International

• Monday, February 11th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Yahoo Board Rejects Microsoft's $44.6 Billion Offer

  

  Yahoo! Inc., owner of the second most used Internet search engine, rejected a $44.6 billion takeover offer from Microsoft Corp. as too low, pressuring the world's largest software maker to raise its bid.

• Thursday, February 7th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Battle of giants for control of world's basic minerals

  

  Rio Tinto, one of the world's largest mining firms rejected on Wednesday a sweetened mega merger bid from BHP Billiton worth 147 billion US dollars. If the two companies had merged, a company would have been created that controlled one third of the world's iron-ore market.

• Thursday, February 7th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  UK cuts rate to 5.25% but warns on inflation and slowdown

  

  The Bank of England cut interest rates 0.25 percentage points to 5.25% amid signs that the UK economy is slowing down. Fears over rising prices and balancing growth and inflation made the Thursday cut relatively soft.

• Thursday, February 7th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Drilling record: 7 miles extended-reach oil well off Russia

  

  Exxon Mobil Corporation, the world's largest oil company recently broke its own industry record for the longest “extended-reach” oil well: more than seven miles from the frigid shores of Sakhalin Island off Russia's east coast.

• Thursday, February 7th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Euro zone leaves rates unchanged at 4%; inflation priority

  Fearing the risks to price stability over the medium term even when the economic fundamentals of the Euro area are sound, the European Central Bank (ECB) Governing Council kept this Thursday interest rates unchanged at 4%.

• Thursday, February 7th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Whale kill photos misleading, Japanese say

  

  The Japanese body responsible for the annual whale kill in the Southern Ocean says the Australian media is using emotional propaganda to mislead the public.

• Wednesday, February 6th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Chilean diplomat head of WTO Dispute Settlement Body

  

  The Chilean ambassador to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Mario Matus, has been chosen to head the organization's Dispute Settlement Body. Matus will replace Australian representative Bruce Gosper, who will preside over the WTO policy-making General Council for the next 12 months.

• Tuesday, February 5th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  BHP Billiton turns down Chinalco offer about Rio Tinto stake

  

  The head of the Chinese company that recently bought a chunk of mining giant Río Tinto said yesterday it was a strategic investment, and hinted his company would consider selling to BHP Billiton if the price was right.

• Tuesday, February 5th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  World Bank Appoints Chinese Academic as Top Economist

  

  The World Bank appointed Chinese national Justin Lin as its chief economist, the first time the post has gone to a candidate outside Europe and the U.S.

• Monday, February 4th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  UK: concerns about wind farms threat to MoD radar

  

  Concerns about wind turbines interfering with military radar are threatening ambitious Government plans of £ 200 million windfarm development.