The FINANCIAL -- World powers laid out on Wednesday a new package of proposals in crunch talks over Iran's nuclear programme which will be "of interest" to Tehran, a spokesman for the EU's foreign policy chief said.

The FINANCIAL -- NYSE Euronext announced, in partnership with national microlender Accion and online review site Yelp, Small Business Connections: Marketing Meets Microfinancing, a nationwide small business marketing and financing workshop series in conjunction with The NYSE Big StartUpSM.

The FINANCIAL -- Zurich Insurance Group announced the appointments of Claudia Dill (46, Swiss) as Chief Operating Officer or the General Insurance (GI) business, effective July 1, 2012, and Dirk De Nil (49, Belgian), who will become Head of Sales and Distribution for GI, effective June 1, 2012.