Cartoon of the Week

Wanda Sykes For President

I like her ideas!

US debt clock runs out of digits

The US government's debts have ballooned so badly the National Debt Clock in New York has run out of digits to record the spiralling figure.

The digital counter marks the national debt level, but when that passed the $10 trillion point last month, the sign could not display the full amount.

The board was erected to highlight the $2.7 trillion level of debt in 1989. The clock's owners say two more zeros will be added, allowing the clock to record a quadrillion dollars of debt.

— Full BBC story

The Crash of 1929

The Wall Street Crash of 1929 is popularly remembered for stories of bankrupt investors throwing themselves to their deaths. The grandfather of criminologist and film-maker Roger Graef was one of them.

A 1980s study suggested stories of widespread suicides of bankers in 1929 was myth; Suicides in New York in month following crash lower than normal; Only eight people jumped off buildings in the city between the crash and the end of 1929. Just two were on Wall Street.

— Full BBC Story

Japanese May Buy Part Of Lehmans

Japanese bank Nomura is in talks to take over Lehman Brothers' European operations.

The move centres on the investment and private equities arms of the collapsed US investment bank.

It comes as Nomura said it had reached a deal to buy the company's Asian operations.

Meanwhile, Barclays has completed its purchase of the US arm of Lehman Brothers.

— Full Story