European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 11, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                 a. Vol. 50, no. 271 350 saturday january 11,1992 d 8693 jobless rate hits 7.1% Washington apr the nations jobless rate shot up to 7.1 percent in december a new High for the recession As nearly 300,000 More americans joined the ranks of the unemployed the government reported Friday. The Rise in the rate up from november a revised rate of 6.9 percent put unemployment at its highest level since june 1986, the labor department said. The nations jobless now number 8.9 million the worst level since 9 million people went without work in january 1984, the department said. In december alone an additional 290,000 people joined unemployment lines and pushing it to 2.1 million the number of americans forced out of work since the recession started in july 1990, the government said. Fridays report revised the unemployment rate for october and november. New data show the jobless rate was 6.9 percent rather than the 6.8 percent originally reported for each month. Tie United states started 1991 with a jobless rate of 6.2 percent before the recession began in july 1990, unemployment was holding at 5.3 percent. William Barron Deputy commissioner of the Bureau of labor statistics noted that in Early 1991, there was a rapid increase in the unemployment rate and sizable see jobless on Page 2 Ira taking credit for bomb explosion near major s office London apr a bomb exploded about 300 Yards from prime minister John major s Downing Street office during Rush hour Friday morning and the outlawed Irish Republican  claimed responsibility. The blast which comes during a stepped up Ira bombing Campaign in England Snook buildings in the government District but no injuries were reported. A caller claiming to be from the Ira telephoned a warning to the London office of the lbs television network about 30 minutes before the blast. Lbs informed Scotland Yard and police sealed off the area. In february 1991, the Ira launched a missile into the Garden of majors no. 10 Downing St. Residence from a car parked a Block from the scene of fridays bombing. But fridays blast on Whitehall place appeared much less potentially dangerous to majors residence and office because Many buildings stand in Between. Major left for a meeting about 10 minutes before the blast occurred said conservative lawmaker Robin Squire who was on Downing Street at the time of the explosion. The Ira stepped up its bombing Campaign in Northern Ireland and in Britain before Christmas planting scores of firebombs that disrupted shopping and transportation in the London area. The attacks Are part of its Campaign to drive Britain out or Northern Ireland and unite it with the Republic of Ireland. Fridays blast occurred at 9 10 a.m., the height of Rush hour and Shook buildings and shattered windows in the Whitehall area where Many government offices Are located. Cmdr. George Churchill Coleman head of Scotland Yards anti terrorist squad said the device was discovered in a briefcase Between two cars and exploded before it could be defused. Witnesses said earlier it was a car bomb. The device contained about 5 pounds of a plastic Type explosive Churchill Coleman said. He warned the Public to be vigilant but added a we  overreact to this. That is precisely what the terrorists want us to  Northern Ireland was hit by More than a dozen bomb alerts at the time of fridays explosion in London police said. Several streets in Belfast were sealed off and a Large shopping Complex in the City Center was evacuated but nothing was found. Major spoke to reporters before returning to Downing Street after the sex Losion. A i think the terrorists should ave Learned now that neither in Belfast nor in London nor anywhere else in the United kingdom will they be Able to bomb people out of their Normal activities their Homes their schools or anything else a he said. A if they want to reinforce our determination to make sure we defeat them this is the Way to do it. Its utterly counterproductive. A the iras military Campaign sur e de by a minority of roman catholics in Northern Ireland grew out of the Catholic civil rights protests and violent clashes of the 1960s. Heading for Home president Bush offers a thumbs up while first lady Barbara Bush Waves Farewell As they depart from Tokyo International Airport for the trip Back to Washington. The presidential Cou ple landed at Andrews fab md., Early Friday after a 10-Day trip that took them to Australia Singapore South Korea and Japan. See related Story on Page 2. Cheney concerned about feud Over soviet  _ a a n. I. _ a j. It i c Hettick rim impart Hifp Neft Secretary London apr . Defense Secretary Dick Cheney said Friday that disputes Between soviet republics Over military assets like the Black sea Fleet could Lead to other disputes Over the former soviet nuclear inventory. A a a to Date it Hasni to Quot Cheney told bbl radio praising the republics for acting responsibly Over control of nuclear weapons. But he said the United states was watching Quot very carefully the dispute Between Russia and Ukrain see related Story on Page 8 Over control of the former soviet Black sea Fleet a because a dispute Over military assets could Slop Over and affect the nuclear  his British counterpart defense Secretary Tom King warned of a a tug of War Over nuclear weapons control. A there Are huge forces at work and we cannot be sure what the outcome will be a King told bbl to on Friday. A what we Are acutely concerned about is the Issue of see Cheney on Page 2elvis making a comp Buck a a a a a a a a Sun yur on a Srajer pm i