EVENTS

ISRAEL APPROVES PEACE PACT WITH JORDAN Israel's parliament yesterday overwhelmingly approved a historic peace agreement with Jordan, despite opposition accusations that the pact weakened Israeli control over Jerusalem. The peace pact, signed by Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Jordan's King Hussein in Washington on July 25, notes Israeli respect for Jordan's special role in running the Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem. It also promises to give high priority to that role when the future of Jerusalem is discussed in negotiations with the Palestinians. The parliament approved the agreement by a vote of 91 to 3 with two abstentions. Nigerian labor protest

Nigeria's biggest labor group joined a strike against the military government yesterday. The National Labor Congress instructed its 5 million members to join a strike by oil workers that began July 4 to protest the imprisonment of Moshood Abiola, apparent victor in the June 1993 presidential election that was annulled by the military government. Serbs look to weapons

Bosnian Serb commanders threatened to take back more than 200 heavy weapons now under UN control around Sarajevo in a letter to the UN commander Tuesday. The Bosnian Serbs said they needed the weapons to halt new Muslim offensives, but the UN commander said he would respond with force including airstrikes if any weapons were taken. Bentsen on Whitewater

Treasury Secretary Lloyd Bentsen said yesterday he did not learn until last March 3 about the extent of contacts between Treasury and White House officials on the Whitewater affair. Bentsen was testifying before the Senate Banking Committee. US primary results

Rep. Alan Wheat (D) became the first black nominated to statewide office in Missouri Tuesday. He will face former GOP Gov. John Ashcroft for the seat of retiring GOP Sen. John Danforth. In Detroit, Democratic Rep. John Conyers, the senior black in Congress, beat back his first serious primary challenge in 30 years. Also in Michigan, Republican Spencer Abraham will face Democratic Rep. Bob Carr for the seat of retiring Sen. Donald Riegle (D). Voters chose candidates for governor in Michigan, where GOP Gov. John Engler is seeking a second term, and Kansas, where Democratic Gov. Joan Finney is stepping down after one term. In Michigan, former Rep. Howard Wolpe won the Democratic gubernatorial nomination to challenge Engler.

In Kansas' gubernatorial race, Rep. Jim Slattery (D) will face Secretary of State Bill Graves. Nicotine found addictive

A Food and Drug Administration advisory committee found Tuesday that nicotine was an addictive drug, a necessary step toward possible government regulation of tobacco. FDA commissioner David Kessler declined to say when he might take steps toward regulating cigarettes and their nicotine. Author granted bail

Fugitive author Taslima Nasreen, who has been threatened with death by Islamic fundamentalists, emerged from hiding to appear in a Dhaka, Bangladesh, court yesterday and was granted $125 bail on charges of insulting Islam, specifically for violating a 19th-century law against hurting religious sensitivities.