First Citizens BancShares Inc. (FCNCA) News

DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan. 30 (UPI) -- Greece does not need a European Union loan or financial rescue from the International Monetary Fund, Prime Minister George Papandreou said Friday.

Speaking Friday in Davos, Switzerland, to the Italian financial daily Milano Il Sole 24 Ore, the Greek leader asserted Greece needs no such help as it seeks to join the eurozone, even though its ballooning budget deficit has reached 12.7 of GDP, the Athens News Agency reported.

"My government has clearly stated that we will solve our problems ourselves," Papandreou told the newspaper. "It is true that the deficit is at 12.7 percent, much higher than what we expected when we took over the government. Although we inherited these problems from our predecessors (in the government) we are working fervidly to solve them."

The World Economic Forum in Davos has been dominated by economic problems in Greece and Latvia that have clouded the stability of the 16-member eurozone, the EUobserver reported.

Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero spoke in defense of the eurozone, reportedly saying, "Nobody is going to be leaving the euro. More countries are going to be joining the euro. That is the best proof of how successful the project is."

WASHINGTON, Jan. 30 (UPI) -- Banks in Minnesota, California, Georgia, Florida and Washington state have been closed by regulators, officials say.

The closures, announced Friday by the the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., brought the number of shuttered U.S. institutions to 15 so far this year, The Wall Street Journal reported.

The First National Bank of Georgia (OOTC:BKGGF) in Carrollton, Ga., was closed by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Community & Southern Bank has assumed some of its assets and deposit liabilities.

American Marine Bank of Bainbridge Island, Wash., was closed by the Washington Department of Financial Institutions. Columbia State Bank of Tacoma, Wash., will assume its deposits.

Florida Community Bank of Immokalee, Fla., which was closed by the Florida Office of Financial Regulation. Premier American Bank (OTCBB:AMBK) (OTCBB:AMBKP) of Miami will assume all of its deposits.

Marshall Bank of Hallock, Minn., was closed by the OCC. United Valley Bank, Cavalier, N.D., will assume its deposits.

Community Bank and Trust, Cornelia, Ga., was closed by the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance. SCBT of Orangeburg, S.C., will assume its deposits.

First Regional Bank of Los Angeles was closed by state officials. First Citizens Bank (AMEX:FZB.PR) (OTCBB:FCNCB) (NASDAQ:FCNCA) & Trust Company, Raleigh, N.C., will assume its deposits.

BRUSSELS, Jan. 30 (UPI) -- The resolution of the Honduras political crisis could mean the quick resumption of Central American trade talks, European Union officials say.

The Spanish EU presidency said Friday that with Porfirio Lobo sworn in as president of Honduras and the exile of deposed President Manuel Zelaya, the decks have cleared for the EU to restore normal relations with the Central American country, as well as for the resumption of negotiations on a bi-regional Association Agreement.

The EU presidency said European Commission and Central American trade negotiators are set to meet informally in Brussels next week for three days starting Monday to "take stock of the negotiations with a view to restarting them at the end of February."

The Spanish Presidency said it is strategically important that relations with Latin America and the Caribbean (or LAC) countries be in proper order and expressed hope that negotiations on the Association Agreement could be wrapped up in time for the May 18 Madrid celebration of the 6th EU-LAC Summit.