World's Most Expensive Edible Cupcake Is A $1,010 Golden Culinary Delight

U. S. authorities unsealed an indictment Wednesday charging 18 people with involvement in an illegal gambling ring they say spanned from California to Peru and used violence against customers with outstanding debts. The defendants operated an illegal Internet and telephone sports betting business involving millions of dollars, the U. S. attorney's office in San Diego said in its announcement of the arrests. FBI agents arrested 14 suspects Wednesday in San Diego and Los Angeles.

BY ADAM WILMOTH AND JAY F. MARKS Business WritersSandRidge Energy Inc. directors on Wednesday fired CEO Tom Ward, replacing him with President James Bennett. Lead independent director Jeffrey Serota will serve as interim nonexecutive chairman. “As we begin a new chapter in the company's history, we are focused on keeping our talented team motivated, enhancing our communications, and delivering on expectations by efficiently executing on our assets.

Gold ended higher and grain contracts climbed in Wednesday trading. The August contract rose $7.10 to end at $1,374 per ounce.

Los Angeles' school system, the second largest in the United States, is ordering iPads for all its students, handing Apple a major success in its quest to make the tablet computer a replacement for textbooks. The Los Angeles Board of Education on Tuesday approved the purchase of $30 million worth of iPads as the first part of a multi-year commitment.

Still a little hazy about the health care overhaul? You have plenty of company. About half the people surveyed earlier this spring by the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation felt they didn't have enough information to understand how the law will affect their family.