A rescue package will be announced for UK banks in the next few hours, after steep drops in banking shares. Jon Snow on Channel Four News said "The world has turned on its head" when reporting this. Over in Iceland, Landsbanki, the second largest bank, has been nationalised. Read Full Story

Sign of the times:SIGNS naming and shaming those who have fallen behind with their rent will be put up outside dozens of homes across Merseyside in the next few weeks as landlords feel the bite of the credit crunch. Two homes have so far had the signs – which say “rent dodger lives here” and have a shadowy image of a man running away – put up high on the houses, and more are expected to follow.More at the Liverpool Daily Post. Will residents realy care that they live near people who haven't... Read Full Story

[Oxford and Cambridge universities] are simultaneously publishing about 450 hours of free audio and video podcasts of lectures, films and admissions guides for people to download to a computer or MP3 player. They will be available from iTunesu, the download provider's university portal, where American institutions have been broadcasting their academic wares for some years. Both universities will provide podcasts advising students on applications, how to choose a college, and how to prepare... Read Full Story

Gilts, or gilt-edged stocks, are British government bonds. Most are redeemable (dated), but a few have no fixed repayment date. Those that do are divided into shorts (less than seven years), medium dated (seven to fifteen) or longs (fifteen or more). Gilts are listed on the London Stock Exchange,and currently managed by the ominous-sounding UK Debt Management Office (DMO),part of the Treasury. They are seen as secure, because as the DMO points out, "the British Government has never failed... Read Full Story

The Phillipine Foundation has complained that the BBC comedy show Harry and Paul's sketch about a Filipina maid was "completely disgraceful, distasteful and a great example of gutter humour." It hs called for the "re-education of the BBC", and has created a petition, which I shall link for posterity. The Phillipine Embassy has also complained to the BBC, as well as the Press Complaints Commission. I watch Harry and Paul weekly, and have seen the sketch in question. There is no racism... Read Full Story

Light aside here. I bought a sandwich from Asda yesterday and my till receipt had "NIVA suncream at £2" just below the barcode. Despite the fact it's October and less and less people can afford to travel abroad due to the financial crisis. There's no place like Asda. For misguided optimism. Read Full Story

The British Chambers of Commerce survey has found confidence has collapsed in both manufacturing and service sectors after surevying 5,000 businesses. They have called on the government to cut interest rates. More at the BBC. When will this end? Will Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling benefit from Mandelson's presence? Surely the Bank of England must cut interest rates soon? Read Full Story

Some photos I took in July before my Daily Express internship: A British warship on the Thames, with City Hall in the background. Tower Bridge. Read Full Story

The Washington Post claims the world financial crisis has given Barack Obama a clear lead over John McCain. Obama, who has not pledged to only take public funds, unlike McCain, also has a much larger "war chest", over four times McCain's $84 million limit. With his running mate Sarah Palin a gift to satirists, can McCain narrow Obama's lead? Even Republican stratigist Karl Rove predicts a narrow Obama win. Still, the Democrats must not be complacent. Elections can swing on a single event... Read Full Story

Stamford University's Quake Catcher Network are asking anyone with a laptop to help them detect earthquakes - and all you need to do is download some software and join the network of volunteers. More from The Economist. Read Full Story