IBT Staff Reporter

Chinese censors have blocked the U.S. ambassador's name from searches on a microblogging website after he was spotted at a pro-democracy gathering last weekend.

Famecount, which released data on Eminem taking down Lady Gaga on Twitter, has rated Barack Obama, Starbucks and Family Guy as among the social media 'Allstars'.

Part-nationalized British bank Lloyds swung back into profit last year after a recovery in its core UK retail banking operations absorbed a 4 billion-pound ($6.5 billion) hit on bad debts in Ireland.

U.S. stock index futures pointed to a higher open for Wall Street on Friday, adding to a late rebound in the previous session, with futures for the S&P 500, for the Dow Jones industrial average and for the Nasdaq up 0.5 to 0.7 percent by 5.02 a.m. EST.

The percentages of fourth and eighth graders in big city schools, who have not been able to meet the expected standards in science assessment, are much higher than the national average.

Craigslist (CL) has challenged a study that termed the classifieds site as “a cesspool of crime,”.

Oil jumped by more than $2 to above the $113 per barrel on Friday as another bout of nerves spread in the market on concerns that spreading unrest in Libya could hit fuel supplies.

Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone has said he will not be charging the Bahrain Grand Prix organizers with the annual staging fee, despite the cancellation of the race.

Celebrity social media wars seem to be heating up with rapper Eminem gaining hold as he takes down Lady Gaga on Facebook 'Likes' after hitting billion views mark on YouTube.

The world can weather a spike in oil prices, U.S. President Barack Obama said, as Saudi Arabia offered some respite to fears over Middle East oil supplies by indicating it can cover export cuts resulting from Libya's civil war.

Deutsche Telekom expects stagnating earnings this year as it joined the league of major European telecom operators struggling to defend their dominance on their home turf.

Truck and carmaker Tata Motors has no plans to list its Jaguar Land Rover unit in London, the company said, denying a TV report it had initiated talks with banks.

India's fast moving consumer goods industry is hoping the upcoming budget will bring in concrete measures to tame spiralling inflation and viable tax structure to ensure continued growth.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's embattled government will likely boost spending on social programmes in a populist budget on Monday, even as India is threatened with a potentially ballooning subsidy bill for food and fuel.

An earthquake measuring 3.6 in magnitude struck Hawaii on Thursday. No damage or injuries reported.

The Japanese government and private companies will spend $1.34 billion to curb Japan's dependence on rare-earth imports from China by a third, the Nikkei news report said Friday.

Grammy Award winning musician, songwriter and philanthropist Shakira has been honored by the Harvard Foundation as the 2011 Artist of the Year for her contributions to music and distinguished history of creativity as well as her humanitarian efforts through her Barefoot Foundation.

Cancer concerns over Brazilian Blowout hair straightening and smoothing treatment peaks as FDA investigation and legal action continue across United States, Canada and France.

Samsung Group, South Korea's largest conglomerate, said on Friday it planned to set up a biopharmaceutical joint venture with initial capital of 300 billion won ($264.4 million).

Libyan President Muammar Gaddafi allegedly ordered the 1998 bombing of a Pan Am airliner over Lockerbie, Scotland, the North African country's ex-justice minister is quoted as saying by a Swedish newspaper.

Charlie’s erratic behavior and continuous tirades seem to be the reason.

Oil hovered above $112 a barrel on Friday and Asian stocks broke a four-day losing streak as concerns eased that a recent surge in energy prices would hurt demand for riskier assets and threaten broader economic growth.

Oil rose more than $1 a barrel to over $112 on Friday as unrest in Libya sparked fears of supply shortages, despite assurances by top oil exporter Saudi Arabia that it would step in to fill any shortfall.

Oil stabilized on Friday after a sharp reversal from a 2-1/2 year peak overnight, calming concerns that a surge in prices would hurt economic recovery.

Roughly 30 percent of Apple shareholder votes cast were in favor of a proposal to disclose a succession planning policy for Chief Executive Steve Jobs, according to a tally released by the company.

News Corp has kicked off the process to explore the sale or spin-off of its troubled social entertainment site, Myspace, a person familiar with the talks said on Thursday.

A top Freddie Mac executive received notice the government may file charges against him for allegedly violating securities laws in the years leading up to the housing bust, according to a regulatory filing released on Thursday.

Libyans say they risk arrest or even death for talking to the foreign media because the authorities are desperate to stop information about their violent crackdown reaching the outside world.

Oil eased below $111 on Friday as top world exporter Saudi Arabia sought to assure key importers it would fill any supply shortfall left by beleaguered fellow OPEC member Libya, soothing fears over a disruption in supplies that had carried prices to a 2-1/2-year high a day earlier.