The European Commission can confirm that on 29th – 30th January 2008 Commission officials carried out unannounced inspections at the premises of several providers of ship classification services and an association of such providers.

By Doug Hadfield

It may not be the sexiest of metals to investors, but iron is also arguably one of the most important. That was the message of Brian Thurston, President of Raytec Metals Corp. (TSX.V: RAY) in a recent interview with Resourcex.com. The junior exploration company has turned its focus from uranium in the Athabasca Basin to iron ore in Ontario and South America.

By D. J. Hadfield

Certainly, one of the most daunting challenges an investor faces is putting on the thinking cap and calculating the value of a mining or junior exploration company share. There are countless ways of valuing and comparing companies, and tens, if not hundreds of variables to consider when making your final investment decision.

In Mississippi, just a few kilometres from the town of Natchez, KFG Resources (TSX.V: KFG) is about to try something that CEO Bob Kadane believes will create significant value for his company’s shareholders.

The People's Bank of China(PBC), the country's central bank, on Tuesday issued one-year central bank bills worth 31 billion yuan (4.2 billion U.S. dollars) at a yield of 4.0583 percent.

The year 2007 was certainly a year to be remembered by investors familiar with Montello Resources (TSX.V: MEO). The company and its JV partner Pennine Petroleum Corp. (TSX.V:PNN) have achieved success at their Pincher Creek operations in Alberta, with one new well completed and scheduled to soon become a producer.

From today, all businesses can benefit from free energy audits, thanks to OneWorldEnergy, in a bid to change corporate consumers’ approach to being green.

Astral Mining Corp.’s (TSX.V:AST) management may well have exceeded its target. Both management and investors are likely over the moon given that the company, along with joint venture partner Kootenay Gold (TSX.V:KTN), announced some stellar results from the latest round of drilling at the Jumping Josephine (JJ) Gold Project in southeastern BC.

Local people can resolve to develop their business skills in the new year, through a range of short, practical courses at the University of Bath in Swindon.

Brightpoint, Inc. (NASDAQ:CELL) announced that its subsidiaries, Brightpoint Middle East FZE and Brightpoint North America L.P. ("Brightpoint"), have been appointed as distributors by Fahad & Patson Gen Trading LCC, the UAE Agent of Neo products Limited ("Neo"). Pursuant to this agreement, Brightpoint will provide Neo with distribution services for Neo products to be distributed in the Middle East and North America markets.

Socket Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCKT), dba Socket Mobile, Inc., an innovative provider of mobile productivity solutions, announced that Eastern Sales & Marketing (ESM) selected the Socket Mobile SoMo 650 to fulfill its mobile computing needs.

eOn Communications Corporation™ (NASDAQ: EONC), a leading provider of telecommunications solutions today announced that the Company has executed a definitive Agreement and Plan of Merger to acquire Cortelco Systems Holding Corporation ("Cortelco") for up to $11,000,000 in stock and cash. The Board of Directors of both eOn and Cortelco have approved the proposed merger. The proposed merger provides that Cortelco would merge into a newly formed wholly-owned subsidiary of eOn.