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Brussels  – Pharmaceutical companies in Europe have regularly tried to block cheaper products made by their rivals, costing consumers and taxpayers some 3 billion euros (3.9 billion dollars) in extra bills, European Union officials said Friday.

London  – The British government is to own a majority share of almost 58 per cent in the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) after shareholders failed to take up a rights issue to inject new capital into the ailing bank.

Sydney  – US citizen Gabe Watson was one step closer to facing a murder trial in Australia on Friday after he was served with a notice to appear in court in the Queensland city of Townsville in February.

Frankfurt  – German bank Commerzbank announced late Thursday that it would accelerate its planned takeover of Dresdner Bank from the current parent, insurance group Allianz, at barely half the earlier price.

Belgrade  – When web designer Petar Jakovljevic found a cramped two-bedroom apartment close to downtown Belgrade for 70,000 euros (90,000 dollars), he jumped at the chance.

New York /Bethesda, Maryland  – Anti-HIV medicines have rescued tens of thousands or perhaps even millions of people from what was once certain death from AIDS.

Hamburg – The concept of total football was nowhere to be seen, but Thursday night’s 1-0 victory at SV Hamburg was a sign that Ajax Amsterdam are coming back to life.

Hamburg  – A late strike from Filippo Inzaghi was enough to salvage a 2-2 draw for AC Milan away to Portsmouth in the UEFA Cup Thursday and book the Serie A side’s place in the tournament’s knockout stages.

Helsinki – The world’s largest mobile phone maker, Finnish- based Nokia, said Thursday it was to stop selling and marketing its mobile devices in Japan over poor sales.

Berlin – Despite the deepening sense of gloom engulfing the world economy, German unemployment fell more than expected in November, the nation’s Labour Office said Thursday,