AP - Germany became the newest European country to allay fears about the financial meltdown, guaranteeing private bank accounts as governments scrambled on their own to save failing banks.

AP - Europe's four major powers vowed Saturday to do all they could to prevent Wall Street's turmoil from destabilizing their banking systems — even as a $48 billion plan to save a German lender fell apart.

AFP - European leaders have agreed to ask for the early release of 32 billion euros (25 billion pounds) in European funds to help small businesses weather the global finance crisis, Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said.

AFP - Britain will urge the early release of 12 billion pounds (15 billion euros, 21 billion dollars) in funds committed to helping small business in Europe, when Prime Minister Gordon Brown meets with other European leaders Saturday.

AP - British Prime Minister Gordon Brown reached into the past in a bid to save his future Friday, recruiting stars from the Tony Blair era into his Cabinet.

AFP - US stock markets fell sharply Friday after the Congress passed a huge financial rescue plan, as optimism built up earlier in the day evaporated in late trading.

AP - In the cutthroat world of fashion, a designer can quickly lose rising star status — a fact that Alessandra Facchinetti knows only too well.

AP - Human rights activists from China and Russia are considered front-runners to win the Nobel Peace Prize next week, while bettors are putting their money on an Italian, a Syrian or an Israeli for the literature award.

Reuters - Plagued by fears for the stability of the banking system, European leaders meet on Saturday for a summit French President Nicolas Sarkozy hopes will limit the damage caused by the worst financial crisis since the 1930s.

Reuters - The House of Representatives was poised to vote on a $700 billion bailout package for U.S. banks, under pressure from all sides as the effort to head off a spreading financial crisis hung in the balance.

AP - Prime Minister Gordon Brown made a raft of changes to the government Friday, bringing back some of the Labour Party's stalwarts in a comprehensive shake-up meant to sharpen focus on the economy.