
Russia and small, U.S.-allied Georgia headed toward a wider war Saturday as Russian tanks rumbled into the contested province of South Ossetia and Russian aircraft bombed a Georgian town, escalating a conflict that already has left hundreds dead.

The Bank of England decided on Thursday to keep interest rates on hold at 5% as it struggles to deal with a slowing economy and spiraling inflation. Many reports have shown the economy heading for a significant slowdown or even a recession.
The European Central Bank (ECB) has kept its interest rate benchmark unchanged at 4.25% amid signs of slowing economic growth. ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet said growth in the 15-nation bloc had been particularly weak in mid-2008.

Marine animals known to inhabit the Pacific Ocean may flock to the waters of the Arctic as global warming increases water temperatures, a new study claims.

Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has posted a pre-tax loss of £691m during the first six months of 2008, the second-biggest loss in UK banking history.

Spain's Marsans is forging ahead with its purchase of 61 Airbus planes despite the looming sale of its subsidiary Aerolineas Argentinas, which was due to take around 40 of the aircraft, a spokesman for the travel firm said on Friday according to press reports from Spain.

The IMF predicted the UK would grow by 1.4% in 2008 and 1.1% in 2009, down from the 1.8% for 2008 and 1.7% for 2009 that it predicted in July.

Nigeria surpassed Venezuela as the fourth largest foreign supplier of crude oil to the United States for the first five months of 2008, the US Energy Information Administration said on Wednesday.
Europe's largest bank HSBC has warned that conditions in financial markets are at their toughest for several decades after suffering a 28% fall in half-year profits. HSBC saw profits drop by 3.9 billion to 10.2 billion US dollars in the first six months of the year, as its North American arm made a 2.8 billion loss.
China policies in support of small and labor intensive enterprises are taking effect and there is no need for more adjustment measures, said on Monday a high ranking Chinese member of the Communist party.