World News

*Reuters World News Highlights*

SARAJEVO - Fleeing Serbs went on a looting and arson spree in the last Serb-held area of Sarajevo. The Muslim-Croat federation is due to take over the nearly deserted district of Grbavica in three days but Muslim-Croat firefighters let houses burn after a fire crew was attacked with grenades. (see YUGOSLAVIA)

BRUSSELS - Secretary of State Warren Christopher urged Russia to attend a U.S.-called meeting on Bosnia but Moscow's presence in Geneva is still uncertain, Christopher's spokesman said. (see YUGOSLAVIA-CHRISTOPHER-RUSSIA)

GAZA - Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, cheered on by thousands of Gaza workers, accused Iran of ordering a wave of bombings which prompted Israel to seal off the West Bank and Gaza Strip. (see MIDEAST-PALESTINIANS)

MANAMA - Bahrain said it had arrested those responsible for a fire-bomb attack on a restaurant in which seven Bangladeshi workers died. But residents reported more suspected arson attacks and anti-government unrest. (see BAHRAIN-UNREST)

DORTMUND - Angry Kurds battled police and blocked motorways after German authorities banned a protest march for fear it could start a riot. (see GERMANY-KURDS 1STLD)

BEIJING - China denied it had told U.S. officials that it would not attack Taiwan, saying its determination to retake the island by force if necessary remained unchanged.

TAIPEI - President Lee Teng-hui's campaign headquarters denied a claim by a rival candidate that he had once belonged to the Communist Party. (see TAIWAN-CHINA)

DUNBLANE - Britain is preparing a nationwide one-minute silence to mark the slaughter of 16 schoolchildren and their teacher by a lone gunman in the small Scottish town of Dunblane. (see BRITAIN-SHOOTING)

HARARE - Low voter turnout marked the first day of Zimbabwe's one-man presidential election. President Robert Mugabe, 72, became the only candidate after the 11th-hour withdrawal of his two challengers. (see ZIMBABWE)