Luxury shoemaker Jimmy Choo, which is being bought by US retailer Michael Kors, yesterday said its pre-tax profit for the half year almost tripled, helped by its retail and licensing businesses.

The United States has suspended operations at its embassy in Libya and evacuated its diplomats to neighbouring Tunisia under US military escort amid a significant deterioration in security in Tripoli, the State Department said.

Two more military aircraft carrying remains of victims from the Malaysian plane disaster have arrived in the Netherlands, while Australian and Dutch diplomats promoted a plan for a UN team to secure the crash site which has been controlled by pro-Russian rebels.

The US has confirmed that American troops are holding a senior Pakistani Taliban commander.

Barack Obama has yet to take a decision on whether to go ahead with a military strike against Syria, the White House has said.