MALI

China is the biggest power house for all the mining companies in the world now. With the liberalization of the gold market, more and more mining companies are now focusing on China market. Recently, mining giant Rio Tinto announced that its profit doubled in the first half of the year due to the demand from China.

Royal Dutch Shell of the Netherlands and China's China National Petroleum Corp have announced a 30-year deal to jointly develop and produce natural gas in China's Sichuan basin. The deal announced today by Shell, reveals close ties that the Anglo Dutch major has fostered with China's state-owned oil majors and comes close on the heels of Shell teaming up with PetroChina in sealing the acquisition for Australia's coal seam gas producer Arrow Energy yesterday for A$3.5 billion.

In early 2008, an official at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security sent a report to his superiors detailing what he called the most significant development in the criminal exploitation of aircraft since 9/11.

France's interior minister wants to add 23 countries to a list of places whose air travelers face tighter security measures, in response to the botched bombing of a U.S.-bound airliner last month.

Privately held Savannah Gold Ltd is seeking 1 million pounds in fresh investment to launch a drilling programme in Nigeria, and hopes to list the firm in Canada in the middle of next year.

Climate change could cost some countries up to 19 percent of their gross domestic product by 2030, a panel including major insurance, banking and consulting companies as well as the European Commission said on Monday.

A United Nations special envoy to Niger who was kidnapped by al Qaeda operatives in the impoverished West African country says he was betrayed by someone who let his captors know where he would be.

Europe's largest entertainment group Vivendi delivered forecast-beating second quarter underlying profit, despite the global economic crisis, and said it had ditched a deal with Kuwaiti telecoms firm Zain.

Chinese citizens are allowed to tour another nine nations, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the Middle East, from September 15, according to the National Tourism Administration.

Malian security forces have clashed with a group of suspected al Qaeda militants in the northern Tessalit region, killing several people, a senior military source in the West African country said Wednesday.

Al Qaeda's North African wing said on Wednesday it had carried out its threat to kill a British hostage it was holding in the Sahara.

The German telecommunications supplier Ericsson has announced its participation in the Millennium village project to provide connectivity in Africa especially in rural areas.

At least ten African Heads of State are xpected to attend the forthcoming information and communication technology summit in Kigali-Rwanda, on 28 October 2007, to discuss key Information and communication technologies (ICT) related issues for the Africa region.

The world can promote development in Africa by supporting the private sector in Africa, as Spanish businesses agreed to do this week, and combating people-trafficking mafias, according to a non-governmental aid group.

An improving political climate, and the potential for major mineral discoveries, has reawakened interest in Africa among Australian mining companies that have traditionally rated the continent too risky.