NATION/WORLD Protests NEWS IN BRIEF against S ria heat up Protest is largest anti-Syrian rally in the country's history BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) - Tens of thousands marched yesterday in the biggest anti-Syrian protest in Lebanese history amid signals that Syria will soon withdraw its troops from parts of the country. President Bush renewed demands for Syrian forces to leave Leb- anon immediately. The protest marked one week since the Feb. 14 death of Rafik Hariri and began at the bomb-scarred site of the former prime minister's assassination, which turned many Lebanese against Syria and increased international pres- sure on Damascus to extract its army from Lebanon. Holding aloft red roses and Leba- nese flags, the throngs on the streets shouted insults at Syria and demand- ed the resignation of the pro-Syrian government in a march that began at the seaside site where Hariri and 16 others were killed and ended at his grave in the city center. The protesters wore scarves of red and white - the colors of Lebanon's flag - which have become the symbol of the opposition's "'independence upris- ing," described as a peaceful campaign to dislodge the government and force the Syrian army out of Lebanon. Hariri's assassination has brought Lebanese together and strengthened the opposition, but it was unclear if the momentum would force a change in government or push the Syrian army out of the country. Another former prime minister Gen. Michel Aoun, said Monday he would return from exile before this year's par- liamentary elections and that he may launch his own candidacy if the opposi- tion needs his support. The former com- mander of the Lebanese army fled the country in 1990. "I will return before the legislative elections, probably by mid-April," Aoun told The Associated Press in a telephone interview from Paris. "And if the situ- ation is critical for the opposition in a region, then I will throw in my personal weight and run in the elections." Shiites prepare to vote for leader BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Ahmad Chalabi, a secular Shiite once known for his ties to Washington, and Ibra- him al-Jaafari, the conservative interim vice president, will face off in a secret ballot today to determine who will be the Shiite majority's choice for Iraqi prime minister, offi- cials said. The decision to hold a secret ballot came after the clergy-backed United Iraqi Alliance, which has most of the seats in the 275-member National Assembly, was unable to decide on a nominee - despite days of negotiations. Chalabi spokesman Haidar al- Moussawi said the most powerful man in predominantly Shiite Iraq, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, met with interim Finance Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi in the southern city of Najaf and gave his backing for what- ever decision the alliance makes. "Al-Sistani assured that whoever the alliance will choose, he will agree on him," al-Moussawi said. Although Chalabi and his support- ers claim he had the support needed for the nomination, the vote between the two 58-year-old men was any- thing but a sure thing. The Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq, the main group making up the alliance, had tried to persuade Chalabi to quit the race, some of its senior officials said. "We had hoped that we would agree on one person without the secret ballot, because we fear that such a vote will cause divisions inside the alliance," said Jawad Mohammed Taqi, a senior mem- ber of the group, known as SCIRI. He added that "Chalabi seems very JERUSALEM Israel frees 500 Palestinian prisoners Palestinians gave a jubilant welcome to 500 prisoners freed yesterday by Israel as part of a truce, but many complained that uprising leaders were not among those released. Hamas militants appeared unmasked in a West Bank city, their leader shouting that there can be no peace "as long as there is a single prisoner in Israeli jails." Suhail Abu Madala, 35, spent four years in prison and had three more years to serve when he was set free Monday. "I cannot believe that I'm smelling the air of freedom, that I will see my fam- ily," he said, choking back tears after being reunited with brothers and sisters and his 12-year-old son, Mohammed, in the West Bank city of Nablus. "Noth- ing can describe my joy and my feelings." The decision to release the prisoners led to criticism by some Israelis that the move could re-ignite the bloodshed that has beset the region for more than four years. "It's true that many of them don't have blood on their hands, but it's not because they didn't try - it's because they didn't succeed," Menachem Landau, a former commander in Israel's Shin Bet security service, told Army Radio. BRUSSELS, Belgium Bush seeks to rebuild transatlantic unity President Bush appealed to Europe on yesterday to move beyond animos- ities over Iraq and join forces in encouraging democratic reforms across the Middle East. He also prodded Russia to reverse a crackdown on political dissent, demanded that Iran end its nuclear ambitions and told Syria to get out of Lebanon. French President Jacques Chirac and Bush said they were committed to patching up differences and restoring good relations despite their disagree- ment over the war in Iraq. "I'm looking for a good cowboy," Bush joked when a French reporter asked him whether relations had improved to the point where the U.S. pres- ident would be inviting Chirac to the U.S. president's ranch in Texas. Chirac said that U.S.-French relations have been "excellent for over 200 years now." Chirac added, "That doesn't necessarily mean we agree on everything at every time." The two leaders made the comments before they sat down to dinner. LOS ANGELES Storms in California blamed for three deaths Mudslides trapped people in their homes yesterday and forced others to flee as Southern California was soaked by yet another of the powerful storms that have pounded the region this winter. At least three deaths were blamed on the weather and part of the area's com- muter rail service was halted. Rescuers pulled three people from about 10 feet of mud that flowed into a town house in Hacienda Heights, a suburb east of Los Angeles. One woman was flown to a hospital while the other two escaped with only minor injuries, said Los Angeles County Fire Capt. Mark Savage. That same mudslide had forced the evacuation of 30 people from five units at the complex, Savage said. UNITED NATIONS U.N. refugee chief resigns amid allegations After months of criticism, Secretary-General Kofi Annan decided that U.N. refu- gee chief Ruud Lubbers had to go because of the growing controversy over allega- tions that the former Dutch prime minister had sexually harassed female staffers. Lubbers didn't go easily. He resigned Sunday but proclaimed his innocence, saying he felt insulted and accusing Annan of giving in to "media pressure." At a meeting with Annan on Friday, U.N. diplomats said the secretary-general offered the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees two choices - resign or face suspension and charges of breaking U.N. rules. 0 0 A - Compiled from Daily wire reports www.michigandaily.com The Michigan Daily (ISSN 0745-967) is published Monday through Friday during the fall and winter terms by students at the University of Michigan. One copy is available free of charge to all readers. Additional copies may be picked up at the Daily's office for $2. 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