World digest 11/08/04

Palestinian leaders to meet Arafat's doctors

JERUSALEM -- With Yasser Arafat fighting for his life in a French hospital, his top lieutenants will fly to Paris for consultations with his doctors, a senior official said Sunday, as Palestinian leaders worked to set up contingency plans in the event of the 75-year-old leader's death. Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia or PLO deputy Mahmoud Abbas -- or possibly both -- will go to France today, said Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath, who was also going on the trip. Qureia and Abbas have been working together to run Palestinian affairs in Arafat's absence and to prevent chaos and violence if the Palestinian leader dies. Arafat's condition remained a mystery Sunday, his fifth day in intensive care at a French military hospital, amid contradictory reports whether he is in a coma.

Protests, marches mark Russia's Revolution Day

MOSCOW -- Carrying the Soviet hammer-and-sickle flag and singing as they marched, Russians marked the anniversary of the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution on Sunday in both a celebration of Soviet times and a protest against a parliamentary proposal to scrap a once-revered Soviet holiday. At least 8,000 Communist Party backers and members of the ultra-nationalist National Bolshevik party gathered at a square once named for Vladimir Lenin and marched across Moscow toward a statue of Karl Marx. Some pro-Kremlin lawmakers have proposed replacing the Nov. 7 holiday with a new holiday on Nov. 4 to be called National Unity Day. Russia's lower house of parliament is expected to consider the measure Wednesday in the first of three required votes.

Preliminary deal reached on Iran's nuclear issue

TEHRAN, Iran -- Hoping to avoid a U.N. showdown, Iran and the European Union's three big powers reached a preliminary agreement over Tehran's nuclear program, Iran's chief negotiator said Sunday. The preliminary agreement worked out in Paris with Britain, France and Germany could be finalized in the next few days, chief Iranian negotiator Hossein Mousavian said. Diplomats familiar with the talks' outcome declined to discuss details. Europe and Washington fear Iran is trying to build nuclear weapons, but Tehran denies such claims.

Afghan militants seek release of prisoners

KABUL, Afghanistan -- Militants threatening to kill three kidnapped U.N. workers said Sunday they handed over a list of 26 prisoners, some possibly held by the United States at Guantanamo Bay, who they would take in exchange for the hostages. A three-strong government delegation asked for two days to look for the prisoners and find out whether they are in Afghanistan or outside, and if in Afghanistan where they are being held, said Ishaq Manzoor, a purported spokesman for the Taliban splinter group. The talks could resume on Tuesday, he said.

-- From wire reports