The Media

Greek parliament starts vote on second austerity law - Yahoo! News

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece's parliament began voting on Thursday on an implementation law for a five year austerity plan needed to secure a vital 12-billion-euro tranche of EU/IMF financing.

On Wednesday, lawmakers approved by 155 votes to 138 a framework law for the 28 billion euro program of tax rises, spending cuts and privatisations.

via beta.news.yahoo.com

Police arrest 2 men near home of singer Joss Stone - Yahoo! News

LONDON – Two men have been arrested near Joss Stone's home on suspicion of conspiracy to rob and murder, after reportedly being found in a car with swords, rope, a body bag and plans of the soul singer's secluded house.

Stone said in a statement that she was "absolutely fine and getting on with life as normal" as police faced a deadline to charge or release the suspects.

Devon and Cornwall Police said the men, aged 30 and 33, and from the Manchester area of northwest England, were arrested Monday morning near Stone's house in Cullompton, 175 miles (280 kilometers) southwest of London, after residents reported a suspicious-looking vehicle.

via news.yahoo.com

Ed O'Neill turns down low-paying HBO offer - Yahoo! News

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – HBO made Ed O'Neill an offer he had to refuse.

The "Modern Family" star said he was offered a mere $40,000 -- or union scale -- for six weeks' work on the cable channel's upcoming Phil Spector movie starring Al Pacino and Bette Midler.

When he was given the quote, he was a little taken aback, he recounted in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

"So I said, 'I thought you said $40,000 for six weeks' work,'" he recalled.

via news.yahoo.com

"Meaningful probability" of a China hard landing: Roubini - Yahoo! News

SINGAPORE (Reuters) – China faces a "meaningful probability" of a hard economic landing and the euro zone is storing up problems for the future by not tackling the debt crisis head on, said Nouriel Roubini, the economist who predicted the global financial crisis.

He said U.S. Treasury prices, which have risen sharply as investors sought a safe haven from the euro area debt crisis and worries about a slowdown in the global economy, were fairly valued although he was cautious about U.S. equities.

via news.yahoo.com

Glencore eyes $19.5 billion ENRC takeover: paper - Yahoo! News

LONDON (Reuters) – Commodities trader Glencore (GLEN.L) (0805.HK) is considering making a 12 billion pound ($19.5 billion) takeover bid for ENRC (ENRC.L), the Kazakh miner hit by a bitter boardroom battle, the Sunday Times reported.

Quoting a source with knowledge of the discussions, the newspaper said Glencore Chief Executive Ivan Glasenberg had held talks in recent weeks with ENRC's three founders and key shareholders Alexander Mashkevitch, Patokh Chodiev and Alijan Ibragimov. The trio control some 45 percent of ENRC's shares.

via news.yahoo.com

Irish former finance minister Lenihan dies - Yahoo! News

DUBLIN (AFP) – Ireland's former finance minister Brian Lenihan died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 52 Friday, just months after he helped the country secure a huge international bailout, his family said.

Lenihan, a member of one of Ireland's top political dynasties, had been fighting the disease for 18 months but carried on working to tackle the country's financial meltdown.

He was a lawmaker for the Fianna Fail party, which lost a general election in February and is now in opposition.

via news.yahoo.com

Toyota forecasts 35 percent profit slide after quake - Yahoo! News

TOKYO (Reuters) – Toyota Motor Corp forecast a larger-than-expected 35 percent fall in annual profit on Friday and warned that the strong yen was making it difficult to justify keeping production in Japan.

Toyota has struggled to restore output after a massive 9.0 earthquake in March rocked northeastern Japan and forced automakers to slash output. The ensuing nuclear disaster and power shortages have compounded their woes.

The production disruption will likely see Toyota lose its title as the world's largest automaker this year.

via news.yahoo.com

Record exports temper slowdown fears - Yahoo! News

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Record U.S. exports in April tempered fears that the economic recovery was running off the rails, even though first-time claims for jobless benefits edged higher last week.

A Commerce Department report on Thursday showed the U.S. trade deficit narrowed unexpectedly in April, as exports rose to a new record and imports from Japan tumbled more than 25 percent after its earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster.

The trade gap totaled $43.7 billion despite a jump in oil prices to the highest since September 2008, down 6.7 percent from a revised estimate of $46.8 billion in March, suggesting stronger second-quarter economic growth than economists had expected.

via news.yahoo.com

Home of ailing Zsa Zsa Gabor on sale for $15 million - Yahoo! News

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The Bel Air home of Zsa Zsa Gabor went up for sale on Tuesday with an asking price of $15 million, while the 94 year-old Hollywood actress recovered in hospital from her latest medical setback.

The house, built in 1955 in the exclusive hillside Los Angeles neighborhood, boasts four bedrooms, five bathrooms and a pool, real estate agent Christophe Choo said.

Gabor's ninth husband, Frederic Prinz von Anhalt, first talked about selling the house in January, saying it was too big for the couple. He said at the time he wanted $28 million for the house but Choo said on Tuesday that price was unrealistic.

via news.yahoo.com

Microsoft's Kinect to control TV, YouTube, more games - Yahoo! News

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Microsoft Corp is looking to put its popular Kinect motion-sensing device at the heart of its Xbox game console, unveiling plans on Monday to allow users to control live television feeds, search YouTube and play action games with voice commands.

The moves, announced at the annual E3 video game show in Los Angeles, should help the software giant further its ambitions to make its gaming device an essential media hub in the living room.

Microsoft said it will give users access to live television programing through the Xbox in the United States sometime next year, following live TV services it already offers in Britain, France and Australia.

via news.yahoo.com