Stories for September 4th 2009

Saturday, September 5th 2009 - 06:32 UTC
Controversy over bankers’ bonuses at Finance minister summit in London

A cap on bonuses paid to London City bankers would be “enforceable” UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling warned on Friday. Proposals to curb excessive pay and bonuses are being pushed by European nations at the two-day meeting of Finance ministers from the G20 group of major economies being hosted by Mr. Darling in London.
Saturday, September 5th 2009 - 06:28 UTC
US unemployment at record 9.7%, but some signs job cuts are easing

United States job cuts in August reached 216,000 pushing the unemployment rate up to 9.7%, the highest since 1983, according to the Bureau of Labour Statistics. Since the start of the recession in December 2007, the US economy has shed 6.9 million jobs, the department said.
Saturday, September 5th 2009 - 06:14 UTC
PM Brown hints to earlier-than-expected withdrawal from Afghanistan

UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown paved the way for an earlier-than-expected withdrawal of British troops from Afghanistan as he called for training of Afghan forces to be accelerated.
Saturday, September 5th 2009 - 06:09 UTC
Bank of England expands quantitative easing by £ 50 billion to £ 175 billion

The Bank of England on Friday held interest rates at 0.5% as expected, but expanded its quantitative easing program by £50 billion to £175 billion. In a letter to the chancellor Alistair Darling, Bank of England governor Mervyn King said the move was essential to meet the central bank’s long term inflation target of 2% or 1% either side.
Saturday, September 5th 2009 - 06:03 UTC
Brazil’s begins process for the construction of a 510 kilometres “bullet train”

The Brazilian government officially established this week a maximum timetable of six years for the construction of the high speed train, HST, planned to link the country’s main populated corridor which includes, Sao Paulo, Campinas and Rio do Janerio.
Friday, September 4th 2009 - 13:26 UTC
Chilean female voters split evenly between leading presidential candidates

Female voters are split practically evenly between the two Chilean leading presidential candidates, according to a new poll from human rights organization Corporación Humanas.
Friday, September 4th 2009 - 13:12 UTC
Chile determined to boost natural gas production in Magallanes

A full fledged effort to search for more natural gas in the extreme south of Chile has been undertaken by the Chilean government and the private sector. The plan anticipates the drilling of 22 new wells, 120 kilometres to the north east of Punta Arenas in the Dorado-Riquelme quadrant, which already has a daily production of 450.000 cubic metres.
Friday, September 4th 2009 - 12:57 UTC
Recovery on sight, but bumpy road ahead, warns ECB chief

The European Central Bank declared Thursday that the economic contraction in Europe is coming to an end and kept interest rates on hold at 1%. However, the ECB's president, Jean-Claude Trichet, warned the recovery will be bumpy, especially in the face of high unemployment in Europe which is now 9.5%.
Friday, September 4th 2009 - 10:24 UTC
US lifts restrictions and allows unlimited visits to relatives in Cuba

United States citizens with relatives in Cuba can send them unlimited cash and visit the island as long and often as they would like under new rules from President Barack Obama’s administration.
Friday, September 4th 2009 - 10:05 UTC
Falkland Islands: Weekly Penguin News Update

Headlines: Nigel our new man at the Big House; Threat to Airbridge; Next of kin trip.