The line will include 30 miles of new railway with three existing stations and seven new ones - at Shawfair, Eskbank, Newtongrange, Gorebridge, Stow, Galashiels and Tweedbank.

BBC: Borders to Edinburgh rail route main contractor agreed

China's efforts to improve coal supplies include the building of a new east-west passenger railway line, set to open in 2013, which should free existing tracks for coal transport.

ECONOMIST: What is good news for miners is bad news for the environment

This month trains will start running on Ferronorte, a newly built railway linking Alto Taquari, in the state's south-eastern corner, with an existing line to the port of Santos.

ECONOMIST: Brazil