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The article reports that banking company Royal Bank of Scotland Group Inc. is considering the sale of up to 25% of its RBS Citizens Financial Group Inc., which operates more than 1,400 bank branches in the U.S. U.S. Bancorp and PNC Financial Services Group Inc. are among banking companies that could bid on the assets. Regulators in Great Britain have told Royal Bank to strengthen its capital reserves.

The article looks at allegations made public in August 2012 by the head of New York state's Department of Financial Services, Benjamin Lawsky, concerning laundering of Iranian funds by Standard Chartered PLC bank. It says U.S. federal agencies had also been investigating the bank, and reports that meetings are taking place between the New York agency and the U.S. Treasury and Justice Departments and the Federal Reserve aimed at coordinating their actions against the bank.

The article states that British financial firm Barclays PLC agreed to pay fines of $453 million to U.S. and British regulators as of June 28, 2012. According to the article, Barclays admitted to the attempted manipulation of interest rates connected to loans and financial contracts by its traders. The article also states that government regulators in the U.S., Europe, and Asia, were extending investigations of similar activities by other financial firms.

News briefs on finance are presented including the refusal to accept a bonus for 2013 by Antony Jenkins, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of banking industry firm Barclays PLC and a survey by the U.S. Federal Reserve finding that banks increased their commercial and industrial loans in the fourth quarter of 2013.

The article reports on the increase in the sales posted by U.S. luxury group Hermés International SCA in the first half of 2011.

The article reports on the call by U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates for other North Atlantic Treaty Organization countries to send more troops to train Afghan forces after their troop pledges were lower than U.S. expectations, with France as the lowest contributor with only 80 soldiers.

The article reports on the ruling of a French court against Google on December 18, 2009, wherein the company was found guilty of copyright infringement for allegedly scanning books and presenting extracts online without the permission of French publisher La Martiniè.re. Google was demanded by the court to pay about 300,000 euros to the publisher and to eliminate such extracts online. Authors Guild executive director Paul Aiken agreed with the court's decision and stated that the verdict has no direct impact on the situation in the U.S.

The article reports that Vivendi SA is planning to sells its 20 percent stake in NBC Universal which will be decided in mid-November 2009. The majority owner of the movie and television company, General Electric Co., is negotiating with Comcast Corp. for the possible merger of NBC Universal with TV networks of Comcast.

This article reports that the bid tendered by Italy's Borletti Group for Christian Lacroix, a fashion house, has offered hope of survival. It explains that Christian Lacroix has been placed under bankruptcy protection in June 2009 for not turning a profits since its founding in 1987. Christian Lacroix is currently owned by U.S.-based Falic Group.

The article reports on the plan of the French Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries to spend about €1.6 million to sponsor cocktail parties in 19 countries across the world on June 4, 2009 in order to boost sales of its wine and cheese. Sopexa plans to select 1,000 applicants who will get coupons that provide 15% discounts on certain French wines and a free gift when they place an order of cheeses on specific Web sites. The firm claims that over 14,000 U.S. people have signed up to host a party.

The article reports that the victory of U.S. president elect Barack Obama prompted France to review its relation with racial minorities. France is proud of its egalitarian tradition but it was noted that local minorities have yet to penetrate the top ranks of politics and business. Christiane Taubira, a black politician from the French overseas department of French Guiana said the U.S. population have overcome prejudices but such will never happen in France. In 2007, French President Nicolas Sarkozy named 3 women with African origins to his cabinet.

The article reports on the plan of the U.S. Navy to create a new antipiracy task force in the latest military response to attacks in the waters off Somalia as of January 2009. Accordingly, the task force will comprise of a U.S. command ship and two other U.S. warships along with supporting aircraft. However, the U.S. Navy believes that a military solution would not be enough to lessen piracy off Somalia.

The article discusses the effect of the global financial crises in different countries. It is inferred that there is a significant difference in the economic downturn in the U.S., Europe and Asia. The collapse of mortgage-related assets is the cause of the financial difficulties in the U.S. resulting to a decrease in home prices and income. However, low consumer confidence brought by inflation affected Asian markets while stagnant compensation influenced the European industry. An overview of the performance of various companies is also presented.

The article reports on the farewell tour of U.S. President George W. Bush to Europe for a week beginning June 9, 2008. The president will celebrate the recent rapprochement between his country and Europe. He is anticipated to call for more involvement of the continent in Afghanistan and to contend that the U.S. and Europe should collaborate to rebuild the Middle East. It is said that the elimination of a European Union (EU) ban on imports of U.S. chicken washed in chlorine is unlikely to occur immediately.