US economy adds 209,000 jobs in July

Job seekers attend a Job Expo job fair in Boston, Massachusetts

By Kim GittlesonBBC business reporter, Boston, Massachusetts

The US added 209,000 jobs in July, adding to optimism that the country's recovery continues apace.

The unemployment rate ticked up slightly to 6.2%, latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics has shown.

The biggest job gains were in professional business services and manufacturing jobs.

On Wednesday, the Commerce Department said the US economy grew by a better-than-expected 4% during the April-to-June period.

In an encouraging sign, the number of people in the US labour market increased slightly, meaning that workers who may have given up looking for a job have now begun to re-enter the jobs market.

The May and June jobs data were also revised upwards to show that the US economy added 15,000 more jobs.

'Bumps along the way'

Some economists had been expecting even larger figures, and US stock markets were down on the less-than-expected gains.

The Dow dropped nearly 80 points, following steep losses the day before.

Nonetheless, most analysts agreed that there was nothing obviously negative about the report.

"The downward trend [in the unemployment rate] remains intact, but there will be bumps along the way to normalcy," wrote US investment bank Jefferies in a note to clients.

July is often one of the weaker months for jobs growth, which is one possible reason for the uptick in the unemployment rate.

However, the figures are encouraging, as the US economy needs to add at least 150,000 jobs each month simply to keep up with population growth.

This is the sixth straight month that the US economy has added more than 200,000 jobs.

'Still pushing'

Yet there are still reasons to be concerned: wage growth remains flat and the number of long-term unemployed - those out of work for longer than six months - was essentially unchanged at 3.2 million, or a third of those looking for work.

Jurgen Fatha is a recent college graduate who says he has seen many applicants for every available job

US Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen recently highlighted that while the employment data is certain better than in the aftermath of the 2008-09 recession, challenges remain.

"Imagine I've got my hands on your shoulders and I'm pushing you," she recently said in an interview with the New Yorker magazine.

"In the aftermath of the financial crisis, I was pushing you so hard, you couldn't get to where you wanted to go.

Now that the economy is recovering, she said, "I'm pushing you a little less hard, so you're able to make some forward movement.

"But I'm still pushing you."

Dwayne Burgess says that although it is tough out there, he is optimistic he will find work

That's a tension that was on display at a job fair in Boston, Massachusetts, on Thursday, where a handful of employers were greeted with a deluge of resumes.

Dwayne Burgess was one of those looking for work. He says he has applied for more than 20 jobs in the past six months that he has been unemployed.

"It is very tough out there - employers now have a ton of people to search through and they're looking for that perfect person," he says.

"You really have to be competitive with that next person in front of you."

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Oscar Pistorius' brother 'badly hurt' in car crash

Carl Pistorius, alongside his sister Aimee, has been a near-constant presence at his brother's murder trial

Carl Pistorius, the brother of South African athlete and murder accused Oscar Pistorius, has been "badly hurt" in a car accident, his family said,

Local media report that he is in intensive care after a head-on collision near Pretoria.

The incident comes six days before Oscar Pistorius' murder trial is set to resume.

Oscar Pistorius denies murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, saying he shot her believing she was an intruder.

On Friday it was announced that the athlete had sold the Pretoria house where the shooting took place to help cover his legal fees.

The house sold for 4.5-million rand ($418,000; £249,000), slightly below the estimated value of 5-million rand.

'Father figure'

Carl Pistorius, 29, "was badly hurt but we are thankful that he is out of danger" his family said in a statement.

His car had been hit by another vehicle which had swerved from the opposite side of the road, the statement added.

South African media reported that he sustained multiple fractures and suffered internal bleeding.

Mr Pistorius and his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp had been dating for three months before the fatal shooting

Carl Pistorius has been a near-constant presence at his younger brother's murder trial.

The athlete has described how Carl became a "father figure" for himself and his sister after their parents' marriage broke down and their mother died.

In May last year Carl Pistorius was acquitted of culpable homicide over the death of a motorcyclist in South Africa in 2008.

The Oscar Pistorius trial is set to resume on 7 August, with both teams expected to present their closing arguments.

The prosecution says the athlete deliberately shot her dead after an argument at his home on 14 February 2013.

If found guilty of murder, the 27-year-old, who went on trial on 3 March, could face life imprisonment.

If he is acquitted of that charge, the court will consider an alternative charge of culpable homicide, for which he could - if convicted - receive about 15 years in prison.

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France drugs: Policeman seized in massive cocaine hunt

Hugh Schofield reported earlier on the 50kg of cocaine which went missing from a secure police headquarters in Paris

A French drugs squad officer has been arrested in the southern city of Perpignan on suspicion of stealing more than 50kg (110lb) of cocaine from Paris police headquarters.

The unnamed officer, 34, was picked up while on holiday in the city on the Spanish border, officials say.

The theft of the drugs, which have a street value of some 3m euros (£2.4m; $4m), was a major embarrassment.

A police car outside the judicial police headquarters in Perpignan

It appears they were taken from a secure room on 24 July.

CCTV images of a man carrying two bags into police headquarters that night, and leaving shortly after, helped investigators identify the suspect, police say.

The drugs were originally seized in a raid on 4 July against a suspected Senegalese gang operating in northern Paris, Le Parisien newspaper reports.

There was no immediate indication on Saturday that the missing cocaine had been recovered.

Police headquarters, immortalised in Georges Simenon's Maigret detective novels and in French crime films, is located at 36 Quai des Orfevres, in the heart of the French capital, overlooking the River Seine and close to Notre Dame cathedral.

The building also attracted unwelcome publicity in April, when two elite anti-gang officers were charged with raping a Canadian tourist there. An investigation is still under way.

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Ukraine crisis: New fighting hampers MH17 crash probe

The investigators released footage from their first full day of searching at the crash site

Fresh fighting in eastern Ukraine has forced an international forensics team to halt operations in part of the vast crash site of Malaysian flight MH17.

Observers had to withdraw from one village when they heard artillery fire although work is still continuing across much of the area.

MH17 went down on 17 July with the loss of all 298 passengers and crew.

The US and Ukraine say pro-Russian rebels probably shot down the jet with a missile but rebels deny the claim.

Sniffer dogs

Alexander Hug, the deputy chief monitor with the Ukraine mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), told Agence France-Presse a visit to the village of Petropavlivka had been agreed with the rebels and Ukrainian forces.

However, he said: "We heard at a distance of approximately two kilometres incoming artillery from where we were and that was too close to continue."

However, the BBC's Jonathan Beale, at the crash scene, says there has been no fighting at the main site and the experts have been able to do their work.

Pro-Russian rebels have blown bridges along the route to the crash site, to slow any advance by Ukrainian forces

Neither Ukrainian forces nor rebels are in full control of the crash site

About 70 Dutch and Australian experts are scouring a site of some 20 sq km.

A spokesman for the Dutch team said it was still focusing on searching for human remains, although security is also a key issue.

Neither the rebels nor Ukrainian forces are in full control of the site.

The Dutch team has flown in from the Netherlands two dogs trained to search for human remains and another two specialist dogs are on their way from Belgium.

Our correspondent says the Australian team also has specialist equipment - a mini-drone fitted with a camera - but it has not yet been given permission by the rebels to fly it.

The US and Ukraine say pro-Russian rebels probably shot down the plane with a missile supplied from Russia.

The rebels say it could have been brought down by a Ukrainian fighter jet.

Most of those who died were Dutch nationals.

More than 220 coffins have now been sent back to the Netherlands.

'Highly disciplined'

Separately, a senior adviser to the rebels confirmed that extrajudicial killings had been carried out in eastern Ukraine "to prevent chaos".

Mr Druz said Ukraine's government was a "terrorist" organisation

Igor Druz told the BBC such "executions" sent an important signal to the rest of the rebel forces.

Mr Druz told the BBC: "On several occasions, in a state of emergency, we have carried out executions by shooting to prevent chaos. As a result, our troops, the ones who have pulled out of Sloviansk, are highly disciplined."

Sloviansk was a key rebel stronghold before it was recaptured last month by Ukrainian government forces.

Analysis: Dina Newman, BBC News, Donetsk

Igor Druz is adviser to the rebels' military commander Igor Strelkov, and a senior spokesman for the rebel-held territories of Donetsk region. He is in charge of the ideology of the eastern Ukrainian rebel movement. In an interview with the BBC in Donetsk he outlined his vision of the so-called 'state of Novorossia' they hope to build here.

He says he is a strong supporter of Orthodox Christian morality and family values, and opposed to homosexuality. He hopes to legalise death penalty for the most serious crimes and he is sure that most rebels will support him in this initiative.

Mr Druz said the rebels wanted to establish a socially responsible state that would protect Christian values.

He also said the Ukrainian government was "totally illegitimate".

Mr Druz said: "These people have come to power by committing murders and staging an armed coup. Now they are committing war crimes. They are bombing our cities. They shell cities and then blame it on our fighters. This is nonsense."

More than 1,500 people are believed to have been killed in the conflict which erupted in east Ukraine in April, after rebels declared independence from the new government in Kiev.

Russia, which annexed Ukraine's Crimea region in March, has been accused of arming the rebels and has been targeted by US and EU sanctions. Russia denies the accusations.

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Barack Obama: 'Full confidence' in CIA director

President Obama told the media the CIA "tortured some folks", as Tim Nielson reports.

President Barack Obama has defended CIA Director John Brennan and acknowledged the US tortured prisoners after 9/11.

His comments come as the Senate prepares to release a report on the CIA's interrogation programme.

"We tortured some folks," Mr Obama said. "We did some things that were contrary to our values."

He said Mr Brennan had his "full confidence" despite admitting the agency had searched Senate computers during the investigation.

Mr Obama has previously said the methods used by the CIA on al-Qaeda prisoners at secret "black sites" outside the US amounted to torture.

In April 2009, he said that he "believed that waterboarding was torture and, whatever legal rationales were used, it was a mistake".

On Friday the US president said officials at the time had used harsh methods because of the "enormous pressure" to prevent another attack on the US in the wake of 9/11.

A recent European court decision has held Poland responsible for hosting a "black site" for the US prisoners

Brennan apologised to Senate intelligence staff

"In the immediate aftermath of 9/11, we did some things that we got wrong, we did a lot of things that we right, but we tortured some folks," Mr Obama said. "We did some things that were contrary to our values."

"It's important for us not to feel sanctimonious in retrospect about the tough job those folks had."

There was some criticism of Mr Obama's choice of words.

Dan Froomkin, a journalist with The Intercept website said: "Obama referred to the people we tortured - and the people who tortured them - as 'folks'. Neither is really appropriate."

Mr Obama did not mention another expected key finding of the forthcoming report, which says the now-discontinued CIA interrogation practices produced little intelligence of value, according to leaked reports.

The Senate report is expected to be released in the near future, but on Thursday, Mr Brennan apologised to Senate intelligence staff for officers who improperly searched Senate computers during the committee's investigation.

Mr Obama said he had full confidence in Mr Brennan as he "was the person who called for the [inspector general's] report, and he's already stood up a task force to make sure that lessons are learned and mistakes are resolved".

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David Cameron calls on Nato to rethink Russia relationship

David Cameron and Vladimir Putin held face-to-face talks in June

Nato needs to rethink its long-term relationship with Russia, which views the alliance as "an adversary", Prime Minister David Cameron has warned.

He said there has to be a "robust presence" in eastern Europe because of Russia's "illegal" actions in Ukraine.

In a letter to other Nato leaders ahead of a UK summit, he said Russia had to be sent a message that "neither Nato nor its members will be intimidated".

Plans suggested by Mr Cameron include a new schedule of military exercises.

'Pivotal moment'

Mr Cameron also said equipment and supplies should be pre-positioned in key locations and called for an enhanced Nato Response Force.

He has written to his counterparts, and alliance secretary general Anders Fogh Rasmussen, six weeks before they are due to meet near Newport, south Wales.

The letter comes days after the Commons Defence Committee warned that Nato is currently poorly prepared for a Russian attack on a member state.

While the risk of a conventional assault remains low, MPs issued a warning over methods such as cyber-attacks and the use of irregular militias.

The Nato summit is the first to be held in the UK since 1990, when Margaret Thatcher hosted the alliance in London as the Cold War was ending.

The prime minister noted that: "In 2014, the world is more unpredictable than ever and we meet at another pivotal moment in the history of the alliance."

'Robust presence'

He said this included Russia having "ripped up the rulebook with its illegal annexation of Crimea and aggressive destabilisation of Ukraine" as well as the crisis in the Middle East.

Mr Cameron wrote: "We must... review our long-term relationship with Russia.

"While Nato has only ever sought to be a partner to Russia, not a threat, it is clear that Russia views Nato as an adversary.

"We must accept that the co-operation of recent years is not currently possible because of Russia's own illegal actions in Nato's neighbourhood and revisit the principles that guide our relationship with Russia."

He called for an action plan to allow Nato to respond to threats to any member of the alliance "including when we have little warning".

Russia has "ripped up the rule book", Mr Cameron said

He added: "All Nato allies have already contributed to the alliance's response to this crisis and we should agree how we can sustain a robust presence in eastern Europe, consistent with the Nato Russia Founding Act, to make clear to Russia that neither Nato nor its members will be intimidated."

Mr Rasmussen and Mr Cameron are due to visit Nato's Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe on Monday.

They will meet Supreme Allied Commander Europe, US General Philip Breedlove, to discuss plans to strengthen Nato's ability to respond swiftly to threat.

'Rock-solid alliance'

In the letter, Mr Cameron also urged Nato members to "make the strongest possible commitment to increase their defence spending", stressing that such investment signals "that Nato means business".

He wants the other member states to match the UK in meeting the target of spending 2% of its GDP on defence.

Mr Cameron also proposed a new North Atlantic Armed Forces Charter to demonstrate commitment to the welfare and support of troops, describing this as a "personal priority".

And he wants the summit, to which 33 partner countries are invited, to discuss how they can support the Afghan government following the withdrawal of international troops.

He concluded the letter saying that: "The Wales summit should prove that Nato is a rock-solid alliance with strong partnerships around the world that fosters global peace and stability, creating a secure environment for economies to grow."

--------------------------------------------

"While Nato has only ever sought to be a partner to Russia... it is clear that Russia views Nato as an adversary”

Prime Minister David Cameron

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British embassy in Libya to 'suspend operations'

Thousands of people have taken to the streets in Benghazi to protest against militias fighting armed forces

Britain is to temporarily close its embassy in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, because of worsening violence.

The Foreign Office, which has urged Britons to leave the country immediately, said consular assistance would not be available from Monday.

Ambassador Michael Aron described the situation as "very sad" and said staff would return to the embassy "as soon as security allows".

Arrangements are being made to help British nationals leave Libya.

The country has been gripped by instability since the uprising in 2011.

More than 200 people have been killed in Tripoli and Benghazi in the past two weeks.

Thousands of protesters took to the streets of the two cities on Friday to denounce militias who have been fighting Libyan armed forces.

'Risk too great'

Commercial flights are still leaving Libya but the Foreign Office (FCO) warned flight schedules could change without notice.

On Wednesday, British Airways suspended flights to and from Tripoli up to and including 5 August due to the security situation at the country's main international airport.

The FCO is advising against all travel to Libya.

Mr Aron tweeted: "Reluctantly we've decided we have to leave & temporarily suspend Embassy operations in #Libya. We will be back as soon as security allows."

He added: "Fighting has spread to where we live in Suraj and the risk of getting caught in the crossfire is too great. Very sad."

British ambassador Michael Aron said the decision had been taken 'reluctantly'

Mr Aron said on Twitter that a temporary office would be set up in Tunisia.

A FCO spokesman said: "Due to the more intense and more widespread fighting in Tripoli, and greater instability throughout Libya, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office advise against all travel to Libya.

"British nationals in Libya are strongly urged to leave immediately by commercial means."

He would not comment on Mr Aron's statement about the move to Tunisia.

Most western countries have now withdrawn diplomats from Libya.

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Two Americans held in North Korea plead for help from US

Matthew Miller, left, and Jeffrey Edward Fowle were detained separately in North Korea in April

Two American tourists charged with "anti-state" crimes in North Korea have pleaded for the US government to help secure their release.

Matthew Miller and Jeffrey Fowle told the AP news agency they expected to be tried soon and given long prison terms.

The two men said they were in good health and had been treated well but expected conditions to get worse.

They were detained separately in April but both were accused of "committing hostile acts" while in the country.

Mr Fowle, 56, entered North Korea on 29 April and was detained in early June as he was leaving the country

He is said to have left a bible in the toilet of a restaurant in the northern port city of Chongjin but his family have insisted that he was not on a mission for his church.

North Korean authorities say Mr Miller, 24, entered the country on 10 April with a tourist visa but tore it up at the airport and shouted that he wanted to seek asylum.

North Korea is holding several US citizens and has been accused of using them as bargaining chips

Speaking for the first time since being detained more than three months ago, Mr Miller said "the horizon for me is pretty dark.

"I don't know what the worst-case scenario would be, but I need help to extricate myself from this situation. I have been requesting help from the American government, but have received no reply," he added.

It is unclear whether North Korean officials were in the room at the time of the interview or if the men were being coerced.

Authorities say they are preparing to bring the men before a court, but the charges or potential punishment have not been specified. The date of the trial has not been announced.

Korean-US citizen Kenneth Bae was detained in December 2012 and sentenced to 15 years' hard labour

North Korea has in the past been accused of using arrested Americans as diplomatic bargaining chips.

The US wants Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear ambitions in return for economic and diplomatic incentives, but talks on a deal agreed in 2007 have been stalled for several years.

Religious activity is severely restricted in North Korea and missionaries have been arrested on many previous occasions.

Kenneth Bae, the highest-profile of the currently detained Americans, was sentenced to 15 years' hard labour in May 2013 after being accused of planning to overthrow the government.

Other US detainees in North Korea

• Eddie Jun Yong-su: Businessman detained for six months in 2011, freed after a visit led by US envoy Robert King
• Aijalon Mahli Gomes: Teacher and Christian jailed in 2010 for eight years over illegal entry via China - freed after ex-US President Jimmy Carter visited Pyongyang
• Robert Park: US activist crossed into North Korea via China in late 2009 - freed in 2010 by North Korea
• Laura Ling and Euna Lee: Journalists jailed in 2009 for 12 years over illegal entry via the Chinese border - freed after ex-US President Bill Clinton met former NK leader Kim Jong-il

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Massive landslide hits river near Nepal capital

A massive landslide has buried dozens of homes in Nepal, with six people confirmed dead and many missing.

The landslide has blocked the Sunkoshi river, east of the capital Kathmandu, forcing thousands of people to evacuate their homes and move to higher ground.

Officials said army technicians would be sent in to unblock the river and allow the water to run off.

There are fears that the death toll will rise, as rescue work continues in the district of Sindhupalchowk.

Sindhupalchowk is 120 km (75 miles) east of Kathmandu.

"Police and army officials are trying to find the missing people and evacuate the villages on the riverside" a police official told AFP.

Officials said dozens of people were still missing.

The Arniko highway to Tibet has been closed and the area declared a "flood crisis zone" by the government.

Landslides are common during the June-September monsoon season in Nepal. Dozens of people die every year from flooding and landslides.

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Australian couple abandon surrogate Down's Syndrome baby

The couple took the boy's healthy twin sister but left Gammy with his surrogate mother, as Phil Mercer reports in Sydney

A campaign for a baby with Down's Syndrome left with his surrogate Thai mother by an Australian couple has raised over $120,000 (£70,000).

The six-month-old boy, named Gammy, also has a congenital heart condition and needs urgent medical treatment.

Pattaramon Chanbua was left to care for him after his Australian parents only wanted his healthy twin sister.

She was paid $15,000 (£9,000) to be a surrogate for the couple, whose identities remain unknown.

Mrs Pattaramon was told of the child's condition four months after becoming pregnant and the couple asked her to have an abortion but she refused, saying it was against her Buddhist beliefs.

The 21-year-old, who already has two children, says she cannot afford to pay for the expensive treatment to deal with his life-threatening heart condition.

"The money that was offered was a lot for me. In my mind, with that money, one, we can educate my children, we can repay our debt," she told Australia's ABC broadcaster.

Thai newspaper Thairath published Gammy's story last week and an online campaign to raise money for his treatment was launched shortly afterwards.

So far hundreds of people have donated more than $120,000 (£70,000) towards the fund's $150,000 (£90,000) target.

'Horrible neglect!'

There were also dozens of messages of support for Gammy and her mother, and several expressing outrage at the Australian couple's actions.

"May this selfish and heartless couple be exposed and shamed for this horrible neglect!" one comment read.

A spokesman for Australia's foreign affairs department told the AFP news agency it was "concerned" by the reports and was in consultation with Thai authorities over surrogacy issues.

Tares Krassanairawiwong, a Thai health official, said it was illegal to pay for surrogacy in Thailand.

"Surrogacy can be done in Thailand but it has to comply with the laws. A surrogate has to be related to the intended parents and no money can be involved."

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Explosion at factory in eastern China kills dozens

Hundreds of people have been injured in the blast at a workshop for polishing wheel hubs.

An explosion at a factory in eastern China has killed at least 65 people, according to Chinese state media.

More than 100 people were injured in the blast in Kunshan, a city in the eastern province of Jiangsu, China's official Xinhua news agency said.

Pictures posted online showed people with burns sitting on the ground outside a factory complex from which black smoke was billowing.

Rescue efforts are under way as officials investigate the explosion.

The walking wounded waited for help outside the still burning factory

More than 200 factory workers were said to be on the site at the time of the explosion

China Central Television (CCTV) identified the factory as belonging to Zhongrong Plating.

The company manufactures car parts and employs about 450 workers. Its clients include US giant General Motors, CCTV reported.

State media reports say that explosion took place inside a wheel hub polishing workshop and that more than 200 workers were at the site at the time of the explosion.

Industrial accidents are relatively common in China, says the BBC's John Sudworth in Shanghai, although figures show safety in some industries has been improving in recent years.

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Gaza conflict: Hamas denies holding Israeli soldier

Hadar Goldin disappeared as Israeli forces tried to destroy a militant tunnel

Hamas says it does not know the whereabouts of an Israeli soldier it had been accused of capturing in Gaza.

The Islamist group's military wing says it lost contact with some fighters in the area and that they and Hadar Goldin, 23, may have been killed.

His supposed capture and the violence that followed ended a 72-hour ceasefire just hours after it had begun.

Earlier, US President Obama described the crisis as "heartbreaking" and said he would work to secure another truce.

"Innocent civilians caught in the crossfire have to weigh on our conscience," he said, but added that Hamas had to show it was serious about wanting an end to the violence.

Israeli airstrikes continued into the early hours of Saturday morning, with Gaza health officials saying nearly 100 Palestinians had been killed in following the collapse of a ceasefire.

Israel renewed its bombardment of the Gaza Strip after the 72-hour ceasefire broke down

Palestinians inspect an unexploded Israeli shell on a road in Gaza - nearly 100 Palestinians died on Friday

Thousands of Palestinians have been forced to flee their homes and seek shelter elsewhere in Gaza

At least 1,600 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have now died, and 8,400 have been injured, according to Gaza's health ministry.

Sixty-one Israeli soldiers have died, as well as three civilians in Israel.

Hamas accused Israel of breaking the short-lived ceasefire but the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it had been forced to respond to militant rocket fire.

Shortly after the ceasefire ended, IDF spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner said "initial indications suggest a soldier has been abducted" during an ambush on Israeli troops.

Two other soldiers were killed after a suicide bomber blew himself up during the ambush, he added.

President Obama described the abduction as "barbaric" and Israel said its response would be "crushing".

But in a statement released early on Saturday, the Qassam Brigades, Hamas' military wing, said it had "no information on this soldier".

It said it lost contact with a group of fighters in the area where the IDF soldier went missing, saying: "We believe they were all killed in the [Israeli] bombardment."

"Assuming that they managed to seize the soldier during combat, we assess that he was also killed in the incident," the statement said.

There were also clashes in the West Bank on Friday as thousands of Palestinians took to the streets to protest against Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip.

Two Palestinian protesters were shot dead in separate incidents after violence got out of control, an IDF spokeswoman said.

Two demonstrators were killed after protests against the Israeli offensive broke out in the West Bank

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