LONDON - Bitter infighting flared in Tony Blair's Labour Party on Friday as a former Cabinet official criticized the prime minister's likely successor.

Saying it will help prevent fraud, state lawmakers voted Wednesday to impose new burdens on some people seeking unemployment insurance.

The sequester is giving job seekers the "one-two punch," first in terms of unemployment benefits and second in job training.

From personal experience, I can testify that age does not necessarily insure someone being “over-the-hill.”

A House panel voted Wednesday to require those seeking unemployment benefits to prove that they were fired and did not just quit.

State senators approved legislation Thursday some charge is designed to weaken public employee unions.

State lawmakers are poised to make it more difficult for some people to collect unemployment benefits.

More than a third of Arizonans collecting jobless benefits could be getting their final checks this week.

LONDON - Prime Minister Tony Blair opened a fierce debate on energy and the environment Tuesday, saying the British government will consider building a new generation of nuclear power plants. In a speech briefly delayed by anti-nuclear activists, Blair said an energy study due to be finished next summer would look specifically at nuclear power.

When “Rules of Civility” appeared on several “Notable Books of 2011” lists, I thought I’d check it out. It turned out to be, if not the best, perhaps the most enjoyable read for me that year. I hesitate to say “best” because that is quite a superlative comment for a book to live up to, which may leave other readers disappointed, but I can at least say how I felt while reading it.

When “Rules of Civility” appeared on several “Notable Books of 2011” lists, I thought I’d check it out. It turned out to be, if not the best, perhaps the most enjoyable read for me that year. I hesitate to say “best” because that is quite a superlative comment for a book to live up to, which may leave other readers disappointed, but I can at least say how I felt while reading it.

Saying no private firm could operate like this, Gov. Jan Brewer said Wednesday she wants to revamp state personnel rules to make it easier to fire employees.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - A British military helicopter crashed in Basra on Saturday, and Iraqis hurled stones at British troops and set fire to three armored vehicles that rushed to the scene. Clashes broke out between British troops and Shiite militias, police and witnesses said.