Nice, France - A row over US and Russian plans to site missiles in Europe, the global financial crisis and European Union diplomacy in Georgia topped the agenda Friday when EU and Russian leaders met in the French resort of Nice.

"There should be no (missile) deployment in any enclave until we have discussed the new geo-political terms for pan-European security ... until then, please let's not talk about the deployment of missile shields," French President Nicolas Sarkozy said in a double-barrelled blast at Russia and the US.

Sarkozy currently holds the rotating presidency of the EU.

Madrid - Prosecutors at Spain's National Court on Friday requested the arrest of five suspected members of the militant Basque separatist group ETA on suspicion of exchanging information on military tactics with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

The whereabouts of the five were unknown. Press reports said they had fled to Cuba and Venezuela.

Documents seized from ETA and FARC provided evidence of the contacts and collaboration, the prosecutors said.

Frankfurt - The world's leading central banks are ready to take more steps to stabilize global markets if need be, Ben Bernanke, the chairman of the US Federal Reserve, said Friday.

He said continuing volatility and recent economic indicators show that there are challenges ahead. Bernanke was in Germany to attend a conference sponsored by the European Central Bank to review the history of the euro.

Brussels - The European Commission on Friday moved to stiffen controls and penalties on fishermen who exceed their country's fishing quotas amid depleting stocks.

According to a new regulation put forward by the European Union's executive, member states that fail to crack down on over-fishing could see a suspension or reduction of funds they receive from Brussels.

And guilty fishermen could face fines of up to 300,000 euros (375,000 dollars).

Los Angeles - Firefighters battled a raging wildfire near the celebrity hideaway of Montecito Friday after more than 100 houses were destroyed by the wind-driven flames overnight.

The fire injured 13 people and forced residents from over 5,400 home to evacuate. Several college buildings were also destroyed in the inferno, including a dormitory and several laboratories. It was the worst fire of the current season in terms of property damage.

New Delhi - A moon impact probe launched from India's first lunar spacecraft successfully landed on the lunar surface Friday, an official of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) said.

The 35-kilogram probe, with the Indian flag painted on its sides, crash-landed at the Shackleton crater near the moon's south pole at 8:31 pm (1501 GMT).

"We have planted the moon probe successfully," ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair said at a press briefing.