AUSTRALIA

A sharp rebound in mine exploration spending shows no sign of slowing this year, but miners seeking fresh supplies are keenly aware of risks and not every country with rich mineral deposits is a winner.

About three dozen mobsters were arrested across Italy and Germany following police raids in those countries.

Brown-Forman Corp , the maker of Jack Daniel's whiskey, posted a stronger-than-expected 30 percent rise in quarterly profit helped by strong demand abroad, and raised its full-year outlook, sending shares up as much as 9 percent to an all-time high.

The slideshow contains the Top 14 most workaholic countries, according to survey by Ipsos Global and Reuters. Japan, Australia, South Africa top the list.

President Barack Obama said the U.S. and its NATO allies are weighing wide range of potential options (including military intervention) to pressure Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi from committing any further acts of unacceptable against the opposition rebels.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: VRTX) reported positive interim results on March 2 from a Phase 2 two-part study of 'telaprevir' combination therapy for treatment of hepatitis C virus and human immunodeficiency virus, also known as HCV-HIV co-infection. The shares of the drugmaker touched a new 52-week high of $51.10 on Friday.

The London Stock Exchange is eyeing a takeover of its rival Nasdaq just weeks after announcing a merger with the Toronto stock exchange, the Sunday Times reported.

The Wind Explorer, touted as the world's first car that runs on wind-generated energy, was tested in Australia.

Airbus parent EADS conceded defeat in an epic, decade-long contest to sell aerial tankers to the Pentagon and confirmed it would not protest the award of a $30 billion contract to Boeing Co .

China said on Friday its military spending for 2011 would rise 12.7 percent, resuming double-digit hikes that have stoked regional disquiet about Beijing's expanding strength.

Shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: VRTX) touched a new 52-week high of $50.83 on Thursday. The company announced positive interim results on Wednesday from a Phase 2 two-part study of 'telaprevir' combination therapy for treatment of hepatitis C virus and human immunodeficiency virus, also known as HCV-HIV co-infection.

A Tanzania business group has opposed a new U.S. law labeling all gold produced in countries neighbouring the conflict-hit Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as conflict mineral.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: VRTX) announced positive interim results on Wednesday from a Phase 2 two-part study of 'telaprevir' combination therapy for treatment of hepatitis C virus and human immunodeficiency virus, also known as HCV-HIV co-infection. The shares of the drugmaker touched a new 52-week high of $47.82 on Wednesday.

In wake of the recent attention and international developments on rare earth minerals, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has completed its first review of China's rare-earth industry.

Australia's changes to foreign investment rules in 2009 were aimed at limiting Chinese investments in local mining companies, according to confidential U.S. embassy cables.

China aims to allow all exporters and importers to settle cross-border trades in its currency the yuan by 2011, according to Chinese central bank, reported Reuters.

As Charlie Sheen makes an impactful land on the 'Twitterverse', the users of the microblogging site, Tweeps, are not so kind to the embattled 'Two and a Half Men' star.

Tata Steel, the world's No. 7 steelmaker, has raised its stake in Riversdale Mining to more than 27 percent, making it harder for miner Rio Tinto to seal its $3.9 billion bid for the Mozambique-focused coal miner.

As the United States moves military ships toward the Mediterranean Sea and officials discuss the possibility of imposing a no-fly zone over Libya, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said it was irresponsible to consider all options to resolve the situation there, including an invasion.

Google Ventures and Khosla Ventures have invested $42 million in a San Francisco-based start up WeatherBill, a provider of insurance to farmers against weather-related damages.

Private equity firm Blackstone Group LP has bought nearly 600 U.S. shopping malls from Australia's debt-laden Centro Properties for $9.4 billion in one of the biggest global property deals since the credit crisis.