US and South Korea sign a free trade agreement; US and Mexican phone companies try to buy an Italian one; Germany's E.ON gives up on buying Spanish utility Endesa; Kirk Kerkorian wants to buy Chrysler; Apple offering EMI music without copy protection.

Japan and China friendlier; US and China less friendly; World Bank president Paul Wolfowitz in trouble; Nestle buys baby food company; Google buys online ad firm.

British pound costs 2 US dollars; Chávez and Lula disagree over ethanol; big Blackberry service disruption; Sallie Mae sells themselves; problems at Yahoo.

British banks compete for ABN AMRO; Toyota becomes world's biggest auto seller; AstraZeneca wants MedImmune; Siemens in bigger trouble; Cadbury prosecuted for selling poisoned chocolate.

Hugo Chávez nationalizes more oil fields for May Day; Chinese make pet food poisoning arrest; Rupert Murdoch wants the Wall St. Journal; Thomson Corporation wants Reuters; US Supreme Court makes influential patent decision.

ESL Business news taking a vacation--maybe a long one.