August 2, 1997

US economy strengthens in July, adding 316,000 jobs and lowering unemployment rate to 4.8 percent, matching a 23-year low set in May; National Association of Purchasing Management reports that its overall index rose to 58.6 from 55.7 for the month, while its production index surged by 8.4 points to 64.4; Commerce Department reports that factory orders rose 1.2 percent in June, more than recovering a drop of five-tenths of 1 percent in May; says Americans' income grew six-tenths of 1 percent in June, while spending rose three-tenths of 1 percent; graphs (M)

Sen Jesse Helms's ability to block William F Weld's nomination to be Ambassador to Mexico attests to the fear he inspires in Washington establishment; photo (M)

Mission to repair the trouble-plagued space station Mir is crucial to Russian space program; success will demonstrate that Russia is still a vital repository of experience and expertise on space operations; failure will be exploited by growing legions of critics who say that glory days of Russian space program are past and that NASA is endangering its astronauts by training them on Mir; photos; graph shows the tight budget on which Russian space program is run (M)

Israel makes new arrests in the July 30 suicide bombing in Jerusalem and bans most movement in West Bank; tense stalemate takes shape, with Israel holding off carrying out its threats to take drastic measures and the Palestinian leadership avoiding drastic new steps to clamp down on Islamic militants; new leaflet in name of Hamas, militant Islamic organization, again praises suicide attacks as best tactic to confront Israel; members of Yasir Arafat's cabinet resign, saying he needs fre edom to act; Pres Clinton says Dennis Ross, his Middle East negotiator, will return to region to try to rebuild tattered negotitations for peace; photos (M)

Cancers Tied to Bomb Tests Nuclear bomb tests in the 1950's may have caused 10,000 to 75,000 cases of thyroid cancer, most of them among children who were younger than 5 at the time. Page 6. A Toll Revolution For motorists, the E-Z Pass automated toll system is a time-saver. For transportation planners, it may prove to be a way to achieve some of their longest-held dreams. Page 21.