Australia's first initial public offering in a medicinal marijuana company is three times oversubscribed, giving high hopes to its founder's ambitions to become "the George Clooney of medicinal cannabis".

One of the last privately owned masterpieces by J.M.W. Turner has sold for a record 30.3 million pounds ($47.47 million) at a London auction, amid a surge of interest in the 19th Century British painter.

Miami is readying for the 13th installment of Art Basel Miami Beach, among the world’ most important contemporary art fairs, a five-day extravaganza that has become a magnet for high-end real estate and luxury brands to align themselves with the artistic set to attract the world’s biggest spenders.

GlaxoSmithKline said on Thursday it had decided not to sell a portfolio of older drugs marketed in North America and Europe after considering offers from potential buyers.

A Virginia health panel remade by the Democratic governor voted on Thursday to revamp rules that threatened to shut down abortion clinics across the state

An Italian white truffle, reportedly the largest in the world, will be sold at an in-house and online auction in New York on Saturday where bidding is expected to start at $50,000 and could go much higher, Sotheby's said on Thursday.

Starbucks Corp, aiming to give cooling U.S. traffic a jolt, on Thursday announced it will add beer, wine, and evening snacks to thousands of domestic cafes, widen lunch offerings and roll out mobile ordering.

Only one top executive in eight at major financial services firms is a woman and the pace of change at banks and other companies is too slow, according to a diversity study.

The Vatican's economy minister has said hundreds of millions of euros were found "tucked away" in accounts of various Holy See departments without having appeared in the city-state's balance sheets.

U.S. stocks ended slightly lower on Thursday after European Central Bank President Mario Draghi brushed off pressure for more immediate monetary policy action but said the issue would be addressed early next year.

A majority of Air France (AIRF.PA) pilots backed a deal reached in October to develop the company's low-cost operations in France, the airline said on Wednesday.

President Barack Obama on Wednesday laid out a business-friendly legislative agenda for next year that hinges on whether he and the new Republican Congress can set aside long-simmering disputes and find common ground.

The trustee overseeing the bankruptcy of a Massachusetts pharmacy linked to a 2012 meningitis outbreak that killed 64 people, filed a plan that would set aside at least $135 million to compensate victims and their families.

The European Central Bank will spell out the scale of economic malaise facing the euro zone after it meets on Thursday under growing pressure to take dramatic action to prevent the bloc going into reverse.

The European Central Bank should follow the example of the U.S. Federal Reserve and buy government bonds to prop up the tottering euro zone economy, the Fed's vice chair Stanley Fischer was quoted as saying in an Italian newspaper.

Asian stocks rose on Thursday amid fresh signs of resilience in the U.S. economy, while the euro wallowed near two-year lows before a much-anticipated European Central Bank meeting that could open the door to more stimulus.

Boeing Co (BA.N) Chief Operating Officer Dennis Muilenburg said on Wednesday that the world's largest plane maker is on track to deliver the 110 787 Dreamliners it forecast for this year, despite signs that deliveries fell below target last month.

A U.S. media company said on Wednesday it wants to be among the first broadcasters to launch news-gathering drones once the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issues new policies governing the unmanned remote-control aircraft, with test flights beginning in Oregon.

Japanese telecoms firm SoftBank Corp has pumped in $250 million to become the top investor in Southeast Asian mobile taxi-booking application GrabTaxi Holdings Pte Ltd, its biggest investment in a Southeast Asian Internet firm.

Google Inc's massive effort to scan millions of books for a digital library violates copyright law, illegally depriving authors of licensing fees, royalties and sales, a lawyer for a group of authors told a U.S. appeals court on Wednesday.

Former Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) Chief Executive Steve Ballmer and civil rights activist Jesse Jackson livened up the technology company's annual shareholder meeting on Wednesday, grabbing the spotlight from the current leaders on stage.

Italy's Luxottica is joining forces with U.S. chipmaker Intel Corp to develop glasses that combine its top fashion brands with technology that could allow wearers to access information about their health or location.

Google Inc plans to roll out child-friendly versions of its most popular products in a bid to be "fun and safe for children", USA Today reported, quoting Pavni Diwanji, the company's vice president of engineering.

Most chief executive officers at U.S. corporations report significant problems in finding workers with the skills they need, according to a survey released on Wednesday.

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK.L) said on Wednesday it would shed "several hundred" U.S. commercial jobs and a similar number of research positions as it restructures operations in its biggest market, where drug sales are flagging.

Hackers used tools in a devastating cyber attack on Sony Pictures Entertainment that were based on ones used in similar attacks conducted against South Korea by North Korea, a person familiar with the company's investigation said on Wednesday.

U.S. stocks rose on Wednesday, with both the Dow and S&P 500 ending at records, as data pointed to improving conditions in the U.S. services sector, boosting cyclical stocks.

Germany's cabinet on Wednesday agreed plans to cut CO2 emissions by up to 78 million tonnes by 2020, pushing operators to shut some coal-fired plants, to help Europe's biggest economy meet bold targets to fight climate change, government sources said.

The euro zone economy may face another contraction after business activity grew less than expected in November despite heavy discounting, surveys on Wednesday showed, although Asian readings were more upbeat.

A compromise defense policy bill in Congress would bar the purchase of more Russian-made rocket engines to launch U.S. military satellites, clearing the way for competitive bids for 14 future launches, senior congressional aides said on Tuesday.