Today's unemployment figure has surprised many, with most - including the Reserve Bank, expecting a figure well under 7 per cent.

Irwin Industrial Tools had been Wellsford's icon and biggest employer, but with the factory abandoned, the town is moving on.

The Spanish government said that 125,000 people registered as unemployed last month, taking the jobless total to around 17.5 per cent of the working population.

The Government has been called to take a role in promoting digital literacy after a report found adopting standards would raise productivity.

A jobless recovery is expected to be reflected in employment numbers out on Thursday.

Open source boosts innovation, conference told.

Enjoy next Monday off, Aucklanders - the Anniversary Day long weekend is the last you'll get until Easter, in early April.

The number of firms wanting to take on new staff has grown to its highest level in nine months.

Most of the jobs were offering low pay and many had unsociable hours, but the applicants turned up in their thousands.

Building consent stats released this morning show a 3.1 per cent jump in the number of new homes authorised for construction in November - the highest level since May 2008.