Week in pictures: February 22

The chancellor, Alistair Darling, moved to end six months of turmoil over the fate of Northern Rock when he admitted his efforts to find a buyer for the stricken bank had failed and he was forced into the first nationalisation of a British company since the 1970s. Read the story Photograph: Junko Kimura/Getty

The 6,000 or so employess at Northern Rock were braced for heavy job losses in the coming months as the government came under pressure from the trade union, Unite, over the nationalisation of the Newcastle-based lender. Read the story Photograph: Christopher Thomond/Guardian

The engineering firm Balfour Beatty has announced it will finish applying a new long-lasting paint to the world-famous Forth rail bridge by 2012 ending the myth of the never-ending paint job. Read the story Photograph: David Cheskin/PA

Porsche is threatening a legal challenge to London mayor Ken Livingstone's plans to demand a £25 congestion charge from drivers of high powered sports cars and 4x4s entering the capital. Read the story Photograph: Eckehard Schulz/AP

The Bank of England, headed by governor Mervyn King, moved to stabilise the markets on Monday, March 17 2008, offering £5bn of three-day funds in a move designed to bring overnight interest rates down. Banks scrambled for the cash, asking for nearly five times more than was on offer. The BoE said that along with other central banks it was “closely monitoring market conditions”. (Read the story) Photograph: Graham Turner/Guardian

The price of crude oil hit more than $100 a barrel again this week on further buying from hedge funds, and concerns over Opec supply. Read the story Photograph: Larry W Smith/EPA

The maker of Crocs, the ubiquitous colourful plastic clogs, enjoyed a 138% leap in annual sales last year as its footwear emerged as one of the fashion trends of 2007 with fans from Hollywood to the White House and the royal family. Read the story Photograph: David Silverman/Getty

The imminent launch outside Japan of the Wii Fit home fitness program is expected to drive sales for Nintendo which saw a 60% profits rise this year. Read the story Photograph: Scott Barbour/Getty

Cadbury Schweppes hailed its TV advertising campaign featuring a drumming gorilla as it reported the strongest sales growth in a decade but it upset investors by ruling out anticipated cash handouts. Read the story Photograph: Rex Features

Exhibitions organiser Reed Elsevier's chief executive, Crispin Davis, said he didn't "recall us giving any timing" on a decision last June to stop organising defence shows in response to widespread pressure. Read the story Photograph: Newscast

Energy industry regulator, Ofgem is launching an investigation into Britain's electricity and gas supply markets after news of a sharp rise in profits from the country's biggest residential energy supplier, British Gas. Read the story Photograph: Lewis Whyld/PA

The NatWest Three (Left to right: Giles Darby, lawyer Reid Figel, Gary Mulgrew and David Bermingham), are to be sentenced to lengthy jail stretches by an American judge for stealing $7.3m (£3.7m) in a complex Enron-related fraud which sparked an international political row over Britain's extradition policy. Read the story Photograph: David Einsel/Getty