US: Job growth surges, jobless rate drops to 8.3 per cent
3 February 2012 - The US economy created jobs at the fastest pace in nine months in January and the unemployment rate dropped to a near three-year low of 8.3 per cent, providing some measure of comfort for President Barack Obama who faces re-election in November. The gain in overall employment was the largest since April and outpaced economists' expectations. (more)

Nicaragua to spend $29 million on school lunches
3 February 2012 - The government of Nicaragua will spend the equivalent of 29 million USD to ensure more than one million servings of free school meals to preschool and elementary students. In statements, Deputy Minister Jose Treminio said on Wednesday that the money will attend to more than 94 per cent of students at these educational levels, primarily for the benefit of the territories with the highest poverty rates. (more)

Group urges end to tactical nukes in Europe
3 February 2012 - The United States and Russia should start preparatory talks immediately on removing tactical nuclear weapons from combat bases in Europe as a step towards comprehensive nuclear disarmament, a group of former Western and Russian security officials said on Friday. The Global Zero campaigning group seeks a comprehensive global elimination of nuclear weapons. (more)

Re-greening the border between Nicaragua and Honduras
3 February 2012 - Steps are being taken to restore the river that winds along the border between Nicaragua and Honduras. The project, 'Strengthening local capacities for integrated management of water resources from the Coco River Basin between Honduras and Nicaragua', is being implemented by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) with funding from the European Union, in collaboration with local government authorities, civil society organizations, national authorities, and other UN agencies. (more)

US: Factory orders up 1.1 per cent in December
3 February 2012 - Orders to US factories rose in December, supported by a rebound in business investment in capital goods such as heavy machinery. The results cap off another strong year for US manufacturing. Combined with strong figures released Thursday on job growth in January, they signal the economic recovering is gathering strength. (more)

Namaste, travellers! San Francisco airport opens yoga room
3 February 2012 - Travellers in Northern California can now find their inner calm in the Yoga Room at San Francisco International Airport. Airport officials believe the 150-square-foot (14-square-meter) room is the world's first airport yoga studio, said spokesman Mike McCarron. The room is open to all ticketed passengers No shoes, food, drinks, or cell phones are allowed. (more)

South Africa: Premier's Hotline set to improve service delivery
3 February 2012 - The Gauteng provincial government has launched the Premier's Hotline in a move aimed at accelerating service delivery in the province. Speaking at the launch of the hotline in Soweto on Thursday, Premier Nomvula Mokonyane said: 'The hotline will focus on improving service delivery by providing accurate, reliable, and timely information to the residents of Gauteng on all services rendered by government.' (more)

China streams live panda video to foster conservation
3 February 2012 - China began on Wednesday streaming live video footage of its pandas around the world via webcam in an attempt to boost awareness of conservation efforts for its beloved but endangered animal ambassadors. China has been sending pandas abroad in gestures of goodwill since the 1950s in what has come to be known as 'panda diplomacy'. (more)

European shares hit six-month high ahead of US jobs
3 February 2012 - European stocks were up around midday on Friday, hitting a six-month high as investors cheered data that hinted the euro zone may avoid slipping back into recession, eclipsing a disappointing start to the earnings season. 'The January employment report is expected to be the proverbial box of chocolates,' Societe Generale CIB economist Brian Jones said. (more)

Fewer seek unemployment aid as US job market improves
3 February 2012 - The number of people seeking unemployment benefits fell last week to a level that signalled a steadily improving job market. The figures came one day before the government is expected to report that January marked another solid month for hiring. It's the second-lowest level for the four-week average since June 2008. (more)

Hubble snaps stunning barred spiral galaxy image
3 February 2012 - The Hubble space telescope has captured an image of a 'barred spiral' galaxy that could help us better understand our own Milky Way. The new picture continues the Hubble space telescope's long heritage of striking astronomical images. (more)

Nepal Maoists leave camps, first step to reintegration
3 February 2012 - Nepal's Maoist former rebels shed their camouflage uniforms on Friday and began leaving their camps to join their families in a first step to their reintegration five years after the end of a civil war. The rehabilitation of more than 19,000 former rebels is seen as crucial for the stability of the nascent Himalayan republic wedged between India and China. (more)

South Korea aims to double foreign trade by 2020
3 February 2012 - South Korea aims to double annual two-way foreign trade by the year 2020 by sharply increasing exports of ships, semiconductors, machinery, and automobiles, the government said on Friday. The government aims to boost annual two-way trade to $2 trillion by 2020 from $1.08 trillion in 2011, the economy ministry said in a statement. (more)

South Korea won rebounds to highest in almost three months
3 February 2012 - The South Korean won recovered losses on Friday to set a fourth week of gains after foreign funds sold dollars, heading to its highest levels since 9 November ahead of much-anticipated US economic data. The currency posted a fourth week of gains, climbing 0.4 per cent, helped by foreign investors buying a record amount of South Korean stocks in January. (more)

US combat in Afghanistan to end next year - US Defence Secretary
3 February 2012 - US and other international forces in Afghanistan aim to end their combat role next year and switch to training and advising Afghan forces through 2014, Defence Secretary Leon Panetta said Wednesday. Panetta noted that NATO and the Afghan government intend to begin a final phase of transitioning sections of the country to Afghan security control in mid-2013. (more)

US economy started 2012 with solid job growth
3 February 2012 - Economists forecast that employers added a net 155,000 jobs last month and that the unemployment rate remained 8.5 per cent for a second straight month, according to a survey by Factset. The unemployment rate has fallen for four straight months. It's at its lowest level in nearly three years. (more)

US Senate puts the brakes on insider trading
3 February 2012 - The US Senate on Thursday approved new curbs aimed at preventing lawmakers from trading shares based on inside information, and also extended the bill's disclosure requirements to more than 300,000 other federal employees. After years of languishing, the disclosure bill has gained momentum at a time when voters are fed up with Congress. (more)

US: Manufacturing expands at fastest pace since June
3 February 2012 - US factories grew in January at the fastest pace in seven months, boosted by a rise in new orders. And builders ended a poor year for construction by spending more on homes and projects for the fifth straight month. The reports bolster other data showing the US economy started the year strong. (more)

US plans to halt Afghan combat role early
2 February 2012 - The United States took Kabul by surprise by laying out plans to end its Afghan combat role earlier than expected. US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta said late on Wednesday the United States would stop taking the lead role in combat operations before the end of 2013 and step into a supporting role as it winds down its longest war. (more)

UK: Recession risk eases as manufacturing rebounds
2 February 2012 - Britain's manufacturing sector unexpectedly returned to growth in January as orders rose for the first time in six months, indicating the UK could skirt recession if the sector continues to recover in coming months. Output expanded at the fastest pace since March, helped by the first rise in new orders in more than half a year and clearance of backlogs of work. (more)

Global manufacturing activity rises in January
2 February 2012 - Factory activity rose in China, the United States, and Germany in January, and the three manufacturing superpowers drove gains in global output. JPMorgan's global manufacturing index improved to a reading of 51.2 in January from 50.5 in December. In the United States, the manufacturing sector grew at its fastest pace in seven months in January as new orders improved. (more)

Thailand to help Viet Nam develop universal healthcare coverage
2 February 2012 - Thailand and Viet Nam have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on health cooperation, under which Thailand will help Viet Nam develop its universal healthcare coverage scheme. The MOU was signed on 26 January 2012 in Bangkok by Public Health Minister Wittaya Buranasiri and the Minister of Health of Viet Nam, Dr Nguyen Thi Kim Tien. (more)

US: Jobless claims fall, jobs market slowly healing
2 February 2012 - New claims for unemployment benefits in the United States fell more than expected last week, pointing to more healing in the nation's battered jobs market. Job growth has gained momentum in recent months and the unemployment rate dropped to a near three-year low of 8.5 per cent in December. (more)

Myanmar agrees to ceasefire with Mon separatists
2 February 2012 - Myanmar agreed to a ceasefire with ethnic Mon separatists on Wednesday, a peace mediator said. The ceasefire between the army and the New Mon State Party (NMSP) was the seventh such agreement between the government and ethnic rebel groups since former military junta leader and now President Thein Sein made a public call for peace talks with separatists late last year. (more)