Google is getting caught in a web of privacy laws that threaten its growth and the positive image it has cultivated as a company dedicated to doing good.

Google is getting caught in a web of privacy laws that threaten its growth and the positive image it has cultivated as a company dedicated to doing good.

BHP Billiton said that European regulators had highlighted antitrust problems with its hostile bid for Rio Tinto, a merger that would create the world’s largest iron ore miner.

European finance ministers vowed instead to coordinate national policies as they try to limit the fallout from a recession on consumers and companies.

At a gathering of European leaders, Prime Minister Gordon Brown of Britain said that organizations such as the International Monetary Fund needed to be revamped.

Surprised by the exposure of several banks to the global financial crisis, European governments are discussing new rules for lenders that could change the regulatory landscape for European banking.

The European Commission called for more consistency in deposit guarantee schemes and stronger European financial supervision as member states responded to the credit crisis.

Faced with an aging population, much of Europe is trying to address the pressing need for change in national pension systems, balancing rising costs with political pressure.

Europe’s Food Safety Authority pulled back from giving milk and meat from cloned animals a clean bill of health, reducing the chances such products will reach stores soon.

A week ahead of crucial talks on global trade, the European Union negotiator, Peter Mandelson, rejected criticisms from Nicolas Sarkozy and called for unity.