A roundup of today's other stories in brief.

Conrad Black 'a greedy thief', jury told

Conrad Black and his former associates were greedy thieves who stole millions from investors, prosecutors told a jury yesterday, but lawyers for the failed media baron said he was guilty of nothing and was himself a victim of corporate villainy.

"You're sitting in a room with four men who stole $60 million [ €45 million], four men who believed their five- and six-figure salaries were not enough," prosecutor Jeffrey Cramer said as the US government opened its fraud and racketeering case in Chicago.

Lord Black's lawyer Edward Genson replied that his client "is not guilty of each and every charge in this indictment . . . he was not stealing from himself. The company was stolen from him." The trial of the Canadian-born millionaire and three former associates is expected to last four months. - (Reuters)

Aminex losses narrow to $2.86m

Aminex, the Dublin and London-listed oil and gas group, said its net loss almost halved last year after the group produced more oil and gas in the US and benefited from higher commodity prices.

The net loss narrowed to $2.86 million (€2.15 million), from $4.98 million in 2005. Revenue jumped 67 per cent to $5 million.

During the year, oil production increased 10 per cent, to 30,000 barrels, while gas production more than doubled to 129 million cubic feet.

The company is currently only producing in the US, where it added two new gas fields during the year.

Aminex said that last year it consolidated its exploration programme in Tanzania and Madagascar, finalised its exploration licence in Egypt and continued to make progress in North Korea. This year it plans to expand its programme in east Africa and the US.

Island Oil releases assets evaluation

Island Oil & Gas yesterday released an independent evaluation of its assets, outlining the potential reserves in each of the company's most advanced drilling projects.

As a result, the company said it would start its 2007 drilling programme in the second quarter at the Old Head of Kinsale and the Schull gas fields. Combined, the two sites are estimated to have net contingent resources of almost 11 million barrels of oil equivalent (mmboe).

Last year Island made the first new gas discovery in the Celtic Sea for 16 years.

Its Amstel oil field in the Netherlands is estimated to have net contingent resources of 6.5 mmboe, while the estimate for the Seven Heads site in Ireland stands at 0.2 mmboe.

NTR, Virgin to build US biofuels plant

Indiana local authorities have given the green light to NTR and Virgin to build their proposed biofuels plant in the Wells County region of the US state.

The state's department of environmental management has granted the pair's vehicle, Indiana Bio-Energy, the air-quality permit it needs to build the plant. The plant is part of a joint €260 million investment plan for biofuel ventures in the US.

NTR is involved through its subsidiary, Bioverda.

Glencar reveals Mali drilling results

Exploration group Glencar said the results from the fourth phase of drilling at its Komana West project in Mali found significant mineralisation between the previously drilled fencelines. Managing director Hugh McCullough welcomed the findings: "The good grades and, in particular, the extensive downhole thicknesses of mineralisation suggest a relatively robust deposit."