WASHINGTON - A computer programme has shown for the first time how the universe grew and evolved from a flat and boring waste to the colourful expanse of stars and galaxies we know today.
KINSHASA - A European Union mission said the EU would fulfil pledges to help reconstruct the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but ruled out resumption of long-suspended development aid for the time being.
MOSCOW - President Boris Yeltsin said Russia‘s latest financial crisis had been caused by a huge budget deficit and a lack of government experience in handling the fledgling market economy.
PARIS - Management and unions at Air France are due to meet again after a marathon negotiating session to end a crippling pilots‘ strike broke up at dawn without agreement.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The last of seven U.S. astronauts to serve on Mir ended his tour of duty as the space shuttle Discovery made NASA‘s final visit to the Russian station.
PARIS - A French judge leading the criminal investigation into the death of Princess Diana began questioning more than 20 witnesses at the Paris law courts.
BOGOTA - A right-wing death squad murdered 25 people and torched their bodies after kidnapping them some three weeks ago in northeast Colombia.
DENVER - A judge sentenced Oklahoma City bombing conspirator Terry Nichols to life in prison with no chance of parole.
JERUSALEM - An Israeli soldier was lightly wounded overnight by guerrilla mortar fire in Israeli-occupied south Lebanon.
GENEVA - The world‘s five nuclear powers, in a joint attempt to put South Asia‘s nuclear genie back into the bottle, agreed to try to coax India and Pakistan into a dialogue.
