"Hebrew Hammer" sequel profits from crowdfunding campaign

"The Hebrew Hammer vs. Hitler," the sequel to 2003's "The Hebrew Hammer," will begin filming next year, after an innovative crowdfunding campaign that's raised $35,000 on Jewcer.com, the filmmakers announced Tuesday.Adam Goldberg will return in the lead role, with principle photography expected to begin in May 2013.In the film, Goldberg's character, now married and enjoying the good life in suburbia,...

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Instagram says no plans to put user photos in ads

Instagram, the popular photo-sharing service owned by Facebook Inc, said on Tuesday it has "no plans" to incorporate user photos into ads in response to a growing public outcry over new privacy policies unveiled this week.Instagram Chief Executive Kevin Systrom said in a blog post that users had incorrectly interpreted Instagram's revised terms of service, released on Monday, to mean that user photos...

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Sberbank to buy Yandex online payments service: source

 Sberbank, Russia's top lender, plans to buy Yandex.Dengi, an online payment service owned by Russian search engine Yandex, a source familiar with the matter said.Sberbank declined to comment. Yandex, which was not available to comment, was expected to hold a news conference on Wednesday.Sberbank, which accounts for a third of overall lending in Russia, has been expanding in the consumer credit...

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Tubular raises $2.5 million to serve burgeoning YouTube industry

Tubular, a small San Francisco start-up that provides analytics for YouTube content creators, has raised $2.5 million in venture capital in the latest sign of how far the business ecosystem has evolved around the Google-owned video repository.YouTube was once known as Wild West of online video, but over the past two years Google has focused on raising the quality of YouTube content through a series...

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Instagram tests new limits in user privacy

 Instagram, which spurred suspicions this week that it would sell user photos after revising its terms of service, has sparked renewed debate about how much control over personal data users must give up to live and participate in a world steeped in social media.In forcefully establishing a new set of usage terms, Instagram, the massively popular photo-sharing service owned by Facebook Inc, has...

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Asia stocks rise as Japan gets new government

 Asian stock markets rose Wednesday as traders snapped up stocks before the end of the year, while the Tokyo benchmark hit a nine-month high after a new, pro-business government prepared to assume leadership in a country plagued for years by economic lethargy.Japan's Nikkei 225 index surged 1.5 percent to close at 10,230.36 as a further weakening yen gave momentum to the country's major exporters....

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China consumers driving economic rebound: survey

 China's consumers are leading an uneven recovery in the world's second biggest economy that has retailers expecting stronger sales in six months, early results of a national survey showed on Wednesday.The China Beige Book survey of more than 2,000 executives revealed that the retail sector had the strongest revenue growth and business expectations in the fourth quarter of 2012.The survey broadly...

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World's longest fast train line opens in China

 China on Wednesday opened the world's longest high-speed rail line that more than halves the time required to travel from the country's capital in the north to Guangzhou, an economic hub in southern China.The opening of the 2,298 kilometer (1,428 mile)-line was commemorated by the 9 a.m. departure of a train from Beijing for Guangzhou. Another train left Guangzhou for Beijing an hour later.China...

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New Japan PM Abe says will pursue bold monetary policy

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Wednesday his government will pursue bold monetary policy, flexible fiscal policy and a growth strategy to encourage private investment."Japan won't have a future and won't be able to restore fiscal health without a strong economy," Abe told a news conference after taking office as the country's seventh prime minister in six years.Abe has pledged to put top...

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Japan Abe taps allies for cabinet, pledges deflation fight

New Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe vowed on Wednesday to battle deflation and a strong yen, and bolster ties with the United States as he kicked off a second administration committed to reviving the economy while coping with a rising China.A hawk on security matters, Abe, 58, has promised aggressive monetary easing by the Bank of Japan and big fiscal spending by the debt-laden government to slay...

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Obamas Greet Troops on Christmas

 In what has become a holiday tradition, President Obama and the first lady spent this Christmas afternoon greeting service members at the Marines Corps base near their Hawaiian vacation home.Spreading some holiday cheer, the Obamas wished the troops and their families a Merry Christmas and thanked them for their service."This looks like it was a nice rather than naughty crowd so I'm sure Santa...

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Fiscal Cliff: Obama Returning to DC

With the country barreling towards the "fiscal cliff," President Obama is interrupting his Hawaiian holiday vacation to return to the gridlock in Washington.The president will depart Hawaii for Washington late Wednesday, the White House announced today. The first lady and daughters, Malia and Sasha, will remain on their vacation.Obama told reporters last week that he is a "hopeless optimist" and continues...

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U.S. may expand mortgage refinance program: WSJ

The U.S. government is considering expanding its mortgage refinancing program to include borrowers whose mortgages are not backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac , the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the discussions. (http://link.reuters.com/mej84t)The refinancing program now being considered also seeks to include "underwater" borrowers who owe more than their homes are worth,...

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DC hotels less busy for Obama's 2nd inauguration

 Visitors coming to the nation's capital for President Barack Obama's second inauguration can't stay in the one place President Ronald Reagan's family once called an eight-star hotel. That spot is the White House, and it's booked for the next four years. Still, inauguration-goers have a range of lodging options — from crashing on a friend's couch to rooms that cost thousands of dollars a night.With...

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Explosion in Afghan city of Khost, Taliban say target U.S. base

KHOST, Afghanistan (Reuters) - A blast in the eastern Afghan city of Khost on Wednesday wounded three people, and the Taliban said they had sent a suicide bomber in a vehicle to attack an American military base. The area's police chief said the explosion took place near a U.S. base, which is beside a military airport. Hospital officials said three people were wounded and the number of casualties was...

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Start of "Santa Claus rally" dampened by "cliff' worries

U.S. stocks edged lower on Monday as caution over the potential for volatility driven by worries about the U.S. "fiscal cliff" dampened enthusiasm at the start of a seasonally strong period for equities. Investors are betting Congress will reach a deal to avert most of the austerity measures due to come into force at the start of next year. That has led to the best year for stocks since the post-financial...

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Chevron to buy stake in Kitimat LNG from Encana, EOG

Chevron Corp said on Monday it will enter the Canadian liquefied natural gas business with the acquisition of the 50 percent stake in the Kitimat LNG project held by Encana Corp and EOG Resources Inc. Chevron will take Encana's and EOG's 30 percent stakes in the LNG-export project for an undisclosed price as the No.2 U.S. oil company looks to jumpstart North American natural gas exports. It will...

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Lawmakers play waiting game with "fiscal cliff" deadline in sight

With only a week left before a deadline for the United States to go over a "fiscal cliff," lawmakers played a waiting game on Monday in the hope that someone will produce a plan to avoid harsh budget cuts and higher taxes for most Americans from New Year's Day. Though Republicans and Democrats have spent the better part of a year describing a plunge off the cliff as a looming catastrophe, the nation's...

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Stocks dip with budget deal in doubt at year's end

Stocks fell in light trading Monday during a shortened holiday trading session with lawmakers running out of time to reach a budget deal that would prevent the U.S. from going over the so-called fiscal cliff. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 52 points to 13,139.08. The Standard & Poor's 500 index gave up 3 points to 1,426.66 The Nasdaq composite slipped 8.4 points to 3,012.60. In more than...

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Shoppers found bigger sales, smaller crowds

Shoppers who waited until the final days before Christmas were rewarded with big bargains and lighter crowds. But their last-minute deal hunting may hurt stores. Although fresh data on the holiday shopping season won't be available until Christmas, analysts expect growth from last year to be modest. Several factors have dampened shoppers' spirits, including fears that the economy could fall off the...

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'So You Think You Can Dance' Hoofs It Into a 10th Season

Put on your dancing shoes; "So You Think You Can Dance" has been given a 10th season, Fox said Thursday. Auditions for the upcoming season will begin January 18 in Austin, Texas, before moving on to Detroit, Boston, Los Angeles and Memphis. Fox's president of alternative programming Mike Darnell praised "SYTYCD" creator Nigel Lythgoe in announcing the renewal. "I couldn't be more proud of the amazing...

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Martha Raddatz, Hot Off Debate Performance, Promoted at ABC News

Martha Raddatz, widely praised for her moderation of the vice presidential debate in October, has been given an expanded role as ABC News' chief global affairs correspondent. Jonathan Karl, meanwhile, will become the network's new chief White House correspondent, filling the void left by Jake Tapper's exit to CNN. Raddatz will replace Tapper as the primary substitute for George Stephanopoulos on...

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Alan Ball's 'Banshee' Screeches Onto Cinemax in January

True Blood" creator Alan Ball's new television series "Banshee" will premiere January 11 at 10 p.m. on Cinemax, the network said Thursday. The drama, which is executive-produced by Ball and "House M.D." executive producer Greg Yaitanes, centers on ex-con and master thief Lucas Hood (played by "Rush" star Anthony Starr), who assumes the identity of the sheriff of Banshee, Pa., where he continues his...

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Ridley Scott, Paul Attanasio Working on "Vatican" Pilot for Showtime

Showtime is once again preparing to go papal. The network, which already has a Pope-centric hit in the form of "The Borgias," has given the green light to pilot tentatively titled "The Vatican," from Ridley Scott and Paul Attanasio, Showtime said Thursday. A contemporary exploration of the politics and power plays within the Catholic church, "The Vatican" will be written by Attanasio and directed...

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'Walking Dead' Showrunner Glen Mazzara Leaving

Glen Mazzara, who led AMC's "The Walking Dead" to ratings highs after the exit of Frank Darabont, is leaving the show. The announcement came with the unsurprising news of a fourth-season pickup for the series. It continues AMC's rocky record with its showrunners, but the network said the decision was mutual. While AMC has clashed with showrunners before over money, a person familiar with the situation...

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Leagues poised to challenge NJ over sports betting

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Four major professional sports leagues and the NCAA are poised to move forward with their legal fight over New Jersey's plans to allow sports gambling. That comes after a judge on Friday rejected arguments that the leagues couldn't prove they would be harmed if the state proceeds with the plans. In denying the state's request to dismiss the lawsuit by the NBA, NHL, NFL, Major League...

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MF Global trustee announces settlement deals key to cash payouts

(Reuters) - The trustee for the failed MF Global Inc on Saturday announced two key agreements that are expected to accelerate cash payouts to clients and creditors of the failed futures brokerage. James Giddens, trustee for the MF Global estate, said in a statement he has negotiated deals to resolve disputes with the company's former British affiliate and the parent company, MF Global Holdings Ltd. As...

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Modest discounts, fiscal cliff deter last-minute shoppers

NEW YORK/WESTBURY, New York (Reuters) - Retailers may not see a sales surge this weekend as ho-hum discounts and fears about imminent tax hikes and cuts in government spending give Americans fewer reasons to open their wallets in the last few days before Christmas. The acrimonious debate in Washington over how to avoid the so-called "fiscal cliff" is one of a number of concerns weighing on shoppers,...

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Pacts in MF Global liquidation could free up cash

Settlements between parties with completing claims in the liquidation of MF Global could speed up payment to customers of the collapsed brokerage, with one agreement potentially freeing up as much as $600 million for U.S. customers. Two separate agreements were announced on Saturday. One is between James Giddens, the bankruptcy trustee overseeing the liquidation of MF Global's main brokerage unit,...

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Japan's Abe heaps pressure on BOJ to set 2 percent inflation target

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's next premier, Shinzo Abe, renewed pressure on the central bank to adopt a 2 percent inflation target, saying that he will try to revise a law guaranteeing its independence if his demand is not met. He also said he will pick someone who agrees with his views on the need for bolder monetary easing to succeed BOJ Governor Masaaki Shirakawa when his term expires in April next...

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TEXT-S&P Afms Rating On Emerald Assets Ltd. - Portfolio 1 Notes

(The following was released by the rating agency)OVERVIEW-- Emerald Assets Ltd. - Portfolio 1 is a commercialmortgage backed securitization that is secured by across-collateralized portfolio of 36 industrial properties inSingapore.-- One property is being removed from the collateralportfolio and three will be added to the collateral pool, takingthe number of properties in the portfolio to 38.-- We...

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Two former fund managers guilty of insider trading

 NEW YORK (Reuters) - Two former hedge fund managers were convicted on Monday of illegal trading in Dell Inc  stock based on secret information supplied by research analysts, the latest in a string of Wall Street insider-trading convictions.A federal jury in Manhattan found Todd Newman, a former portfolio manager at Diamondback Capital Management, and Anthony Chiasson, co-founder of Level...

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Massachusetts fines Morgan Stanley over Facebook IPO

 BOSTON (Reuters) - Morgan Stanley , the lead underwriter for Facebook Inc's initial public offering, will pay a $5 million fine to Massachusetts for violating securities laws governing how investment research can be distributed.Massachusetts' top securities regulator, William Galvin, on Monday charged that a top Morgan Stanley banker had improperly coached Facebook on how to disclose sensitive...

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Stocks move higher as budget talks progress

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks rose on Wall Street as investors were encouraged by signs of progress in budget talks in Washington. Just two weeks remain before tax increases and government spending cuts take effect if no deal is reached.On the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, stock traders paused for a minute of silence at 9:15 a.m. EST to remember the 20 children and seven adults killed Friday in a...

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