Timothy R. Homan
Bloomberg
Saturday, Jan 31, 2009

The U.S. economy is likely to keep deteriorating in early 2009 after shrinking last quarter by the most since 1982, as consumers and businesses retrench.

The 3.8 percent annual pace of contraction in the fourth quarter was less than forecast, with a buildup of unsold …

Continue reading " U.S. Economy May Keep Sliding After Shrinking Most Since 1982 "

Phillip Coorey
Sydney Morning Herald
Saturday, Jan 31, 2009

KEVIN RUDD has denounced the unfettered capitalism of the past three decades and called for a new era of “social capitalism” in which government intervention and regulation feature heavily.

In an essay to be published next week, the Prime Minister is scathing of the neo-liberals …

Continue reading " Time for a new world order: Australian PM "

Krishna Guha
Financial Times
Saturday, Jan 31, 2009

The Obama administration is gearing up for a “big bang” announcement next week that will combine a bank clean-up with measures to reduce home foreclosures and probably steps to kick-start credit markets.

The plan will involve an overhaul of the troubled asset relief programme – the …

Continue reading " US set for ‘big bang’ financial clean-up "

Ian Traynor,
London Guardian
Saturday, Jan 31, 2009
France paralysed by a wave of strike action, the boulevards of Paris resembling a debris-strewn battlefield. The Hungarian currency sinks to its lowest level ever against the euro, as the unemployment Figure rises. Greek farmers block the road into Bulgaria in protest at low …

Continue reading " Governments across Europe tremble as angry people take to the streets "

Contrary to recent news, Icelandic Prime Minister in waiting, Johanna Sigurdardottir said today at the Althingi parliament building in Reykjavik that the new government will probably be revealed tomorrow.
Leader of the Left Green Movement, Steingrimur J. Sigfusson says that the coalition’s talks with the Progressive Party have not hit a brick wall by any means; [...]

Continue reading " New Icelandic government sooner than expected? "

Wayne Madsen
Online Journal
Saturday, Jan 31, 2009
Israeli expansionists, their intentions to take full control of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip and permanently keep the Golan Heights of Syria and expand into southern Lebanon already well known, also have their eyes on parts of Iraq considered part of a biblical …

Continue reading " Israel hopes to colonize parts of Iraq as ‘Greater Israel’ "

Frank Lansner
Watts Up With That?
Saturday, Jan 31, 2009

(Note from Anthony - English is not Frank’s primary language, I have made some small adjustments for readability, however they may be a few  passages that need clarification. Frank will be happy to clarify in comments)

It is generally accepted that CO2 is lagging …

Continue reading " CO2, Temperatures, and Ice Ages "

Ken Fireman
Bloomberg
Saturday, Jan 31, 2009
Admiral Michael Mullen, the most senior American military officer, said the U.S. will probably deploy close to 30,000 additional troops to Afghanistan to shore up deteriorating security there.
In an interview, Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, also said he is hopeful that other NATO nations …

Continue reading " Mullen Says Close to 30,000 New Soldiers Likely for Afghanistan "

George Washington’s Blog
Saturday, Jan 31, 2009

The Dow and the S&P both had their worst January in history.

This month has been the worst January for the Dow since 1896, and for the S&P since 1928.

As both Bloomberg and Market Watch point out, the performance of the stock indices in January …

Continue reading " Dow and S&P Suffer Worst January in History "

Albert Bozzo
CNBC
Saturday, Jan 31, 2009
The Obama administration may still announce a plan next week to prop up ailing banks, but significant questions remain about key measures of the plan, as well as where the funding will come from, a source says.
Meanwhile, another source is telling CNBC that the plan …

Continue reading " Plans to Create ‘Bad Bank’ Are Running Into Problems "