Monday, 24 November 2008

News

Obama to announce economy team

US president-elect Obama will today announce the team he is to call on to save the US economy from recession, and implement one of the most ambitious public spending programmes since Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal. At a press conference in Chicago with his future vice-president, Joe Biden, Obama will... [continued]

Top earners face new tax rate

Alistair Darling will today announce a new higher rate of tax for top earners to help fund a recession-beating £16bn package of tax cuts. In his pre-Budget report today, the Chancellor will say that those earning more than £150,000 will pay 45 per cent tax - an increase of 5... [continued]

Billion dollar rescue for Citigroup

The US government has bailed out banking giant Citigroup, with guarantees of $306bn and a $20bn cash injection. The rescue plan was announced after Citigroup's shares fell by more than 60 per cent last week, and follows an injection of $25bn of public funds last month. In return for... [continued]

Protests halt Thai parliament

The government of Thailand has been forced to cancel all parliamentary debates today as tens of thousands of demonstrators surround the parliament building. The protestors, led by the royalist People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), say the demonstration is their "final battle" to topple the government. They have occupied the... [continued]

Cholera rages in Zimbabwe

As many as 1.4m people are at risk of contracting cholera in Zimbabwe, according to Medicins Sans Frontieres. The World Health Organisation says that by late last week about 300 people had died in hospitals from the disease, with many more thought to have died at home and 6,000 others... [continued]

Jackson avoids court appearance

Pop singer Michael Jackson will not appear in the High Court in London today after he reached an out-of-court settlement in principle with Sheikh Abdulla Bin Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa, the King of Bahrain's son. Jackson had been due to fly to the UK today to give evidence... [continued]