New Crisis on Mir

Cosmonauts have failed to repair a broken oxygen system aboard Russia's troubled space station but the malfunction will not affect the imminent launch of a relief crew. A senior Mission Control official says, "this has happened a thousand times before, so it's not worth making a fuss about." He spoke just hours before the two-man relief crew was due to blast off from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The Elektron oxygen generating system on Mir broke down last week, and several days of work have failed to solve the problem.

New Threat to Israel

A leaflet issued in the name of the military wing of the Islamic group Hamas said today a deadline for Israel to free Palestinian prisoners had expired and promised a chain of attacks inside the Jewish state. Hamas, which opposes the interim peace deals Palestinian President Yasser Arafat signed with Israel as a sell-out of their goal to found an Islamic state in all of Palestine, has in the past launched suicide attacks in Israel in waves. The latest leaflet mocked Israel for its "complete failure" to uncover the perpetrators of last week's attack.

Israel, Egypt Talk

Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak held talks today with Israel's Foreign Minister David Levy on a crisis in the Middle East peace process heightened by suicide bombings in Jerusalem last week and an Israeli clampdown on Palestinian self-rule areas. Witnesses said Levy met Mubarak at a government house in Cairo known as the Al-Salam, or Peace, villa. Middle East leaders are criss-crossing the region in search of a way out of the crisis in Israeli-PLO peacemaking, holding a series of meetings seen as a prelude to a visit to the region by U.S. peace envoy Dennis Ross expected later this week.

Korea Talks Set for New York

After more than a year of haggling, the impoverished communist state of North Korea was set to open talks in New York today with China, the U.S. and South Korea aimed at securing lasting peace on the Korean peninsula. North Korea created a positive mood for the talks with a goodwill gesture yesterday, handing over the remains of four U.S. soldiers killed during the 1950-1953 Korean War. In addition, North and South Korea linked up their public telephone lines for the first time since the peninsula was divided at the end of World War II.

Marriage Could Pose Problems

The Archbishop of Canterbury said today the Church of England would be thrown into crisis if Prince Charles remarried. George Carey, in Australia on a two-week tour to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Australian Anglican Church, said the fact that Charles had divorced Princess Diana posed no obstacle to the throne. But the issue of remarriage was very different. As king, Charles would become the head of the Church of England, which disapproves of remarriage after a monarch's divorce. It was Carey's first public comment on the prospect of another marriage for Charles.

Call for Economic Revival

Iran has to improve ties with the West to attract foreign capital essential for the success of President Mohammad Khatami's call for an economic revival. But analysts predict tough resistance by hardliners to speedy moves to open up to the West and much-needed foreign investment to tackle unemployment and inflation. Inflation and unemployment are estimated by economists at double the official figures of 23 and 10 percent, respectively. Even if Khatami succeeded in solving sufficient problems with Western Europe to attract investments he would still face resistance from conservatives in parliament to any relaxation of the rules.

Crime Gangs on the Rise

Russian crime fighters said today the activities of international criminal gangs on their territory threatened the country's economic security, and urged closer cooperation with police in western Europe. Colonel Valery Zvyagin, deputy chief of Russia's Interpol bureau, said many Russian companies and state organizations were being stung by sophisticated gangs of "moshenniki," or "swindlers," who make off with millions of dollars in false loans and credits. The colonel said the number of investigations opened on foreign criminals operating in Russia had risen by 80.8 percent in the last year alone.

Call to Suspend Bosnia Contacts

Luxembourg, as holder of the European Union's revolving presidency, recommended today that all 15 EU states suspend contact with Bosnian ambassadors. The freeze was imposed in a bid to force a fair division of diplomatic posts by Bosnia's ethnically split government. France, Britain, Sweden, Austria, Italy and Germany, all concerned by the faltering pace in implementing Bosnia's 1995 peace treaty, had already suspended contact, along with the United States. Spain promptly said it would follow suit. In a brief statement, the Luxembourg Foreign Ministry said the move would not mean suspending all diplomatic relations with Bosnia.

Somalia Clashes Kill 17

At least 17 people were killed in fighting between militiamen loyal to faction leader Hussein Aideed and clan rivals in a town in southern Somalia. Speaking by radio from Qansahdhere, witnesses said fighters of the Rahanwein Resistance Army infiltrated the town on Monday and clashed with Aideed's militiamen. At least 17 people were killed. A spokesman for the RRA said its fighters had captured the town and the surrounding area and killed 12 of Aideed's gunmen. But an Aideed official said Qansahdhere remained under the control of his forces after "bandits" had been chased away.

Italy to Compensate Passenger

Italian state railways promised today to compensate passengers following a weekend of travel chaos, but attacks on the government's transportation policy grew after another rail accident claimed three lives yesterday. In an advertisement in Italy's major dailies, the railroad promised to mail a free ticket to everyone who proved they had traveled by train through Rome and Naples over the weekend, when rail travel was brought to a standstill by a derailment and a crane crash. The weekend's woes were compounded when an express train slammed into a car on a level crossing near Rome, instantly killing two people.

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