IBT Staff Reporter

The task of harvesting the secrets of Brazil's vast Amazon rain forest that could help in the battle against cancer largely falls to Osmar Barbosa Ferreira and a big pair of clippers.

Pakistani forces have captured most main Taliban bases in their offensive in South Waziristan and will soon fan out into the rugged countryside to hunt for militants there, commanders said on Tuesday.

People who have had repeated flu infections -- or repeated flu vaccines -- may have some protection against the new pandemic swine influenza, U.S. researchers said on Monday.

Building a second uranium enrichment site is a political message from Iran that neither sanctions nor possible military attack will ever halt its nuclear program, a senior Iranian official said on Tuesday.

Off-price retailer TJX Cos Inc reported a higher-than-expected profit in the third quarter as cash-strapped consumers continued to flock to its stores for lower-cost apparel and home goods.

Israel declined comment on Tuesday on a report of new U.S. demands it curb settlement round Jerusalem, but it reaffirmed its determination to go on building on occupied West Bank land that it has annexed to the city.

Chinese President Hu Jintao hailed U.S. President Barack Obama's recognition of sovereignty issues dear to China, after a bilateral meeting in Beijing on Tuesday.

Big European banks are unlikely to merge for the coming months until new capital and liquidity rules become clear, the chief executive of Nordea Bank said on Tuesday.

Mauritius Union Assurance Company said on Tuesday shareholders of rival National Mutual Fund (NMF) had given it the green light to buy a controlling stake.

NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on Tuesday he was confident the alliance would substantially increase its forces battling Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan.

Chinese and U.S. regulators are negotiating a pact aimed at encouraging Chinese financial institutions to buy into small and medium-sized banks in the United States, bankers briefed on the plan said on Tuesday.

China and the United States agree Iran must show its nuclear program is peaceful and transparent, President Barack Obama said on Tuesday, but Chinese President Hu Jintao was more guarded on the dispute at a summit in Beijing.

U.S. President Barack Obama will hold a forum on job creation with U.S. business leaders on December 3 and then embark on a cross-country tour to discuss economic recovery, the White House said on Monday.

Britain's power generators face a coal against gas burning dilemma this winter that extends beyond fuel prices, with high coal stocks, limited coal-fired power plant lifespans, and carbon prices blurring decisions.

Home Depot Inc posted a higher than expected quarterly profit on Tuesday but warned that there was still a lot of pressure in the U.S. housing and home improvement markets, sending its shares lower.

The benchmark contract for European Union emissions futures fell two percent on Tuesday, resuming last week's downward path after one day of gains, traders said.

Japanese steel makers now calculate carbon credits they have bought from abroad at 56 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent, a business lobby said on Tuesday, down 3 million tonnes from their previous estimate.

Climate talks host Denmark said on Tuesday it expected Washington to pledge deep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions to help rescue a deal at a December summit even though a full U.N. treaty is out of reach.

After months of stalemate, Australia's government could finally seal an agreement for its sweeping carbon trade scheme by early next week after the opposition said on Tuesday they were confident of a deal.

U.S. stock index futures dipped on Tuesday after Home Depot said its markets were under pressure, while commodity prices eased as the dollar bounced higher a day after major indexes hit 13-month highs.

Energy major Reliance Industries plans an aggressive exploration campaign, investments in petrochemicals and overseas acquisitions as India's top company prepares itself for the next phase of growth.

Dragon Oil Plc said Dubai's state-owned refiner Emirates National Oil Co (ENOC) has confirmed it won't increase its takeover offer from 455 pence per share.

Target Corp reported a higher-than-expected quarterly profit on Tuesday as traffic in its stores improved and shoppers purchased more than just necessities, like food or medicine.

U.S. producer prices rose more slowly than forecast in October and unexpectedly fell excluding food and energy, a government report showed on Tuesday, pointing to tame inflation pressures.

Target Corp reported a higher-than-expected quarterly profit on Tuesday as traffic in its stores improved and shoppers purchased more than just necessities, like food or medicine.

Russian oil industry services firm Eurasia Drilling on Tuesday scrapped plans to place Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs) and pay a one-off interim dividend after bids failed to match the company's expectations.

Russia will sell its first tanker of Siberian oil from a new Pacific port in December as Moscow seeks to conquer Asian markets and warn Europe that competition for energy resources is rising.

U.S. producer prices rose more slowly than expected in October despite a rebound in food and energy costs, according to a government report on Tuesday that pointed to tame inflation pressures.

Bank-to-bank dollar funding costs fell on Tuesday with the benchmark rate hitting yet another record low as central banks signalled they were in no hurry to unwind extraordinary stimulus measures