IBT Staff Reporter

Europe's second biggest electricals retailer Dixons Retail Plc on Thursday said its like-for-like sales for the 12-week period ended Jan 8, 2011, fell 2 percent as sales fell 1 percent in local currency due to adverse weather conditions in the run up to Christmas.

Flood water in Australia's third-biggest city peaked below feared catastrophic levels on Thursday but Brisbane and other devastated regions faced years of rebuilding as a fresh flood threat loomed with a cyclonic storm building off the coast.

The New York imam whose proposed Muslim cultural center and mosque near Ground Zero has stirred opposition is embarking on a U.S. speaking tour where he intends to correct misperceptions about his aims.

The U.S. Treasury may not have fully vetted the settlement of its interest in Chrysler Financial last year and not gotten a strong enough return for taxpayers, a bailout watchdog said in a report on Thursday.

The U.S. Treasury may not have fully vetted the settlement of its interest in Chrysler Financial last year and not gotten a strong enough return for taxpayers, a bailout watchdog said in a report on Thursday.

Gap Inc's Athleta brand of athletic wear for women will open a flagship store on Thursday in San Francisco to connect with brick-and-mortar shoppers after booking double-digit sales growth through its catalogs and website.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said on Wednesday that China needs to raise the value of the yuan more quickly and faster progress could pave the way for greater access to U.S. high-tech goods.

News Corp is exploring strategic options for its MySpace Web site including a sale or a spinout, the company said on Wednesday, a day after the former social networking high-flyer slashed nearly half of its staff.

'The Big Bang Theory', the hit sitcom produced by Warner Bros, gets a three year nod from CBS.

Lonwabo Tsotsobe received the man of the match award after his four wickets led South Africa to a crushing 135-run win over India in the first one-day international at Kingsmead on Wednesday.

The rupee touched one-and-half-week highs early on Thursday, boosted by overnight losses in the dollar, but soon retreated tracking weak domestic shares, which added to worries of more foreign fund withdrawals.

The 23rd Bond movie will be released in November 2012

Infosys Technologies' weaker-than-expected results sparked concerns over growth rates of India's showpiece outsourcing sector as the company flagged a sluggish global economic recovery and currency volatility.

The government may ban wheat product exports in a series of measures to tame spiralling food prices that have fuelled rapid inflation and increased pressure on an embattled ruling Congress party, local media said.

Indian Oil Corp has so far been unaffected by an oil payments row with Iran but could turn to the spot market if there is any disruption to imports, the company's chairman said on Thursday.

The euro dipped on Thursday but could head higher if Spain and Italy, like Portugal, also find decent demand for their debt, while U.S. oil prices crept up to $92 a barrel, potentially straining consumers who are already watching food prices climb.

The euro was stable on Thursday and could head higher if Spain and Italy like Portugal also find decent demand for their debt, while U.S. oil prices marched above $92 a barrel, potentially straining consumers watching food prices climb.

President Barack Obama paid tribute on Wednesday to the victims and survivors of a mass shooting in Arizona which killed 6 and injured 14, including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, whom the President said opened her eyes for the first time since the shooting.

The following are remarks by President Barack Obama as prepared for delivery on January 12, 2010 at memorial service for the victims of the shooting in Tucson, Arizona at the University of Arizona's McKale Memorial Center in Tucson.

U.S. manufacturer ITT Corp plans to split itself into three publicly traded companies to take advantage of growing water management and industrial markets as its defense unit braces for U.S. military spending cuts.

A Republican lawmaker says his party's push last week to cut the Congressional budget and match new spending with spending cuts elsewhere was just the beginning of a push to keep cutting.

Global personal computer shipments crept up only slightly in the fourth quarter, a pair of industry trackers said on Wednesday, hurt by weak consumer holiday demand and competition from Apple's iPad tablet.

LOS ANGELES - AOL and Endemol USA announced a partnership Wednesday to co-develop and co-produce new web programing aimed at AOL's growing women's audience.

NIC Inc, which builds websites and provides various services to more than 3,000 government agencies, agreed to settle Securities and Exchange Commission charges that it hid more than $1.18 million of perks awarded to its former chief executive.

Ultimate Software Group Inc has hired an investment bank to review a possible sale of the cloud-computing company, said three sources familiar with the situation.

The public isn't cutting Toyota Motor <7203.T> much slack, but the world's top automaker is looking to shake off the recall crisis and at least match the growth in its key U.S. market this year in what could bode well for its lusterless shares.

More than enough registered voters in Sudan will cross a key participation threshold, making valid the referendum to decide whether or not the nation splits into two, officials said Wednesday.

State-owned Bank of China Ltd's move to offer limited deposit services in the renminbi to U.S. customers represents a tiny step in what will be a long journey for the Chinese unit to become a widely-traded international currency.

(Wikipedia corrects its unique visitors figure to 410 million from 440 million in paragraph 3)