Economy, Europe | featured news

Fred Goodwin, the former chief executive of ailing Royal Bank of Scotland, was criticized for keeping his $1 million pension despite a string of ill-timed acquisitions under his reign.

Striking French workers of an American manufacturing company looked likely to hold their boss hostage for a second night on Wednesday after locking him in for more than 24 hours, as nationwide anger mounted over layoffs.

The current head of the European Union presidency on Wednesday warned that the U.S. economic rescue plans were, "a way to hell." However, his personal record in the field of economic leadership is very much up for debate.

The financial crisis and a series of scandals has Irish workers fuming -- and likely to take it out on the government.