IBT Staff Reporter

A beating by Los Angeles police of motorist Rodney King caught on video twenty years ago triggered a national debate on racism and police brutality, and prompted an investigation that laid the groundwork for closer civilian supervision of the Los Angeles Police Department.

As gasoline prices soared in February, Americans bought big pick-up trucks.

Oil prices retreated from near 2-1/2 year highs on Thursday as traders took profits after Venezuela pitched a plan to resolve the Libyan crisis, despite deep skepticism about whether it would work.

Analysts are impressed with the iPad 2; saying it puts Apple's tablet competitors in a bad spot.

The former NBA superstar Scottie Pippen and his ‘Real Housewives of Miami’ cast member wife Larsa have listed their Fort Lauderdale, Florida mansion for $16 million.

Bill Gross, co-chief investment officer of PIMCO, the world's biggest bond fund manager, on Thursday urged lawmakers to cut the massive federal deficit but not so swiftly as to choke off the nascent economic recovery.

Core earnings from producing and trading metals and agricultural products more than doubled last year at Glencore , the annual report of the world's largest commodities trader showed.

A spike in commodity costs is making consumers expect higher prices in the short-run, and Federal Reserve officials must make sure longer-run expectations remain under control, a top central bank official said on Thursday.

Following are comments by European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet at a news conference held after the bank's Governing Council kept interest rates at a record low of 1 percent on Thursday.

A thin but energetic Steve Jobs made a surprise return to the spotlight on Wednesday, taking the stage to unveil Apple Inc's new iPad and drawing a standing ovation.

Read John Galliano's apology

Almost a week after Christian Dior head designer, John Galliano, shocked the fashion world when a video of him going on an anti-Semitic rant surfaced, he is speaking out.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has been charged by the FA for improper conduct for his comments about referee Martin Atkinson after his side's 2-1 loss to Chelsea on Tueday.

New claims for unemployment benefits unexpectedly fell last week to touch their lowest level in more than 2-1/2 years, a government report showed on Thursday, slipping further below a key level associated with an acceleration in job creation.

Emotion and the App Store are keys to iPad 2's likely success.

A Northwestern University human sexuality professor has defended an optional live-sex presentation he held on the campus grounds after class. But, has he gone too far?

South Africa's rand retreated against the dollar on Thursday after jumping nearly two percent the previous day, while market anticipation of increased supply weighed on government bonds.

When crude prices fall, oil companies tend to pass on the reductions -- albeit grudgingly -- to motorists. In most of Africa, the same cannot be said of interest rates.

A Tanzania business group has opposed a new U.S. law labeling all gold produced in countries neighbouring the conflict-hit Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as conflict mineral.

Three people were killed and 21 injured by an explosive device thrown from a car at an election rally near Nigeria's capital Abuja on Thursday, the latest act of political violence ahead of nationwide polls next month.

Stocks rallied on Thursday as oil prices slipped and better-than-expected economic data raised expectations of a strong employment report on Friday.

Muammar Gaddafi struck at rebel control of a key Libyan coastal road for a second day on Thursday but received a warning he would be held to account at The Hague for suspected crimes by his security forces.

Investigations into use of the dangerous but legal drug has led to the expulsion of eight midshipmen from the Academy; the number could well go up.

Ireland's prime minister in-waiting Enda Kenny will again press for a cut in the cost of an EU rescue package when he meets with German Chancellor Angela Merkel this week.

Several top retailers posted bigger-than-expected sales gains for February, a show of strength that could dissipate in March as a late Easter and rising gasoline prices take their toll.

New claims for unemployment benefits fell last week to touch their lowest level in more than 2-1/2 years, a sign of acceleration in job creation.

The decline of the mobile PC, or laptop, is going to happen at a much faster rate according to recent research from Gartner.

A class action suit filed against AT&T's wireless division for phantom data charges will have to wait for a decision from the Supreme Court to proceed.

Several top retailers posted bigger-than-expected sales gains for February, with some benefiting from rising gasoline prices that threaten to curb shoppers' spending in the coming months.