GERMANY

The euro suffers from structural deficiencies. It has a central bank, but it does not have a central treasury, and the supervision of the banking system is left to national authorities.

German twenty-somethings would ditch their spouses and do without a car in a heartbeat if they had to choose between having them or Internet access or a mobile phone, according to an industry study.

European and Southeast Asian leaders on Sunday rejected protectionism to safeguard their national interests against a global financial crisis, spelling out their blocs' commitments to coordinate policies.

Europe's biggest technology fair CeBit aims to entice cash-conscious business customers with software aimed at coping with the recession while itself continuing to experience a hemorrhage of trade-exhibitors.

British banking giant HSBC will try to raise $18 billion to quell investor concerns as a worsening global economy punished famed investor Warren Buffet's Berkshire Hathaway with a 96 percent plunge in profits.

British banking giant HSBC will try to raise $18 billion to quell investor concerns as a worsening global economy punished famed investor Warren Buffet's Berkshire Hathaway with a 96 percent plunge in profits.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Saturday a decision on state aid for Opel, a struggling unit of U.S. carmaker General Motors , depended on the firm's long-term outlook and on the readiness of banks to help.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown called for more rigorous supervision of the global banking system on Saturday, a day before EU leaders meet to thrash out ways to tackle the financial crisis.

Offshore financial centers which have thrived under a veil of bank secrecy will have to embrace transparency to survive a global crackdown on tax cheats that is menacing the private banking sector in Switzerland and beyond.

Sagem Communications signed a trademark licensing agreement with Xerox Corporation with the aim of developing, marketing and supporting a new line of Xerox fax devices.

The European unit of U.S. carmaker General Motors said it planned to spin off its German arm Opel and needed 3.3 billion euros ($4.2 billion) in state aid to avert job cuts and site closures.

The European unit of U.S. carmaker General Motors said it planned to spin off its German arm Opel and needed 3.3 billion euros ($4.2 billion) in state aid to avert job cuts and site closures.

Microsoft announced today that it had an agreement with Vodafone in which they will team up to build a package that will allow small and medium-sized businesses to communicate and collaborate.

General Motors' German unit Opel agreed to a restructuring plan that aims to save as many jobs and factories as possible but needs 3.3 billion euros ($4.18 billion) in state aid, GM officials said.

France, Germany and Britain are proposing extra EU sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program, the Financial Times reported Thursday but France said no such measures would be passed any time soon.

Three of the world's top solar power companies on Tuesday offered a dour view of the industry as it struggles with a dearth of funding options for new projects that has driven up supplies and sent prices on solar panels falling.

Car dealer Heidi Hetzer has fought chauvinism as a female mechanic and triumphed in dozens of motor rallies, but the 71-year-old Berliner says the auto crisis is proving to be the toughest test of her life.

The head of sovereign ratings at Standard & Poor's told Reuters on Wednesday he expected more sovereign ratings downgrades than upgrades this year and flagged financial markets' concern about the health of public finances.

President Barack Obama on Tuesday called on Congress to send him legislation that places a market-based cap on U.S. carbon polluting emissions and pushes the production of more renewable energy.

The threat of protectionism just won't lie down, despite repeated promises of political leaders to refrain from raising barriers to trade.

Bright winter sun dissolves a blanket of snow on barn roofs to reveal a bold new sideline for Jean-Luc Westphal: besides producing eggs and grains, he is to generate solar power for thousands of homes.