Around the world
BLAST: A huge explosion destroyed part of the headquarters of the right-wing Christian Phalange (Kataeb) Party in east Beirut on Monday, wounding at least 25 people, security sources said. Several members of the party's politburo, which was in session when the blast rocked the building, were among the casualties. It could not be confirmed if anyone was killed.CONFIRMATION: The Vatican confirmed Monday that it will sign an agreement to establish diplomatic ties with Israel in Jerusalem on Dec. 30. The historic agreement and signing date, announced by Israeli officials last week, caps negotiations that began in July 1992. A brief Vatican statement said the Vatican-Israeli commission had completed a "first phase of work" with an agreement on principles in bilateral relations and the steps in the normalization process.
PEACE TALKS: The Philippine government and Muslim on Monday rebels began a round of formal peace talks in Manila aimed at ending a bloody secessionist struggle in the southern Philippines in which thousands of people have perished. Moro National Liberation Front Chairman Nur Misuari returned to the Philippines to participate in the negotiations seven years after peace talks broke down and he fled into exile.
Across the nation
SURRENDER: The son of U.S. Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders surrendered to Little Rock, Ark., police Monday morning to face a charge that he sold cocaine to undercover agents. Kevin Elders, 28, is accused of selling an eighth of an ounce of cocaine to undercover police in a city park on July 29 for $275, said police Lt. Charles Holladay.
BOMBS: A Newton, Mass., doctor found a package containing two powerful pipe bombs upon returning home from vacation. A state bomb expert took the package outside and disarmed the bombs on Dr. Paul Rosenberg's front lawn early Monday after police evacuated nearby homes and cordoned off the street. Rosenberg, a neurologist at Children's Hospital in Boston, told police he had no idea why anyone would want to kill him.
SETTLEMENT: A St. Louis jury ordered Domino's Pizza Inc. to pay about $79 million to a woman who was seriously injured when a delivery driver ran a red light and hit her car. The St. Louis Circuit Court jury awarded $750,000 in actual damages and $78 million in punitive damages to Jean Kinder on Friday. The driver settled out of court with Kinder for $150,000.