Anglo-Australian mining company Rio Tinto announced it has signed a deal with China to develop a massive iron ore mine in West Africa. China's state-backed metals group Chinalco will pay 1.3 billion US dollars for 47% of the Simandou project in Guinea.
A Falkland Islands delegation is on its way to Brussels for the annual Forum for Overseas Countries & Territories of the European Union, which will be attended by representatives of all 21 EU Overseas Countries & Territories, reports the Falklands Legislative Assembly
Petrol prices could reach an eye-watering 120 pennies per litre later this year, the AA is warning. The organisation is claiming that unleaded fuel could even top the price, equivalent to £5.41 a gallon, and Alistair Darling is being urged to delay the introduction of a planned 3p increase in petrol duty due to come in on April 1.
News that Greece may go cap in hand to the IMF for help with its debt crisis prompted investors to rush for the relative safety of the dollar, which soared against the Euro on Thursday. The Euro fetched 1.3603 dollars down more than a US cent on late trading.
A proposal to ban international trade in Atlantic bluefin tuna, which is a sushi mainstay in Japan, has been rejected by a UN wildlife meeting. Thursday's decision occurred after Japan, Canada and many poor nations opposed the measure on the grounds it would devastate fishing economies.
The World Wide Web is becoming as important to the future of mankind as free speech, the inventor of the Web Sir Tim Berners-Lee has said. Because the network is neutral and access to data open, the Web is becoming a vital tool to ensure open government, and as such it should be considered a right.
Governments across the world have “failed miserably and… are continuing to fail” to halt the growth of illegal poaching and trade in tiger body parts, said Willem Wijnstekers, Secretary-General, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
Polar bears have lost out on increased protection under international law after a US led bid for a total ban on trade in products made from the animals, such as furs and rugs, was rejected at a UN wildlife meeting in Doha, Qatar, Thursday.
Brazil's president criticised Israeli policies towards the Palestinians, warning that Israel's separation barrier, its blockade of Gaza and its continued settlement building was extinguishing the candle of hope.
European astronomers have found a planet outside our solar system with a relatively moderate temperature, far cooler than other “exoplanets” discovered to date. The planet Corot-9b has an estimated surface temperature between 160 C and -20 C. It has about 80% of the mass of Jupiter and its orbit is similar to that of Mercury.