Obama says 2013 can be year of solid economic growthFebruary 2, 2013 - 15:41 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - U.S. President Barack Obama says 2013 can be a year of solid economic growth, but only if Washington gets out of the way. In his weekly radio and Internet address, Obama said there are signs of progress in real estate, manufacturing and job-creation. However, unemployment ticked up from 7.8 percent in December to 7.9 percent in January. And the Commerce Department says the economy shrank at an annual rate of 0.1 percent in the final months of 2012. Obama said the U.S. must lower health care costs and close tax loopholes for corporations and the wealthy. In the Republican address, Rep. Susan Brooks of Indiana stated that Democrats must get serious about the nation's spending problems. She called on Senate Democrats to pass a budget. 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 | Kazakhstan welcomes Yerevan, Baku’s agreement to meet in Almaty Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has welcomed the agreement of Baku and Yerevan to hold negotiations in Almaty. Armenia offers to temporarily host, preserve Gaza manuscripts The Armenian Foreign Minister has said Yerevan is ready to help preserve manuscripts from the conflict zone in Gaza. Aliyev says no need for mediators in Armenia-Azerbaijan process Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev believes that Baku and Yerevan do not mediators in the process of normalizing relations. Aram I supports Karekin II’s “patriotic position” Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I has expressed support for the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. |