IBT Staff Reporter

The chief executives of the biggest U.S. health insurance companies were called to testify about industry practices before a congressional hearing examining coverage, costs and claim denials.

South African mobile operator MTN wants to conclude a proposed tie-up with Indian partner Bharti Airtel quickly to end any doubt about the deal, but doesn't rule out interest in part of Kuwaiti firm Zain.

NYSE Euronext said on Thursday the trans-Atlantic stock exchange will buy NYFIX Inc for $144 million, to optimize trading efficiency.

Younger Americans are being exposed to worrisome amounts of radiation from medical scans that increase their risk of cancer, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday.

U.S. officials said the number of problem banks and thrifts on their watchlist rose sharply to 416 in the second quarter of 2009 from 305 in the prior quarter, as the industry recorded a $3.7 billion loss.

Time Warner Inc's AOL division named a former Time Warner Cable Inc executive as its chief financial officer ahead of the expected spinoff of the Internet unit later this year.

Facebook, the popular social networking website, agreed on Thursday to make changes to better protect the personal information of its users as a result of negotiations with Canada's privacy commissioner.

Boeing Co said on Thursday its 787 Dreamliner would make its first flight by the end of this year, with initial delivery expected in the fourth quarter of 2010, and its shares shot up 8 percent.

Irish airline Aer Lingus toned down its opposition to a deal with arch-rival Ryanair, saying on Thursday a tripling of losses, rapid cash burn and difficulties in raising funds threatened its independence.

Scientific advisers to President Barack Obama may have asked the government to speed up the availability of swine flu vaccines, but they are unlikely to be ready before October, the new head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Wednesday.

Coal Plc reported a sharply wider first-half loss on increased costs as it was hurt by challenges in both deep and surface mining and cut its deep mine production forecast for the year.

U.S. motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson Inc (HOG.N) is optimistic about a recovery in the U.S. economy but would continue to tread carefully by adopting cost-saving measures, a senior official said on Thursday.

Time Warner Cable Inc has signed up at least seven large media companies for a test that will offer television programs on the Internet to paying subscribers, the Wall Street Journal said on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter.

Tropical Storm Danny which formed at the east of the Bahamas yesterday has grown in strength as its winds reached 60 miles per hour compared to 45 mph on Wednesday, the National Hurricane Center reported today.

Paulina Chmielecka, the former fiancée of TV reality star Ryan Jenkins said she, her friends and Jenkin's family are in shock after knowing Jenkins took his own life in the midst of accusations that he killed and mutilated his wife swimsuit model Jasmine Fiore.

The rape of some Iranian reformers who were jailed after a disputed presidential election has been proven to a parliamentary committee, a lawmaker was quoted as saying on Thursday.

Adapting to the effects of climate change such as floods and droughts is likely to cost two to three times more than the United Nations estimates, a report said on Thursday ahead of a major U.N. summit in December.

Lloyds Banking Group may sell parts of its business to reduce its reliance on Britain's government-backed asset protection scheme, shareholders familiar with the group's thinking said on Thursday.

The rival Koreas neared a deal to resume reunions of families separated by the Korean War at a rare meeting on Wednesday that follows conciliatory moves made by the North after it was hit by sanctions, reports said.

U.S. motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson Inc is optimistic about a recovery in the U.S. economy but would continue to tread carefully by adopting cost-saving measures, a senior official said on Thursday.

U.S. officials said the number of problem banks and thrifts on their watchlist rose sharply to 416 in the second quarter of 2009 from 305 in the prior quarter, as the industry recorded a $3.7 billion loss.

China promptly denounced a proposed trip to Taiwan by the Dalai Lama on Thursday, saying any such visit by a man Beijing brands a separatist threatened to sabotage improving relations.

Senator Edward Kennedy called providing health insurance for all Americans

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on a visit to Germany on Thursday that one lesson Israel drew from the Holocaust was that threats to its existence could not go unchallenged and must be nipped in the bud.

German carrier Lufthansa is expected to receive European Union regulatory approval on Friday for its planned takeover of ailing Austrian Airlines (AUA), a source said on Thursday.

Family members of U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy gathered on Thursday for a private Mass at the seaside home where the 77-year-old towering figure in Democratic politics died two days ago.

A senior member of Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU) broke ranks with the government over the future of Opel on Thursday, saying Canadian automotive firm Magna is not necessarily the best bidder for the carmaker.

Italy's anti-trust watchdog said on Thursday it was opening an investigation into Google's Italian news website after local papers complained that they were forced to appear on the site (http://news.google.it).

Energy Conversion Devices Inc swung to a quarterly loss as demand for its products continued to fall, sending shares of the solar company down 5 percent.