UNITED KINGDOM

Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling has donated 10 million pounds ($15.5 million) to set up a new clinic to carry out research into multiple sclerosis , the disease which killed her mother.

Mortgage approvals and consumer credit rose unexpectedly in July, but weak mortgage lending pushed total net lending to its lowest since March, Bank of England figures showed on Tuesday.

The FTSE 100 dropped sharply early on Tuesday, led by falls in risk sensitive assets such as banks and commodity stocks as fears intensified over the sustainability of the global recovery.

Pakistan will not suspend any players being investigated for alleged corruption without proof of wrongdoing, Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ijaz Butt says.

Britain and France are getting ready to unveil plans to share aircraft carriers amid pressure on the British military to cut costs, the Times reported on Tuesday.

British consumer confidence unexpectedly improved in August for the first time since February thanks to a more positive view on the economic outlook, a survey showed on Tuesday.

A gunman killed six members of a single family and then shot himself when cornered by policemen in the Slovak capital Bratislava on Monday, the country's police chief said.

Pakistan could release any players under investigation for alleged corruption from their squad for the one-day series against England, a source in the team told Reuters.

Last week Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke delivered a major speech in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, on the state of the economy.

In Europe, the philosophy is Buyer Be Aware. But in the U.S., it's Buyer Beware. American food labels have loads of nutritional information, but little that you can trust to tell you how it was produced.

Canada's Agrium Inc said it would be interested in Potash Corp's nitrogen and phosphates business, worth an estimated $12 billion (7.7 billion pounds), if miner BHP Billiton secures its $39 billion Potash takeover and decides to sell the assets.

Global miner BHP Billiton could look to divest the nitrogen and phosphates business of fertilizer maker Potash Corp if its $39 billion bid goes through, the company has told analysts.

Pakistan endured the worst day in their turbulent cricket history on Sunday when a corruption scandal erupting overnight was succeeded by their heaviest test defeat.

Pakistan intend to complete their England cricket tour despite a police investigation into corruption allegations involving the fourth test which concluded at Lord's on Sunday.

Royal Bank of Scotland is in the process of appointing advisers to review the options for its insurance business, including a possible sale, according to a source close to the group.

Play began as scheduled on the fourth day of the fourth and final test between England and Pakistan at Lord's on Sunday after a man was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud bookmakers.

Global miner BHP Billiton on Sunday played down any chance of raising its $39 billion (25 billion pound) bid for fertiliser maker Potash Corp , saying it had timed its move to catch out weakened rival bidders.

England coach Fabio Capello said he regretted the way he announced the end of David Beckham's international career but added he still had a good relationship with the former captain who would make a top manager one day.

Huffington launched the news site more as a commentary outlet and an alternative to other conservative news sites by inviting Arthur Schlesinger Jr. to blog, who would fax his blogs. That's not blogging, Arthur used to criticise her. Now with the takeover by AoL, Arianna will become a boss of the entire editorial content of AoL channels.

Chelsea's goal-rush was staunched by Stoke City but the Premier League champions maintained their perfect start to the season with a 2-0 home victory on Saturday despite a missed penalty by Frank Lampard.

Far-right protesters hurled bricks and smoke bombs on Saturday as riot police kept them apart from anti-racism demonstrators.