The number of unemployed in Britain reached a 17-year high of 2.75 million. With GDP growth almost non-existent the Bank of England added 75 billion pounds to its quantative easing money printing programme which now totals 275 billion.
After five years of complex negotiations the US Congress approved free-trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea. Congress also started consideration of a trading Bill that would penalise countries operating misaligned currencies -- thought to be aimed at China for its weak yuan.
The troika of European Union, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund confirmed that Greece had taken sufficient austerity measures to receive the next trench of bail-out funding worth eight billion euros.
The Myanmar/Burma government released six thousand prisoners in what was apparently another gesture to show its more liberal approach; however, only about 200 of those released were in the category of political prisoners.