IBT Staff Reporter

Fourteen people were charged with fraud and conspiracy in a dramatic widening of an insider trading scandal that has ensnared hedge fund managers, top Silicon Valley executives and a bevy of white-shoe advisers.

Fannie Mae, the largest provider of funding for U.S. home loans, said on Thursday bad mortgages and a federal foreclosure prevention program left it with a $18.9 billion loss, forcing it to tap the Treasury again to plug a hole in its net worth.

Starbucks Corp raised its financial forecasts for 2010 in the latest sign a year-long turnaround effort is boosting margins and putting it back on track for growth, sending shares up 4 percent.

More than half of all Russians do not know who built the Berlin Wall, one of the most enduring symbols of the Cold War, an opinion poll showed on Thursday.

The U.N. General Assembly passed a resolution on Thursday urging Israel and the Palestinians to investigate war crimes charges leveled in a controversial U.N. report on the Gaza war.

Starbucks Corp reported a stronger-than-expected quarterly profit and raised its forecast, in the latest signs that the chain is turning around after closing cafes and slashing costs, and its shares rose 4.1 percent.

Starbucks Corp reported a stronger-than-expected quarterly profit and raised its forecast, in the latest signs that the chain is turning around after closing cafes and slashing costs, and its shares rose 4.1 percent.

Bank of America Corp CEO Ken Lewis' year-end retirement is fast approaching and the bank's search committee is still hunting for a successor.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Thursday he did not wish to run for re-election in January, voicing disappointment at Washington for favoring Israel in arguments over re-launching peace talks.

Sanyo Electric Co Ltd plans to ramp up investment in its battery and solar business as the world's largest maker of rechargeable batteries moves closer to being acquired by Japan's Panasonic Corp, a senior executive said in an interview on Thursday.

Irish rockers U2 were among the early winners at the MTV Europe Music Awards on Thursday, picking up the best live act award hours after treating 10,000 fans to a free concert in front of Berlin's Brandenburg Gate.

Oprah Winfrey has not yet made a decision on a possible move of her syndicated chat show -- one of the TV industry's biggest money makers -- to her new cable network OWN, her production company said on Thursday.

Widespread recovery doubts; More Caught in Trading Scandal; Microsoft-Yahoo Pact May Go Global

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Thursday said a draft nuclear cooperation deal between Iran and three major powers will not be changed and urged Iran to accept it as is.

After being beaten by singer Chris Brown in February, pop star Rihanna felt embarrassed she fell in love with the type of man he was and left him to set an example for young women, she said in an interview on Thursday.

The U.S. Export-Import Bank on Thursday said it will provide up to $250 million to help finance exports of U.S.-built-and-designed technology used in generating renewable energy including solar, wind and geothermal.

Malawi threatened on Thursday to arrest protesting villagers blocking construction of Madonna's multi-million dollar girls academy, a new controversy for the singer in the African country where she has adopted two children.

The U.S. Congress approved more aid for jobless workers and broadened tax breaks for homebuyers and businesses on Thursday and sent the measure to President Barack Obama to sign into law.

With a close vote looming in the U.S. House of Representatives, President Barack Obama's push for healthcare reform was boosted Thursday by the support of powerful lobbies representing doctors and seniors.

A U.N. climate treaty may need an extra year beyond a December deadline to agree details, delegates at U.N. talks said on Thursday even as a U.S. Senate committee approved a carbon-capping bill.

He may not be a household name in the United States, but Michael Fassbender is fast becoming one of the hottest young stars in Hollywood.

U.S. stocks jumped on Thursday, pushing the S&P 500 up for a fourth day, as economic data boosted confidence in the recovery and strong results from Cisco Systems suggested a rebound in technology spending.

The current economic climate is favorable for French wind and solar power company EDF Energies Nouvelles as equipment prices remain low and banks are more prepared to lend, its chief executive said.

An international pact and U.S. legislation to tackle climate change will hit oil refiners' profits and may force some to shut some capacity, Thomas O'Malley, chairman of Swiss refiner Petroplus, said on Thursday.

Rupert Murdoch's wife is among the producers of Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, an English-language Chinese drama starring Zhang Ziyi, perhaps the country's most exportable actress.

U.S. Senator Charles Schumer called on the Obama administration on Thursday to block the use of any U.S. economic stimulus funds for a wind farm project in West Texas that would use turbines built in China.

Verizon Wireless said on Thursday that it would sell an HTC Corp phone based on Google Inc's Android system for $99.99, potentially putting pressure on smaller carrier Sprint Nextel Corp .

The Australian Dollar opens at US91 cents after yesterday's release of September trade data hinted that official interest rates may need to be increased for third consecutive month in December. The trade deficit was smaller than expected at A$1.849 billion, however imports were up 5 per cent suggesting that domestic demand remains robust. During overnight trade the Aussie moved between a low of 0.9030 and a high of 0.9122 after central banks in Europe and the United Kingdom left their benchmark ...

Investing in wind power offers safer, less volatile returns in the current market environment than the solar sector, a fund manager of KBC's asset management arm told Reuters. We as investors like strong, steady growth, which is why we currently favor wind more than solar, which is expected to see more volatility in the short term, said Treasa Ni Chonghaile, manager of KBC's Eco Alternative Energy fund.