IBT Staff Reporter

(Corrects by adding dropped words him against in paragraph one)

Calpers, the biggest U.S. public pension fund, said on Wednesday it is probing fees paid by outside money managers to win its business, expanding a review of pay-to-play schemes at public retirement systems that has spread across the nation.

Apple Inc's Mac computers have steadily gained market share over the years, a winning streak that may be tested by next week's launch of Microsoft Corp's new Windows 7 operating system.

U.S. Federal Reserve policy-makers last month discussed whether they should increase asset buying if the economic outlook worsened, and some argued that more aggressive purchases would aid the recovery.

Intraday support at 0.9030 held firm in local exchange yesterday with strong Chinese Trade data giving the Aussie another boost towards 91 cents. Offshore investors took the AUD/USD to a high around 0.9150 with optimism on the global recovery, following higher than forecast U.S Retail Sales data, continuing to drive sentiment on commodities and commodity based currencies like the AUD. Underlying support for the currency is expected to continue whilst the Greenback remains weak with today's trade...

The September numbers from market watcher comScore show Facebook Inc.'s users in the U.S. grew by 4 percent to 95.5 million while Twitter Inc.'s numbers flattened out at about 20.8 million.

A picture book about a giraffe on safari in South Africa is set to go digital next month, betting that the next generation will embrace electronic media from the word go.

Toronto Raptors' forward Chris Bosh won control of nearly 800 Internet domain names wrongfully appropriated from professional athletes and celebrities, his lawyer said on Wednesday.

Lazard Ltd Chief Executive Bruce Wasserstein, a legendary dealmaker for more than 30 years, has died, ending an era at one of Wall Street's best-known investment banks.

Michael Jackson's mother, Katherine, on Wednesday denied a magazine report that his three children will appear in a TV reality series, saying the pop star would not have wanted them to be in the public eye.

Fillippa Hamilton, a size 4 model who worked for Ralph Lauren, was fired after the fashion designer suggested she was too fat.

The Dow industrials pierced the 10,000 level on Wednesday for the first time in a year on surprisingly robust company results and better-than-expected retail sales.

The role of Porgy, the crippled beggar in Porgy and Bess, has always been hard to pull off as he changes from grump to lover, but a Cape Town Opera version opening in Britain this month sets him a Herculean challenge:

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin suggested on Wednesday that China, Central Asian nations and Russia should hold a song competition to boost cultural ties.

The People Magazine revealed new photos of Jaycee Duguard Wednesday who was kidnapped outside her home in South Lake Tahoe, Calif., in November 1991.

American actress Megan Fox will strip down to her underwear for Giorgio Armani's Emporio Armani fashion brand, the Italian design house said on Wednesday.

Paul Stanley surveys his home high in the hills overlooking Los Angeles and proudly dubs it the house that bad reviews built.

Apple may be on the verge of launching a new iPhone and iTouch radio application that will allow users to listen to FM radio, according to rumors that have leaked online.

Federal Reserve policy-makers last month discussed whether they should increase asset buying if the economic outlook worsened and some argued that more aggressive purchases would aid the recovery.

Wes Anderson's animation movie Fantastic Mr. Fox, starring George Clooney as the voice of the eponymous hero, got its world premiere on Wednesday on the opening night of the London film festival.

The Backstreet Boys began as a group of wide-eyed teenagers but 16 years later, after battles with drug addiction and the loss of loved ones, believe their seventh album shows they have matured.

Barnes & Noble's rumored e-book reader is closer to becoming a reality after photos leaked online today.

Two former Bear Stearns Cos managers whose hedge funds collapsed early in the financial crisis lied to investors to save their bonuses and reputation, a U.S. prosecutor said in an opening statement at their trial Wednesday on fraud charges.

JPMorgan Chase & Co's robust $3.6 billion quarterly profit could prove a tough act for rivals to follow as its investment bank capitalized on the disappearance of some rivals and the weakness of others.

Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, LP said Wednesday its natural gas storage facilities in the U.S. Southeast were at or near full capacity.

The Dow industrials pierced the 10,000 level on Wednesday for the first time in a year on surprisingly robust company results and better-than-expected retail sales.

The number of so-called problem banks and bank failures will remain high for the next several quarters, and the economic recovery may not be as robust as in past cycles, a top U.S. bank regulator said on Wednesday.

U.S. Federal Reserve policy-makers last month discussed the importance of retaining the flexibility to increase or scale back their asset purchases if the economic outlook changed, the Fed said on Wednesday.

U.S. retail sales excluding those for autos rose for a second month in September, raising cautious optimism consumer spending could support the economy's fledgling recovery from the worst recession since the 1930s.