AMSTERDAM, Netherlands -- A consortium of banks led by Royal Bank of Scotland PLC said today it will bid 71.1 billion euros ($95.5 billion) for the Dutch bank ABN Amro, topping a bid from Barclays PLC and continuing a struggle with Bank of America Corp. for control of the Dutch bank's U.S. arm.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Focused intently on moving into Chicago and undeterred by the prospect of a trans-Atlantic legal fight, Bank of America Corp. sued ABN Amro on Friday to preserve its $21 billion deal to buy the Dutch company's LaSalle Bank Corp. subsidiary.

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) -- One of the largest takeovers in corporate history escalated into a bidding war Wednesday as a group led by Royal Bank of Scotland said it planned a bid worth almost $100 billion for ABN Amro that tops a Barclays' offer by more than 10 percent.