BUCHAREST - Romania`s Supreme Court on Monday overruled a lower court and sent miners` leader Miron Cozma to jail for 18 years for leading riots that terrorised the capital in 1991.

BURRE - Fighting between Ethiopia and Eritrea erupted again southwest of the strategic Red Sea town of Assab.

ABUJA - Former Nigerian military ruler General Olusegun Obasanjo on Monday took a big step closer to regaining the power he relinquished two decades ago, by winning his party`s presidential nomination.

MERIDA, Mexico - U.S. President Bill Clinton on Monday said first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton would make a "terrific" senator and he would support a decision by her to run. But he stressed she had not begun to make up her mind.

PARIS - Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern said a solution to disarming guerrilla groups must be worked out by March 10 to pave the way for launching a new Protestant-Catholic executive body in Northern Ireland.

LONDON - The British government moved on Monday to stub out plans by the National Health Service (NHS) to sue the tobacco industry, warning action by health authorities to recover smoking-related medical costs would be illegal.

BAGHDAD - Iraq renewed accusations on Monday against Saudi Arabia and Kuwait that they were waging war against Baghdad by providing bases for raiding Western aircraft, and stressed that it could strike back.

BAGHDAD - Iraq said five people were killed and 22 wounded on Monday when Western aircraft attacked civilian and military targets in the south of the country.

KUWAIT - The head of the Arab League denounced renewed Iraqi threats against Kuwait and Saudi Arabia and called for negotiations to end disputes between the 1991 Gulf War Arab enemies.

JAKARTA - Indonesia`s parliament on Monday endorsed the military`s policy of shooting rioters on sight, amid fresh bloodshed at both ends of the vast archipelago.

LAHORE, Pakistan - A Pakistani fundamentalist Islamic party vowed on Monday to block an historic cross-border trip by Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee at the weekend.

DAKAR - European Union Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs Emma Bonino said on Monday that instability from Sierra Leone and Guinea-Bissau could spread throughout West Africa if speedy political solutions are not found.

FREETOWN - The U.N. observer mission in Sierra Leone has been instructed to help with peace talks bet-ween rebels and the authorities in Sierra Leone and report back to the Security Council, state radio reported.

KINSHASA - Democratic Republic of the Congo President Laurent Kabila is due to reshuffle his cabinet shortly, Information Minister Didier Mumengi said.

MERIDA, Mexico - U.S. President Bill Clinton signaled he would renew Mexico`s status as an ally in the drug war as the two countries announced an agreement to measure progress in fighting drug-smuggling.

HAVANA - Cuba, signaling a major crackdown against anti-government opposition in response to recent U.S. moves, unveiled harsh new penalties against criminals and political opponents who "collaborate" with the U.S. government.

RIO DE JANEIRO - With riding crop in hand, Brazil`s celebrity dominatrix Tiazinha is leading the country`s frenzied, all-night charge down the last leg of its wild Carnival celebrations.