Spain has the highest jobless rate in the euro zone (22.9 percent), while Austria has the lowest (4.1 percent).
The European Commission opened an investigation into whether Samsung Electronics has distorted competition in the European mobile device market, breaking EU antitrust rules, the EU executive arm said in a statement on Tuesday.
Asian shares and the euro rose on Tuesday after Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos raised hopes that a deal would be reached this week to avoid a potentially chaotic debt default, but worries over Portugal's refinancing ability capped gains.
Chancellor Angela Merkel cemented her political ascendancy in Europe Monday when 25 out of 27 EU states agreed to a German-inspired pact for stricter budget discipline, even as they struggled to rekindle growth from the ashes of austerity.
Portugal's slide towards becoming the next Greece - needing a second bailout to avoid bankruptcy - accelerated on Monday as untrusting underwriters hiked the cost of insuring Lisbon's bonds to new highs and insisted it be paid up front.
Greece's Prime Minister Lucas Papademos held talks on restructuring Greek debt with senior officials from the European Central Bank and the European Union after an EU summit on Monday, officials said.
Belgium is compelled by the EU to slash its deficit to below 3 percent of GDP from 4.2 percent in 2011.
China lost an appeal at the World Trade Organization on Monday in a case about its export restrictions on raw materials, a ruling that could make it harder for major commodity exporters to withhold supplies on the global market.
Weakness in banks and commodity stocks dragged Britain's leading share index lower on Monday as the protracted search for a Greek bond deal and concerns about economic growth kept investors nervous.
Stocks tumbled in early trading on Monday as concerns grew about the state of Europe's finances as Greece and Germany sparred over budget measures for Athens.
Stock index futures pointed to a weak open on Monday as concerns grew about the state of Europe's finances as Greece and Germany sparred over budget measures for Athens.
Health regulators on Friday detained nine shipments of orange juice from Brazil and Canada that contained traces of an illegal fungicide, and rejected industry calls to overhaul the way they test for the banned substance.
Although honor killings are typically associated with Muslim countries like Turkey, Iraq and especially Pakistan, the practice has nothing to do with Islam
Copper fell on Monday, pulling back from a four-month high as demand prospects dimmed amid a lack of progress in talks to avoid a disorderly Greek default, tempting investors to cash in on January's rally.
It would be difficult for Ireland to remain in the euro zone if its voters rejected a proposed new fiscal treaty, its European Affairs minister said on Monday, raising the stakes in a political battle over whether to put the plan to a referendum.
India has stated that it will not cut its oil imports from Iran despite the sanctions laid down against Iran by the U.S and the European Union.
India, the world's fourth-largest oil consumer, will not take steps to cut petroleum imports from Iran despite U.S. and European sanctions against Tehran, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee said on Sunday during a visit to Chicago.
The euro zone could fall back into recession this year, an ECB Governing Council member said on Monday, adding the bank's non-standard measures were a significant funding and confidence boost.
EU leaders will sign off on a permanent rescue fund for the euro zone at a summit on Monday and are expected to agree on a balanced budget rule in national legislation, with unresolved problems in Greece casting a shadow on the discussions.
Iran sent conflicting signals in a dispute with the West over its nuclear ambitions Sunday, vowing to stop oil exports soon to some countries but postponing a parliamentary debate on a proposed halt to such sales to the European Union.
Greece must surrender control of its budget policy to outside institutions if it cannot implement reforms attached to euro zone rescue measures, the German economy minister was quoted as saying on Sunday.
Iran is considering banning all oil exports to the European Union for five to 15 years, a senior Iranian lawmaker was quoted as saying on Sunday, while the country's deputy oil minister said prices would surge should the EU stop importing Iranian crude.
