keep for now

California's government could face a budget gap of up to $8 billion in its next fiscal year, substantially more than the $3.1 billion shortfall projected by Governor Jerry Brown's office, The Sacramento Bee said on Thursday, citing a memo from Assembly budget officials.

The California attorney general on Thursday called on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to cut mortgage debt on the loans they own, a suggestion the government entities have long resisted.

Elderly nursing home residents may suffer more complications from major operations than other people their age, a new study finds.

NASA's Mars Science Laboratory, a $2.5 billion rover designed to assess that planet's suitability for life, arrived at its Florida launch pad on Thursday in preparation for a planned November 25 liftoff, the U.S. space agency said.

Professional networking company LinkedIn posted quarterly results that beat estimates and raised its full-year outlook, but margin expectations and plans for a share offer drew scrutiny from investors.

Factbox on the Breeders' Cup meeting, to be run at Churchill Downs on Friday and Saturday.

A manslaughter conviction against Michael Jackson's doctor would boost the late pop star's image and open opportunities for his estate in many markets, including family-oriented products, industry experts said.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are out for revenge against the Baltimore Ravens in their AFC North divisional clash on a Sunday packed with fascinating match-ups in the National Football League.

Artist Geoffrey Raymond, famous for his paintings of troubled Wall Street figures, has found his next muse in MF Global Holdings Ltd's Jon Corzine.

Two previously unreleased songs from Amy Winehouse aired on radio stations this week ahead of her posthumous album, generating mostly positive comments from critics and bittersweet memories for fans.

Twilight actors Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner, made their mark on Hollywood on Thursday, leaving imprints of their hands and feet outside Grauman's Chinese Theater.

Professional networking company LinkedIn posted a third-quarter net loss but raised its full-year outlook after it posted a 126 percent rise in third-quarter revenue.

Groupon Inc is set to raise $700 million in its initial public offering after the largest daily deals company increased the price and size of the deal on strong demand.

More than two years after finding Michael Jackson lifeless in bed, the singer's personal doctor Conrad Murray awaits the verdict of a Los Angeles jury on a charge of involuntary manslaughter against him.

Lady Gaga on Wednesday launched the Born This Way Foundation to support programs dealing with youth empowerment and help people facing bullying and abandonment.

This weekend concert and filmgoers in London can celebrate the upcoming 600th birthday of Joan of Arc, girl soldier and Maid of Orleans who donned male clothing, put on armor, rallied the demoralized French army and defeated the...English.

The TV Western is saddling up for a big comeback, and actor Anson Mount couldn't be happier.

Daniel Craig returns as British secret agent James Bond in Skyfall the 23rd installment in one of the world's longest-running and most successful film franchises.

DirecTV Group (DTV.O) posted a higher quarterly profit on Thursday as it won U.S. video subscribers away from rival cable companies with a giveaway of its exclusive National Football League games package.

The latest business plan for California's proposed bullet-train system puts its cost estimate at nearly $100 billion, more than twice a previous estimate and a stunning amount of money for lawmakers who must decide whether to move forward with the project.

Jerry Seinfeld will be the first guest co-host of the syndicated daytime show LIVE! following the departure this month of Regis Philbin.

Coldplay debuted at the top of the Billboard 200 album chart on Wednesday with Mylo Xyloto, while pop star Rihanna scored her 11th No. 1 single with We Found Love on the Hot 100 chart.

Kim Kardashian's mother on Wednesday denied reports that her daughter made millions from her media-event wedding, and in fact ended up owing money for the lavish event.

A U.S. appeals court on Wednesday threw out a federal agency's decision to fine CBS Corp television stations $550,000 for airing singer Janet Jackson's wardrobe malfunction during the 2004 Super Bowl broadcast.

A judge on Wednesday sentenced Lindsay Lohan to 30 days in jail for violating probation and ordered the troubled actress to perform a strict schedule of community service and psychological counseling.

Money manager AXA Rosenberg and co-founder Barr Rosenberg agreed to pay $65 million to settle a lawsuit by investors who said they lost money after a computer coding glitch impeded the firm's ability to manage risk.

Reality TV star and concert promoter David Gest has promised fans a fresh insight into Michael Jackson in his documentary about the late king of pop which has its premiere in London on Wednesday.

Shares of Thoratec Corp (THOR.O) fell 10 percent in pre-market trade Wednesday, a day after the cardiac device maker cut its full-year sales forecast, citing slower sales growth of its heart pumps in the United States in the second half of 2011.

Workers were evacuated from a unit at the San Onofre nuclear power plant in California on Tuesday after an ammonia leak, but the incident posed no threat to the public, officials said.