International Monetary Fund (IMF) policies left healthcare systems in the African countries worst affected by Ebola underfunded and lacking doctors, and hampered a coordinated response to the outbreak, researchers said Monday.

Links between the IMF and the rapid spread of the disease were examined by researchers from Cambridge University's sociology department, with colleagues from Oxford University and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Deep recession, skyrocketing prices and a fragile banking system: although the ruble seems to have stabilized after its abysmal drop this past week, Russia still faces the heavy consequences of the turbulence.

For most Russians, the week ended with relief: after trading at unbelievable levels of 80 to the dollar and 100 to the euro, the ruble appears to have stabilized at around 60 and 73, respectively.

In a myriad of villages like Voskresenskoye, nestled deep in the Russian countryside, the monetary turmoil roiling the nation's large cities still seems a largely distant threat.

"This crisis is for the rich, for people who have dollars. We never had money here," said Tamara Boychenko, a 68-year-old retired resident of the village located in northwest Russia about 80 kilometers (50 miles) from Saint Petersburg.

"Irresponsible" levels of output by producers from outside the OPEC oil cartel is among the main causes of the slump in prices, the United Arab Emirates energy minister charged Sunday.

"One of the main causes is irresponsible production by some producers from outside the organization, some of whom are newcomers," Suhail al-Mazrouei told an energy forum in Abu Dhabi.

Despite Cuba's reputation as an island cut off from all things American, it is possible to drink Coca-Cola and watch Hollywood movies here, one of the paradoxes of the five-decade embargo.

Cuba's postcard image of pre-embargo American cars rolling down Havana streets that are so close yet so far from Miami belies the fact that the United States is currently the communist island's ninth-largest trade partner.

FCA U.S., formerly Chrysler, announced Friday it will recall 3.3 million older-model autos worldwide due to concerns about faulty Takata airbags.

The move expands a previous recall that was implemented only in warm, humid climates in the U.S., responding to a demand from regulators for a nationwide U.S. recall. About 2.9 million of the affected cars are in the U.S.

Fitch Ratings upgraded Egypt's credit rating one rank to "B" with a "stable" outlook Friday, saying the authorities seemed committed to major reforms.

"Fuel subsidy cuts and tax hikes have been implemented as part of a clear five-year fiscal consolidation strategy," Fitch said in upgrading Egypt from a "B-" rating.

U.S. stocks went from famine to feast this week, starting out fearful of crashing oil prices and finishing it smiling at a "Santa Claus rally."

The turnaround came Wednesday, the first of three buoyant sessions that by week's end left the S&P 500 in positive territory for December.

The International Monetary Fund held back 86 million euros ($106 million) in bailout funds for Cyprus Friday after the island's parliament delayed a vote on foreclosure legislation demanded by lenders.

The money is part of a 10-billion euro package of emergency loans that eurozone member Cyprus was forced to negotiate to avoid bankruptcy early last year.

China's gross domestic product (GDP) turned out to be 3.4 percent larger last year than originally announced, the government said Friday after a national survey -- a revision equal to about the size of Malaysia's economy.

The world's second biggest economy was valued at 58.80 trillion yuan ($9.5 trillion currently) in 2013, the National Bureau of statistics (NBS) said in a statement, quoting a survey of 70 million businesses across the country.