Akihito, Michiko in Spain: Japan's Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko arrived In Palma De Mallorca Saturday from France as guests of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sophia for a private weekend ahead of a two-day state visit. AFP reports from Spain.

The Spanish royal couple met the emperor and empress at Sanjuan Airport on this Spanish Mediterranean island. Aftershock shakes N Japan: a strong undersea earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.3 shook northern Japan Sunday. AP reports from Tokyo.

There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries from the quake, which was believed to be an aftershock from the 8.2 magnitude earthquake last Thursday, which left more than 10 people dead.

The Central Meteorological Agency issued warnings for minor tsunami waves of up to about a foot (less than half a meter) high for the eastern coast of Hokkaido and northeastern Japan.

Diarrhoea claims 25 in Java: a diarrhoea epidemic sweeping through nearly 90 villages in Indonesia s densely-populated Java island has killed nine people and infected nearly 2.000. The official Antara news agency said yesterday. Reuter reports from Jakarta.

Local authorities were grappling with the problems of inadequate medical facilities and hospital beds treating some patiehts in community halls and in their homes. Antara said. King Bhumibol's donation: Thailand* King Bhumibol Adulyadej will donate four million baht (160,000 dollars) to Bangkok authorities for flood control and efforts to solve traffic problems. I he Nation newspaper reported yesterday. Reuter says from Bangkok

The donation, to be given to the city on Monday, comes as authorities warned that a combination of high tides and heavy rains might cause widespread flooding in the capital.

4 die in Australian plane crash: Four people were burnt to death yesterday when their light aircraft crashed near a small airport tn rural Australia, a police spokesman said Reuter reports from Sydney.

The twin engine Cessna 337 with three passengers and a pilot aboard crashed and burned near the main runway at Walgett Airport. 500 km (310 miles) northwest of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales

Afghan general killed: An Afghan army general was killed fighting opponents of President Burhanuddin Rabbani on Friday, the official Kabul radio said on Saturday. Reuter reports from Islamabad

General Amir Mohammad, an army commander in the northern province of Kunduz was killed In a "far to-face battle with opposition militias' the broadcast, monitored in Islamabad, said

Nobel laureate Jerne dies: NieisKaj Jerne, a Danish immunologist who shared the 1984 Nobel Prize in medicine, has died in southern France, family members said He was 82. AP reports from Paris.

Jerne-died Friday at his home in Castillon du Gard near Nimes.

Jerne shared the Nobel Prize with Georg Koehler of Germany and Cea'sar Milstein of Britain for their theories on the structure and mechanism of commands of the immune system, and the production of immune system components known as monoclonal antibodies

Arafat's close associate dead: Khaled al Hassan a close associate of Palestine Liberation Organisation leader Yasser Arafat and a founding member of the PLO s Fatah movement has died the PLO office here said Saturday He was 66. AP reports from Rabat

Al Hassan who spent most o( his time in Morocco, died Friday after a lengthy illness the PLO office said

Tornados hit Philippines:^ Tornados struck the Philippines flattening 72 wooden houses and injuring dozens of people police said yesterday. Reuter reports from San Fernando Philippines.

Twenty five people were hospitalised and 40 houses destroyed when a tornado on Saturday swept through San Pedro Cutud district in San Fernahdo town 60 km. (37 miles) north of Manila police superintendent Anlceto Franny said

Abducted Frenchman found dead: A Frenchman who had been kidnapped four days ago was found dead Saturday with his throat sift. Algerian officials reported AP reports from Algiers

Jean Pierre Maniere 59 an enginedr who had lived in Algeria for 25 years, was kidnapped Tuesday by gunmen near Mett ah 15 kilometers (nine miles) southwest of Algiers

His body was found Saturday near Reghaia. about 30 kilometers east of the capit al Algerian officials said Austrians go to polls: Austrian, vote Sunday tn elections that will determine the next government A political realignment is expected that could bring a right wing populist to power in 1998 AP reports from Vienna

Joerg Haider Iiead of the No 3 Freedom Party dominated the lackluster campaign with his folksy tirades against foreigners corruption and party polities

He had an easy target in the government coalition of Chancellor Franz Vrantzky Austria • moat popular and prestigious po*lcian

OAS backs Peruvian First Lady: An Organisation of Ament an States panel ruled that first lady Susana Uigur hl should be allowed to run for president against her husband a newspaper reported Saturday AP reports from Luna

The OAS human rights commission ruled that the government should allow Higuchi to appeal a law that bans the president s itDmediafe family members from seeking national office La Repubtera reported