Spanish Unemployment, Nuclear Japan, Syrian Attacks

Spain's unemployment total passes five million

Official figures show that the unemployment figure of Spain passed the five million mark in the last quarter of 2011. Around 5.3 million people were unemployed by the end of December last year. Spain now has the highest unemployment rate in the 17-nation euro zone and is now expected to slide back in to recession. Spanish figures have shown that almost half of all 16-24 year olds in Spain are jobless. The new ruling Popular Party conservative government has pledged labour reforms to try to improve the job market.

Japan did not keep records of nuclear disaster meetings

The Japanese government has admitted that they have failed to keep records of key meetings during the nuclear crisis last year. Deputy PM Katsuya Okada has instructed ministers to produce summaries of the meetings retroactively by the end of February. The nuclear accident set off by the earthquake and tsunami in March 2011. Earlier this week the government said that the country's nuclear disaster task-force, had no documented record of its decision-making process. Japan has said that it could take up to 40 years to clear up the aftermath of the disaster.

Syrian army 'attacks restive Homs and Hama'

The Syrian army has launched renewed assaults on the restive central cities of Homs and Hama. They say about 30 people died in Hama, north of Damascus, on Friday. An offensive against nearby Homs is also said to be continuing. According to anti-government activists, more than 30 people were killed in a "massacre" there on Thursday. The Hamidiya district of Hama is described as a disaster area.