Financial Rescue Nears GDP as Pledges Top $12.8 Trillion
By Mark Pittman and Bob Ivry

March 31 (Bloomberg) — The U.S. government and the Federal Reserve have spent, lent or committed $12.8 trillion, an amount that approaches the value of everything produced in the country last year, to stem the longest recession since the 1930s.

New pledges from the Fed, the Treasury Department and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. include $1 trillion for the Public-Private Investment Program, designed to help investors buy distressed loans and other assets from U.S. banks. The money works out to $42,105 for every man, woman and child in the U.S. and 14 times the $899.8 billion of currency in circulation. The nation’s gross domestic product was $14.2 trillion in 2008.

[Read the report]

Joel Pett / Lexington Herald-Leader (March 30, 2009)

To avoid any risk of his trip being judged a failure, he is ready to back a fudged communique on how to handle the recession and has backed away from asking European allies, other than Britain and Poland, to contribute more combat troops to Afghanistan.

Part 1 includes Al Jazeera English reporter Mike Kirsch interviewing citizens of Pine Bluff, Arkansas where white phosphorus is manufactured. More here.

Part 1 | Part 2

Updated @1637 on 31 March 2009:
Israel closes probe of Gaza incidents, denies they happened

Monday, 30 March 2009 14:20
Written by Free Gaza Movement

DEAR FRIENDS: The Free Gaza Movement will again challenge Israel’s illegal closure of the Gaza Strip and collective punishment of its civilian population by sailing the HOPE FLEET, a flotilla of passenger and cargo ships, to Gaza at the end of May 2009 – to be followed by freedom riders this summer. We are turning to you, our friends & supporters, to help make Hope come alive.

[Read the appeal]

fourmanfilms: Coverage of the G20 Protest in London on 28th March 2009.