TAIWAN - BNP Paribas Investment Partners will strengthen its asset management presence in Asia with a new joint venture in Taiwan.

US - Staff at the California State Teachers Retirement System want to expand the range of active versus passive management they can use in the global equity portfolio, stating the current policy is too restrictive.

GLOBAL - Dutch pension provider ABP and US pension fund California Public Employees' Retirement System posted 2009 results of 20.2% and 11.8% respectively.

ISRAEL - Israel should cut its existing tax break for pensions and increase the pension age for women in order to promote savings among poorer populations, the OECD said.

UK - The confusing nature of UK pensions is damaging competitiveness and could stymie the recovery from recession, top industry figures warned.

NETHERLANDS - Trustees at Dutch pension funds failed to fully understand the risks being taken in their portfolios, a new report by a government appointed committee found.

UK - Standard Life has been fined £2.45m (US$4.1m) by the Financial Services Authority for serious failures relating to its Pension Sterling Fund.

AUSTRALIA - The median Australian superannuation fund finished the year with a 15.1% return, but has yet to recover from the losses suffered during the global financial crisis.

US - The Fresno County Employees' Retirement Association (FCERA) has eliminated its global fixed income allocation and diverted those assets to emerging markets.

CANADA - Global Pensions invites readers to save the date for the Currency Management Forum Toronto 2010 to discuss how pension funds can make the most of the unique currency environment.