Wall Street slips as investors seek cliff progress

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks finished slightly lower in a quiet session on Tuesday as the back-and-forth wrangling over the "fiscal cliff" gave investors little reason to act. Trading volume was light as legislators continue to negotiate a deal to avoid a $600 billion package of tax hikes and federal spending cuts that would begin January 1 and could push the economy into recession. ...

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Israel says will stick with settlement plan despite condemnation

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel rejected concerted criticism from the United States and Europe on Monday over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to expand settlement building after the United Nations' de facto recognition of Palestinian statehood. Washington urged Israel to reconsider its plan to erect 3,000 more homes in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, saying the move...

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$120 tablet that runs both Android and Linux to launch in early 2013

For anyone who has ever used his or her Android tablet and wished that it could double as a desktop-style device, PengPod has a product just for you. Ars Technica reports that the new PengPod tablet, which runs both Android and Linux, has met its crowd-sourced fundraising goals and will so on sale in January for $ 120 a 7-inch model and $ 185 for a 10-inch model. According to Ars, the tablet...

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PHOTO: See Molly Mesnick's Baby Belly

Noah GrahamHappy holidays! Celebrities gathered to celebrate the season Saturday, attending the Second Annual Santa’s Secret Workshop in West Hollywood, Calif. Presented by Bill Horn and Scout Masterson and held at the Andaz Hotel, the event benefitted L.A. Family Housing.Among the revelers: Bachelor alums Jason and Molly Mesnick — whose first child together is due in March — attending their first...

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Fossil fuel subsidies in focus at climate talks

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Hassan al-Kubaisi considers it a gift from above that drivers in oil- and gas-rich Qatar only have to pay $1 per gallon at the pump."Thank God that our country is an oil producer and the price of gasoline is one of the lowest," al-Kubaisi said, filling up his Toyota Land Cruiser at a gas station in Doha. "God has given us a blessing."To those looking for a global response to climate...

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Asian shares slip off nine-month high on weak U.S. data

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Asian shares slipped on Tuesday after a plunge in U.S. manufacturing activity hit Wall Street stocks and the dollar, while the euro hovered near a six-week high on optimism over Greece's plan to buy back debt. Declines in Asian stock markets suggested caution setting in after gains in recent weeks, with investors reluctant to chase shares higher amid continued gridlock...

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Egypt's top court shuts down, blames protesters

CAIRO (Reuters) - Protests by Islamists allied to President Mohamed Mursi forced Egypt's highest court to adjourn its work indefinitely on Sunday, intensifying a conflict between some of the country's top judges and the head of state. The Supreme Constitutional Court said it would not convene until its judges could operate without "psychological and material pressure", saying protesters...

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Chris Brown Returns To Twitter, Instragrams Photo Of Scantily Clad Rihanna

Breezy’s back with a bang.Chris Brown has returned to Twitter, after deleting his account last Sunday following an expletive-laced online fight with comedian Jenny Johnson.PLAY IT NOW: Rihanna Discusses Her Fashion Sense & TattoosWhile the “Don’t Wake Me Up” singer still boasts 7.7 million followers, he has yet to grace the Twittersphere with a post since reactivating his account on Saturday.However,...

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Kellan Lutz, Hugh Jackman Take Bites and Swipes & More Casting News

By Julia Haskins 12/02/2012 at 07:00 PM EST Kellan Lutz (left) and Hugh Jackman Christopher Polk/Getty, Han Myung-Gu/WireImage It's comeback time. Whether seeking revenge or reprising beloved roles, a fresh crop of movies shows that the best characters always...

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Asian shares, euro rise after firm China PMI

TOKYO (Reuters) - Asian shares and the euro rose on Monday as further signs of a stabilizing Chinese economy boosted investor risk appetite, but gains were capped by worries that an impasse in U.S. budget talks could tip the world's largest economy into recession. European shares will likely track Asian shares higher, with financial spreadbetters predicting London's FTSE 100 <.ftse>,...

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