IBT Staff Reporter

Johnson & Johnson on Friday agreed to pay $70 million to settle U.S. charges that it paid bribes and kickbacks to win business overseas, the first big drug company to settle since the Obama administration began its scrutiny of the industry more than a year ago.

The Justice Department is likely to announce on Friday that Google can buy airline ticketing software company ITA Software as long as ITA's products remain available to Google's rivals, a source close to the deal said Friday.

The Justice Department approved Google Inc's purchase of ticketing software company ITA Software as long as ITA's products remain available to Google's rivals, among other conditions.

The hacker collective Anonymous seems to have changed tacks on its effort to pay back Sony, emphasizing that its members are on the side of consumers and gamers.

Lack of customer interest to blame, said a Verizon spokeswoman.

The Justice Department approved Google Inc's purchase of ticketing software company ITA Software as long as ITA's products remain available to Google's rivals, among other conditions.

General Motors Co is recalling about 2,100 Chevrolet Cruze small cars to inspect for an improperly fastened steering wheel after discovering one vehicle with the defect.

They're sleek, sexy and fun. They're also revolutionizing the way financial advisers do business.

Congress is putting the pieces in place to avoid a shutdown by midnight on Friday, temporarily easing the pressure but could find itself in the same crisis a week from now as lawmakers still remain apart on a longer six month budget extension.

Steve Wozniak would consider returning to an active role at Apple, the company he co-founded, and believes the consumer electronics giant could afford to be more open than it is, he told Reuters.

Tina Fey recently announced she and her husband Jeff Richmond are expecting their second child.

U.S. securities regulators are in the early stages of reviewing rules governing share issuances by private companies, Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Mary Schapiro said on Friday.

The Justice Department will likely announce a deal on Friday with Google that would allow it to buy an airline ticketing software company while requiring that ITA Software's products remain available to Google's rivals, a source close to the deal said Friday.

U.S. wholesale inventories rose in February, but sales unexpectedly fell to post their largest decline in nearly two years, a government report showed on Friday.

Elsa Peretti Creates New Shapes for Her Renowned Bottle Pendants Tiffany & Co. welcomes summer with Elsa Peretti’s Bottle pendants,the celebrated designer’s first jewelry design and one of her most recognized creations. Handcrafted in new shapes, with precious metals and gemstones, these distinctive pendants capture the warm-weather season with a fresh, natural style.

In the Professional Footballers' Association Player and Young Player of the year awards, both Gareth Bale and Samir Nasri have been nominated and are favorites to win.

U.S. securities regulators are in the early stages of reviewing rules governing share issuances by private companies, Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Mary Schapiro said on Friday.

Brent crude jumped nearly 3 percent to a 32-month high above $126 on Friday and U.S. oil scaled $112 a barrel as commodities climbed on a weaker dollar and after attacks on Libyan oil fields made long-term supply cuts more likely.

The U.S. Department of Justice and Google have proposed an agreement to allow the Internet's biggest search engine to buy ITA Software, the travel data company, for $700 million.

Cross two more names off the list of 3M Co insiders who could succeed George Buckley as chief executive if he steps down when he turns 65 next year.

With a midnight deadline approaching, the White House and Congress scrambled on Friday to break a budget impasse that threatens to shut down the government and idle thousands of federal workers.

Jefferies Group Inc said on Friday it raised $490 million in stock and will issue additional debt, which analysts expect the company to use to finance the acquisition of Prudential's commodities and derivatives trading business.

Higher commodity prices drove a bid for materials and energy stocks in an otherwise lackluster session on Friday, ahead of the start of the corporate earnings season, seen as the next catalyst to drive stocks higher.

Hitting $1472.50 for US investors today, the Gold Price also rose sharply against the British Pound - hitting its best level since New Year at £900 per ounce - but was in flat against most other major currencies. Silver Prices, in contrast, rose to new multi-decade highs across the board.

Silver is a very different market to gold. Most crucially, there's no commonly accepted benchmark value - such as a suit of men's clothes for an ounce of gold - against which to measure silver across time.

Americans still expect inflation to remain stable, making it unlikely that recent spikes in commodity costs will lead to runaway increases in prices, a top Federal Reserve official said on Friday.

Leaders of the House and Senate were at odds on Friday over the reasons for not reaching agreement about funding the federal government for the next six months to avert a federal shutdown by midnight as spending cuts and federal funding for the women's health organization emerged as key sticking points.

Brent crude jumped to a 32-month high above $125 on Friday as commodities climbed in unison on a weaker dollar after attacks on Libyan oil fields made long-term supply cuts more likely.

MTV is milking the popularity of its hit reality television show Jersey Shore. The network has green lighted two spinoffs, which will begin production later in the year.