"Fiscal cliff" drag on economy less than feared so far

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. economy showed surprising signs of resilience in November despite the approach of the so-called fiscal cliff as consumer spending rose by the most in three years and a gauge of business investment jumped.Consumer spending rose 0.6 percent when adjusted for inflation, while new factory orders for capital goods outside the defense and aerospace sectors - a proxy for business...

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IMF extends zero interest loans to poor nations

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Poor countries with loans from the IMF can continue to pay no interest until the end of 2014, the Fund's board said on Friday, as their economies are still recovering from the global economic crisis.The IMF's zero-interest loan program for low-income countries had been set to expire at the end of this year."The executive board decision to keep interest rates at zero ... is testament...

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Top business story in '12: Sluggish global economy

This would be the year when the global economy finally regained its vigor. At least that's what many had hoped.It didn't happen.The three largest economies — the United States, China and Japan — struggled again in 2012. The 17 countries that use the euro endured a third painful year in their financial crisis and slid into recession. Emerging economies slowed.President Barack Obama defied predictions...

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Russia clashes over energy with Belarus, Ukraine, EU

MINSK/MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia plunged back into the disputes over energy with Ukraine and Belarus that have repeatedly disrupted oil and gas supplies to European Union countries, and it also termed EU energy policy as "uncivilized".Russia on Friday denied remarks by Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko that it had agreed to increase its crude oil supplies to Minsk, vital for the Belarus economy,...

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Two killed as looters raid supermarkets in Argentina

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Two people were killed in Argentina on Friday as looters broke into supermarkets in several cities, stirring memories of the country's devastating economic crisis 11 years ago.Police fired teargas and rubber bullets to stop dozens of stone-throwing youths from looting a supermarket owned by French retailer Carrefour near the capital, a day after the unrest erupted in the Patagonian...

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"Django Unchained" premiere canceled after Newtown shooting

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The premiere for Quentin Tarantino's latest film "Django Unchained," a violent spaghetti Western slave revenge tale, was canceled on Monday in the wake of the school shooting in Connecticut last week, the film's studio said."Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the tragedy in Newtown, CT and in this time of national mourning we have decided to forgo our scheduled...

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"Hebrew Hammer" sequel profits from crowdfunding campaign

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - "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...

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Joe Roth, Universal Reunite for "Daughter of Smoke & Bone"

NEW YORK (TheWrap.com) - Joe Roth will produce Universal's "Daughter of Smoke & Bone," a potential young-adult franchise for the studio, it announced on Tuesday.Laini Taylor's fantasy novel, the first in a planned trilogy, follows a 17-year old art student in Prague who is raised by chimera, a type of otherworldly creature. Universal acquired the rights in December of 2011.It was one of Amazon.com's...

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"Bully" honored with "Stanley Kramer Award" from PGA

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - The Producers Guild of America will honor the documentary "Bully" with the 2013 Stanley Kramer Award at its January awards ceremony, the organization said Tuesday.Director Lee Hirsch and producer Cynthia Lowen will accept the award. "Bully" follows five high school students as they are subjected to taunts and ridicule and examines the impact their mistreatment has on their...

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Bron Studios finds "Sole Mates"

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Bron Studios is moving forward with its first CG animated feature film, "Sole Mates," the company announced on Tuesday.The film, an "animated journey of love, lost and found, with comedic charm and universal themes set in a familiar world from a new point of view," is due to go into production in 2013, based on an original concept by Deon Taylor ("Chain Letter").Bron managing...

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