IBT Staff Reporter

U.S. congress has begun investigating climate scientists whose emails and documents were hacked into to see if their global warming theories have misrepresented the truth behind the cause of climate change. Investigators have begun studying the 1,079 e-mails and over 3,800 documents that were hackers stole last week from the Climate Research Unit (CRU) at East Anglia University in the U.K, Rep. Darrel Issa from California told the Wall Street Journal.

Federal Reserve officials are increasingly confident the U.S. economic recovery is sustainable, even if they do not see employment picking up soon, minutes from their November meeting showed.

U.S. stocks were mostly flat in low volume on Tuesday as the Federal Reserve lifted its growth estimates for 2010, offsetting data that showed the economy grew at a slower-than-expected pace in the third quarter.

Up to 134 million U.S. consumers may shop for holiday gifts this Thanksgiving weekend, although most will check the bargains before venturing out, according to a survey released on Tuesday.

China on Tuesday executed two people for their role in a tainted milk scandal that killed at least six children and further sullied the made-in-China brand.

Galleon Group hedge fund founder Raj Rajaratnam attacked a U.S. regulator's lawsuit on Tuesday, denying insider trading charges and saying government wiretaps violated his constitutional rights.

President Barack Obama said Tuesday he will announce a new U.S. strategy for Afghanistan soon and that his intention will be to have a plan to finish the job there after eight years of war.

Federal Reserve officials are increasingly confident the U.S. economic recovery is sustainable, but they do not see employment picking up soon, according to minutes from their November meeting released on Tuesday.

I feel like a giddy, little girl. Really, it sounds corny, but I can't help it. It is love at first sight. Here I am, on the verge of nirvana on the edge of a mountain, and suddenly, I feel like Heidi.

U.S. food makers H.J. Heinz Co and Hormel Foods Corp said they expect sales to rise in the coming months as they spend more on marketing to win the attention of recession-weary consumers who are dining at home instead of eating out.

The U.S. Federal Reserve this month asked banks that were part of its stress tests to submit plans to repay government money, if they have not already repaid it, a person familiar with the situation said on Tuesday.

The European Commission closed antitrust proceedings against Qualcomm as big technology companies dropped their four-year old complaints against the U.S. mobile chip supplier.

U.S. stocks fell on Tuesday, a day after the Dow hit a 13-month high, after data showed the economy grew in the third quarter, but at a slower rate than expected.

A deal by General Motors Co to sell its Saab brand collapsed on Tuesday when the buyer pulled out in a move that threatens the Swedish luxury brand with closure.

The U.S. economy grew more slowly than first thought in the third quarter, but a fifth month of gains in house prices in September and an improvement in consumer morale signaled the anemic recovery was intact.

Black Friday 2009 deals are everywhere online and now Apple has jumped onto the retailer's haven bandwagon with its TGI Apple Black Friday 2009 specials. The Apple Black Friday 2009 Ad Flyer has been leaked online to BGR and according to the source, online shoppers are in for great deals.

Apple iTunes on Tuesday began featuring downloads of live concerts by about 20 artists who are promoted by Live Nation.

Luxury goods sales will return to growth next year with profitability increasing more than revenues thanks to strong cost containment policies in 2009, according to a Bank of America Merrill Lynch report.

U.S. consumer confidence edged higher in November after an unexpected drop in October, with less consumers expressing doubt about the a worsening jobs market, according to a report released on Tuesday.

The U.S. government insurance fund used to safeguard bank deposits dropped to a balance of negative $8.2 billion in the third quarter, the first time since 1992 that it had a negative balance, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp said on Tuesday.

Vimpelcom, Russia's No.2 mobile phone operator, reported a 107.5 percent rise in third quarter net profit as the rouble firmed versus the same period of 2008 when it suffered a massive foreign exchange loss.

South Africa's fixed-line phone group Telkom's plan to launch a new mobile phone business next year is not expected to boost profit significantly, an analyst said on Tuesday.

The fund used to safeguard U.S. bank deposits dropped to a negative balance of $8.2 billion in the third quarter, the first shortfall since 1992, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp said on Tuesday.

A deal by General Motors Co to sell its Saab brand collapsed on Tuesday when the buyer pulled out in a move that threatens the Swedish luxury brand with closure.

Finnish mobile phone maker Nokia Oyj said on Tuesday it planned to cut 220 research and development jobs in Japan as it focused on launching fewer, but more iconic, phones.

Talison Lithium Ltd, one of the world's leading lithium producers, plans an initial public offering (IPO) on both the Australian Stock Exchange and the Toronto Stock Exchange, the company said late on Monday.

China Investment Corp (CIC), the country's sovereign wealth fund, has agreed to buy $400 million worth of shares from China Longyuan Power Group's $2.2 billion Hong Kong initial public offering, a source close to the deal said on Tuesday.

Bank of Montreal reported a higher-than-expected quarterly profit on Tuesday and said it was buying the Diners Club North America credit card business to double its corporate card portfolio.

Canada's MKS Inc's second-quarter profit rose 19 percent, helped by higher maintenance revenue, and the software and services provider appointed a new chief executive.