IBT Staff Reporter

"Mystic River" author Dennis Lehane attributes the success of his books on the silver screen to his characters, which he says attract the attention of good actors.

The number of Americans claiming new jobless benefits hit a three-month low last week and contracts to buy existing homes rose in June, hopeful signs for the economy which has struggled to regain momentum.

Stocks rose on Thursday as better-than-expected data on home sales and employment lent support to the market after equities suffered their worst day in eight weeks in the previous session.

The "Last Song," Australian actor is featured in the much anticipated film adaptation of Suzanne Collin's series "The Hunger Games." The film also stars Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson and directed by Gary Ross. It may have seemed like for a moment Liam Hemsworth was only known as Miley Cyrus' boyfriend. But, in fact, the young actor has many upcoming projects under his belt! Another film to look forward to is "AWOL" co-staring Austin Stowell and Aimee Teegarden and...

U.S. visa restrictions on Russian officials linked to the death of hedge fund lawyer Sergei Magnitsky could become a "serious irritant" in bilateral relations and provoke a response from Moscow, Russia's Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.

Public health officials say roughly 130 million injection drug users worldwide suffer from hepatitis C, according to a study published online by World Health Organization said on Tuesday in The Lancet, which coincides with 'World Hepatitis Day.'

NASA's Juno Spacecraft was secured to its rocket on Wednesday morning, ready to embark on its journey to Jupiter.

Here are some photos of the uproar in Los Angeles, Wednesday night and past photos from the Las Vegas event.

Having seen a 238 percent rise in U.S. visits in the week ended July 16, Google+ saw U.S. traffic fall around three percent the following week, Bloomberg reported. Meanwhile, sites offering "+1 for pay" rankings have already sprouted up, offering to help site owners game Google's rating and promotion system. Records also show that users now make fewer and shorter visits to the new social network.

A comparison between Android superphones Samsung Galaxy S 2 and Motorola Photon.

James Murdoch looks set to survive a board meeting of BSkyB on Thursday even as questions multiply from other quarters over whether his role in a phone-hacking scandal leave him a fit chairman of the satellite broadcaster.

Exxon Mobil, Royal Dutch Shell Plc and other big oil groups reported higher profits on Thursday thanks to high crude prices and showed the only way to combat falling output was by reinvesting the cash in acquisitions and new ventures.

Pending sales of existing U.S. homes unexpectedly rose in June from May and rose sharply from a year ago, data from a real estate trade group showed on Thursday.

Tens of thousands of European bankers are losing their jobs in a deep trading slump that has been compounded by regulatory curbs on excessive risk -- and many more will be out of work before Christmas.

A study published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery found that patients who complain about the size or shape of their noses often have signs of mental illness. The study found that one in three people seeking rhinoplasty show signs of body dysmorphic disorder.

The United States will be "running on fumes" if its debt limit is not raised by August 2, the White House said on Wednesday, as it sought to kill talk that this was not a real deadline to strike a deficit deal.

Chief executives from the nation's largest financial firms on Thursday pressured the White House and Congress to reach a deal on the debt ceiling and deficit reduction, saying the consequences of inaction "would be very grave."

Japan's top consumer electronic firms recovered faster than expected from March's earthquake, allowing most of them to maintain full-year profit forecasts despite a weakening TV market and concerns about the outlook for the global economy.

Swiss bank Credit Suisse is cutting about 2,000 jobs after weak trading activity and the strong Swiss franc hit second-quarter results.

Thomson Reuters Corp reported sluggish growth in its Markets division, as the company struggles to accelerate adoption of its new Eikon flagship desktop for financial professionals.

Chief executives from the nation's largest financial firms on Thursday pressured the White House and Congress to reach a deal on the debt ceiling and deficit reduction, saying the consequences of inaction would be very grave.

Exxon Mobil Corp, the world's largest publicly traded oil company, reported a higher quarterly profit that missed Wall Street estimates as its international refining business and output fell short.

Britney Spears is "flattered" to be nominated for two MTV Video Music Awards.

A tropical storm moving through the Philippines on Wednesday has killed 27 people and left more than 60 injured or missing, according to a government disaster response agency.

The number of Americans claiming new unemployment benefits last week dropped below the 400,000 level for the first time since early April, a hopeful sign for the economy which has struggled to regain momentum.

Japan's Nintendo Co Ltd posted its first-ever quarterly operating loss, cut the price of its 3DS handheld game player and slashed its full-year profit forecast far below market expectations, hit by sluggish sales and a strong yen.

Carell is confident that the show has made a great choice and addition to the cast. "I was always just one part of the ensemble," Carell said, "and I know in the future the show is going to be great. The only hard part for me is that I will miss seeing all my friends."

A recent study published in the July issue of The National Cancer Institute's journal found that children and teens who use cell phones are not at an increased risk of brain cancer compared to their peers who do not use cell phones.

A bill to cut the deficit faced a nail-bitingly close vote in Congress on Thursday as the top Republican lawmaker sought to quell an internal revolt and push his plan to avoid a ruinous default.