From Kenya's slums to India's rice paddies to Brazil's cafes, the skyrocketing cost of food has left no corner of the globe untouched.

A banana price war has broken out between British supermarkets, and has been widely condemned by overseas aid charities, which feel that it will ultimately contribute to the poor treatment of plantation workers in the developing world.

Australian Treasurer Wayne Swan's decision to impose a limit on eligibility for the baby bonus and tax offsets has provoked an outpouring of the self-pity of the well-off, who combine the inconsistent desires of tax cuts and means-tested benefits.

As banking is not quite like any other business, regulators need to carefully assess the consequences for the industry that would be brought about by the creation of a mega-bank through merger between Westpac and St George.