Washington, DC—(ENWESPF)—August 19, 2011.  Regional and state unemployment rates were generally little changed in July.   Twenty-eight states and the District of Columbia registered unemployment rate increases, nine states recorded rate decreases, and thirteen states had no rate change, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Thirty-seven states posted unemployment[Read More…]

KABUL, Afghanistan–(ENEWSPF)–August 19, 2011.  The International Security Assistance Force joins President Karzai in condemning the IED attacks today at the British Council compound in Kabul. Initial reports indicate a combination of multiple vehicle-borne and personal-borne IEDs were detonated. “This despicable act of murder and destruction today, on this day of[Read More…]

Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–August 19, 2011.  This week in Somalia, the terrorist group Al-Shabaab burst into a hospital in Mogadishu and kidnapped three aid workers who were treating innocent civilians injured by the fighting in that war-torn nation.  This senseless attack came almost a year to the day since ten humanitarian workers[Read More…]

Beijing, China–(ENEWSPF)–August 19, 2011 – 4:26 P.M. (Local) PRESIDENT HU:  (As translated.)  Honorable Vice President, it is a great pleasure to meet you again in just half a year’s time.  I want to welcome you to pay this official visit to China. Mr. Vice President, you’re an old friend of[Read More…]

NEW YORK–(ENEWSPF)–19 August 2011.   A UNHCR aid worker hands a blanket to a young victim of cyclone Nargis that hit Myanmar in 2008 The United Nations paid homage to humanitarian workers around the world today with ceremonies of remembrance for the fallen, and praise and songs of tribute for[Read More…]

NEW YORK–(ENEWSPF)–19 August 2011.  The United Nations human rights office today urged the Pakistani Government to investigate numerous reports of abductions, disappearances and extrajudicial killings, particularly of journalists. Since 2007, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has received numerous reports of such human rights violations,[Read More…]

NEW YORK–(ENEWSPF)—9 August 2011. A United Nations human rights expert today called on Brazilian authorities to take immediate steps to better protect the country’s judges, magistrates, prosecutors, public defenders and other lawyers in the wake of the recent assassination of a high-profile judge. Gabriela Knaul, the Special Rapporteur on the independence[Read More…]

Beijing, China–(ENEWSPF)–August 19, 2011 – 10:42 A.M. (Local)  VICE PRESIDENT XI:  (As translated.)  Vice President Biden, representatives of the business communities of the two countries, ladies and gentlemen, dear friends, it gives me great  pleasure today to have this operation to attend together with Mr. Vice President, an opportunity presented by[Read More…]

TOKYO—(ENEWSPF)—19 August 2011.  A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck off Japan’s northeast coast at 2:36 p.m. local time Friday according to Japan’s Meteorological Agency.  The quake was centered about 300 kilometers northeast of Tokyo at a depth of 20 kilometers south of the area where the magnitude 9.0 earthquake struck March[Read More…]

Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–August 18, 2011.   Index for Today’s Briefing SYRIA/TURKEY/IRAN Ambassador Ford Service and Service of Embassy Very Valuable/Ambassador Ford’s Meeting with Foreign Minister Mualem Last Thursday U.S. Wanted to Assemble Strong Chorus and Ensure Words Backed by Action Sanctions/EU/UN Secretary General Secretary Calls/Deputy Secretary Burns Contacts/Assistant Secretary Feltman Trips,[Read More…]