The Office

'American Horror Story' brings the haunting home - Yahoo! News

NEW YORK (AP) — NEW YORK — Just when you needed it, the FX network is throwing "American Horror Story" at you.

To judge from its first two episodes, it's a robust diversion from the real-life droughts and hurricanes, joblessness and political stalemate that were already giving you the willies. It aspires to be "The Shining"-meets-"Rosemary's Baby," with "Carrie" and "Don't Look Now" tossed in. But more than a dead-on horror show, it's a homage to cinematic spookery. And a good one.

In short, "American Horror Story" doesn't really scare you. It just gets in your head.

The big unknown: Is it wily enough to stay there, week after week?

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Frantic scene after doctor found Jackson lifeless - Yahoo! News

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Prosecutors are calling a key witness Thursday in an attempt to show jurors that Michael Jackson's doctor delayed calling authorities on the day the King of Pop was found lifeless and was intent on concealing indications that he had been giving the singer doses of a surgical anesthetic.

As the involuntary manslaughter trial of Dr. Conrad Murray enters its third day, testimony will keep jurors focused on events in Jackson's bedroom during the frantic moments when efforts were made to revive the unresponsive pop superstar.

The panel has already gotten a glimpse into the entertainer's inner sanctum through photos and testimony. On Thursday, they will hear from the first bodyguard to reach the room after Murray summoned for help.

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MTV doubles down on the O Music Awards - Yahoo! News

NEW YORK (AP) — MTV is bringing back the O Music Awards just months after debuting the digitally minded awards show.

In late April, the network premiered the OMAs, a fan-friendly celebration of digital music. Sharply distinct from regular award shows, it featured interactive, fan-voted awards that culminated in a live, multiplatform webcast on MTV Music Group websites.

On Tuesday, MTV will announce the O Music Awards 2, to take place Oct. 31. MTV plans for the OMAs to be so atypical that they don't adhere to the calendar, but sprout up twice or maybe even three times a year.

In noting how quickly digital music is changing, Shannon Connolly, vice president of digital music strategy for MTV, pointed to Rebecca Black, whose viral hit "Friday" now feels like a century ago.

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UAW, Ford to begin high-level talks on labor deal - Yahoo! News

DETROIT (Reuters) - The United Auto Workers union and Ford Motor Co will begin "high-level financial discussions" on Monday in an effort to reach a new labor deal that workers expect to be richer than one with General Motors Co .

On Saturday, UAW Vice President Jimmy Settles, the lead negotiator with Ford, met with his administrative assistants to prioritize his agenda in preparation for this week's meetings with Ford executives, the UAW said in a memo.

Settles and Ford have agreed to hold "very long" negotiating sessions this week, and once a deal is close those meetings should "last around the clock," the union said.

Although the UAW said there is no indication a strike against Ford will be necessary, Settles said all local union presidents should begin preparing for one in case a deal cannot be reached.

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Jury selected for Jackson doctor's trial - Yahoo! News

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A 12-person jury was selected on Friday to hear the manslaughter trial of Michael Jackson's former doctor in a process one prosecutor likened to "speed dating."

The panel of seven men and five women includes one man who said he briefly met Jackson when he worked at Walt Disney Co in the 1980s and the singer was starring in a "Captain EO" film that was a Disney theme park attraction. That juror told attorneys he could approach the trial fairly.

The jurors have a wide range of professions, including a bookseller, school bus driver, paralegal and professor, according to questionnaires released after the selection.

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Tony Curtis collection tops $1 million at auction - Yahoo! News

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Fine art, jewelry and Hollywood memorabilia owned by Tony Curtis -- including the yachtsman jacket he wore in "Some Like It Hot" -- brought in over $1 million on the auction block on Saturday, more than twice the presale estimates.

Curtis, who enjoyed a 60-year career in show business before his death in 2010 at age 85, appeared in more than 100 films and received an Oscar nomination for the 1958 drama "The Defiant Ones." He was an art lover and painter as well.

The estate items on sale at Julien's Auctions in Beverly Hills featured property Curtis acquired throughout his life, from the time he served in the U.S. Navy during World War II to the 2000s. The presale estimate on the collection was $500,000.

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Greek cabinet meets to decide more austerity steps - Yahoo! News

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou chairs a cabinet meeting on Sunday to decide on more austerity measures to secure continued funding under an international bailout.

EU and IMF inspectors are holding a conference call with Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos on Monday to hear what measures Greece will take to plug this year's shortfall in the budget before they release an 8 billion euro ($11 billion) loan tranche it needs by October before it runs out of money.

Papandreou canceled a planned visit to the United States on Saturday to deal with the deepening crisis at home as euro zone partners made clear further funding for the debt-ridden country would hinge on adhering to agreed fiscal targets.

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Bernanke, Europe hold key to aiding rally - Yahoo! News

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wall Street hopes for more Fed action and clear signs European leaders will follow through on their new urgency to tackle the euro zone debt crisis if U.S. stocks are to build on their best week since early July.

Investors expect the Federal Reserve to take steps to pull down long-term interest rates when policymakers meet on Tuesday and Wednesday to help revive the persistently weak U.S. economy.

Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke, speaking in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, on August 26, said the Fed's Open Market Committee would meet for two days in September instead of the scheduled one day to discuss ways to boost the recovery.

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UBS trader charged with fraud after $2 billion loss - Yahoo! News

LONDON/ZURICH (Reuters) - British police charged UBS trader Kweku Adoboli with fraud on Friday, a day after the Swiss bank said it had lost about $2 billion in unauthorized trades.

UBS was in turmoil as ratings agencies warned lax risk management could prompt downgrades and senior executives canceled engagements to meet financial regulators.

Adoboli, 31, worked as a director of exchange traded funds at UBS. He will appear at City of London Magistrates court later on Friday, police said.

UK law firm Kingsley Napley has been hired to represent Adoboli. The firm also advised rogue trader Nick Leeson, whose $1.4 billion derivatives losses triggered the collapse of Britain's Barings Bank in 1995.

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Merkel warns on Greece, Obama voices U.S. alarm - Yahoo! News

BERLIN/ROME (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel sought on Tuesday to quash talk of an imminent Greek default as the United States voiced concern at the euro zone's inability to stem its debt crisis.

Market confidence in the 17-nation currency area suffered another blow when Italy had to pay the highest yield since it joined the euro in 1999 to sell 5-year bonds. And the chief executive of carmaker Fiat warned that the euro system "could go off the rails" if EU leaders do not get a grip.

Merkel said in radio interview that Europe was doing everything in its power to avoid a Greek default and urged politicians in her own coalition to weigh their words carefully to avoid creating turmoil on financial markets.

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