JERUSALEM - Prospects for the signing of a new Israeli-Palestinian peace deal on Thursday hung by a thread while each side waited for the other to make the first move.

SEOUL - North Korea on Thursday declared the sea border separating the rival Koreas, and demarcated by the United Nations Command four decades ago, was „invalid“.

BEIJING - China said on Thursday it needs to join the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and urged the United States to take concrete action to allow accession talks to resume.

BRUSSELS - Anheuser-Busch, the world‘s largest brewer, said it has recalled all twist-off bottles of its Budweiser beer in 12 European countries due to a problem with the packaging.

ZAGREB - A Croatian court ruled on Thursday there were no legal obstacles to extradite indicted Bosnian Croat warlord Mladen „Tuta“ Naletilic to the United Nations criminal tribunal.

BISHKEK - Gunmen holding hostages in a remote, mountainous region of southern Kyrgyzstan released a policeman during the night, bringing to eight the number of captives freed.

LONDON - Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem said on Thursday that Turkey might try only once more to get accepted as a formal candidate for EU membership before abandoning the attempt.

CAIRO - Palestinian President Yasser Arafat arrived in Alexandria and U.S. and European Union envoys flew in to Cairo amid uncertain prospects for the signing of a new Israeli-Palestinian agreement.

RABAT - Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika urged Morocco to act against Moslem rebels, saying they were using its territory to launch attacks.

AMMAN - Three political leaders of the militant Palestinian group Hamas will return to Jordan to face possible trial following a crackdown on the group.

ARUSHA, Tanzania - All 10 U.S. tourists aboard a light aircraft died when it smashed into a mountain near a Tanzanian game park.

AUBURN - President Bill Clinton urged parties to a Congolese peace deal to implement the agreement now that rival rebel leaders have signed it.

BOGOTA - Labor leaders agreed to lift a two-day-old general strike in Colombia late on Wednesday following an upsurge in political violence that authorities said left more than 65 people dead.

NAGS HEAD - Thousands of people who ignored evacuation orders were stranded along North Carolina‘s Outer Banks on Wednesday after Tropical Storm Dennis washed out the barrier islands‘ onl

LAHORE, Pakistan - Tens of thousands of opposition followers in Pakistan marched in central Lahore, calling on Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to step down.