HARARE - Zimbabwe's government, confronted by a parliamentary revolt and deep public anger, withdrew the key components of a hotly contested tax package that sparked wide protests.
KYOTO, Japan - The European Union warned that a treaty binding developed countries to cut greenhouse gases would not be enough to bring success in the battle against global warming.
SEOUL - South Korea's president Kim Young-sam apologised for the economic mess that forced the country to turn to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for assistance.
JERUSALEM - Israel has tightened its hold on Arab East Jerusalem, imposing a broad ban on Palestinian political activity in the city in a move to block a PLO-backed census.
LONDON - Britain made clear that Spanish proposals to share sovereignty over Gibraltar had no chance of success as long the inhabitants of the tiny British colony remained implacably opposed to the idea.
TEHRAN - Moslem leaders neared agreement on a declaration on Middle East peace, Gulf security and terrorism as they began the last scheduled working session of an Islamic summit.
NAIROBI - Rwandan Hutu rebels, piling up pressure on the Tutsi-dominated army, have killed a mayor and 11 other people in a village south of Gisenyi.
BONN - Yugoslavs and Bosnian Serbs stormed out of peace talks that strengthened the role of the international community's senior official in Bosnia.
MOSCOW - Russian security forces seized a possibly mentally unhinged hijacker who had threatened to blow up an internal flight to Moscow from the Far East -- and left the 142 passengers in blissful ignorance.
LONDON - Rebellious Labour Party members of parliament dealt Prime Minister Tony Blair a huge blow when a junior minister resigned in protest at cuts in lone parent benefits and then 48 of his 419 MPs voted against them.
