CALIFORNIA

The stage is set for another wave of mergers and acquisitions in the U.S. technology sector as the big players, who are flush with cash and looking to expand their horizon, are acquiring aggressively in quest for new products and technology.

Standpoint Research has initiated coverage on Cisco Systems with a 'buy' rating and a price target of $24 and analyst Ronnie Moas said the market has overreacted to the company's weak outlook.

The top pre-market NASDAQ stock market gainers are: Bucyrus International, Isilon Systems, Mediacom Communications, Telestone Technologies, Heartware International, GTSI, Amtech Systems, EDAP TMS, LJ International, and Joy Global.

At the recent custody case of Mel Gibson and Oksana Grigorieva the Los Angeles court judge ordered Mel to pay child support for his daughter.

Home foreclosures in the U.S. in October fell by 9 percent primarily because some major banks temporarily froze foreclosure proceedings and delayed sales of foreclosed properties nationwide after being criticized for shoddy paperwork, according to real estate data company RealtyTrac.

FBR Capital Markets raised its profit estimate and price target of Nvidia (NVDA), a day after the graphics chip maker reported third quarter earnings that topped Wall Street estimates.

The California Energy Commission has awarded more than $9.6 million in state funding to make components and biofuels required for manufacturing electric vehicles.

Italian shoe designer Salvatore Ferragamo presented its Spring 2011 Collection at the 9th Annual Celebration of Dreams held under the aegis of Dream Foundation in California last Saturday.

The SAP-Oracle trial has taken some interesting twists and the end result could be damaging to both companies.

Sixty-four percent of Americans support death penalty for those convicted of murder while one of two Americans feels death penalty is not imposed often enough, Gallup's annual Crime Survey has revealed.

Drug legalization could reduce government costs and raise tax revenues, but opponents worry over health and social ills

24/7 Customer is launching a new genre of career options with its 'intelligent interactive chat services' that will open up new career opportunities within the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry.

Huffington launched the news site more as a commentary outlet and an alternative to other conservative news sites by inviting Arthur Schlesinger Jr. to blog, who would fax his blogs. That's not blogging, Arthur used to criticise her. Now with the takeover by AoL, Arianna will become a boss of the entire editorial content of AoL channels.

The federal government has committed at least $8-billion (and counting) for the development of a nationwide high-speed intercity passenger railway system in almost three-dozen states. Rail advocates have long dreamed of an extensive railway grid that will provide clean, speedy, energy-efficient travel.

Gene sequencing industry is getting hotter each day as many start-ups are going public and also many smaller firms are getting acquired by larger players.

Scientists have discovered, journal Nature reported, fossils of an ancient monster whale that preyed on other whales. The beast has been named Leviathan Melvillei after the author of Moby Dick.