AP - Royal Bank of Scotland will cut around 3,000 jobs worldwide over the next several weeks to reduce costs amid the global financial crisis, according to British media reports.

AFP - London shares advanced on Friday led by oil and commodities despite concerns over a looming recession.

AP - U.S. stocks fell sharply Friday as investors booked profits from the previous day's hefty rally, pulling European stocks off their highs for the day. Asian stocks rose.

AP - A steep rally on Wall Street came too late Thursday to spur most world markets, although Latin American shares benefited from the buying spree in battered U.S. stocks.

AFP - Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev proposed a new partnership with the European Union on Thursday, breezing past differences over Georgia to urge cooperation on global financial reform.

AP - German Chancellor Angela Merkel has insisted before a summit of world leaders to address the global financial crisis that there can be "no more blind spots" in international markets.

AP - Russia's president and top business leaders looked Thursday to warming relations with the European Union as a ray of hope for Russia's tottering markets and at-risk economy.

AFP - The European Union, United States and Canada said Thursday they had settled their WTO dispute with China over Beijing's restrictions on foreign financial news providers working in the country.