Google's fourth-quarter results shine after ad rate decline slows

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Revenue from Google Inc's core Internet business outpaced many analysts' expectations during the crucial holiday quarter and advertising rates fell less than in previous periods, pushing its shares up roughly 5 percent. The world's largest Internet search company introduced new product listings during the fourth quarter - typically its strongest - and also benefited...

Read More..

Williams loses in quarters; Azarenka into semis

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Serena Williams' dominating run at the majors is over.American teenager Sloane Stephens is headed to the semifinals of the Australian Open.Williams hurt her back in the eighth game of the second set, slowing down her serve, restricting her movement and causing her obvious pain.But the 19-year-old Stephens kept her composure, blocking out the injury issue on the opposite...

Read More..

Shakira gives birth to baby boy

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shakira is a mama.A spokeswoman for the 35-year-old Colombian singer says Shakira Mebarak and 25-year-old soccer star Gerard Pique of FC Barcelona welcomed son Milan Pique Mebarak on Tuesday at 9:36 p.m. in Barcelona, Spain.A statement posted on the pop star’s site in English, Spanish and Catalan says that “just like his father, baby Milan became a member of FC Barcelona at birth.”...

Read More..

Flu season fuels debate over paid sick time laws

NEW YORK (AP) — Sniffling, groggy and afraid she had caught the flu, Diana Zavala dragged herself in to work anyway for a day she felt she couldn't afford to miss.A school speech therapist who works as an independent contractor, she doesn't have paid sick days. So the mother of two reported to work and hoped for the best — and was aching, shivering and coughing by the end of the day. She stayed home...

Read More..

Walhberg: Boy band union is strong for summer tour

NEW YORK (AP) — For Donnie Wahlberg it's not a matter of why now, rather "why not?"The recording artist-turned-actor was referring to the news of a major tour with his New Kids on the Block, who'll be joined this summer on "The Package Tour" by 98 Degrees and Boyz II Men."The state of the boy band union is strong," Wahlberg joked Tuesday. "Even though technically we're not really boy bands, but we're...

Read More..

Prosecutors: Peregrine Financial fraud loss exceeds $215M

Peregrine Financial Group's former chief executive stole more than $215 million from customers of his now-defunct futures brokerage...

Read More..

Body of cyanide-poisoned lottery winner is reburied

Mohammed Zaman on the exhumation of his brother-in-law, poisoned lottery winner Urooj Khan. (Posted on: Jan. 21, 2013.) The body...

Read More..

Former Microsoft executive says CEO Ballmer culls internal rivals to retain power

SEATTLE (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp Chief Executive Steve Ballmer is not the right leader for the world's largest software company but holds his grip on it by systematically forcing out any rising manager who challenges his authority, claims a former senior executive who has written a book about his time at the company. "For Microsoft to really get back in the game seriously, you need...

Read More..

Jim, John Harbaugh ready for rematch at Super Bowl

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Jim and John Harbaugh have exchanged a handful of text messages, and plan to leave it at that. No phone conversations necessary while the season's still going. No time for pleasantries, even for the friendly siblings.There is work to be done to prepare for the Super Bowl, prepare for each other, prepare for a history-making day already being widely hyped as "Harbowl" or...

Read More..

Sundance 2013: Gravitas Ventures Acquires Three Films from Slamdance

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) – Gravitas Ventures has acquired two documentaries and a comedy from Slamdance, the distributor announced on Monday.Steven Feinartz’s documentary “The Bitter Buddha,” Michael Urie’s comedy “He’s Way More Famous Than You” and Peter Baxter’s documentary “Wild in the Streets” will be released on video on demand in the next three months in more than 100 million homes in North...

Read More..