IBT Staff Reporter

RIM's PlayBook tablet bombed with influential technology reviewers who called the iPad competitor a rushed job that won't even provide RIM's vaunted email service unless it's hooked up to a BlackBerry.

Stock index futures pointed to a lower open for Wall Street on Friday, with futures for the S&P 500, the Dow Jones and the Nasdaq all down around 0.2 percent by 0819 GMT.

A new study shows that 17 percent of the United States’ imported oil for transportation could be replaced by biofuel made from algae.

BP's Russian partners in TNK-BP said on Friday they expect sensible proposals from the British oil major to resolve the deadlock over BP's deal with Rosneft.

Some of the pharmaceuticals intended to treat minor illnesses of astronauts in space may have shorter shelf-life than they do on Earth, finds a new study.

Speaking to Ryan Seacrest after her 'American Idol' performance Thursday night, R&B singer Rihanna revealed that fans would be real VIPs in her upcoming tour.

IT firm Micro Focus Intl parted company with chief executive Nigel Clifford on Friday, leaving chairman Kevin Loosemore to take control at the British firm which issued a third profit warning in February.

A memo released online by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in its 'Vault' has emerged as proof for the famed landing -- or crash or capture -- of a flying saucer with three dead aliens in Roswell in New Mexico in June 1947.

The original 'American Idol', Kelly Clarkson returned to the stage where it all began for her to perform 'Don’t You Wanna Stay' with country singer Jason Aldean.

A new study validates Wikipedia as a reliable place to get a political education. The more an issue is talked about, the more people are battling over it on Wikipedia, finds the study.

Bank of America Corp is expected to report a 9 percent drop in its first quarter profit, as U.S. consumer lending contracts and the costs for collecting on mortgages continue to rise.

South African President Jacob Zuma on Friday added his voice to criticism of the United States for pursuing loose policies that he said are putting the world economy at risk.

Internet sensation Rebecca Black and her buzz-raising song 'Friday' is set to be featured on the Emmy-winning show, Glee's prom episode, according to media reports.

Gold jumped to another record high on Friday after the dollar fell to its lowest since late 2009 against a basket of major currencies, taking silver to a 31-year high, while inflation pressures in China also helped lift bullion's appeal.

Months after bringing out a raunchy Aviation calendar in a bid to save a sinking Mexican airline, six former flight attendants have now posed for Playboy.

The world's first practical jetpack developed by a New Zealand company Martin Jetpack will be hitting the stores in few months from now.

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF), world’s leading conservation organization, has partnered with the University of Exeter Business School on a unique MBA program called ‘One Planet’. The program will start in September 2011, an official release said on Thursday.

Faced with an uneven world recovery and uncertain outlook, finance leaders were hoping on Friday to flesh out a plan to build a global economy less prone to the booms and busts of recent decades.

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As people in Japan struggle to control the damaged nuclear reactors and various agencies are involved in mitigating the risk involved. The people are living under a constant threat of nuclear radiation. To put all the doubts to rest Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency has released a question and answer session that expalins nuclear radiation threats.

Overall, the situation at the Fukushima Daiichi plant remains very serious but there are early signs of recovery in some functions such as electrical power and instrumentation.

China's annual gross domestic product growth eased ever so slightly in the first quarter of 2011 to 9.7 percent from 9.8 percent in the previous quarter, the National Bureau of Statistics said on Friday.

The United States tried to instill confidence on Thursday that the global recovery was not at risk as finance leaders from around the world gathered to advance a plan aimed at preventing future economic crises.

Federal Reserve officials differed on Thursday over the urgency of withdrawing monetary stimulus on Thursday, with some saying inflation is in check despite oil price rises while others warned of risks if the central bank drags its feet.

Groupon is likely to pick Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley to lead a second-half initial public offering that could value the fast-growing daily deals site at $15 billion to $20 billion, a source familiar with the matter said on Thursday.

Google Inc's stunning 54 percent spending surge spooked investors already worried that its new CEO may take his eye off the bottom line to chase revenue growth, driving shares of the world's leading Internet search engine more than 5 percent lower.

Morgan Stanley Chief Executive Officer James Gorman's total compensation reached $15.2 million in 2010, according to a regulatory filing on Thursday.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc's Sam's Club settled an ethnic harassment lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which alleged several employees of Mexican descent endured slurs.

Ford Motor Co reluctantly agreed on Thursday to greatly expand a recall of its F-150 pickup, the best-selling vehicle in North America, on concerns that some air bags could unexpectedly deploy.