UNITED STATES

Wikipedia's 24-hour blackout against US anti-piracy legislation has not been joined by all major players.

Elpida Memory will seek an equity tie-up with U.S. rival Micron Technology, a newspaper said on Wednesday, as the Japanese firm confronts mounting pressure from approaching debt repayments and a deteriorating memory chip market.

The California Public Employees' Retirement System is selling a portfolio of 28 housing communities to a partnership between San Diego-based developer Newland Real Estate Group LLC and an affiliate of Japan's largest home-building company, Sekisui House Ltd <1928.T>, the Wall Street Journal reported.

A Droid-life report points out that a CDMA/LTE version of the Samsung Galaxy Note currently does not exist, while the HSPA+/LTE model is globally available. AT&T's version of the Galaxy Note is expected in the coming weeks; however the network operator stopped short of announcements regarding the release date.

Walmart has dropped the price of the Nokia Lumia 710 from $49.99 down to free with a contract for two years within a week of its arrival in the U.S. market.

The Madoff trustee suing the owners of the New York Mets may not appeal last summer's ruling tossing out most of his $1 billion claim, a U.S. judge ruled on Tuesday, setting the stage for a March trial unless the two sides reach a settlement.

The Iranian government sounded a note of caution on Tuesday about the success of A Separation which won a Golden Globe for best foreign film, saying gritty realist films favored by critics showed a skewed version of the Islamic Republic.

American Idol returns on Wednesday for an 11th season, facing a new wolf at the door as it tries to retain its place as the No. 1 U.S. TV program -- not so much age, but competition.

Billionaire Ron Burkle -- already a high-profile guy -- is significantly increasing his profile in the entertainment industry. After buying concert promoter Artist Group International and a stake in Relativity Media, Burkle has purchased one of Hollywood's favorite hang-outs, the Soho House.

A government watchdog group is suing the Department of Defense and the Central Intelligence Agency, claiming the agencies are refusing to release details of their alleged meetings and communications with director Kathryn Bigelow and writer Mark Boal.

Porn stars in Los Angeles will be legally required to wear condoms during film shoots after the city council voted on Tuesday to mandate their use, despite a threat by skin flick producers to leave town over the requirement.

Taylor Lautner is helping Facebook make history.

Japanese chipmaker Elpida Memory will seek a capital tie-up with U.S. rival Micron Technology as it struggles with a deteriorating market and stiff competition from South Korean competitors, the Yomiuri newspaper reported on Wednesday.

U.S. authorities on Tuesday unsealed criminal charges accusing a father and son team, both Russian citizens, of hacking into U.S. bank accounts and illegally snatching credit card numbers and stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Taylor Swift says her new album will be about an absolute crash-and-burn heartbreak, prompting speculation in the media that the latest subject of her songwriting skills may be her short-lived 2010 crush on Jake Gyllenhaal.

A biography of the world's most famous royal, Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch, unveils the person beneath the crown.

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, under increasing pressure to release his tax returns now, continued to resist that timetable on Tuesday and said he probably would not make them public until April.

The years-long delay in bringing three former Nortel Networks executives to trial for fraud has reinforced Canada's well-earned reputation as a laggard in markets enforcement, particularly when compared with the United States, its critics say.

North Dakota's Director of Tourism Sara Otte Coleman said she was shocked that people found their latest Legendary ad too racy.

Hyundai said Tuesday that it was proud to rank highest among automotive brands in the J.D. Power and Associates 2012 Consumer Retention Study, attributing the honor to an expanding model lineup and better perceptions of Hyundai's quality and appeal across the board in recent years.

Rick Perry took a big bite out of Bret Baier's bait during Monday's South Carolina debate when he claimed that Turkey was run by what many would perceive to be Islamic terrorists.