UNITED KINGDOM

The European Central Bank has warned that EU plans to tighten regulation of hedge funds and other alternative investors risk creating a two-tier playing field that could drive the industry out of Europe.

Thousands of postal workers at state-owned Royal Mail walked out on Thursday, starting a 48-hour nationwide strike and blaming bosses and the government for failing to prevent the action.

Cash-rich Nestle SA, the world's biggest food group, said it was speeding up a programme to buy back shares and was likely to raise fresh funds from the sale of its stake in eye care firm Alcon.

Britain's top share index shed 1 percent by midday on Thursday, suffering a broad-based sell-off after disappointing earnings news from the U.S., with energy stocks the biggest laggards as crude fell.

Disappointing results from telecom equipment heavyweight Ericsson (ERICb.ST) and profit-taking after a recent strong run helped send European shares lower around midday on Thursday.

The Aussie dollar held on to 0.9190 during European exchange with this level becoming somewhat of a key short term technical support as it was the third time in 24 hours the AUD bounced from there.

The Berlin Wall will be back to briefly divide the German capital again next month -- but with giant brightly colored dominos rather than cement slabs.

Microsoft on Tuesday confirmed the early delivery of Windows 7 in UK before its official launch on Thursday.

The world needs genetically modified crops both to increase food yields and minimize the environmental impact of farming, Britain's top science academy said on Wednesday.

Spain's Grupo Ferrovial, under pressure to reduce its dominance in UK airports, has agreed to sell London's Gatwick for a smaller-than-expected 1.51 billion pounds ($2.46 billion) to a consortium involving Credit Suisse and General Electric.

The European Union is taking too long to get up to 12 carbon capture and storage demonstration plants operating by 2015, RWE npower's head of environmental strategy told a carbon conference on Wednesday.

Britain's top share index was 1 percent lower in midday trade on Wednesday, as miners and energy stocks fell on weakness in commodity prices while banks fell after the BoE Governor said regulation would be tightened.

European shares fell for a second day on Wednesday, with financial stocks taking most points off the leading index after Deutsche Bank unexpectedly released quarterly figures that knocked its stock.

Bumper payouts to bankers should be seen as part of a longer term investment in London's economy, the vice chairman of Goldman Sachs International told a debate on ethics at St Paul's Cathedral on Tuesday.

The Aussie dollar continued to press higher in Asia yesterday trading marginally above the 93 cent handle following the release of the RBA board minutes with the central bank continuing to send the same bullish signals on interest rates. Support for the high yielding AUD continued throughout European trade with buyers lining up ahead of 0.9250 that was until North American investors entered. Disappointing housing data out of the U.S triggered a flight back into the Greenback and subsequently pus...

Iran's military accused the United States and Israel of terrorism as it held a funeral on Tuesday for high-ranking commanders killed in the deadliest attack in the Islamic Republic since the 1980s.

General Motors looked poised to sign over carmaker Opel to Canada's Magna as fears the EU might scupper the deal were dispelled, but Spanish workers planned strikes to protest looming cost cuts.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai must face an election run-off against his main rival on November 7, officials said on Tuesday, to resolve a disputed first round that plunged the country into months of political uncertainty.

Adecco (ADEN.VX), the world's largest staffing company, is buying American rival MPS Group (MPS.N) for $1.3 billion, boosting its high-margin and more recession-resilient professional staffing business.

Adecco , the world's largest staffing company, is buying American rival MPS Group for $1.3 billion, boosting its high-margin and more recession-resilient professional staffing business.

A sale of Barclays shares by the Qatari Investment Authority (QIA) dented banking stocks, pulling Britain's FTSE 100 index slightly lower by midday on Tuesday, but the move lifted Sainsbury shares by reviving bid talk.