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Silicon Valley Tech Exec Accused of Lego Thefts

A Silicon Valley software executive put fake bar codes on Lego sets at various Target stores, bought the toys at a steep discount, then sold them online for thousands of dollars, authorities said.

Thomas Langenbach, 47, appeared in court Tuesday on four felony counts of burglary that could net him up to five years in prison if convicted. He did not enter a plea.

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Auction Claims it's Selling Vial with Reagan Blood

A Channel Islands auction house says it's selling a vial that allegedly contains blood residue from Ronald Reagan — a move denounced Tuesday by the late U.S. president's family and his foundation.

The vial being auctioned online was used by the laboratory that tested Reagan's blood when he was treated at George Washington University hospital after a 1981 assassination attempt in Washington, the PFCAuctions house said.

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Lavrov Warns of ‘Bad End’ if Syria Uprising Spreads to Lebanon

Russia's foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, warned on Wednesday that the conflict in Syria could spread to Lebanon and “end very badly.”

Speaking in a televised news conference, Lavrov said that there is "a tangible threat" of the Syrian uprising spilling over to Lebanon which "could end very badly."

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Houston Museum Unveils $85 Million Dinosaur Hall

Pups in her womb, a large eye visible behind the rib cage, one baby stuck in the birth canal, all fossilized in stone — all modern-day evidence that this ancient marine beast, the Ichthyosaur, died in childbirth.

The almost certainly painful death is perfectly preserved in a rare fossil skeleton, one of the many unique items that will go on display in the Houston Museum of Natural Science's $85 million dinosaur hall when it opens to the public June 2.

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Doha, Baku Face Scrutiny in 2020 Olympic Bid Choice

The field of candidates for the 2020 Summer Olympics could be reduced from five to three, with Doha and Baku in danger of missing the cut.

Tokyo, Istanbul and Madrid look certain to make the list when the International Olympic Committee executive board announces the group of finalists on Wednesday evening in Quebec City.

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Hooligans Threaten Players at Gunpoint in Argentina

Racing Club midfielder Giovanni Moreno and forward Federico Santander say they were threatened at gunpoint Tuesday by hooligans who blame them for the club's poor results.

Santander, a forward with the Buenos Aires club, told a radio program that he and Moreno were accosted after practice by several hooligans who put a gun to Moreno's leg and said they would "blow it off" if he didn't leave the club.

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Elephant and Pig Tapped to Predict Euro 2012 Games

Who's going to win the European Championship? Time to ask an elephant — or a pig.

Poland's answer to Paul the Octopus — the tentacled tipster who gained worldwide fame for his 2010 World Cup predictions — is Citta the elephant. Ukraine, however, will probably go for an enormous beer-loving pig — but there are big doubts about whether he can handle the media glare.

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Young Hollywood Stars Strike out on Own at Cannes

Vampires, Transformers, singing high-schoolers: They can all be tough to outrun.

But at the 65th annual Cannes Film Festival, a number of young Hollywood stars are attempting to do just that. By striking out on their own, they hope to move their careers beyond mega franchises and toward more mature roles in bolder films.

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Mazda, Fiat to Work Together on Small Convertible

Mazda Motor Corp. and Fiat SpA are working together on developing and manufacturing a roadster, or two-seater convertible, although the automakers will come up with different, distinctly styled models.

The deal with Fiat of Italy, which controls U.S. automaker Chrysler, serves as a perk for a money-losing Mazda, and highlights the Japanese automaker's trademark product — the best-selling roadster of all time.

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Outerwear Powers Burberry Annual Profit Gain

Luxury goods maker Burberry Group PLC said Wednesday that sales of its signature trench coats and other outdoor wear led a 26 percent gain in full-year profit.

Burberry reported that net profit for the year ending March 31 was 263.3 million pounds ($415 million), up from 208.4 million pounds a year earlier but still just short of analyst expectations for 275 million pounds. Revenue rose 24 percent to 1.86 billion pounds, and the company raised its dividend by 25 percent to 25 pence.

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