IBT Staff Reporter

Most of the lyrics by the hard rock/glam metal band Steel Panther are too vulgar for radio. And Michael Starr, the parody act's frontman, says MTV handed Steel Panther the longest edit sheet in the network's history in response to the group's first attempt at a music video.

Toys R Us is facing a U.S. antitrust probe over whether the toy retailer used its market clout to stifle discounting by retail competitors and force consumers to pay higher prices for baby products, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday.

Film director Roman Polanski, arrested in Switzerland three weeks ago to face extradition in a U.S. sex case, has been moved from jail for medical treatment, his French lawyer said on Saturday.

Some 3,000 people lined the streets on Saturday for the funeral of Boyzone singer Stephen Gately, who died on the island of Majorca a week ago.

Commercial finance company CIT Group Inc and a group representing its bondholders have agreed on changes to the company's proposed restructuring plan as it looks shore up its finances.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised a lengthy diplomatic battle to delegitimise United Nations charges that Israel committed war crimes in the Gaza Strip, an official said on Saturday.

Several thousand red shirt protesters rallied in Bangkok amid tight security on Saturday to demand the Thai government submits its petition seeking a royal pardon for fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

Pakistani forces launched a ground offensive against Taliban militants in South Waziristan on the Afghan border on Saturday, with soldiers advancing from three directions, officials said.

The United States said on Friday it would allow a senior North Korean official to visit this month, a move analysts said could be a first step toward talks between the two on ending Pyongyang's nuclear programs.

U.S. President Barack Obama lashed out on Saturday against the deceptive and dishonest efforts of health insurance companies, who he said are trying to kill healthcare reform, no matter the cost to the country.

Several international political figures have phoned President Hamid Karzai, his office said on Saturday, in what appeared to be an intense diplomatic offensive to end a row over Afghanistan's disputed presidential election.

The U.S. budget deficit hit a record $1.4 trillion in the just-ended fiscal year, the government said on Friday, as the deep recession and a series of bank rescues cut a gaping hole in public finances. The tally was $162 billion smaller than the White House had forecast in August, but it still amounted to 10 percent of total U.S. economic output, the most for any budget shortfall since World War Two.

China will be able to sustain the momentum of its current V-shaped recovery, setting the stage for stronger growth next year than in 2009, Yao Jingyuan, chief economist of the National Bureau of Statistics, said on Saturday.

The U.S. airline industry, finally poised for rebound after a near financial meltdown in 2008, may owe its survival to the creative minds who brought you fees, fees and more fees.

Microsoft is ratcheting up for the launch of its latest and greatest operating system next week, riding the heels of Apple's earnings report, but the Mac maker shouldn't fear the new salvo from its long-time arch-rival.

When we give a presentation to a future client not only do our appearance, visual aids, and body language relay a message, but the words we use create pictures in their minds.

In business situations, when you are trying to reach the person who has the authority to make decisions regarding your product you are very likely to have to go through one or more people before reaching that person.

Too many salespeople, when faced with clients who range from dissatisfied to down right angry, choose the loser's path by postponing handling the situation. This results in one of two things happening.

Two Bank of America directors have been asked to testify before Congress on the bank's acquisition of Merrill Lynch and ensuing fallout, a source familiar with the matter said on Friday.

In the old traditional cold calling mindset, you expect a lot of rejection, and unfortunately you usually get it. You probably make hundreds of calls, and out of those you make a few sales. You've come to accept that rejection as a normal part of cold calling.

Before you make a cold call, do you gear up first? Do you get excited about your product or service, and try to anticipate making the sale?

Ari, whenever someone brings up an objection, I find myself moving into a sales pitch, even when I don't want to, Sherri told me during a recent phone call. I'm not even sure why I do it. I just want to explain how their objection doesn't really apply, but before I know it, I'm 'selling' again. I know this creates sales pressure, and I know it can push people away -- but I don't know how else t...

If you've been selling for a while, you've probably had at least one experience in which your prospect suddenly started giving you the silent treatment.

President Barack Obama delivered a speech on Friday at Texas A&M University to promote public service.

Billionaire hedge fund founder Raj Rajaratnam and executives from some of the most prestigious U.S. companies were charged on Friday with the largest hedge fund insider-trading scheme ever.

Microsoft Corp's first store looks ready to open in an upscale Phoenix valley city in the next few days, as the software maker takes its first step in trying to match rival Apple Inc's successful venture into retail.

Billionaire investor Raj Rajaratnam, founder of Galleon Group was arrested on Friday in an alleged $20 million insider trading scheme that US prosecutors called the biggest ever involving hedge funds.

Billionaire hedge fund founder Raj Rajaratnam and executives from some of the most prestigious U.S. companies were charged on Friday with the largest hedge fund insider-trading scheme ever.

The European Union's statistical office released data Friday, showing that the Euro zone seasonally adjusted exports in August fell by 5.8% and imports by 1.3% compared with July 2009.