UNITED KINGDOM

Another senior official from Muammar Gaddafi’s government jumped ship.

On the heels of the defection of former foreign minister Moussa Koussa, more high-level associated of Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi have apparently abandoned him, according to a report in Al Jazeera.

The US corporate tax rate is supposed to be 35 percent. However, due to various rules and exemptions, the actual tax rate is much lower.

Investors are putting their faith in Japan's ability to recover from its major disasters, barely changing their equity exposure to the stricken country despite earthquake, tsunami and nuclear breakdown.

Amidst reports that Libyan rebels are retreating in the face of the superior firepower of Moammar Gaddafi’s armies, the head of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has ruled out the possibility of providing weapons to the beleaguered rebel groups.

Oil prices rose over $2 on Thursday, led by Brent which was heading for its second biggest quarterly rise, touching $117.70 a barrel as Middle East supply worries led concerns.

The Japanese government said it has no plans currently to widen the evacuation zone outside the damaged nuclear power plant at Fukushima, despite warnings from the UN nuclear watchdog that high radiation levels have been detected beyond the current no-go zone.

Moussa Koussa, Libya’s former foreign minister who defected to the U.K., has been questioned and debriefed by British authorities.

Indicating the distressing trend of size zero has gone global, a new research has found how stigmatization of fat and obesity has spread from western countries across more accepting cultures.

Wall Street was set to edge up on Thursday, the last day of the first quarter, extending gains a day after labor data helped to boost confidence on the prospects for economic recovery.

Amidst reports that the Libyan foreign minister has defected to the west, soldiers loyal to Moammar Gaddafi have recaptured the strategic oil city of Ras Lanuf from rebel factions.

A U.S. jury rejected GlaxoSmithKline's antitrust claims against Abbott Laboratories over allegations of unfair HIV drug pricing, after Britain's biggest drugmaker had asked for hundreds of millions in damages.

News Corp has promoted James Murdoch to the role of deputy chief operating officer in a move that will be seen to mark him as eventual successor to his 80-year-old father, Rupert.

Warren Buffett's hunt for a large acquisition could lead to targets like Eaton , Illinois Tool Works or Cliffs Natural Resources , all of which seem to fit his recent preference for growth in industries outside of his core insurance unit.

Search giant Google Inc has settled with U.S. regulators investigating privacy problems that cropped up in its botched roll-out of social network Buzz, the Federal Trade Commission said on Wednesday.

Barclays Plc is considering moving its headquarters out of London as the cost of holding more capital threatens to make it less attractive than rival financial centers, people familiar with the matter said.

The British government has expelled five Libyan diplomats who allegedly could pose a threat to UK national security.

The East African country of Uganda is reportedly willing to allow Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi to live there in exile, according to spokesman for Ugandan president.

Barclays Plc is considering moving its global headquarters from London to New York due to the threat of higher capital requirements in the UK, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.

A brother and sister from Britain were reunited after more than 30 years when they met via a dating website. Sarah Kemp, 42, got reunited with her 47-year old brother George Bentley after joining dating website ForgetDinner.co.uk last November, only to find out they were siblings.

France, which has been the most aggressive foreign nation to move against Libya, said it was prepared to discuss providing weapons to the Libyan opposition – even if the UN mandate on Libya did not specifically provide for this feature.