IBT Staff Reporter

Pakistani helicopter gunships stepped up attacks on Taliban positions in the South Waziristan region on Wednesday, a day after militants confirmed that their leader was dead and announced his successor.

Stock index futures were mostly lower on Wednesday ahead of durable goods and new home sales data and one day after upbeat consumer and housing indicators helped lift shares to 2009 highs.

Former President Mohammad Khatami said on Wednesday trial confessions by moderates accused of fomenting post-election unrest were made under extraordinary conditions and were invalid, an Iranian news agency reported.

U.S. mortgage applications rose for a second straight week, with demand for home refinancing loans rising to its highest level since early June, data from an industry group showed on Wednesday.

IBM (IBM.N) has been awarded a five-year application services contract by oil and gas firm BP (BP.L), the U.S. technology major said in a statement on Wednesday.

U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy, a towering figure in the Democratic Party who took the helm of one of America's most fabled political families after two older brothers were assassinated, died at age 77, his family said.

The Canadian dollar fell to its lowest level of the week versus the U.S. greenback on Wednesday as a warning by a Bank of Canada official about the currency's strength continued to weigh. Meanwhile, stronger-than-expected U.S. durables data boosted the greenback and added pressure on the already-softer Canadian unit.

Wall Street was set to open little changed on Wednesday after data for new orders of long-lasting U.S. manufactured goods recorded their biggest gain in two years in July, but rose less than forecast, excluding transportation.

The lives of Kennedy family members, noted for their extraordinary accomplishments, have also been marked by tragedy, including the assassinations of President John Kennedy and of Senator Robert Kennedy.

An Australian jeans retailer has installed cameras in its dressing rooms to help women answer for themselves that perennial fashion question -- does my bum look big in this?

Senator Edward Kennedy's death comes as a political struggle appears to be chipping away at the Democratic power-broker's vision for what he called the cause of my life, providing affordable healthcare coverage to all Americans.

Futures for the Dow Jones industrial average, the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq 100 rise 0.1 to 0.4 percent, pointing to a firmer start on Wall Street on Wednesday.

Senator Edward Kennedy's death marks the twilight of one of America's most fabled political families, with no heirs to the Kennedy name poised to emerge with the same mix of gravitas, ambition and celebrity.

The German government might drop its opposition to Belgian-based financial investor RHJ International (RHJI.BR) as a buyer for General Motors' GM.UL European unit Opel, Bild newspaper reported on Thursday.

New orders for long-lasting U.S. manufactured goods recorded their biggest gain in two years in July, buoyed by a surge in aircraft orders, a government report showed on Wednesday.

New orders for long-lasting U.S. manufactured goods rose more than expected in July, posting their biggest gain in two years, according to a government report on Wednesday that offered more evidence a modest economic recovery was probably starting to take shape.

U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy, one of the longest-serving senators in U.S. history and a towering figure in the Democratic Party, died at age 77.

President Barack Obama said on Wednesday he was heartbroken by the death of Senator Edward Kennedy, a longtime pillar of the Democratic Party who was a crucial supporter of his presidential candidacy.

U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy, a towering figure in the Democratic Party who took the helm of one of America's most fabled political families after two older brothers were assassinated, died at age 77, his family said.

Nokia Oyj will try again to tackle Apple Inc's iPhone in the top-end of the handset market with a bet on Linux software, several industry sources told Reuters.

Stock index futures fell on Wednesday as oil futures turned lower and ahead of durable goods and new home sales data.

G20 countries should ensure they have plans to withdraw the huge stimuli put into their economies but are clear the fiscal and monetary boosts remain in place for now, a UK government source told Reuters on Wednesday.

Futures for the Dow Jones industrial average, the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq 100 rise 0.1-0.4 percent, pointing to a firmer start on Wall Street on Wednesday.

G20 countries should ensure they have plans to withdraw the huge stimuli put into their economies but are clear they must remain in place for now, a UK government source told Reuters on Wednesday.

World stocks steadied just off this week's 10-month high on Wednesday while a closely-watched German survey, showing a bigger-than-expected improvement in business morale, gave the euro a brief shot in the arm.

Japan's exports slipped in July as annual drops in exports to the United States and China accelerated, in a sign that the impact of stimulus measures in major economies worldwide may be starting to wane.

Toyota Motor Corp , the world's largest automaker, said it would halt a production line in Japan as it looks to cut excess capacity to return to profitability amid an industrywide sales slump.

Asian stocks edged higher on Wednesday, with thin summer trading volumes keeping prices choppy and centered on short-term chart targets, while oil hovered near $72 a barrel, capped by a surprising rise in U.S. inventories.

Toyota Motor Corp will cut its global production capacity to match lower sales, a company source with direct knowledge of the matter said on Wednesday, with potential annual cuts of at least 700,000 vehicles identified.