Unemployment

Prime minister fends off criticism from Labour leader over soaring unemployment figures

Labour Party raises alarm as UK jobless figure hits 2.68 million, 8.3% of workforce.

Despite the economic slowdown, exports of goods and services over the last twelve months have reached $2.089 trillion; an increase of 32.64 percent when compared for the same period in 2009.

UK "already in recession" with more contraction to come, Centre for Economics and Business Research warns.

Nationalist Party leader Ma Ying-jeou has reportedly got about 53 percent of votes against his nearest rival Tsai Ing-wen of the opposition Democratic Progressive Party, who won 45 percent of votes.

Shadow chancellor Ed Balls suggested that generating more jobs should come before higher pay for those who are already employed.

Labour launches stinging attack on coalition's economic policy over growth figures

Roadside chain's unprofitable outlets earmarked for closure in run-up to revamp.

Supermarket giant Sainsbury's defies gloomy retail market to report robust trading and record-breaking Christmas sales.

Ireland had a rather gruelling year in 2011 with the Minister for Finance, Fine Gael's Michael Noonan, capping it in early December 2011 with the country's fourth austerity Budget in a row. Aiding Mr Noonan in this somewhat unpleasant if necessary task, was his Labour, Coalition partner, Brendan Howlin.

David Cameron's leafy Oxfordshire constituency performs well but inner-city children face uncertain future.

Chambers of Commerce survey of UK business shows risk of stagnant economy but no definite recession.

Thinktank concludes there is no link between immigration and unemployment levels in the UK.

There's hope for the 127 Britons who face unemployment after the liquidation of ferry firm SeaFrance on 9 January, as Eurotunnel eyes the business's assets.

Britain should sign up to EU treaty and deepen ties with single market, says deputy PM.

Invited to Tunisia by leaders of the Ennahda party, Hamas Prime Minister, Ismail Haniyeh vowed to continue the armed struggle against Israel.

British retailers experienced an increase in administrations in 2011 and predictions look bleak for growth in 2012.

President Barack Obama addressed the Democrat Iowa caucus through live video conference from Washington.

One in four of Spain's working population out of work with jobless numbers hitting record 4.42 million.

Labour's works secretary invokes spirit of social reformer William Beveridge who laid groundwork for welfare state.

King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia was the first to issue a decree in 2006 banning men from working in lingerie shops to end "embarrassment" suffered by women buying intimate items from the opposite sex.

According to Reuters, some of the more important issues to look out for are the U.S. presidential elections, the London Olympics and the unrest in Syria, as well the nuclear conflict in Iran, the Eurozone debt crisis and the future of the North Korean state, among others...

Unemployment and another recession add to New Year gloom but there are things to look forward to in 2012.

Third of claimants for unemployment benefits have recent criminal record, say official statistics.

Parliamentary elections continue in Egypt but 10 months after president Hosni Mubarak stepped down, the country is still fighting.

Hamadi Jebali along with 40-odd ministers formed the new government in Tunisia on Saturday.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge danced and cooked the day away at the south London Centrepoint shelter.

Unemployment is increasing by almost 2,000 every working day, with redundancy forms dropping through the letter boxes of public sector workers like "confetti", a leading union said today.

Suicide rates in Greece are now the highest in Europe, with experts attributing the rise to the county's economic crisis and increasing unemployment.

The prime minister signed off the 2011 political year by poking fun at the Labour leader Ed Miliband, saying that his party "were united in wanting a new leader".