US-NKorea The United States held another rare bilateral meeting with North Korea, hoping to kick-start stalled six-nation talks on Pyongyang's nuclear arms program, the State Department said. Britain Prime Minister Tony Blair tried to calm a political storm brewing in Europe over the EU constitution by saying it was not dead despite a decision by Britain to halt a planned referendum on the treaty. Nepal At least 36 people were killed and 72 wounded in southwestern Nepal when a powerful bomb ripped through a crowded passenger bus in one of the bloodiest attacks on civilians by suspected Maoist rebels since their revolt began nine years ago. Bolivia Bolivian President Carlos Mesa resigned amid angry street protests demanding nationalization of the impoverished country's huge natural gas industry and local demands for autonomy. Iraq An Iraqi court chosen to try toppled dictator Saddam Hussein has rejected government statements that the deposed dictator will face justice within two months, saying there was no fixed timetable. Taiwan A vote by Taiwan's National Assembly on a package of constitutional reforms backed by the island's two leading parties was delayed following protests by deputies from smaller parties. Syria Syrian President Bashar al-Assad vowed to promote economic reform and fight corruption as the ruling Baath party opened its first congress in five years under fire from domestic and foreign critics. Lebanon The pro-Syrian Hezbollah coalition claimed it had a clear mandate to keep its weapons in defiance of international calls for disarmament after winning round two of Lebanon's elections by a landslide. Mideast Clashes erupted in east Jerusalem as Prime Minister Ariel Sharon marked the 38th anniversary of Israel's capture of the entire holy city by pledging it would remain in Jewish hands for eternity. Britain-US British Prime Minister Tony Blair arrived in Washington looking for some hints of compromise from US President George W. Bush during crunch talks on African aid and climate change. Ethiopia A high school girl was killed and more than 500 people arrested as Ethiopian police clashed with students protesting last month's disputed general elections in defiance of a government ban on demonstrations, officials said.