Mexico

GUADALAJARA - Shots fired from a pickup truck left two police officers dead in Mexico's second-largest city Friday. Authorities had no immediate leads as to the identities or motives of the gunmen, reports said.

Japan

TOKYO - Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto left for Peru on Friday to personally thank President Alberto Fujimori for ending a hostage crisis and express support for Fujimori's economic reforms. Meanwhile, Japan's ambassador to Peru suggested in a newspaper interview that he may resign to take responsibility for the crisis.

Bangladesh

DHAKA - A village dispute over damage caused by a wandering cow ended in bloodshed and arson, with five people dead, three critically injured and 20 huts in ashes.

China

BEIJING - A high-ranking police officer in northeast China was executed for embezzling $2.4 million in public funds, state-run newspapers reported Saturday.

Bahrain

MANAMA - U.S. forces will respond if Iran tries to make good on a threat to close the Persian Gulf's Strait of Hormuz, the U.S. army commander for the region warned Saturday.

Italy

VENICE - Police questioned nine suspects Saturday in the bizarre takeover of the famed bell tower at St. Mark's Square. Eight separatists took over the tower Friday, proclaiming a "republic" and vowing to occupy the tower until their "ambassador" showed up. Police got there first, ending the takeover without injury.

Libya

TUNIS - Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi on Saturday returned to Tripoli after a defiant flight to Niger and Nigeria despite the United Nations air embargo over the Lockerbie affair.

Great Britain

LONDON - William Hague, a 36-year-old who promises the Conservatives a fresh start after their election drubbing, Saturday headed the field to be the next leader of Britain's main opposition party. Bookmakers have installed the balding politician as favorite to win the six-horse race to replace John Major, who stepped down after the Conservatives plummeted to their worst electoral defeat since 1832.

France

PARIS - Socialist leader Lionel Jospin escalated his campaign rhetoric Saturday as a new poll showed France's governing center-right widening its lead over the left just two weeks before a parliamentary election.

Afghanistan

KABUL - Afghan authorities arrested two men in the capital of Kabul Saturday for trying to smuggle uranium out of the country, the official Kabul radio said.

Peru

LIMA - Peru's police Saturday offered a $75,000 reward for information leading to the capture of the man they believe could be the Tupac Amaru rebels' new leader after last month's bloody end to the group's hostage-taking.

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Northern Ireland

BELFAST - A nationalist splinter group, the Irish National Liberation Army, admitted Saturday to having planned and carried out the murder Friday of an off-duty policeman in a Belfast night-spot.

Sierra Leone

FREETOWN - Rebels in this West African nation have broken their peace accord with the government, attacking a village and killing and maiming dozens of people, authorities said Saturday.

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