EVENTS

PLO-ISRAELI TALKS HIT SNAGS A series of last-minute disputes arose May 3 over details as Israeli and PLO negotiators worked to complete an agreement on limited Palestinian autonomy. Palestinian delegates would not give specifics, but one Palestinian source said Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin raised a long list of objections to details in the draft agreement the two sides have worked out. Rabin objected to giving PLO chief Yasser Arafat a title suggesting he was ``president'' of a Palestinian entity and to Palestinians having their own postage stamps, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The Palestinians have sought such symbols to indicate they were headed for the founding of their own state. Mr. Rabin and Mr. Arafat are scheduled to sign the agreement May 4. The two men were expected to meet to iron out final differences, but the atmosphere May 3 was ``uncomfortable,'' said PLO delegate Jamil Tarifi. UN peacekeepers stranded

About 160 British peacekeepers were blockaded May 3 by Bosnian Serbs preventing them from reaching the town of Gorazde and strengthening the UN contingent there, spokesmen said. The blockade reflected mounting tensions between the Serbs and UN troops, and the increasing willingness of Serbs to challenge peacekeepers. US economy gains

The US government's chief forecasting gauge of future economic activity hit an all-time high in March as it posted a healthy gain in line with economists' expectations. The Commerce Department said May 3 the Index of Leading Economic Indicators advanced 0.7 percent to 101.2 - the highest figure since the government began keeping the index in 1948. The index rebounded from a flat performance in February, caused largely by severe winter weather. Immigration suit

Arizona, like California and Florida, is demanding that Washington reimburse it for the cost of imprisoning illegal aliens. The state sued the government May 2, asking for more than $121 million to cover its costs in imprisoning more than 1,700 illegal immigrants convicted of felonies. California filed a similar lawsuit April 29, asking for $377 million to cover the cost of incarcerating 16,700 illegal aliens and $1.6 billion more to pay for the prisons housing them.

Richard Scarry, author

Richard McClure Scarry, whimsical author and illustrator of children's books, has died in Switzerland. Mr. Scarry's books, illustrated with gentle-looking animals, sometimes driving bizarre vehicles, have sold more than 100 million copies worldwide and are translated into some 30 languages.