COMMODITIES

Even though Rinehart's fortune is now more than ten times that of Oprah Winfrey, few outside her native Australia have ever heard of her.

If there is one reliable trend in Venezuela, it would appear to be a steadily rising murder rate. Violent crime in general -- whether it be homicide, robbery, kidnapping or assault -- is already a glaring problem in the oil-rich, Socialist-led South American nation, and as it continues to grow it will only further entrench itself as an imperative issue in the upcoming presidential elections in October.

Although Friday's closely watched June jobs report missed expectations, analysts are looking on the bright side: Income and hours worked both rose and the country's job market is still growing, despite global turmoil.

The current situation in Libya means that there is no clear best choice for Libya's 2.7 million registered voters.

Amazon.com Inc. (Nasdaq: AMZN), the No. 1 e-retailer, could be on the verge of selling its own smartphones which would be made by the same Taiwanese contractor used by Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL), the world's most valuable technology company, reports said.

What does a summer estate in the French countryside have to do with a dilapidated slum on the outskirts of Paris? More than you'd think, as it turns out.

Since its May 17 pricing at $38 a share, the stunning collapse in the value of Facebook (Nasdaq: FB) the No. 1 social networking site has made history ? for its sheer size and magnitude.The IPO market remains weak.

A major study released by Japan's first-ever independent commission appointed by Parliament says the nuclear disaster was ultimately caused by government-business collusion but lays blame on Japan's society as well.

Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL), the world's most valuable technology company, may introduce a smaller version of the iPad to compete with products from Google (Nasdaq: GOOG), the No. 1 search engine, and Amazon.com Inc. (Nasdaq: AMZN), the No. 1 e-retailer and Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT), reports said.

U.S. mortgage interest rates for 30-year, fixed loans are at/near 40-year lows. Further, while there's nothing like owning a home, for several reasons 'this is not your father's housing market.' There are pitfalls and pratfalls, and prospective buyers would be wise to review these five tips before taking the plunge.

Neither sanctuaries nor moratoriums have stopped Japanese crews from killing hundreds of whales every year in the waters surrounding Antarctica.

In Nepal, justice for the victims of war crimes is a long time coming.

The recent revelation that a leading far-right, anti-Semitic Hungarian politician is actually of Jewish origin again brings to light the fact that many neo-Nazis and other fascists are deeply ensnared in a crippling, lifelong struggle with dealing who and what they are.

Armando Montano had been interning with the Associated Press in Mexico City for less than a month before he was found dead at the bottom of an elevator shaft.

As Libya prepares for a June 7 national vote, violence shows that the sectarian divisions in the country are a serious problem.

The Institutional Revolutionary Party is back in power, with a fresh face. Now it must convince observers that it has abandoned its old, corrupt ways.

Dell (Nasdaq: DELL), the No. 3 PC maker, said it would acquire Quest Software (Nasdaq: QSFT) for $2.4 billion, topping a bid by private equity firms working with its CEO.

An abandoned slave fort in Sierra Leone is undergoing restoration so that it can be opened to the public. Officials hope that it will generate much-needed tourism revenues in the war-torn country.

The Fragrant Harbor was passed from British to Chinese sovereignty on July 1, 1997. Today, it's still torn between its Western-style freedoms and the Beijing model.

Why did Mawby betray his country and sell some of its secrets to a foreign country?

The Colorado wildfires -- such as the Waldo Canyon Fire in the vicinity of Colorado Springs that has killed at least two people, displaced tens of thousands, and destroyed more than 340 homes -- appear to provide evidence that such disasters are getting worse as the years wear on.

How powerful is the Syrian military? How do Western nations stack up against it? And would it be wise to intervene in the first place?

Both liberals and conservatives can use the high court?s decision to energize the rank-and-file.

Since 2001, Pakistani media estimates, at least 800 Hazara have been slaughtered in the country.

In Sudan, the big protest is in progress. Media reports are still scant, but Twitter is chirping with updates.

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) must be asking itself when the European automotive market becomes too toxic as sales in the region slump, the euro zone teeters on the brink of disaster and carmaker predicts European losses of close to $600 million in the second quarter.

BlackBerry developer Research in Motion will fire nearly a third of its 16,500 employees in a bid to stay alive for another nine months so that it can finally launch the BlackBerry 10.

As rebels attack more high profile targets in Damascus, Assad concedes that Syria was in a state of war for the first time in 16 months.

In Nigeria, overpopulation is a definite problem. Cutting down on fertility rates would help, but the government must choose the right plan of attack.