WORLD INFO 24x7

WASHINGTON  — The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits rose by 34,000 last week, a figure that may have been skewed higher by seasonal factors.

Applications for benefits increased to a seasonally adjusted 386,000, the Labor Department said Thursday. The gain followed a drop of 24,000 the previous week and was the biggest jump since April 2011.

Economists view the recent numbers with skepticism. The government struggles to adjust the data to reflect temporary summertime layoffs in the auto industry, they note. And this year, many automakers skipped those typical shutdowns to keep up with demand. That led to fewer layoffs two weeks ago, which the Labor Department didn't anticipate.

"All of this is statistical noise," Joshua Shapiro, chief U.S. economist at MFR Inc., wrote in a note to clients. "What will be more important than these short-term gyrations is where claims settle down after the distortions end. We suspect that the data will point to a soggy labor market."

The less volatile four-week average fell by 1,500 to 375,500.

When applications fall below 375,000, it typically suggests hiring is strong enough to pull the unemployment rate down. Applications had been trending near or above that level this spring.

Nearly 5.8 million Americans were receiving some type of unemployment benefit the week that ended June 30, according to the most recent data available. That was down from 7.3 million a year earlier.

"Although the labor market is stronger than it was in 2011, it is not particularly robust," says Steven Wood, chief economist at Insight Economics.

The economy has slumped after showing signs of life at the start of the year.

Job growth slowed to 75,000 a month from April through June, down from healthy 226,000 pace the first three months of the year. Unemployment has been stuck at 8.2 percent for two straight months.

A survey from the Fed said hiring was "tepid" in most districts in June and early July, and manufacturing weakened in most regions.

Retail sales fell in June for the third straight month, the government said earlier this week. That prompted many economists to downgrade their estimates for growth in the April-June quarter. Many now think it will be even slower than the first quarter's sluggish 1.9 percent annual pace.

The only good news recently has been evidence of a long-awaited recovery in the housing market. The government reported Wednesday that U.S. builders last month broke ground on the most homes in nearly four years. Single-family home building rose for a fourth straight month. And permits to build single-family homes hit the highest level since March 2010.

"Twilight" author Stephenie Meyer says she is sad that the franchise is ending, but is even more blue over the recent death of a fan.

During an interview with Yahoo! Movies at Comic-Con 2012 in San Diego, Meyer took a moment to remember the 53-year-old "Twilight" fan who was tragically and accidentally killed after being hit by a car in front of the city's conference halls on Tuesday.

Like many "Twilight" fans at the conference, and other members of the "Twilight" cast -- including Kellan Lutz -- Meyer wore a black ribbon: "I'm wearing this because of the horrible accident that happened...with Gisela [Gagliardi]... All of this is fun and then all of a sudden that just really puts it in perspective -- what's really important," she told Yahoo! Movies after a discussion about her upcoming alien film "The Host" -- based on her book of the same name.

"Of course, everyone's thoughts and prayers are with her family. It has been really devastating," she said.

Regarding this year's Comic-Con marking the beginning of the end of "Twilight," Meyer said (earlier in the interview): "Today has been sad, and it's only going to get worse. When we get to the premiere and I know that I'm not going to see Kristen and Rob and Taylor again, or, for who knows how long... They have been my companions for quite a while now and we're breaking up. It's really sad!"

Disney showed up full-handed for their Comic-Con Hall H time slot, with Tim Burton talking "Frankenweenie;" Sam Raimi, Mila Kunis, and Michelle Williams unveiling the gorgeous "Oz The Great and Powerful" trailer; and John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, and director Rich Moor showing the first ten really fun minutes of "Wreck-it Ralph". But the big surprise at the end of the show is what really had fans screaming.

In an unannounced move, Disney dropped "The Lone Ranger" teaser trailer. And what a swashbuckling, action-packed surprise it was.

As a desert, western landscape unfolds, the title cards reveal we are witnessing a Jerry Bruckheimer production of a Gore Verbinski film. So we know right away it's going to be big.


Another indication is the vast expanse of the land opening up before us, as the voice over resonates poetically about the essence of power. Old time trains roll up to a station. The speech continues as a darkly veiled man talks to a room full of seemingly powerful men.

All seems well and good, until the room is shot to bits! By whom? We don't know. But suddenly, steaming locomotives are rolling down the tracks. And there's obvious bad guys aboard. The hour seems dire.

Until like a bolt of lightning, we gaze over, where atop the plains we spy a beefy man in a black suit, black mask, and white hat. Our hero, Armie Hammer. Next to Armie's Ranger stands his kemosabe Tonto, played with pageantry and poise by a shirtless Johnny Depp with a crow on his head.

The dynamic duo getty-up after the train (sorry, no "Heigh Ho, Silver"). There are flashes of fighting, struggle, and gunfire, followed by a brief moment where we see a mask-less Ranger in a tense, tight shot. Then we flash to Tonto somehow appearing underneath the train, looking like he's ready to pounce.

And boy do the fans in Hall H seem ready for Johnny to pounce.

The summer movie season has been dominated so far by superheroes. "The Avengers" broke records to kick it all off, and last weekend "The Amazing Spider-Man" showed that audiences still love the Webslinger, even with a new actor behind the mask.  But with fanboys assembled down in San Diego for Comic-Con, and another week left before Batman swoops back into cinemas in "The Dark Knight Rises," we've got a short break from the spandex-clad heroes this weekend.

Instead, Friday sees the return of some familiar and furry faces. "Ice Age: Continental Drift" is the fourth chapter in the series of prehistoric animated comedies, and it brings together the original voice cast along with a boatload of new stars.  And if a family-friendly flick isn't what you're after, there are some acclaimed independent films rolling out in limited release as well.


Ice Age: Continental Drift

Rated PG for mild rude humor and action/peril

What's the Story?

Manny the mammoth (voiced by Ray Romano), Diego the sabre-toothed tiger (voiced by Denis Leary) and Sid the sloth (voiced by Jon Leguizamo) are off on another adventure together.  This time, that hungry little furball Scrat accidentally broke apart the continents, sending the three pals adrift on an iceberg.  As they are tossed around the ocean, they face off against a sinister orangutan pirate, Captain Gutt (voiced by "Game of Thrones" star Peter Dinklage).  And Diego encounters another type of danger, an alluring female tiger name Shira (voiced by Jennifer Lopez).  They will all have to brave some turbulent seas if they are going to get Manny back to his loving family.

Who Will Dig It?

3D animated films have been big draws so far this summer, with "Madagascar 3" and Disney/Pixar's "Brave" bringing scores of families into theaters. So anyone with young fans of the first three movies will surely want to check this out. What better way to beat the heat than to settling into an air-conditioned theater and watch a movie about ice?  Plus, older kids who are into hip-hop might like hearing stars Drake and Nicki Minaj provide the voices for a pair of teenage wooly mammoths.


'Ice Age: Continental Drift' Theatrical Trailer

In limited release this week, Robert de Niro and Sigourney Weaver star in "Red Lights," a scary tale about paranormal investigators trying to unravel the secrets behind a famous psychic.  Also, Freida Pinto ("Slumdog Millionaire") stars in "Trishna," a retelling of Thomas Hardy's classic novel "Tess of d'Urbervilles" set in modern-day India. Documentary fans will appreciate "The Imposter," the true story of a Texas teen who went missing for three years and then mysteriously returned.  And if you like TV's "The Killing," check out its star Joel Kinnaman in a crime drama from his native Sweden, "Easy Money."

Quentin Tarantino deals with violent subject matter in his upcoming film "Django Unchained"-- which comes as no surprise when compared with his body of work.

However, "Django," resonated more intensely with the famed auteur, the film's star Jamie Foxx told Yahoo! Movies during an interview on Saturday at Comic-Con in San Diego.

Foxx said that one scene was so intense, Tarantino got teary on the job: "Quentin Tarantino -- while he was shooting -- his eye piece filled up with water because he was crying." When it came to shooting violent scenes of torture include the whipping of slaves, Foxx added, "I knew it was going to be powerful, but I didn't know it was going to be that powerful."


"Django" is about a pre Civil War-era black slave -- played by Foxx -- who becomes a bounty hunter, and is in a desperate search for his slave wife, played by Kerry Washington. As a bounty hunter, Django plays out ultimate revenge on his and his people's torturers.

Tarantino's last film "Inglorious Basterds" also plays out the revenge of a disenfranchised group -- Nazi-era Jews. Foxx pointed out that geography is key to setting "Django" apart: "The Holocaust... It seemed in a distant land. This [slavery] is right here." He added, "This happened not too long ago. And some of that -- I call it residue -- still lingers."

"Django Unchained" lands in theaters on Christmas Day, 2012.