Environmental protesters spent seven hours blocking the shipping channel to Newcastle, said Steve Phillips, a spokesman for Rising Tide Australia, a local climate change group. The activists had some 200 vessels on the water, including kayaks and a yacht. “During that time no coal ships passed through," said Mr Phillips. “Ordinarily there would have been four or five coal ships go through." Resources giant BHP Billiton ships coal through the NSW port. A BHP Billiton spokeswoman declined to comment. Separately, BHP Billiton said its Groote Eylandt Mining Company, a manganese supplier it owns jointly with global miner Anglo American, would be closed as a precautionary measure in light of weather conditions. Jackie Range

Independent Print, a company controlled by the family of Russian businessman Alexander Lebedev, bought British newspapers the Independent and Independent on Sunday for £1 ($1.65). Mr Lebedev already owns the London Evening Standard, which he bought in January 2009. As part of the deal, Independent News and Media, which formerly owned the papers, will pay Independent Print £9.25 million over the next 10 months, in exchange for taking on future trading liabilities and obligations. The deal is subject to conditions, including Irish Competition approval, Independent News and Media said in a press release. Jackie Range