Nine states so far have approved the pending buyout of Qwest by CenturyLink, according to an article in the Denver Business Journal; the deal needs approval from 12 more states. The Iowa Utilities Board will have a hearing at 9 a.m. Monday to discuss whether the state should approve the buyout, though a decision might not be made at that time. Qwest has approval from regulators in California, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, Ohio and West Virginia, as well as the District of Columbia. Qwest and CenturyLink have also received approval from the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission, but are awaiting Federal Communications Commission approval. CenturyLink announced in April that it would acquire Qwest to create the nation’s third-largest provider of phone and Internet connections.