Drought Emergency In California

California's Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared a state of emergency because of a severe drought. The governor said the drought was having "a devastating impact" on...

Read more california needs more water..

Source: bbc news

Stocks Take a Beating in February

A late burst of selling sealed a dismal finish for the stock market, which hit a fresh 12-year low on Friday as Citigroup sold a bigger chunk of itself to the government and General Electric slashed its dividend, spooking investors who were already jittery…

Read more Brutal February on wallstreet

Source: www.wsj.com

Wall Street's allure may be gone for good

Wall Street's fat cats are in the public's doghouse, and it could be a long time -- if ever -- before the eye-popping paychecks and glamour of the last two decades return.

Americans have long tolerated Wall Street's big bonuses, bigger egos and outsized influence because the firms and their executives at least made lots of money. Now, those days are over….

Read more Wall Street's allure gone?


Source: reuters

Fetus found inside its mother's skeleton along with other 10 Bodies

Four more bodies have been uncovered from the mesa west of Albuquerque, including a fetus found inside its mother's skeleton, bringing the total remains found in the area to 10. The search for bodies began 2 1/2 weeks ago after hikers discovered some remains in an area recently razed for a housing development.

Since then, teams of detectives, anthropologists and medical investigators have excavated an area 10 yards by 30 yards, uncovering some bones in graves and others scattered either by animals or the development project, Albuquerque police Chief Ray Schultz said Monday.

Read more fetus found inside its mother's skeleton

Source: el paso times

Report: Investigating Gaza's 'war crimes'

Testimony from eyewitnesses, friends, neighbours and human rights experts about the incident tell the story of how a woman carrying a baby and white flag was shot in broad daylight by an Israeli soldier.

Nasser al Najar, Rawhiyya's husband, still has the bloodstained white flag he says his wife was carrying when she was killed…

Read more Gaza's 'war crimes'

Source: world news

USA to give $900 million to Gaza rebuild...

"This money is for Gaza and to help strengthen the Palestinian Authority.

It is not going to go to Hamas," said the official, who asked not to be named as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton planned to announce the funding at a donors' conference in Egypt next week...

Read more $900 million for gaza to be rebuilt..

Source: yahoo! news

HSBC considers $20bn cash call from investors

HSBC chief executive, Michael Geoghegan, is expected to meet with key institutional investors in the Square Mile this week to gauge support for any cash call ahead of the bank’s full year results next Monday.

Meanwhile, later this week, Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) will confirm the biggest loss in British corporate history when it reports results on Thursday....

Read more HSBC considers $20bn from investors

Source: independent.co.uk

Obama aims to cut deficit in half by 2013

"The deficit this administration inherited was $1.3 trillion or 9.2 percent of GDP.

By 2013, the end of the president's first term, the budget cuts the deficit to $533 billion or 3.0 percent of GDP," the official said on condition of anonymity...

Read more cut deficit in half by 2013

Source: reuters

Stock Market Gives Obama’s First Month An 'F

Today marks the one-month anniversary of President Obama’s inauguration. In his brief time in office, the president has overseen three massive new spending initiatives — the $787 billion stimulus bill, the trillion-dollar financial stability initiative and, most recently, the $275 billion mortgage assistance program...

Read more Stock Market Gives Obama’s First Month An 'F

Source: wowowow

Trump's "golden" image on trial after bankruptcy

Donald Trump, the real estate mogul who has splashed his name on everything from skyscrapers to neckties to bottled water, has suffered a string of recent reversals that threaten to dilute his cachet, say branding experts. His name, which he often licenses to real estate projects in which he has no direct control, has earned him millions....

Read more Trump's image on trial

Source: reuters

GM needs up to $30 billion more

General Motors Corp (NYSE:GM - News) said on Tuesday it could need a total of up to $30 billion in U.S. government aid -- more than doubling its original aid -- and would run out of cash as soon as March without new federal funding.

The request for additional aid from the top U.S. automaker came in a restructuring plan GM submitted to U.S. officials on Tuesday...

Read more GM needs $30 bil more

Source: yahoo! finance

New Jersey Hit By Second Quake

For the second time in two weeks, a small earthquake has rattled an area of central New Jersey.

But like the last quake in Morris County, no significant damage or injuries were reported...

Read more earthquake rattles jersey ...again

Source: nbc new york

Government boot camps to target 'ticking time bombs'

The Government's military-style "boot camp" legislation will target New Zealand's young "ticking time bombs", Prime Minister John Key said today...

Read more 'ticking time bombs'

Source: nzherald.co.nz

'Gays' crush Christian speech

Several television stations are caving to pressure from the homosexual community and refusing to run "Speechless: Silencing Christians," a one-hour paid program sponsored by the American Family Association.

WOOD-TV 8, a television station in Grand Rapids, Mich., has decided against airing the special about the agenda of homosexual activists and their impact on families and freedom of religion...

Read more 'Gays' crush Christian speech

Source: worldnetdaily.com

Virtual "Rape Game" Banned on Amazon

The game was intended for release just in Japan, but was on offer to British buyers through Amazon Marketplace, the section of the online store's website open to third-party sellers.

But Amazon has now withdrawn the game after complaints from users, deeming it to be inappropriate. "We determined that we did not want to be selling this particular item," a spokeswoman said.....

Read more rape game banned on amazon.com

Source: telegraph.co.uk

You're under arrest, Mr. President

The International Criminal Court recently issued an arrest warrant against Sudan's president, Omar Hassan al-Bashir, the first international arrest warrant ever issued against a sitting head of state...

You're under arrest

Source: international herald tribune

Really? Access to government resources is privilege not right...

Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner on Tuesday unveiled a new bank rescue plan that includes a "new consumer business lending initiative to leverage up to $1 trillion dollars to kick start the secondary lending markets." ..

Read more Costly bank rescue plan aims to increase trust

Source: politico

Hundreds of Chicago Students Beaten, Choked, Kicked Downstairs By Teachers

Hundreds of students have allegedly been beaten by teachers, coaches and staff at Chicago Public Schools.

Investigator Dave Savini continues his ongoing investigation involving the illegal use corporal punishment...

Read more Abuse At Chicago Schools

Source: cbs2chicago

Los Angeles Unified teachers' jobs safe for now

If layoffs were mandated, thousands of students would have had to change teachers mid-semester, classes could have grown in size and administrators who have not taught for years might have been bumped back into schools…..

Read more teachers' jobs safe for now

Source: la times

Mexico Drug Wars Spill Across U.S. Border

The drug violence that has left nearly 4,000 people dead this year in Mexico is spreading deep into the United States, leaving a trail of slayings, kidnappings and other crimes in at least 195 cities as far afield as Atlanta, Boston, Seattle and Honolulu, according to federal authorities...

Read more drug wars spill across the border

Source: la times

Go 'Inside the House of Money'

Wall Street titans and hedge fund managers were the masters of the universe, raking in seven- to 10-figure salaries for making bets in world markets…

Read more 'Inside the House of Money'

Source: the street

Chairman on Stimulus Waste: 'So What'...

"It raises a whole host of questions about how efficiently money can be spent, how effectively it will be spent, how quickly money can be spent, just because there's no set process here for determining how money will get out the door to create jobs or, as the president said, to save jobs,"..

Read more House Appropriations Chairman on Stimulus Waste: 'So What'...

Source: npr

Portrait of a high-roller lifestyle

Files in the alleged fraud show the couple suspected of defrauding Best Buy of millions of dollars had a penchant for expensive cars…

Read more high-roller lifestyle

Source: startribune.com

WARNING: U.S. Depression Threat

The US economy is suffering its steepest downturn since at least the 1970s and could descend into a depression, Jeff Immelt, General Electric’s chief executive, warned on Thursday.

He said businesses and consumers alike were struggling to contend with tumultuous markets and a financial-services industry under siege....

Read more GE chief warns on USA depression threat

Source: ft.com

Obama warns of 'trade wars'

President Barack Obama warned Tuesday that "Buy American" provisions in Congress's version of his economic stimulus bill could ignite "trade wars" and exacerbate slumping worldwide growth. "I think that would be a mistake...

Read more Obama warns of 'trade wars'

Source: business inquirer net

Hillary Clinton praises special relationship with Britain

Hillary Clinton declared her admiration for the special relationship with Britain today during her first meeting with a foreign counterpart since she was appointed US Secretary of State.

Mrs Clinton held "detailed, substantive, friendly" talks with David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, in Washington. It is thought that increasing troop numbers in...

Read more Hillary in Britain

Source: the times

US set for ‘big bang’ financial clean-up

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

Read more US set for ‘big bang’ financial clean-up

Source: ft.com

Investors, sick of poor returns, brace for more

AS the profit season officially kicks off this week, investors, well prepared for dividend cuts, asset write-downs, equity issues and profit falls, will be setting their sights on company outlook statements and the quality of current management, to decipher which companies and bosses to dump….


Read more Investors, sick of poor returns

Source: the australian

Closing Guantanamo puts pressure on leaders who back cruelty

As Barack Obama was inaugurated last week, I was putting the finishing touches to a short epilogue to be published in the spring in the paperback edition of Torture Team. When it came out last spring, my book told the story of how the abuse started...

Read more Closing Guantanamo

Source: times online