Midday Roundup: Comcast merger falls apart to the delight of Netflix

No deal. Cable giant Comcast confirmed today it no longer wants to buy the No. 2 company in the industry, Time Warner. If the $45.2 billion merger had gone through, it would have combined the top two U.S. cable companies, giving them about 30 percent of TV and 55 percent of broadband customers in the country. Regulators questioned how the proposed deal would impact competition in the fledgling internet TV business, which is growing rapidly with streaming services such as Netflix and Sling TV. On Tuesday, six senators urged the Federal Communications Commission and the Department of Justice to block the merger, saying it would lead to higher prices and fewer choices.

Soaring stocks. The Nasdaq, the American stock exchange known for it technology offerings, hit an all-time high on Thursday. It rose to 5,056.06, above the record of 5,048.62 it set on March 10, 2000, at the height of the dot-com bubble. Apple’s success contributed to the Nasdaq’s rise, but other, non-tech stocks such as Monster Beverage and Keurig Green Mountain have helped, too. While investors celebrate, some analysts are already asking if the news is too good to be true.

National embarrassment. A national fraternity is apologizing after members from Emory University and the University of Florida disrespected a group of wounded veterans. The college students and the veterans group were staying in the same resort in Panama City Beach, Fla., on April 17, Fox News reported. During a night of partying, fraternity members allegedly taunted the veterans and their wives, spit on one veteran, threw items off balconies, and desecrated an American flag. The University of Florida has expelled three students involved.

Quite a stretch. A private sex club in Nashville claimed it was a church to get approval from the city to open. The Social Club planned to relocate from downtown to a more private suburban location—one that backed up to a Christian school. When parents and religious leaders protested, the club changed its name to United Fellowship Center so it could be zoned as a church. City officials said they plan to approve the center, noting they take zoning applicants at their word for what kind of business they will operate. But if sexual activity takes place at the facility, the owners could face repercussions from the city and the state, which has outlawed private sex clubs within 1,000 feet of schools, parks, day cares, and houses of worship.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.