Jon Bithrey

Latest Stories (14)

The Shard, Europe's tallest skyscraper, opens today

Jul 5, 2012
Europe's tallest skyscraper is opening today on the south bank of the Thames River. It's called the Shard -- as in a shard of glass -- and it's more than a thousand feet tall. But the real challenge wasn't just building it; they also need to find a way to fill it up.

Olive oil price hits 10-year low

May 28, 2012
As if Europe didn't have enough on its plate, it now faces a big drop in the price of one of its biggest exports, olive oil. Seventy percent of the world's olive oil supply comes from Spain, Greece and Italy.

Report urges shift in global development

Apr 11, 2011
A World Bank report out today recommends a shift in how developed countries give to developing countries. The report encourages countries to focus on building stable government and institutions.

Food prices hit record highs

Mar 3, 2011
The United Nations is reporting a 2.2 percent increase in its Food Price Index for February. This is the highest level recorded since the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) began monitoring prices in 1990.

Sanofi-Aventis to pay more than $20 bil. for Genzyme

Feb 16, 2011
French pharmaceutical company Sanofi-Aventis will pay more than $20.1 billion for U.S. biotech firm Genzyme. Sanofi will pay $74 per Genzyme share once the deal closes in the second quarter of 2011.

Nokia-Microsoft venture may result in job cuts

Feb 15, 2011
Last week, Finnish cell phone maker Nokia announced a partnership with Microsoft on its new smart phone. But according to a report from Reuters, the alliance could cost most than 5,000 Finnish research and development jobs.

U.K. calls for freeze on Mubarak's assets

Feb 14, 2011
After Hosni Mubarak's resignation, Switzerland froze the deposed leader's assets in the country. Now, as experts prepare to assess Mubarak's purported hidden wealth, Switzerland and the U.K. are encouraging other countries to do the same.

Britain trims its Christmas tree budget

Dec 14, 2010
Last year, the British treasury tree cost $1,400. This year, the UK finance minister tried to cut that cost, and met resistance.

Even Britain's pubs are feeling recession pains

Dec 8, 2010
They are the most British of British institutions -- but pub owners say they are being hit from two directions: the global economic slowdown means people are buying fewer drinks -- and the housing collapse has reduced property values.

Transocean may have misinterpreted key indicators on a European oil rig

Dec 7, 2010
The company that owned the oil rig which exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, leading to the BP oil disaster, had a near miss in Europe just four months before.