Pakistan
ISLAMABAD - A torrent of mud and rocks roared down a mountain while villagers slept in rugged Kashmir province, killing at least 20 people and leaving scores missing.
Singapore
Singapore police arrested nearly 200 suspected immigrants in the latest operation against illegal migrants from its poorer neighbors in Southeast Asia.
Mexico
MEXICO CITY - The government has begun criminal proceedings against 59 members of a group presumed responsible for the massacre of 45 unarmed Indians in the southern state of Chiapas in December.
Spain
MADRID - Bombs exploded inside two buildings housing government tax offices in the Spanish capital, officials said. The bombs caused extensive damage but no casualties.
Indonesia
SURABAYA - Students in Surabaya called off demonstrations Friday after four were injured in a clash with police the previous day but vowed to resume their protests next week.
Sri Lanka
COLOMBO - Air force jets bombed two Tamil Tiger rebel camps close to where government troops are trying to take a strategic town, defence ministry officials said.
France
PARIS - Ten months after losing control of the National Assembly, the French Right appeared resigned to handing its regional dominance to a buoyant Left in Sunday's elections for regional councils.
Israel
JERUSALEM - Supporters of nuclear whistle-blower Mordechai Vanunu said they would push for his early release from jail after Israel allowed him out of 12 years of solitary confinement.
Italy
ROME - Prime Minister Romano Prodi's cabinet fired junior minister Angelo Giorgianni, who had refused to resign over allegations of collusion with the Mafia.
England
LONDON - A last-ditch effort to secure a ban on fox-hunting failed in the British parliament, consigning the anti-hunting bill to the back burner until after the next election.
LONDON - Princess Margaret, the 67-year-old sister of Queen Elizabeth II, was recovering at home after leaving a hospital where she was treated for a mild stroke.
Tajikistan
DUSHANBE - Human rights group Amnesty International appealed to President Imomali Rakhmonov to commute the sen-tences of six people facing the death penalty for high treason.
Iran
TEHRAN - Iranians voted in parliamentary by-elections on Friday, the first electoral contest between political factions since moderate President Mo-ham-mad Khatami quashed con-servative candidates in elections last year. Results were expected in the next few days.
China
BEIJING - Citizens filed 900,000 lawsuits against government officials in 1997, a 30 percent increase over 1996, a newspaper reported.
South Africa
CAPE TOWN - An opposition party is seeking a court review of amnesties given to top African National Congress officials by South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Norway
OSLO - A ministry official acted as a double-agent for four years to help expose a Russian espionage operation, a newspaper reported.