NPR News 2012-09-08 加文本

NPR News 2012-09-08

From NPR News in Washington, I'm Lakshmi Singh.

The jobs picture doesn't appear to be much better than it was a month ago, even though the unemployment rate has dropped to 8.1%. NPR's Dave Mattingly reports the decline is being attributed to more people giving up their job search.

When those without a job stop looking for work, they are not counted in the unemployment numbers. The Labor Department says more of them did that in August, lowering the nation's jobless rate from 8.3%. Employers added 96,000 jobs. And economists, including Ben Herzon at Macro Advisers, say that's far fewer than what's needed.

To feel like things were turning around the big way, we have to see job growth in the high 100 across to 200 . Job gains sustained at that pace. We've certainly put the general unemployment rate on the downward track.

Economists say it's now more likely the Federal reserve will step in to try to help the economy at its meeting next week. Dave Mattingly, NPR News, Washington.

Congressman Paul Ryan says another monetary stimulus from the Fed would be a bad idea. The Republican vice presidential nominee told CNBC the cost would outweigh the benefits and amount to a bailout for what he calls bad fiscal policy. Well, in light of the unemployment report, jobs is front and centre in both Presidential campaigns today. In Orange city, Iowa, where Republican nominee Mitt Romney accusing the incumbent of pursuing failed policy.

Remember with his stimulus plan. The stimulus said if we let them borrow 787 billion dollars, he would hold the unemployment below 8%. It's been 43 straight months above 8%. There are today 23 million Americans, they are out of work or stopped looking for work or are underemployed. It's a national tragedy.

President Obama accuses Republicans of blocking all of his efforts to reduce the debt, stimulate the economy and grow jobs.

If the Republicans are serious about being concerned about joblessness. We could create a million new jobs right now if Congress would pass the jobs plan that I sent to them a year ago. Jobs for teachers, jobs for construction workers, jobs for folks who have been looking out- looking for work for a long time. We can do that.

The president campaigning in Portsmouth, New Hampshire today, echoing his message from his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention last night in Charlotte .

A Medifast subsidiary reportedly is agreeing to pay 3.7-million dollars to settle a US government complaint about the credibility of its weight loss products. Jason Pharmaceutical is not admitting wrongdoing in that settlement though, which also includes an agreement to meet new complaints' requirements.

At last check on Wall Street, Dow was down 8 points at 13,284; NASDAQ down two; and the S&P 500 up four points.

This is NPR News.

The Obama Administration is placing the Pakistan-based Haqqani network on its list of terrorist organisations. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton signed off on a report this morning that designates Haqqani network is a terror group subject to US sanctions. Congress asked for the report following a string of attacks on US and Nato forces.

The Red Cross in Kenya says at least 11 people have been killed in a revenge ethnic attack after a massacre last month, in which at least 52 people lost their lives. NPR's Ofeibea Quist-Arcton reports the overnight raid was in a remote southeastern region of Kenya.

The victims in the August killings in Kenya's Tana River area were mostly women and children. They were hacked or burned to death in their hearts. In the worst violence, for several years between different Kenyan tribes.The two rival communities involved in these deadly tit-for-tat attacks are the Pokomo and the Orma. They have clashed before over land and water resources. Eleven years ago, in the same district of Kenya's Coast province, at least 130 people were killed in a string of clashes between the same communities.  Ofeibea Quist-Arcton NPR News, Johannesburg.

The Canadian government has announced it is severing all diplomatic ties to Iran. In light of recent attacks on foreign diplomats in that country. Foreign Minister John Boehner said today the Canadian government which shut down its embassy in Iran. It's also giving Iranian diplomats five days to leave. And Canadian says citizens are being told not to Iran for their safety.

I'm Lakshmi Singh, NPR News, in Washington.