IBT Staff Reporter

CNN host Lou Dobbs, whose outspoken views on U.S. immigration have made him one of the most controversial figures on television, said on Wednesday he is leaving the 24-hour cable news network immediately because he wants a freer platform to state his opinion.

Woody Harrelson rarely fails to surprise.

Oscar organizers on Wednesday said a record 20 animated films have been submitted for Academy Awards, from studio hits like Up and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs to independently made Mary and Max.

Good news for fans of Michael Jackson, the Beatles and other veteran artists.

Bangladeshis seeking to learn English and better their job prospects abroad need not look further than their mobile phone, which will feature brief lessons conducted by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Oil dipped below $79 a barrel on Thursday as an expected hike in U.S. crude stocks and a rise in the dollar from 15-month lows outweighed an IEA report that said global oil demand will return to growth this quarter.

U.S. stock index futures briefly pared losses on Thursday after weekly jobless data showed the number of U.S. workers filing new benefit claims fell for the second week in a row.

Rising unemployment is the biggest threat to free trade and could spark greater protectionist policies around the globe, the head of the World Trade Organisation said on Thursday.

U.S. home foreclosure filings slowed in October for a third straight month, but rising unemployment will spur another record year of failing mortgages in 2010, real estate data company RealtyTrac said on Thursday.

The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for jobless insurance fell for the second week in a row and the four-week moving average of claims was the lowest in nearly a year, government data showed on Thursday, pointing to improvements in the labor market.

Twitter 1, Elections Canada 0.In this era of smartphones and the Internet, the federal elections agency is struggling to enforce a rule that bans the general broadcasting of voting results until all the polls have closed.

Department store operator Kohl's Corp reported a larger-than-expected quarterly profit on Thursday, but gave an outlook below Wall Street estimates for the period that includes the key holiday season.

Refinancing drove total U.S. mortgage applications higher last week as fixed borrowing costs fell further below 5 percent, but home purchase demand sank to a nine-year low, an industry group said on Thursday.

Hewlett-Packard Co is making a move into the network equipment market by striking a $3.1 billion deal for 3Com Corp, in a major challenge to Cisco Systems Inc.

News, details on corporate bond issues in the European markets on Thursday:

U.S. stock index futures fell on Thursday as an earnings forecast from retail giant Wal-Mart Stores Inc sowed doubt about consumer spending for the rest of 2009, threatening to end a six-session rally for the Dow.

Policymakers should consider ways of shifting from a dollar-centric global monetary system to one with a wider range of reserve assets and some form of insurance that would reduce reserve accumulation, IMF economists say.

Canada's LAB Research Inc (LRI.TO) posted a wider quarterly loss, hurt by lower revenue at its Danish operations and higher administrative expenses.

The dollar edged lower on Thursday, struggling with growing calls for Asian currencies to trade more freely -- effectively appreciate -- but supported by profit-taking on recent gains in other currencies like the euro.

Cemig (CMIG4.SA)(CIG.N), the Brazilian power utility controlled by Minas Gerais state, may spend up to 3 billion reais ($1.7 billion) to buy control of rivals Coelce and Ampla, O Estado de S. Paulo newspaper reported on Thursday, citing people with knowledge of the situation.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc reported a higher quarterly profit as the world's biggest retailer clamped down on inventory and controlled expenses, but forecast earnings for the current period that could miss current Wall Street estimates.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc reported a higher quarterly profit as the world's biggest retailer clamped down on inventory and controlled expenses, but forecast earnings for the current period that could miss current Wall Street estimates.

Department store operator Kohl's Corp reported a larger-than-expected quarterly profit on Thursday, helped by inventory controls and sales of brands it offers exclusively.

The boards of British Airways and Spain's Iberia are holding separate board meetings to consider a merger to create the world's third largest airline by revenue, they said on Thursday.

Gold Hits New High; Shift to Market Currencies; New Deficit Fighting Tactic

Asia-Pacific finance ministers were set to call for flexible exchange rates among measures to try to reduce global economic imbalances that were at the heart of the financial crisis.

Stock index futures fell on Thursday as investors awaited earnings from retail giant Wal-Mart after the Dow and the Standard & Poor's 500 index closed at 13-month highs in the previous session.

Gold rose above $1,120 an ounce to a fresh record high on Thursday, the U.S. dollar hovered near 15-month lows while shares weakened, particularly in emerging markets. Gold prices pushed to the record high in part because of dollar weakness.

Portraying Leonardo da Vinci or World War II in a video game is challenging game developers to mix fun with facts while academics hope this growing genre will get players more interested in history.