EVENTS

CHRISTOPHER APPEALS FOR MIDEAST PEACE US Secretary of State Warren Christopher arrived in Syria Sunday on the second leg of a weeklong mission aimed at healing differences between Israel and its Arab adversaries. Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa greeted Christopher as he arrived from Israel and the two went to the foreign ministry for talks before Christopher meets with President Hafez Assad. Before leaving Jerusalem, Christopher appealed to both Arab and Israeli leaders to persuade their followers to end the violence that is threatening the peace process. On Sunday, Israeli soldiers killed a Palestinian gunman who opened fire on an Israeli commuter bus in a hijack attempt. One Israeli was killed in the attack near Tel Aviv. Hubble repairs under way

Two spacewalking astronauts made the first repairs on the Hubble Space Telescope Sunday and even managed to latch a door that became misaligned. Jeffrey Hoffman and Story Musgrave had no problem installing two pairs of gyroscopes, two gyroscope electronic units, and eight fuses. But it took them more than two hours to latch the door (photo below). Arafat yields sole control

Yasser Arafat on Saturday surrendered his sole control of peace negotiations with Israel and agreed to set up a committee to supervise the stalled talks, a top PLO leader said. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the decision was announced by Arafat during a stormy meeting of the 18-member Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization. The talks resumed in Cairo on Sunday. Finnish Ferry Aground

More than 1,300 passengers were evacuated Sunday from a Finnish ferry after it ran aground in a snow storm. ``There was no danger to anyone during the evacuation,'' said Taito Rintala, a spokesman for the Silja Line ferry company. The ferry - named the Wasa Queen - ran aground late Saturday soon after leaving Vaasa, 420 kilometers (260 miles) northwest of Helsinki. It was headed for Umea in northern Sweden. Monitor writer honored

Monitor Washington columnist Godfrey Sperling will be one of six journalists honored by the National Press Foundation at its 11th annual journalism awards next February. Mr. Sperling will receive a special citation for bringing journalists and newsmakers together for 27 years at some 2,600 ``Monitor breakfasts.'' Other recipients include Barbara Walters (newscaster of the year) and Geneva Overholser (editor of the year). Escobar reward to be shared

The $6.2 million bounty on slain Colombian druglord Pablo Escobar's head will be shared by the widows and orphans of his victims and the men who hunted him down last Thursday, President Cesar Gaviria Trujillo said Saturday.