a veteran investigator who has worked on high-profile terrorism cases.The agent was identified as Frederick Humphries by a former federal agent, a source familiar with the Petraeus...

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China's Communist Party conclave nearly finished

BEIJING (AP) — China's Communist Party was bringing its pivotal conclave to a close in largely choreographed steps Wednesday, a day before unveiling its leaders for the coming decade.President Hu Jintao is expected to step down as party chief in favor of the anointed successor, Vice President Xi Jinping, in what would be only the second orderly transfer of power in 63 years of communist rule. The...

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Man who accused Elmo puppeteer of teen sex recants

NEW YORK (AP) — A man who accused Elmo puppeteer Kevin Clash of having sex with him when he was a teenage boy has recanted his story.In a quick turnabout, the man on Tuesday described his sexual relationship with Clash as adult and consensual.Clash responded with a statement of his own, saying he is "relieved that this painful allegation has been put to rest." He had no further comment.The man, who...

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