HSBC apologized Tuesday for failing to apply anti-laundering rules and one senior executive resigned, as lawmakers accused the global bank of giving Iran, terrorists and drug dealers access to the US financial system.With the banking sector already under fire for manipulating interest rates and reckless trading, HSBC said more should have been done to prevent years of abuse amounting to tens of bi

World Business July 18, 2012

A group of lawmakers are moving to force the government to immediately ban any beef imports from countries with a confirmed mad cow disease case, which the government said Tuesday might contradict with international regulations and the country's trade agreements.The move was proposed on May 30 by Rep. Kim Yung-rok of the main opposition Democratic United Party in a revision to the law on animal di

July 17, 2012

North Korea announced Tuesday that it has promoted Army Gen. Hyon Yong-chol to the post of vice marshal."Hyon Yong-chol was awarded the title of vice marshal of the Korean People's Army," said the KCNA, the communist nation's state news agency."A decision on awarding the title was made by the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea and the National Defense Commission of the DPRK

North Korea July 17, 2012

South Korean singer Cho Kwan-woo is recovering after being stabbed in the neck during a squabble with a drunken former employee, police said Monday.The Ilsan Police Station said they have requested an arrest warrant for the 44-year-old suspect, identified only by his surname Jeon, on charges of attempted murder.Cho was taken to a hospital and required around 10 stitches to his neck but his vocal c

Television July 16, 2012

There were no signs of foul play or trauma in the death of Sage Stallone, whose sudden passing at the age of 36 left his father Sylvester Stallone devastated, a publicist and investigators said.Sage Stallone was found unresponsive in his Los Angeles home Friday by an employee and a relative, and police arrived and confirmed he was dead, Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter said.“Sylvester Stallone is

Film July 16, 2012

North Korea said Monday that its military chief Ri Yong-ho, known as one of the closest confidants of leader Kim Jong-un, has been removed from all his posts because of his "illness.""A meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party decided to relieve Ri Yong-ho of all his posts for his illness," the North's Korean Central News Agency said in a brief dispatch from P

North Korea July 16, 2012

Engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology say they've developed an automatic "intelligent co-pilot" for cars that can help drivers avoid obstacles.The system can cause a vehicle to steer itself automatically around an obstacle, transitioning control back to the driver once the danger has passed, an MIT release said Friday.The semiautonomous safety system uses an onboard camera and las

Technology July 15, 2012

Animal rescuers in California said a kitten stowed away in a shipping container and made a 6,500 mile freighter trip from China.Marcia Mayeda, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care & Control, said the kitten survived the trip without any food or water and was taken to the Carson Animal Center after the crate she was in was delivered Thursday to a Compton business, the Los An

Travel July 15, 2012