IBT Staff Reporter

Shares of U.S. health insurers rose on Wednesday after efforts to overhaul the health system moved away from creating a government-run insurance plan long viewed as damaging to the industry.

New England Patriots' quarterback Tom Brady and his wife Gisele Bundchen welcomed a baby boy on Wednesday, the player confirmed today according to the Associated Press.

Two leading international human rights groups gave U.S. President Barack Obama mixed reviews on his human rights record on Wednesday, a day before he is slated to accept the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo.

Leigh Steinberg, one of the country's leading sport agents spoke Wednesday on The Early Show about Tiger Woods sponsorships and the advice he would give Woods if he were his agent.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Wednesday there was no deal for now between Israel and the Islamist group Hamas on freeing an Israeli soldier held in Gaza.

U.S. wholesale inventories unexpectedly rose in October for the first time in more than a year, suggesting the economy could get a lift as a long-running effort by businesses to pare stocks reaches an end.

Shares of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust held steady in their debut on the New York Stock Exchange, trading up only 10 cents from Tuesday's initial public offering price of $20.

Germany's Volkswagen AG will buy a one-fifth stake in Suzuki Motor Corp for $2.5 billion, tapping the Japanese firm's expertise in small cars and dominance in India as VW seeks to become the No.1 automaker.

Stocks were little changed on Wednesday as an unexpected rise in October wholesale inventories was offset by continued concerns on foreign debt and a weak outlook in the tech sector.

U.S. wholesale inventories unexpectedly rose in October for the first time in more than a year, a government report showed on Wednesday, suggesting that the drawing down of unsold goods was nearing an end and pointing to economic recovery.

In part one of Getting Into The Christmas Spirit German Style, I spoke of how Saxony helped get me into the Christmas spirit. In this article, I got further into the Christmas spirit by taking in some of the

Dubai's Emaar Properties EMAR.DU on Wednesday said it would not merge with Dubai Holding's property units, a move analysts said protected the developer from Dubai Holdings' vulnerable debt position.

The U.S. government's $700 billion bailout program helped stabilize the financial system, but has done little to boost lending or stave off millions of home foreclosures, a government watchdog group said on Wednesday.

If you love to travel you've probably also spent a fair bit of time philosophizing on the art.

Semiconductor gear maker Photronics Inc forecast first-quarter revenue below Wall Street expectations, sending shares down as much as 19 percent.

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner on Wednesday extended the government's $700 billion financial bailout fund to October next year, saying the economy still faced significant challenges.

Driving by industrial yards along Inuvik's icy Navy Road, Jackie Jacobson, an aboriginal guide, hunter and politician, pointed out fleets of idle trucks and clusters of unused oil field equipment.

Energy companies and governments are struggling to advance multibillion-dollar pipelines to tap Arctic gas reserves and bring the supplies to North American markets. Here are the proposals.

Four nations proposed guiding principles for green funds on Wednesday, hoping to end deadlock at U.N. talks on ways to manage billions of dollars to help the poor cope with global warming.

Haifa Chemicals and Citi (C.N) said on Wednesday they had agreed to sell certified emission reduction (CER) credits after the Israeli company acquired new technology to cut its greenhouse gases.

Fears that Dubai's debt problems are not limited to troubled state conglomerate Dubai World battered investor confidence in the world's top oil-exporting region and sent shares across the Gulf tumbling on Wednesday.

Independent oil and gas company Energy XXI (Bermuda) Ltd said its offering of 90 million common shares would be priced at $1.90 apiece, generating funds to buy assets from a unit of Mitsui & Co Ltd.

Canada's Alamos Gold Inc has agreed to buy two gold projects in Turkey from Fronteer Development Group Inc and Teck Resources Ltd in a cash-and-stock deal worth about $85 million.

The PepsiCo Inc. Is discontinuing its Getorade drink named Tiger Focus, a decision that has been in the works for months according to the Wall street Journal.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Wednesday it would be irresponsible to amend gas supply contracts with Ukraine, in a sign that Moscow will offer no more concessions to its ex-Soviet neighbour on gas payments.

Concern over debts at Dubai's utility provider and losses at Nakheel, builder of the emirate's palm-shaped islands, hit markets on Wednesday, drowning out assurances by top officials that Gulf economies were sound.

British coal producer ATH Resources Plc posted a 36 percent fall in full-year pretax profit due to an absence of production at its ATH Regeneration unit, but said it cut its debt levels and raised dividend by 2.5 percent.

Germany's Volkswagen AG will buy a one-fifth stake in Suzuki Motor Corp for $2.5 billion, tapping the Japanese firm's expertise in small cars and dominance in India as VW seeks to become the No.1 automaker.

Senate Democratic healthcare negotiators said they agreed on Tuesday to replace a government-run insurance option with a scaled-back non-profit plan and would seek cost estimates on the deal.