e Yugoslavia

Brussels  – Shares in fallen Belgian banking giant Fortis surged by over 40 per cent on Monday morning as investors gave an enthusiastic welcome to a sell-off deal agreed with French bank BNP Paribas over the weekend.

Brussels  – The Belgian government, the French bank BNP Paribas SA and Fortis, the Belgian-Dutch financial services company, agreed overnight to a plan for the divestment of Fortis’ Belgian financial units.

Vienna – The price for crude oil produced by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) rose further on Thursday, to 59.92 dollars, the oil cartel said Friday.

Brussels – Croatia has made good progress, but still has much to do in the fields of judicial reform and competition before it can start European Union membership talks next year, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said Tuesday.

Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium – Kimi Raikkonen will be hoping to get the defence of his Formula One title back on track at Sunday’s Belgium Grand Prix, a race he has dominated in recent years.

Brussels – Macedonian citizens are moving steadily towards enjoying visa-free travel to the European Union, one of the bloc’s top officials said Thursday.