UK recognizes Libya rebels as legitimate government

The United Kingdom recognizes Libya's rebel umbrella group, not Moammar Gadhafi's regime, as the legitimate government, Foreign Secretary William Hague said Wednesday.

"We are dealing with them as if they are the state of Libya and that is how we are treating them," Hague said of the Transitional National Council.

Impasse on debt ceiling deal drags into critical week

One week before the United States government could default and enter uncharted economic territory, Democrats and Republicans remain at a stalemate on how to reach a debt ceiling deal.

A vote on a Republican plan originally expected for Wednesday was postponed Tuesday after the Congressional Budget Office said it failed to reduce spending and deficits as much as advertised. The proposal was unveiled Monday by House Speaker John Boehner.

Phone hacking: Murdoch's agree to appear before MP's

News Corporation's Rupert and James Murdoch have agreed to appear before MP's to answer questions on the phone-hacking scandal on Tuesday.

The Commons media committee had issued summonses after the men initially declined to appear next week.

News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks had agreed to attend.

US recognizes Libyan rebel TNC as legitimate authority.

That means billions of dollars of Libyan assets frozen in US banks could be released to the rebels.

The decision was announced by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at a diplomatic meeting in Istanbul.

Western and Arab members of the Libya Contact Group are drawing up a plan to end hostilities, which will be presented to Col Muammar Gaddafi