Spain's unemployment rate soars to new recordApril 25, 2013 - 12:26 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Spain's unemployment rate soared to a new record of 27.2% of the workforce in the first quarter of 2013, according to official figures. The total number of unemployed people in Spain has now passed the six million figure, although the rate of the increase has slowed, BBC News reported. The figures underline Spain's struggle to emerge from an economic crisis which began five years ago. A big demonstration in Madrid is being planned against the austerity measures. Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy will unveil on Friday, April 26 fiscal and policy measures aimed at halting recession in the eurozone's fourth-largest economy. The International Monetary Fund last week cut its 2013 forecast for Spain's growth to a 1.6% contraction from 1.5% and said unemployment will peak at 27% this year. The jobless figure is the highest since at least 1976, the year after dictator Francisco Franco's death began Spain's transition to democracy. Top stories Yerevan has dismissed Turkey’s demand to shut down the Armenian nuclear power plant as “inappropriate”. Armenia will loan 2.9 billion drams to Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh), according to a draft government decision. The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan has “strongly condemned” Armenia’s decision. Kerobyan has said that for the first time in the history of Armenia, the volume of foreign direct investments amounted to about $1 billion. Partner news | Russia provides info about arrested Armenian ex-MP Russian law enforcement agencies have provided information about the arrest of Tigran Urikhanyan. Lemkin Institue slams Pashinyan's “cryptic engagement with Genocide denial” The Lemkin Institute is alarmed over Pashinyan’s statements “questioning Armenia's legal basis to pursue justice against Turkey”. 41 detained as antigovernment protests continue in Yerevan 41 people were detained in Yerevan as people demanding Pashinian’s resignation stage campaigns of civil disobedience. Armenia votes for UN resolution granting Palestine new rights The U.N. General Assembly voted by a wide margin on May 10 to grant new “rights and privileges” to Palestine. |