The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is partnering with Viacom Inc.s television networks, education leaders and celebrities to launch an awareness campaign to reduce the number of dropouts. The foundation, started by Microsoft Corp. co-founder Bill Gates and his wife, has invested more than $2 billion in educational programs since 2000.
“People should understand how the system is falling short today and how it really contradicts our commitment to equal opportunity,” Gates told The Associated Press. “If we dont change it now, it will hurt the future of the country as a whole.”
Only one-third of American high school students graduate with - - - - >

Pasadena, Calif.-based OneWest, a federal savings bank formed by an investor group that includes billionaire George Soros and Dell Inc. founder Michael Dell, agreed last December to purchase the failed California lender for $13.9 billion.
OneWest will assume all deposits of IndyMacs 33 branches, which will reopen as branches of OneWest on Friday, with deposits continuing to be insured by the FDIC.
As of Jan. 31, IndyMac had total assets of $23.5 billion and total deposits of $6.4 billion, about half the companys total at the time of its failure. OneWest has agreed to purchase all deposits and about $20.7 billion in - - - - >