Staff Reporters

A Scottish university has struck a deal with Australian education provider Navitas in a bid to increase its international student intake.

Subiaco-based Venture Minerals has raised $5.5 million through a private placement that has secured the explorer a cornerstone European investor.

Mining and engineering services company ORH will boost its cash reserves by $2 million following the sale of a Port Hedland property.

Investment bank JP Morgan has lost its $50.8 million court battle with manganese miner Consolidated Minerals over a takeover fee dispute from 2008.

Internet service provider iiNet says it is confident it will succeed in defending an appeal in its legal stoush over illegal downloading and emerge in an even stronger position.

Shares in Subiaco-based Ampella Mining closed higher today after the junior announced the board had approved a $13 million exploration program for calendar 2010.

The strongest quarterly increase in new home starts in eight years has highlighted the effectiveness of the federal government's stimulus package, but economists warn that not enough new homes are being built to accomodate a rapidly growing population.

Shares in Forge Group surged higher today after the company upgraded its earnings forecast and secured a second contract at the Sino iron ore project, valued at more than $40 million.

South Perth-based Central Petroleum has today unveiled plans to raise $22.6 million through a rights issue that has been fully underwritten by Patersons Securities.

Perth-based explorer Hot Chili is eyeing an Australian stock exchange listing next month as it prepares to open its $8 million initial public offer next week.

Skywest Airlines is expected to generate a further $10.4 million a year in revenue after it signed a deal with Citic Pacific to transport workers between Perth and Karratha.

WildHorse Energy says it has entered into agreements to raise $21.8 million, which will be used to fund development of a newly acquired underground coal gasification project in Hungary.

An Aboriginal business lobby group has today released a report recommending changes to the state's legislation to foster greater employment of indigenous contractors as WA gears up for another resources boom.

Woodside Petroleum has rejected claims that its workers have been exposed to asbestos through gaskets, saying tests have confirmed the equipment did not contain the deadly material.

Businesses in Western Australia are the most confident in the country, with the state registering a lead of more than 10 index points according to the latest National Australia Bank survey.

Western Australian superannuation provider GESB has appointed Schroder Investment Management Ltd as a manager of its $2.7 billion international equity portfolio.

Como-based Medusa Mining will issue bonus shares to its shareholders in its bid to increase liquidity.

Indian miner NMDC, Saudi Arabia's ABS Consulting and Sydney-based Boulder Steel are reportedly planning to submit a $US230 million ($A252 million) proposal to buy a large stake in one of Atlas Iron's Pilbara iron ore mines.

West Perth-based Wild Acre Metals has made a positive debut on the Australian stock exchange today having raised an oversubscribed $2.5 million in its initial public offer.

The strong Australian dollar has continued to take its toll on the tourism industry, with the sector recording its largest deficit in tourist numbers since records were first kept 34 years ago.

Two Forge Group subsidiaries have won contracts, valued at a combined $40 million, for work at projects of Adamus Resources and Lynas Corporation.

Aquila Resources executive chairman Tony Poli says a new major deepwater port in the Pilbara could be operational in 2013, two years ahead of the state government's timetable.

The competition watchdog has granted a group of iron ore juniors in the Pilbara the right to collectively bargain with major iron ore miners over rail haulage and access.

Former Great Southern subsidiary, Rural Funds Management, is set to take control of the collapsed agribusiness' 2007 and 2008 almond income project.

The value of houses in Albany and Mandurah were among the top three coastal locations in the country to experience growth over the past 10 years, according to new analysis from RP Data.

Iron ore magnate Andrew Forrest has reclaimed the title of the nation's richest person from gaming tycoon James Packer while the fortunes of Perth businessmen Stan Perron and Kerry Stokes slipped, according to Forbes Asia.

More than 500 investors in failed property group Westpoint are set to receive a total of $13.5 million after the Federal Court today approved the settlement.

Detached new home sales in WA surged 12.2 per cent in January in a sign that upgrading owner occupiers and investors may be coming back in to the market, a leading industry body says.

ASG Group has been awarded a $13 million contract to provide IT services to the federal Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy.

Extract Resources has today appointed former Rio Tinto board member Jonathan Leslie as its new chief executive, some nine months after managing director Peter McIntyre announced his resignation.

Nickel miner Minara Resources has reported a net profit of $48.5 million for calendar 2009 on the back of record production and reduced cash costs.

Bunnings Warehouse Property Trust has booked an 11 per cent increase in first-half income on the back of acquisitions and improvements to investment properties.