IBT Staff Reporter

Stocks rose at the open on Wednesday on continued hopes of more Federal Reserve stimulus for the struggling economy a day after minutes of the latest central bank meeting were published.

Leap Wireless said it would ask shareholders to approve a new tax benefit preservation plan aimed at limiting future tax obligations.

ABC network has drawn criticism in many unfamiliar forms this week for its decision to cast transgender Chaz Bono, real name Chastity Sun Bono, the only child of famed entertainers Sonny and Cher, on its upcoming season of Dancing with the Stars. Although, one organization commended the network.

Many of the world's biggest companies are failing to devise solid succession plans for the brand-heroes seen as the engines behind their businesses, investors say.

15 Muslims were arrested in Rye, New York after Playland Park officials refused to allow women to wear traditional religious headscarf on certain rides.

The U.S. government sued to block AT&T's $39 billion deal to buy T-Mobile USA because of anti-competition concerns, launching the biggest challenge to a takeover by the Obama administration.

The European Central Bank may have abandoned any hope it still harbored of being able to hike interest rates, but it may take more than a mild dose of recession for it to do a complete U-turn and start cutting rates again.

Stocks rose on Wednesday as another round of soft economic data supported the growing belief the Federal Reserve will take new steps to stimulate growth.

The pace of U.S. private sector job growth slowed in August for the second month in a row with employers adding 91,000 positions, a report by a payrolls processor showed on Wednesday.

Six astronauts may need to temporarily abandon and delay the launch of the International Space Station should last week's launch in Russia prevent the crew from flying there this fall.

Sony Corp took the wraps off a new tablet that functions as a universal remote, and another one that folds like a clamshell, hoping to distinguish its devices from scores of others already on the market.

The Economist has just released its annual report of the world's most liveable cities. Is your city on the list?

The government has decided to block the AT&T-T-Mobile merger, citing antitrust issues.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Re-enters positive territory, although the Department of Justice's suit against AT&T could derail those gains.

Roche expects a new generation of drugs targeted at specific groups of patients to make up half its portfolio in 10 years, a shift that is pushing the boundaries of modern medicine.

The hedge fund's chief economist will speak at FINforums Conference on three game-changing events that could unwind the European economy.

Certainly one of the most unforgettable aspects of the MTV Video Music Awards was Lady Gaga--er, Jo Calderone. We've seen her--um, him, in Gaga's You and I video that was released early in August, but where exactly this Mr. Calderone come from? In a press conference after the VMA show, Jo Calderone himself explained his background. He is amechanic from New Jersey with roots from Perlemo, Sicily. He is not a guido, not a singer, a model, or an actor. I'm just, ah, a guy. I......

Black-clad special forces raided BP's Moscow offices on Wednesday, deepening the British company's problems in Russia after its attempts to salvage an oil exploration agreement in the Russian Arctic collapsed.

It is the transfer deadline day and Arsenal's season hangs on the hinges, with many players being linked to the club to strengthen a depleted side.

Headphone maker Skullcandy Inc said it has bought Kungsbacka 57 AB for $18.6 million, giving it rights to directly sell products in most of Europe.

A high-level Republican aide on the Senate Finance Committee was named on Tuesday to the top staff position on the new congressional panel charged with finding at least $1.2 trillion in government savings over the next decade.

The Obama administration is considering unveiling new plans next week to revive the ailing housing market and reduce foreclosures, including an effort to help troubled borrowers refinance their mortgages.

Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald, a key Republican leader in the state's battle earlier this year over the union rights of public workers, plans to run for the Senate being vacated in 2012 by retiring Democrat Herb Kohl, his office said on Tuesday.

Stocks rose more than 1 percent on Wednesday, extending the previous day's run on hopes the Federal Reserve would act again to boost the economy after a new batch of mostly soft economic data.

- Google Inc's blockbuster acquisition of Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc will bring an unusual stable of tax and accounting benefits to the search-engine giant, already one of Corporate America's most savvy users of such perks.

Gaga is known for being a vocal lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender advocate-perhaps the most active in the pop world. Could her gender bending role be interpreted as a message or statement about sexuality?

One of Europe's hottest phones, the Samsung Galaxy S2, will be released in Mid-Sept to U.S. consumers.

And while customers prepare for the release of Galaxy S2 in the U.S., reports coming from IFA Germany revealed that Samsung is planning to unveil the Galaxy S II LTE and Galaxy Tab 8.9 LTE version this week.

The Financial Times has pulled its iPad and iPhone apps from Apple's App Store after losing a battle to keep control of customer data obtained through subscriptions.