EVENTS

November 8, 1993

CLINTON ON LABOR: `MUSCLE-BOUND' President Clinton accused organized labor yesterday of resorting to ``roughshod, muscle-bound tactics'' to defeat the North American Free Trade Agreement. Mr. Clinton said on NBC's Meet the Press that opponents such as Ross Perot were making it tough to round up congressional votes for the treaty, which would create the world's largest free trade zone. His remarks on organized labor's opposition to NAFTA were striking for a Democratic president, and reflected the unusual political coalitions that have sprung up around the issue. Clinton expressed confidence that Vice President Al Gore Jr. would make a clear case for the treaty in his debate with Mr. Perot Tuesday night on Larry King's program on CNN. (White House: `No pain, no gain', Page 1.) Mideast peace on again

PLO leader Yasser Arafat said yesterday that talks on Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and Jericho would reconvene in Cairo soon in special four-man teams from both sides. The talks on Israel's withdrawal from the two areas, due to begin Dec. 13, were suspended last week when Palestinian negotiators walked out over differences on security arrangements. Swiss may try Libyans

Two Libyans suspected of bombing a Pan Am jet over Scotland in 1988 have agreed to stand trial in Switzerland, their Libyan lawyer said yesterday. Ibrahim Legwell said suspects Abdel Baset and Al Amin are proposing that they be tried ``in a neutral country, more specifically Switzerland.'' The United States and Britain have been insisting that Libya hand over the two suspects for trial in Scotland or Washington. Table turns in Georgia

Georgian forces on Saturday marched into the final stronghold of rebels loyal to ousted President Zviad Gamsakhurdia, officials said. The rebels are trying to oust Georgian leader Eduard Shevardnadze. In five weeks of fighting, they had inflicted a series of humiliating defeats on government troops, but a week ago, after Russian troops came to guard railroads and other key facilities in the former Soviet republic, Mr. Shevardnadze's forces took the offensive. More Japanese contrition

Japanese Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa, seeking to assuage lingering enmity for his country's imperialistic past, apologized yesterday for the ``unbearable sufferings'' inflicted on Koreans during Japanese colonial rule. Mr. Hosokawa had made a similar apology the most clear-cut by a Japanese leader since the end of World War II in a closed session with Korean President Kim Young Sam on Saturday. Weapons for sale in Gulf

Despite moves toward peace in the Middle East, the world's weapons manufacturers are chasing billions of dollars in sales to Gulf states at a major aerospace exhibition that opened in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, yesterday. Some 450 companies from 33 countries are displaying their wares at the Dubai 1993 International Aerospace Exhibition. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait are expected to spend more than $30 billion over the next seven years on advanced fighters, attack helicopters, and air defense systems. Trials of a Penn. judge

A Pennsylvania state Supreme Court justice who accused his colleagues of getting kickbacks and trying to run over him with a car should be removed from the bench for misconduct, a grand jury found. The findings of the special state grand jury, made public Saturday, capped an 11-month investigation into Justice Rolf Larsen and his sometimes bizarre accusations against Justices Stephen A. Zappala and Ralph Cappy. Holyfield redeems himself

Evander Holyfield regained the heavyweight championship from Riddick Bowe Saturday night in a fight stopped when a parachutist crashed into the ring. Holyfield regained the title by decision nearly a year after suffering his first loss in his 31-fight career to Bowe. The defeat was the first in Bowe's 35 professional fights. In a bizarre seventh round scene, a skydiver dropped out of the blue into the ringside seats and was briefly beaten by spectators, stopping the fight for 20 minutes.