EVENTS
CANADA, CHINA SIGN NUCLEAR, AID PACTS Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien in Beijing yesterday signed nuclear and aid agreements and discussed trade and human rights with his Chinese counterpart Li Peng. Mr. Chretien arrived there Saturday leading the largest ever Canadian trade mission, accompanied by nine provincial premiers and executives from 250 companies. The Quebec government declined to send its premier as part of the delegation, officially called Team Canada. After two days of touring, Chretien began his schedule in earnest yesterday, signing the two agreements and meeting Premier Li and Communist Party chief, President Jiang Zemin. Li, noting the size of Chretien's group, said: ``But Quebec is not part of the delegation,'' in what appeared to be his way of saying Canada has domestic problems just like China's. Clinton to visit Manila
Leftist students plan to protest what they called ``US imperialist oppression'' of the Philippines during President Clinton's visit to Manila. Mr. Clinton arrives there Saturday and leaves the following day for Indonesia to attend an Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting. He will be the first US president to visit the Philippines in about 20 years.
Australian bush fires
Firefighters declared a state of emergency in Queensland State yesterday as they battled bush fires whipped up by gale-force winds. Fires burned out of control less than six miles from downtown Brisbane, the state capital. Hundreds of people were evacuated from Brisbane's northern suburbs.
Israeli shrine reopens Russians mark revolution
Thousands of people waving red Soviet flags and portraits of Stalin and Lenin peacefully marched to the former KGB headquarters in Moscow yesterday to mark the 77th anniversary of the Bolshevik Revolution. Although Revolution Day is still a state holiday, few Russians bother to celebrate. Meanwhile, in Hanoi, Vietnamese officials laid flowers at a massive statue of Lenin, determined to keep the faith even if Russia has not.
Tajik president
Tajik leader Emomali Rakhmonov was elected president of this impoverished Central Asian state, easily defeating his only challenger, Abdulmalik Abdulladjanov. According to preliminary results released yesterday, Mr. Rakhmonov, who has led the former Soviet republic since 1992, won 60 percent of the votes cast in Sunday's presidential elections.
Atlantis looks at sun
Atlantis astronauts aimed shuttle instruments toward the sun yesterday as the atmospheric research mission focused on the solar radiation that constantly bombards Earth. Four of seven primary instruments in the shuttle cargo bay are designed to monitor sunlight, the most powerful of all atmospheric forces.
Marathon detour
For German Silva of Mexico, 26 miles and 385 yards were not enough in the New York City Marathon Sunday. With less than a mile to go he took a wrong turn into Central Park, a happenstance familiar to many New Yorkers. Despite the extra 35 yards, he came back to narrowly defeat a fellow countryman, Benjamin Parades, to win the event.
