Germany / AFP German auto giant Volkswagen announced it is giving its staff a €3,950 bonus for 2015, despite suffering huge losses due to an emissions-cheating scandal which sent shockwaves through the industry. The pre-tax premium — less than the €5,900 handed out for 2014 — comes after VW also revealed huge bonuses for top executives last month, sparking …

  Caracas, Venezuela / AFP Embattled Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro declared a three-month state of emergency late Friday to face “threats from abroad,” as his emboldened opposition geared for a vote to oust him from office. In an address to the nation, Maduro said he had signed a new state of emergency decree “to neutralize and defeat foreign aggression,” which he …

  Bloomberg Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Chairman Warren Buffett is backing a group bidding for Yahoo! Inc.’s Internet assets, people familiar with the matter said. The consortium, which includes Quicken Loans Inc. founder Dan Gilbert, is in the second round of bidding for Yahoo’s assets, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the bidding process is private. Buffett …