IBT Staff Reporter

Iran has banned Iranians from performing the umra pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia during the holy month of Ramadan to slow spread of swine flu in the country, a health ministry official said Thursday.

Some U.S. retailers reported sales declines for July that were not as steep as expected, suggesting that more shoppers may be buying discretionary items.

The Bank of England took a far bigger step than expected to boost Britain's recession-hit economy on Thursday, stunning markets by expanding its quantitative easing plan to 175 billion pounds from 125 billion.

A new technique has given researchers a

A judge on Wednesday postponed the sentencing of R&B singer Chris Brown to make sure his punishment for assaulting former girlfriend Rihanna would include physical labor such as road cleanup.

British insurer Aviva Plc is likely to raise over 1 billion euros ($1.4 billion) in the planned flotation of its Dutch unit Delta Lloyd around October or November, people familiar with the matter said on Thursday.

Police have charged a 53-year-old man with trying to stalk teenage star Miley Cyrus after he was arrested a month ago for attempting to reach the actress on a movie set, police in Georgia said on Wednesday.

British bank Barclays on Thursday said an overwhelming majority of its shareholders had approved the sale of investment management unit BGI to US fund manager Blackrock.

Stocks opened higher on Thursday as a sharp fall in the number of U.S. workers filing new claims for jobless benefits spurred optimism about the labor market and the pace of an economic recovery.

(Corrects Street view to 26 cents from 36 cents)

Healthier sperm may mean longer life, according to a study that followed more than 40,000 Danish men for up to 40 years.

Another thriller is developing in the complex afterlife of Michael Jackson.

The European Central Bank kept its main refinancing rate unchanged at a record low of 1.0 percent on Thursday, as expected by economists.

The first vaccines to combat H1N1 swine flu should be approved and ready for use in some countries from September, the World Health Organization said on Thursday.

Despite polls showing growing public doubts about his healthcare overhaul, U.S. President Barack Obama vowed on Wednesday to get a reform bill through Congress this year even without Republicans on board.

Former corporate executive Don Yows took an entry-level job that set his career in information technology back by two decades.

Many white-collar professionals are fighting for jobs in the United States, with some taking pay cuts or hanging tough in faltering businesses they run themselves in the face of the recession.

The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for jobless benefits fell sharply last week, a government report showed on Thursday, boosting views the labor market and the economy were stabilizing.

White House economic adviser Christina Romer said on Thursday that the $787-billion U.S. stimulus program was stabilizing the economy despite unacceptably high job losses.

Comcast Corp , the No. 1 U.S. cable operator, reported higher quarterly profit on Thursday due to improved cost controls and a tax gain, but lost basic video subscribers as it was hurt by the weak economy and competition from phone and satellite operators.

U.S. stocks were set to open higher on Thursday as a sharp fall in the number of U.S. workers filing new claims for jobless benefits spurred optimism about the labor market and the pace of an economic recovery.

The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for jobless benefits fell sharply last week, a government report showed on Thursday, boosting views the labor market and the economy were stabilizing.

U.S. crude prices fell below $72 on Thursday on oversupply worries, retreating after hitting the highest level since late June, and North Sea Brent crude briefly touched a record for 2009.

Jobs situation looks better, Britain 'prints' more cash, 'Clunkers' Day of Truth

Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler was airlifted to a hospital after falling from stage during a concert in South Dakota.

India will examine a uniform domestic price for natural gas, which is now sold at rates ranging from $1 to $5.73 per million British thermal units (mBtu) depending on source, Oil Minister Murli Deora said on Thursday.

Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk reported forecast-beating second-quarter profit and raised its guidance but disappointed investors by not giving more solid news on the U.S. approval process for its new diabetes drug.

The directors of Canadian Hydro Developers said on Thursday they are actively considering other options as they again urged shareholders to reject an unsolicited bid by TransAlta Corp.

The Bank of England will decide whether to expand its quantitative easing program later on Thursday, and economists are split down the middle over the central bank's choice.