LONDON — British Airways and a union representing cabin crew are pressing on with talks in an effort to avert a strike. The negotiations about pay, job security and working conditions are continuing although airline managers and the Unite union had set a deadline for Tuesday afternoon. Cabin crew...

BRUSSELS — British Airways, American Airlines and Iberia have offered to give away takeoff and landing slots at London and New York airports to soothe European Union antitrust worries, EU regulators said Wednesday. The European Commission said it would ask other airlines whether freeing up slots...

CAIRO  — OPEC has raised its projections for oil demand growth this year by 100,000 barrels per day, but stresses that gains could be eroded if the U.S. government scales back on stimulus efforts before the country's economy fully recovers. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting...

LISBON  — The head of Portugal's debt agency says a €990 million ($1.34 billion) bond auction was oversubscribed, suggesting the government's austerity plan has eased market concerns about the country's high debts. Debt agency president Alberto Soares told The Associated Press the institution...

PARIS (AP) — Rich countries must strengthen financial market regulation and bring down their oversized government deficits, two of the biggest new challenges to have arisen from the global economic crisis, the OECD said Wednesday. In a 30-nation report, the chief economist of the Paris-based...

LONDON  — Britain's economic recovery remains fragile, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown warned Wednesday, as he paved the way for a national election by announcing the government's budget would be published in two weeks. In a pre-election swipe at the main opposition Conservative Party,...

ATHENS  — Greek unions say nationwide strikes will shut down all public services, closing schools, customs and tax offices, halting public transport and grounding flights for 24 hours. Greeks have been protesting the Socialist government's harsh austerity measures, designed to curb the...

ROME  — Italy's main labor confederation has called a four-hour general strike that will include transport workers. Trains, planes, ferries and local bus, subway and tram service are expected to be affected. The CGIL labor syndicate is protesting what it says is a too heavy tax burden on...

LONDON  — British Prime Minister Gordon Brown warns that the U.K. may suffer another economic downturn, including a possible dip back into recession. In a speech Wednesday Brown will say "there are still substantial risks ahead, there will be bumps in the road," according to excerpts released...

LONDON — Nationalized mortgage lender Northern Rock said Wednesday that it returned to profit in the second half of 2009 as interest income rose and losses on loans fell. Northern Rock said it posted a statutory profit of 466.7 million pounds ($696 million) in the second half, following a loss of...