Washington DC – Iran’s FARS News Agency (FNA) is reporting that Yemeni Army and popular forces are moving to the border with Saudi Arabia.

Washington D.C. – On March 21, outside the White House in Lafayette Park, hundreds gathered to protest U.S. wars. With signs reading “No to endless wars for empire,” and “No to war with Iran,” protesters spoke out against U.S. bombing campaigns in the Middle East and regions.

Washington, DC – At a Feb. 3 press conference in Beijing, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Hong Lei, stated that China is against any meeting between President Obama and the Tibetan separatist leader, the Dalai Lama.

_Extended Unemployment Compensation (EUC) still needed _

Washington DC – Statistics released by the federal government on Jan. 27 indicate that high unemployment rates persist in a good number of states. California, home to almost 40 million people and the most populous state in the U.S., has an unemployment rate of 7%. In December, Mississippi had the highest unemployment rate of all states, coming in at 7.2%. Topping the list is Washington D.C., with an unemployment rate of 7.3%. Rhode Island and Nevada are also plagued by high unemployment.

Washington, D.C. – Statistics compiled by the federal government indicate that there is still a large number of long-term unemployed workers, despite the modest economic expansion. According to a Jan. 9 statement from the Bureau of Labor Statics, “In December, the number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks or longer) was essentially unchanged at 2.8 million and accounted for 31.9% of the unemployed.”

Washington DC – In a speech before the conservative-leaning American Enterprise Institute here, Sept. 18, the Republican Speaker of the House John Boehner denounced jobless workers and said that they needed to be brought into “the mainstream of American society.”

Washington, DC – The FARS News Agency reports that Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force brought own an Israeli drone near the Natanz nuclear facility, Aug 24.

EUC stalled in Congress

Washington, DC – Unemployment rates ticked upwards in 30 states, according to an Aug. 18 report from the federal government’s U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Ohio, Maryland and South Carolina had the largest job losses. Mississippi has the country’s highest unemployment rate, at 8%. Meanwhile, Congress is in recess until September.

Washington D.C. – More than 1000 protesters marched through the streets here, Aug. 2, demanding a stop to deportations of immigrants. Protesters called on President Obama to stop deportations, which have exceeded 2 million under his administration.

Washington, DC – Data released by the federal government July 18 show that many states continue to suffer from consistently high rates of unemployment. House Republican leaders are blocking efforts to restore emergency benefits for the long-term unemployed.

Washington, DC – Conservative pundits are praising Republican lawmakers for blocking legislation in Congress to restore Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC). More than 3 million workers have lost benefits since Congress allowed benefits to lapse in late December. Many of the unemployed are facing home foreclosures, have had their car repossessed and have lost their health coverage.

Washington, DC – Noting that hundreds of thousands of the long-term unemployed are veterans, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi urged fellow legislators pass a measure to restore emergency unemployment benefits, at a press conference here June 19.

Socialist leader condemns government inaction

Washington, DC – Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid stated in a June 6 press statement, “It is my hope that Congress can still act on extending unemployment. This vital lifeline is so critical to struggling families in Nevada and throughout the country.”

Battle likely to continue into summer

Washington, DC – House speaker John Boehner (R-OH) still refuses to allow a vote on legislation to restore unemployment compensation to the long-term jobless. In a May 21 statement on job training, Boehner failed to address the predicament of the nearly 3 million workers who have been hit by the failure of Congress to restore Extended Unemployment Benefits.

Washington, DC – In response to U.S. espionage charges claiming five officers of China’s People’s Liberation Army were carrying out cyber spying on U.S. corporations, in a May 21 article the New China News Agency (Xinhua) stated, “It is really amazing to see that the biggest cyber bully, which has virtually no credibility left in the cyber world, could still stand at the moral high ground to accuse others.”

Washington, DC – Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez urged an immediate vote on bill to extend benefits for the long term jobless in a May 7 letter to Republican House Speaker John Boehner. Perez also stated that he was willing to meet with Boehner to discuss his questions and concerns about the legislation.

Washington, DC – On May 1, Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Dean Heller (R-NV), the authors of the Senate bill to extend unemployment benefits to the to the long-term jobless, told the House leadership to allow a vote on proposed extension.

Washington, D.C. – House Republican leadership is still blocking legislation to restore Extended Unemployment Compensation (EUC).

Washington, DC – Legislation to restore unemployment benefits to the long-term unemployed is being blocked by House Republicans. The Senate passed a bill to reinstate jobless benefits April 7, but passage in the House is required to bring back extended unemployment insurance.