Paris - Anxiety about corporate earnings and OPEC's announcement that it will cut oil production by 1.5 million barrels per day drove French shares to a five-year low at midday on Friday.

Shortly before noon, the Paris Bourse's CAC 40 index was down 10.62 per cent, to 2,959.29, its lowest level since May 2003, before recovering slightly.

France's two large carmakers, Renault and Peugeot, were among the biggest losers, giving up 18.04 and 13.72 per cent respectively, because the global car market is screeching to a halt.

On Friday, Peugeot announced drastic production cutbacks for the fourth quarter of 2008, and Renault is to shut down its French factories for at least a week because of the drop in demand for cars.

Bratislava - The Slovak parliament Friday voted to provide unlimited guarantees for bank deposits of individuals and select small businesses.

The government proposal passed 130-1, while nine lawmakers abstained.

The amendment requires presidential approval and will come to force upon publication in the country's legal code.

Germany and Austria vowed earlier they also planned to provide unlimited savings protection.

Slovakia currently protects 90 per cent of deposits up to 600,000 Slovak koruny (24,560 dollars).

Tokyo - Defying an overnight rise on Wall Street, Asian stocks, led by Tokyo and Seoul, plummeted Friday on renewed fears of worldwide recession.

Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average lost nearly 10 per cent of its value, tumbling below 8,000 for the first time since May
2003, on indications the global financial crisis was beginning to hit the nation's exporters.

The Nikkei shed 811.9 points, or 9.6 per cent, to close at 7,649.08.

The broader Topix index of all first-section issues plunged 65.59 points, or 7.52 per cent, to 806.11.

Singapore - Investors shed their shares Friday from the opening bell at the Singapore Exchange for fears of the global downturn's impact on corporate performances and the fate of developing economies.

The Straits Times Index crashed to 1591.48 points towards the closing bell but made a slight flip to close at 1600.28, down by a huge 145.39, or 8.33 per cent.

The STI has lost 278 points this week, having settled at 1878.51 at last Friday's close. The Singapore Exchange ended the day with 513 counters suffering losses and just 90 gainers. Trading volume totaled 1,208.5 million shares.

Chennai, Oct 24 : The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) on Friday staged a walkout from the Rajya Sabha demanding arrest of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi over his alleged support to the separatist LTTE in Sri Lanka.

As soon the proceedings began, AIADMK members raised slogans demanding dismissal of the Tamil Nadu Government and arrest of Karunanidhi.

Chairman Hamid Ansari, however, disallowed their move and said that the Question Hour should be taken up.

With Ansari disallowing their move, AIADMK members staged a walkout from the House.

Sydney, Oct 24 : The Australian Federal Police (AFP) have reportedly passed the obligation of charging Dr Mohamed Haneef with terrorism on to the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions (CDPP).

In a submission to the Clarke inquiry into the case, the AFP said that while the decision to charge Dr Haneef ultimately rested with it, the CDPP’s legal advice was “a fundamental factor” in the decision-making process to charge Dr Haneef.