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Washington, Ramadan 30, 1431/Sept 9,2010, SPA -- U.S. job openings rose n July after two months of declines, the government reported Wednesday in a positive sign that companies could increase...
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Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Chairs Cabinet Session ...SPA 28/8/1431H
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US job openings rise for first time since April
Washington, Ramadan 30, 1431/Sept 9,2010, SPA -- U.S. job openings rose n July after two months of declines, the government reported Wednesday in a positive sign that companies could increase hiring in coming months.
The Labor Department said the number of jobs advertised rose by 6.2 percent to 3.04 million, the highest total since April. Despite the increase, however, job openings remain far below the 4.4 million in December 2007, when the recession began.
The report indicated strong competition for jobs. In July, 4.8 unemployed people were seeking each job opening, an improvement from the peak of 6.3 in November 2009. Still, it was far more than the 1.8 unemployed people competing for each opening when the recession started.
Total U.S. hiring remains weak and is down from a monthly total of 5 million people in December 2007. Layoffs have risen moderately for the past two months but are still at pre-recession levels, the report said.
--SPA
15:34 LOCAL TIME 12:34 GMT
Clinton says US budget deficit a sign of weakness
Washington, Ramadan 30, 1431/Sept 9, 2010, SPA -- The enormous U.S. budget deficit poses a national security threat and projects a “message of weakness†internationally, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Wednesday, urging lawmakers from both political parties to address the problem.
Clinton said in a speech to the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington that the Obama administration’s focus on greater engagement with the world has produced positive results, but she emphasized that growing U.S. debt threatens the country’s ability to act independently and sends “a message of weakness internationally.â€
“It poses a national security threat in two ways: it undermines our capacity to act in our own interest, and it does constrain us where constraint may be undesirable,†Clinton said in response to a question from an audience member.
Clinton blamed policies enacted by former President George W. Bush for the U.S. fiscal problems. “It is fair to say that we fought two wars without paying for them and we had tax cuts that were not paid for either, and that has been a very deadly combination to fiscal sanity and responsibility,†she said.
“So the challenge is how we get out of [the situation] by making the right decisions, not the wrong decisions,†the top U.S. diplomat said.
The U.S. budget deficit is projected to reach $1.5 trillion this year and has become a key campaign issue had of November’s congressional elections in which President Barack Obama’s Democrats are trying to prevent big losses to Republicans.
--SPA
15:30 LOCAL TIME 12:30 GMT
Yemen welcomes outcome of GCC ministerial meeting
Sanaa, Ramadan 30, 1431/Sept 9, 2010, SPA -- An official diplomatic source at the Yemeni foreign ministry has welcomed the outcome of the meeting of the GCC ministerial council, recently held in Jeddah.
In a statement to Sanaa-based 'September 26' Newspaper, the Yemeni source said Yemen would like to welcome the final communiquأ© issued by the GCC ministerial council notably the stand of the gulf states vis-a--vis the Arab and regional problems as well as the developments of the peace process in the middle east adding that the Yemeni and gulf stands in this respect are identical.
The source expressed satisfaction over the outcome of the meeting pertaining to partnership with Yemen and the keenness demonstrated by the gulf states as regards supporting the process of development and reform in Yemen.
Yemen expects an effective and positive role from the GCC member states at the meeting of foreign ministers of Yemen's friends, he said.
--SPA
15:24 LOCAL TIME 12:24 GMT
U.S. Economy Showing 'Widespread' Slowing
Washington, Ramadan 30, 1431/Sept 9, 2010, SPA -- The U.S. economy is showing “widespread†signs of slowing, the U.S. Federal Reserve warned in its latest Beige Book report published Wednesday.
The central bank reported “continued growth in national economic activity†between mid-July and the end of August, “but with widespread signs of a deceleration,†adding that the recovery continued to be uneven across the country and across sectors.
The manufacturing sector showed some positive growth. “Consumer spending appeared to increase on balance despite continued consumer caution that limited nonessential purchases, while activity in the travel and tourism sector picked up relative to seasonal norms,†the report said.
Meanwhile “manufacturing activity expanded further on balance, although the pace of growth appeared to be slower than earlier in the year.â€
But, the real estate market showed how deep the crisis is, as private demand struggled to keep pace after a government tax break was removed. “Home sales slowed further following an initial drop after the expiration of the homebuyer tax credit at the end of June, prompting a slowdown in construction activity as well,†the Fed reported.
In a further sign that the Fed will not quickly raise interest rates, the bank said inflation was contained. “Upward price pressures remained quite limited for most categories of final goods and services, despite higher prices for selected commodities such as grains and some industrial materials.â€
The report will be used at the next meeting of the central bank’s interest rate-setting body, the Federal Open Market Committee, on September 21.
--SPA
14:58 LOCAL TIME 11:58 GMT
Wall Street Closing
Washington, Ramadan 30, 1431/Sept 9,2010, SPA --
Stocks rose Wednesday as investors shifted focus from concerns about European banks to President Barack Obama’s $350 billion economic recovery plan.
The three major indexes fell more than 1 percent Tuesday as investors worried that European banks are in worse condition than previously believed. But such fears subsided somewhat Wednesday after a Portuguese debt auction was met with healthy demand.
Meanwhile, Obama officially unveiled three new proposals aimed at strengthening the slowing economic recovery, including an estimated $200 billion in tax breaks for businesses that invest in new equipment, a $100 billion extension of the business tax credit for research and development, and at least $50 billion over the next decade to improve transportation infrastructure. Congress is not expected to approve the proposals anytime soon.
In U.S. economic news, the Federal Reserve (Fed) reported that the economy continued to grow between mid-July and the end of August, but with “widespread signs of a deceleration†compared with earlier periods. A separate Fed report showed that consumer debt fell by a smaller-than-expected $3.6 billion in July.
--SPA
The U.S. dollar fell versus the euro and rose versus the yen after falling to a 15-year low earlier in the session. Light sweet crude oil for October delivery rose 41 cents to $74.67 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Gold futures fell $1.80 to $1,257.50 an ounce.
The Dow Jones industrial average rose 46.32, or 0.45 percent, to 10,387.01. The broader Standard & Poor’s 500 index rose 7.03, or 0.6 percent, to 1,098.87. The technology-heavy Nasdaq composite index rose 19.98, or 0.9 percent, to 2,228.87.
14:51 LOCAL TIME 11:51 GMT
UN chief 'deeply disturbed' by plan to burn Qur'an
United Nations, Ramadan 30, 1431/Sept 9, 2010, SPA --
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Wednesday that no religion in the world can condone the burning of the Qur’an.
Ban said he was “deeply disturbed†by reports that a tiny U.S. church in Florida plans to burn copies of the Qur’an Saturday to mark the ninth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
The secretary-general said burning the Qur’an “contradicts the efforts of the U.N. and many people around the world to promote tolerance, intercultural understanding, and mutual respect between cultures and religions.â€
--SPA
14:41 LOCAL TIME 11:41 GMT
U.S. Falls in Ranks of Global Economy
WASHINGTON, Ramadan 30, 1431/Sept 9, 2010, SPA --
The financial crisis and its aftermath may be taking a longer-term toll on the competitiveness of the U.S. economy, according to a study by the World Economic Forum.
The U.S. fell two spots, to rank No. 4 behind Switzerland, Sweden and Singapore in the Geneva-based organization's annual survey of global competitiveness. Germany climbed two notches to end in fifth place; Japan was ranked No. 6.
"The [U.S.] public does not demonstrate strong trust of politicians," while the business community "considers that the government spends its resources relatively wastefully," the group concluded from its study.
The report is based on surveys and a wide range of economic data.
"There is also increasing concern related to the functioning of [U.S.] private institutions, with a measurable weakening of the assessment of auditing and reporting standards as well as corporate ethics," the group said.
The annual competitiveness study evaluates countries based on various criteria, ranging from their macroeconomic policies, the strength of public and private institutions and the quality of education and infrastructure to the efficiency of markets for goods, labor and capital.
Among the U.S. economy's strengths, the report's authors cited technological innovation, excellent universities and the ease and affordability of hiring workers. With the unemployment rate lingering at 9.6%, the health of the U.S. economy has become the central issue in November's midterm congressional elections. Many business executives have said that they aren't hiring because of uncertainty about the fiscal and regulatory outlook in the U.S.
China ranked 27th in the survey, up two notches this year. Among other large developing countries, India ranked 51st, Brazil was 56th and Russia was 63rd.
--SPA
14:37 LOCAL TIME 11:37 GMT
India slams plan to burn Holy Quran
New Delhi, Ramadan 30, 1431/Sept 9,2010, SPA -- India condemned today plans of an American priest to burn copies of the Holy Quran on Saturday and urged the US to take a strong measure against this heinous act.
Palaniappan Chidambaram, the Indian interior minister, said the plan of burning copies of the Holy Quran will create problems among followers of various religions and undermine coexistence among them.
It is hoped that the American authorities will take strict measures to prevent occurrence of such act, he said.
--SPA
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14:31 LOCAL TIME 11:31 GMT
Saudi Press 2 Riyadh
Commenting on the plan of Priest Terry Jones to burn copies of the Holy Quran on the anniversary of incidents of September 11, Dammam-based al-Yaum said at the time when the Arabs and Muslims advocate tolerance and narrowing the gap among followers of religions and cultures, and at the time when the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah ibn Abdul-Aziz calls for coexistence and understanding among followers of cultures and religions, some extremists in the west have been doing their best to undermine relations among different nations.
Why these extremist priests don't view September 11 as a day of tolerance instead of planning to set fire on the Holy Quran in a provocative manner?
Why these extremist priests try to hurt the feelings of more than 1.4 billion Muslims the world?
It is the duty of wise people in the world and among followers of religions and cultures to make September 11 an international day for tolerance, the daily added.
--SPA
14:17 LOCAL TIME 11:17 GMT
Saudi Press
Riyadh, Ramadan 31, 1431/Sept 9, 2010, SPA -- The Saudi newspapers commented today editorially on a number of local, Arab and international topics criticizing attempts of extremists in the west to undermine relations among various nations of the world.
The following are the major headlines in the newspapers:
-King Abdullah and Crown Prince receive calls on occasion of eid al-fitr from Mubarak and al-Basheer
-The Leadership congratulates President of Tajikistan
-Crown Prince Sultan receives Governor of Agadir
-International Union for Muslim Scholars (IUMS) slams attempts to burn copies of the Holy Quran
-21 persons killed at various incidents in Baghdad
-There was no cause for Iraqi invasion, says Annan
-14 killed at missile shelling in Pakistan
-Chinese President welcomes progress in Chinese-American relations
--more
13:59 LOCAL TIME 10:59 GMT
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 PREPARATIONS IN VILLAGES OF BAHA PROVINCE TO CELEBRATE EID-AL-FITR (SPA) 30-9-1431H  ARRIVAL OF SECOND SAUDI RELIEF PLANE TO PAKISTAN (SPA) 30-9-1431H  ARRIVAL OF SECOND SAUDI RELIEF PLANE TO PAKISTAN (SPA) 30-9-1431H  Jeddah Visitors Enjoy Folk Art Shows during Eid Al-Fitr Days SAP 29/9/1431H  Jeddah Visitors Enjoy Folk Art Shows during Eid Al-Fitr Days SAP 29/9/1431H  Jeddah Visitors Enjoy Folk Art Shows during Eid Al-Fitr Days SAP 29/9/1431H  Holy Quran Recitation Completed by Imam Al-Sudais at the Grand Mosque SAP 29/9/1431H  Holy Quran Recitation Completed by Imam Al-Sudais at the Grand Mosque SAP 29/9/1431H  Holy Quran Recitation Completed by Imam Al-Sudais at the Grand Mosque SAP 29/9/1431H  Holy Quran Recitation Completed by Imam Al-Sudais at the Grand Mosque SAP 29/9/1431H
 
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