IBT Staff Reporter

The annual Black History Month for the year 2011 has kicked started in the United States as well as Canada. The month is dedicated to learning and celebrating facts about African diaspora and the history.

Google has accused Bing - the search engine from Microsoft - of cheating.

China will likely raise interest rates again within the month, the New York Times reported on Wednesday, citing a forecast of economists and bankers with knowledge of the thinking of Chinese policymakers.

The U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has began testing privacy-enhancing software that eliminates passenger-specific images and replaces them with the generic image of a person.

Researchers at Harvard call for more career-driven alternatives and proper counseling for high school students.

Nomura Holdings <8604.T>, Japan's top brokerage, reported its biggest profit in three quarters after gains in Tokyo stocks gave a boost to revenues, but higher costs to expand overseas limited earnings growth.

Japan is unlikely to escape from deflation at least through the fiscal year ending in March 2013, prompting the Bank of Japan to stick to its ultra-loose policy, Kazumasa Iwata, former deputy governor of the central bank, said on Wednesday.

Japan is unlikely to escape from deflation at least through the fiscal year ending in March 2013, prompting the Bank of Japan to stick to its ultra-loose policy, Kazumasa Iwata, former deputy governor of the central bank, said on Wednesday.

Swiss drugmaker Roche struck a cautious note on 2011, as the sector grapples with U.S. healthcare reforms and a push in Europe for lower drug prices, after growth of its top-seller Avastin slowed sharply in 2010.

Bing has responded to the allegations of copying from Google by dubbing the whole ordeal a back-handed compliment.

Sixty-nine per cent of investors say Facebook is overvalued after Goldman Sachs invested $450 million in a deal that valued the company at $50 billion, according to the quarterly poll of 1,000 Bloomberg customers who are investors, traders or analysts.

BP said U.S. regulators were considering filing charges against it related to alleged manipulation of the gas market.

Swiss drugmaker Roche joined peers in striking a cautious note on 2011 as the sector grapples with U.S. healthcare reforms and a push in Europe for lower drug prices.

It has been banned in most South Asian countries.

Panasonic Corp posted a larger-than-expected 5.6 percent fall in quarterly profit on Wednesday as tough price competition in TVs and a stronger yen offset help from Japan's incentive scheme.

Vodafone named outgoing Philips Chief Executive Gerard Kleisterlee as its new chairman, bringing emerging markets know-how and an ability to simplify a group to the world's largest mobile operator.

World stocks punched fresh 29-month highs on Wednesday, lifted by strong data pointing to sustained global economic recovery, continuing positive corporate earnings and easing concerns about Egypt.

Japan's economy will emerge from a lull toward spring and is certain to pull out of deflation over time, a Bank of Japan policymaker said, offering an upbeat take on the outlook on budding signs of a recovery.

A romantic caper and a remake, the movie has enough talent to see it through

China will wrap up large-scale testing of fourth generation mobile communication network, TD-LTE and will put its mobile services to commercial application as an attempt to create a competitive edge for homegrown telecom equipment producers.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) backs California student's right to freedom of speech after Mesa Verde High suspended him for calling teacher fat on Facebook.

Panasonic Corp reported a worse-than-expected 5.6 percent fall in October-December profit despite help from a Japanese government incentive scheme and its buyout of subsidiary Sanyo Electric.

The President will now visit the University on Thursday afternoon to focus on clean energy and innovation

British carpet and floor covering retailer Carpetright Plc said it expects full-year profits to be below last year and below market expectations, citing lower third quarter sales due to adverse weather conditions and fragile consumer confidence.

Moody's Investors Service said it will hold a briefing on its sovereign ratings including its rating for Japan in Tokyo on February 9, while giving no indication if it would take any action.

Britain's Imperial Tobacco Group Plc said it made a good start to the year with underlying tobacco net revenue up 5 percent and increased cigarette and fine cut tobacco volumes.

World stocks hit fresh 29-month highs on Wednesday, lifted by strong data pointing to sustained economic recovery and continuing positive company earnings.

Nomura Holdings, Japan's biggest brokerage, reported a 31 percent rise in third quarter net profit on Wednesday after gains in Tokyo stocks boosted fees.

Cable network advertising growth and threats from online video services Netflix and Hulu will dominate investor attention when News Corp and Time Warner begin the earnings season for big media on Wednesday.