EVENTS
SECURITY TIGHTENED AT JEWISH SITES Hoping to prevent a fifth terrorist strike, Jewish and Israeli groups worldwide tightened security yesterday. Israel pledged to hunt down those responsible for car-bomb attacks at the Israeli Embassy and a Jewish charity building in London this week that injured at least 19, the July 18 explosion at a Jewish cultural center in Argentina that killed at least 95 people, and a plane bombing in Panama that killed 21 people, including 12 Jews. Israel blames Iran for the bombings, but Iran's state-run radio, which said bombings were likely to spread, blamed Israel for the bombings. Security measures have been bolstered in Britain, Germany, Japan, Belgium, Spain, Austria, Denmark, Australia, and the Philippines, and in the cities of New York, Paris, and Moscow. Russia urges calm
The Russian government sought to calm investors yesterday by announcing it would regulate the securities market, a move made in response to the panic surrounding investment company MMM. A crowd of 5,000 people stood outside MMM headquarters hoping to sell stocks. MMM boosted the price it would pay for shares to $62.50. The panic began when the government said last Friday it could not guarantee investments in MMM and similar funds. MMM affiliates have been charged with tax fraud and other violations. Zimbabwe bankers talk
More than 2,000 striking bank workers rampaged through Harare, Zimbabwe, yesterday as union chiefs held talks with government officials on ending a stoppage that has crippled the financial sector. The strikers want a 25 percent hike in salaries. Trade dispute heats up
A trade dispute between the US and Canada is heating up, pitting Canadian wheat against US tomatoes and oranges. Each side threatens to target the other's products, and neither is backing down as a Monday deadline draws near. That day, US Trade Representative Mickey Kantor has promised to supply President Clinton with possible trade sanctions if Canada has not agreed to US demands to limit Canadian wheat shipments to the US. `Disturbing' arrests
Two groups, Human Rights Watch-Asia and Human Rights in China, say in a report published today that they have detected a disturbing pattern of arrests in China since human rights pressure on Beijing eased in May, when Mr. Clinton cut the link between human rights and trading privileges. The report says, in many cases, police have refused to give dissidents' families reasons for arrests or police have denied holding dissidents. Chinese officials have put 15 dissidents on trial and passed regulations giving police more power to restrict political activists. Wildfires rip West
Wildfires continue to plague the western US and Canada, where heat, lightning, and dry weather have scorched more than 2 million acres and destroyed 31 homes. The governor of Washington State declared a state of emergency in Chelan County, freeing state resources. And the Montana governor declared a fire emergency for 13 counties, freeing the National Guard to support firefighters.
