President George W Bush has invited world leaders to gather in the US by the end of the year to discuss reform of the global financial system. 

The summit would be the first of a series announced after talks between Mr Bush, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and EU Commission chief Manuel Barroso. 

Democratic Party circles are in raptures over Colin Powell's endorsement of Barack Obama.  

So, we Australians don’t trust politicians. Tell us something we don’t know. 

If Sen. Barack Obama wakes up as the president-elect on Nov. 5, he will immediately assume responsibility for fixing a shredded economy while the Bush administration is still in office.

Financial workers at Wall Street's top banks are to receive pay deals worth more than $70bn (£40bn), a substantial proportion of which is expected to be paid in discretionary bonuses, for their work so far this year - despite plunging the global financial system into its worst crisis since the 1929 stock market crash, the Guardian has learned.

from Alan Ramsey …… 

The Rudd Government this week "dealt" with the gravest "global financial crisis" since the Great Depression of the 1930s by ignoring Parliament. 

Scanners being tested at Melbourne Airport will not blur the genitals of passengers.

Transport security authorities are trialling the new 'X-ray backscatter' body scanner, which has been described by critics as a 'virtual strip search'. 

The Government has some power to influence executive pay levels. But it can't do so alone. It needs help from company boards. Hitherto boards have been in the thrall of chief executives, seduced by the cult of the big chief, happy to be duchessed and co-opted.  

Gordon Brown's key role in heading off a global financial crisis was challenged last night by the French President, Nicolas Sarkozy. 

The two leaders jostled for position at a European summit in Brussels amid tensions between them over who should get the credit for the landmark decision by governments around the world to take stakes in ailing banks. 

Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull has addressed the nation a day after the Prime Minister, accusing the Federal Government of missing the warning signs ahead of the financial crisis. 

No knives, or sharp objects

No liquids or gels over 3 fl.oz

No weapons

- sign on door of Richmond International Airport

The Anchor Baby summarizes the wingnut pushback on the unmasking of the diseased Republican base:  

Exorbitant executive salaries may get a trim under a Federal Government plan to deal with the "extreme capitalism'' at the root of the global financial crisis. 

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd today revealed the government will work with the Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority (APRA) to bring fat-cat pay packets under control. 

In a televised address to the nation Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said the Government will do whatever is necessary to maintain economic stability, as dire global conditions continue. 

If it sometimes seems that Wall Street is a small world, well, it is. For all its global reach, and for all the bitter conflict in recent months, where, for example, Lehman Brothers was left to tumble into bankruptcy while American International Group was bailed out, these are people who know each other, often well.