According to the government's monthly employment report, only 69,000 jobs were added to payrolls in May and adding to the disappointing news that job creation in March and April was also revised  down by 49,000. The number show a significant slow down in job creation since the first three months of the year when an average of 226,000 were added each month. Job creation in the past two months is about 1/3 that pace. In addition, the unemployment rate unexpectedly moved up from 8.1% to 8.2%. That's because the number of people in the labor force looking for work increased by almost 650,000. John Ydstie, NPR News, Washington.

 

 

As the shelling continues in the Syrian city of Homs, the UN's top human rights official is warning the country could descend into an all-out civil war unless countries that have backed UN Envoy Kofi Annan's peace plan  rally around calls for an independent probe into last week's massacre of more than 100 civilians in Houla, 29 were children. Speaking to reporters in Beirut, Annan says Syrian President Bashar al-Assad must implement the UN-brokered plan to show he is determined to move ahead in search of peace.

 

 

Russian President Vladimir Putin has shown no signs of bending his strongly support for the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad. Putin is visiting Berlin. NPR's Eric Westervelt has the details. 

For months, Russia and China have led efforts to block the UN Security Council from adopting stronger measures against Syria. Western nations in many Arab States have pressed the Security Council to do more to stop the bloodshed that many are calling a civil war. In Berlin today, there was no sign Putin was changing his stands. At a joint press conference with  Chancellor Angela Merkel, Putin claimed Russia doesn't support any side in the Syria conflict. We have a good long standing relationship with Syria, he said, but we don't back any side from which the threat of civil war may emerge. Putin now travels to Paris for a meeting with the new French President. Germany and France joined other western nations this week in joint expulsions of Syrian ambassadors, following the massacre of more than 100 civilians including many children, in Homs province. Eric Westervelt, NPR News, Berlin. 

 

 

At last check on Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is down 261 points at 12,130; the NASDAQ Composite down 75 at 2,752; the S&P 500 down 31 at 1,279.

 

 

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Former President Bill Clinton is rallying Democrats in Milwaukee on behalf of the city's mayor Tom Barrett, who's locked in a close race with Republican Governor Scott Walker in a nationally watched recall election. Speaking to a crowd at a downtown riverfront park this afternoon, the former president attacked Walker's campaign tactics.

Whether you want to support laws that make it hard for young people and minorities and pull people to vote. That's what this is about, that's what he did. And he did it to keep the electric narrow, hoping you wouldn't show up.

He says people nationwide are looking to Wisconsin as American battle ground, Clinton says states that are recovering economically  have embraced creative cooperation, not constant conflict.  A reference to Walker's move to eliminate collective bargaining from most public employees. Walker will campaign tomorrow with South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley.

 

 

The trial of a former Pen State coach accused of sexually abusing children likely will begin next week as scheduled. NPR's Jeff Brady reports Jerry Sandusky has lost an appeal that could have delayed jury selection.

Earlier this week, a lower court judge denied Sandusky's request to delay the trial, so his lawyers could have more time to prepare defense. Sandusky's attorneys filed an appeal with the Pennsylvania superior  court, details of that appeal were kept secret. The appeals court denied the emergency petition for review without issuing an opinion. Sandusky faces 52 counts for allegedly sexually abusing ten boys, charges he denies. Barring an appeal to the state's supreme court, jury selection is scheduled to begin Tuesday in Bellefonte , Pennsylvania. Jeff Brady, NPR News.