Why David Geffen is getting the “American Masters” treatment

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) – David Geffen is not a singer. Nor is he a movie star. Nor is he a writer.Thus he would seem an odd subject for “American Masters,” a series devoted to artists ranging from Willa Cather to Woody Allen. Yet series creator Susan Lacy claims that the mogul has had a profound impact on American...

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New Global Fund head targets killer diseases with cash

WASHINGTON, Nov 15 (TrustLaw) – The Global Fund‘s new executive director, Mark Dybul, said he will move quickly to raise fresh money and release funding to combat the killer diseases AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis.New scientific research shows that these diseases can be contained and his mission will be to achieve that in partnership with hard-hit countries,...

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MPs raise doubts over bank sales

16 November 2012 Last updated at 02:14 ETA parliamentary committee has said the Treasury’s sale of Northern Rock in 2011 was “fortunate”, and Lloyds and RBS may not be sold “for many years”. A Public Accounts Committee report noted that while the Rock’s sale was “well-handled”, taxpayers were still set to lose £2bn on...

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Canada’s Carney says rate hikes “less imminent”

TORONTO (Reuters) – Interest rate hikes have become less imminent than the Bank of Canada once expected, although rates are still likely to rise, central bank Governor Mark Carney said in an interview published on Saturday.“Over time, rates are likely to increase somewhat, but over time, so a less imminent timing relative to our expectation,” Carney said...

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RIM offers free voice calls over Wi-Fi with BBM

TORONTO (AP) — BlackBerry users will be able to make free voice calls over a Wi-Fi network using the popular BBM messaging service.Research In Motion Ltd. announced Wednesday that it’s adding the feature to BBM. Users will be able to switch back and forth from a text chat to a voice call. A split-screen option will let them talk and text at the same time. The...

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Billy Joel, Rihanna fight Pandora over compensation

(Reuters) – Some of music’s most notable names including Billy Joel, Rihanna and Missy Elliott have signed an open letter to Pandora Media Inc opposing the online music company‘s push to change how artists are compensated.Pandora is currently lobbying lawmakers in U.S. Congress to pass the “Internet Radio Fairness Act,” which would change regulation of...

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Merck KGaA lifts outlook on drugs, screen chemicals

DARMSTADT, Germany (Reuters) – Merck KGaA lifted its 2012 outlook on Thursday and beat expectations for third-quarter results as it capitalized on its strong position in the market for chemicals for flat screens.Family-controlled Merck, which traces its roots to a 17th century pharmacy, now expects adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation...

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France avoids recession; GDP up 0.2 pct in Q3

PARIS (AP) — France‘s economy narrowly avoided a recession, growing slightly in the third quarter, according to official statistic released Thursday.The French economy hasn’t recorded growth since the third quarter of last year and had been widely expected to start its slide into recession in the third quarter — technically defined as two consecutive quarters...

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Beating tax cheats key to Italy’s recovery plan

ROME (AP) — Good plumbers may be worth their weight in gold, but when one was spotted zipping around in a bright red Ferrari, Italian tax police were fast on his trail.Stamping out entrenched tax evasion is crucial to Premier Mario Monti‘s quest to keep Italy from succumbing to the European debt crisis, and it is critical to fellow eurozone members in...

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Rolling Stones add fifth date to anniversary tour

LONDON (Reuters) – The Rolling Stones have added a fifth date to their 50th anniversary tour later this year, the band announced on its website.In between two shows at London‘s O2 Arena starting on November 25 and two more at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ opening on December 13 the veteran quartet will play the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY on...

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