IBT Staff Reporter

Backpackers aren't always the world's most ethical travelers. Having little money, and being in places where no one knows them, they get away with quite a bit. For the most part, it's nothing terrible, just a few misdemeanors. Here are a few of the ones that most backpackers don't tend to brag about:

Firebrand director Michael Moore is in Japan to promote his latest documentary on the global economic meltdown, which he says should resonate in a nation that has already seen the dark side of capitalism.

Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood was arrested by British police late on Wednesday on suspicion of assault and released on bail after questioning on Thursday.

R&B singer Beyonce led the field of Grammy contenders with 10 nominations on Wednesday, closely followed by teen country sensation Taylor Swift with eight, and both will compete for coveted album of the year.

General Motors Co sees limited sales of electric cars over the next five years and will ramp up output of its much-anticipated Volt plug-in cautiously, the automaker's vice-chairman said on Wednesday.

Japan's Nikkei average climbed nearly 4 percent on Thursday to hit its highest close in five weeks as exporters such as Canon Inc (7751.T) jumped on a weaker yen, while metal shares climbed after gold hit a new record.

Golfer Tiger Woods, engulfed in speculation over his private life after a car accident in the middle of the night, apologized on Wednesday for transgressions in a statement that apparently addressed allegations he had extra-marital relationships.

Bank of America Corp will sell the securities it will use to help repay $45 billion in government bailout funds Thursday evening, based on extraordinary interest, its chief financial officer said.

Nokia aims to tackle increasing competition in the smartphone market by halving its portfolio next year, its smartphone unit executives said.

For the second time since his controversial American Music Awards performance, ABC has canceled an appearance by Adam Lambert, this time on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

Michael Jackson's three children, reality TV mom of eight Kate Gosselin and former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin were picked Wednesday as some of the most fascinating people of 2009 -- according to Barbara Walters.

The Sundance Film Festival on Wednesday listed the 64 films that will compete for awards at the upcoming premiere event for independent films, which for 2010 has a new director and three opening night offerings.

In another sign of its commitment to building content strength, Comcast unveiled an exclusive video-on-demand partnership with country singer Taylor Swift on Wednesday -- a day ahead of a likely announcement of a deal that would give the cable giant a 51 percent stake in NBC Universal.

Sweden's SKF said on Thursday its automotive business had fared better than expected so far in the fourth quarter, but warned the phasing out of incentive schemes in Europe could dent sales going into 2010.

French carmaker PSA Peugeot Citroen could buy a large stake in Japanese peer Mitsubishi Motors Corp as part of a plan to deepen ties to ride out the industry's worst ever slump.

Three teenagers and an adult man pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to breaking into the homes of Hollywood actors such as Orlando Bloom and Lindsey Lohan and stealing millions of dollars worth of jewelry and other items.

Not long ago, General Motors UM.UL as the biggest company in the United States could have attracted a legion of CEO candidates, but the automaker only looked within.

Chilean retailer Hites raised $43 million on Thursday, selling a near 30 percent stake in the company in an initial public offering that the company said would help expand its businesses.

A list of the most-watched TV episodes of the decade reads like an exercise in nostalgia. Only one telecast aired after 2006. With the increasingly fractured TV universe, we probably won't see a list quite like this again. Excluding duplicate titles, here are the Top 10 TV series episodes since 2000:

Belgian drugmaker Movetis priced its initial public offering at 12.25 euros on Thursday -- just below the middle of an indicated range of 11.25-14.25 euros, a further sign of the resurgence of the European IPO market.

Italy will send around 1,000 additional soldiers to Afghanistan as part of U.S. President Barack Obama's planned troop increase, Italian Defense Minister Ignazio La Russa said in an interview published on Thursday.

Outdoor-products retailer Gander Mountain Co's third-quarter profit rose four fold, helped by higher sales at its retail segment, sending its shares up 5 percent.

Price increases put in place a year ago boosted quarterly profit at Del Monte Foods Co and prompted the company to raise its full year earnings view, sending shares up 5 percent Thursday morning.

Iraqi Vice-President Tareq al-Hashemi said on Thursday he had postponed until Sunday a decision on whether to sign or veto an election law required for next year's critical poll, after a court gave him more time.

Airbus sold 52 A320 single-aisle jetliners worth $4 billion in an unexpected bounce in plane demand in November, but the name of the airline betting on a recovery in depressed travel demand was kept under wraps.

It was seen as a symbol of the new emerging India -- a factory that would not only generate thousands of jobs, but manufacture cheap pesticides for millions of farmers.

A suicide bomber killed at least 19 people including three Somali government ministers on Thursday at a graduation ceremony in a Mogadishu hotel, witnesses and officials said.

The commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan reassured top officials on Thursday that Washington was not planning an early exit, part of a charm offensive to sell President Barack Obama's new strategy on three continents.

When General Electric Co sells its control of NBC Universal to Comcast Corp, it will begin an exit from a relationship formed at the dawn of television.