25 July 2008 – VEGA Group PLC (VEGA), the specialist professional services company, has been awarded a £1.6m contract extension to continue providing specialist support to Government Connect.

Government Connect is the strategic partnership between central government departments and the local government community that aims to build a secure network for English and Welsh local authorities to support better collaboration between central and local government, and share sensitive information online, quickly, easily, accurately and in real time. The programme is an example of how the successful exploitation of technology can enable Transformational Government.

VEGA will support the Government Connect Programme Support Office, and Requirements and System Architecture Team, as well as provide CLAS Security Consultants, and Service Desk and Support Manager. Read more: Government Connect rewards VEGA with £1.6m contract extension

July 24

Kinross announces friendly combination with Aurelian

Aurelian shareholders receive 63% premium

Kinross to acquire major growth asset

Kinross committed to continue responsible development in Ecuador

Kinross Gold Corporation (TSX:K; NYSE:KGC) and Aurelian Resources Inc. (TSX:ARU) announced today that their respective Boards of Directors have approved a business combination by way of a friendly offer by Kinross to acquire 100% of the outstanding common shares of Aurelian, and that they have signed a Support Agreement pursuant to which Aurelian\'s Board of Directors has unanimously agreed to support the Kinross offer. The total value of the offer is approximately $1.2 billion. Read more: Aurelian Resources Inc ( ARU )

July 24

PotashCorp Surpasses Previous Quarterly Earnings Record by Over 60 Percent

Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc. (PotashCorp) today reported record second-quarter earnings of $2.82 per share(1) ($905.1 million), a 220 percent increase over the $0.88 per share ($285.7 million) earned in last year\'s second quarter. This represents the highest quarterly earnings in company history - 62 percent above the record $1.74 per share ($566.0 million) set in first-quarter 2008 - and reflects rising global fertilizer demand and the impact of significantly higher prices for potash, nitrogen and phosphate products. Record quarterly gross margin of $1.4 billion was up 187 percent from the $501.4 million generated in the second quarter of 2007, with all three nutrients making record contributions. Earnings for the first six months of 2008 were $4.54 per share ($1.5 billion), more than triple the $1.50 per share ($483.7 million) earned in the first half of last year and higher than the record $3.40 per share ($1.1 billion) earned for the full year 2007. First-half gross margin reached $2.3 billion, compared to $871.1 million in the first six months of 2007, and has already exceeded the record full-year total of $1.9 billion set last year. Read more: Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc ( POT )

July 24

International Minerals Announces Production Results From Pallancata Mine, Peru; Pallancata Continues to Produce Well Ahead of Schedule

International Minerals Corporation (TSX: IMZ) (SWX: IMZ) has received production data from co-owner and mine operator, Hochschild Mining plc (\"Hochschild\"), showing impressive second calendar quarter of 2008 (\"Q2 2008\") production results from the Pallancata silver-gold mine in southern Peru. The Pallancata Mine is jointly owned by IMZ (40%) and Hochschild (60%).

Q2 2008 silver and gold production at Pallancata increased 66% and 67% respectively compared to the first calendar quarter of 2008 (\"Q1 2008\"), producing a total of 829,000 ounces silver and 3,230 ounces gold respectively (approximately 1,023,000 ounces silver equivalent, based on a silver-to-gold ratio of 60:1). IMZ\'s 40% share of production was 331,600 ounces of silver and 1,292 ounces of gold (approximately 409,000 ounces of silver equivalent). See Tables 1 and 2 below for further production details. Read more: International Minerals Corporation ( IMZ )