Hundreds of would-be bullfighters crowded the streets of the city of Huamantla to participate in Sunday's event, which authorities said drew more than 100,000 spectators from Mexico and foreign countries.

The angry bulls ran through the streets for more than two hours, goring numerous participants, the Tlaxcala newspaper El Sol reported yesterday. Injuries also resulted from several street fights that erupted among observers and participants, many of whom had been drinking throughout the day, the newspaper said. At least nine were injured seriously, hospital officials said.

Beirut, Lebanon

At least 3 injured in blast at hotel

A powerful explosion late yesterday rocked a shopping center and hotel in the Zalka neighborhood in north Beirut, injuring at least three people and causing extensive damage, security officials said.

Shattered glass and plaster filled the hotel lobby, but no residents were hurt.

Brig. Gen. Darwish Hobeika, Lebanon's Civil Defense Corps commander, told Lebanese Broadcasting that two people were lightly injured and one Civil Defense rescuer was hurt.

Jets to be grounded for brake problems

All of Russia's Ilyushin 96-300 commercial jets were grounded immediately after a recommendation from transport inspectors who urged the move, citing problems with the wide-bodied jets' braking systems, an official said yesterday.

During a trip to Finland this month, President Vladimir Putin's jet had to abort takeoff after the Il-96-300 had an unspecified mechanical problem. Putin returned to Moscow on a backup jet. The jets had experienced several incidents involving brakes this month, government officials said.

Lisbon, Portugal

Officials call in EU fire support

Wildfires fanned by high winds burned out of control yesterday, destroying more than 10 houses on the outskirts of Portugal's third-largest city and forcing 50 people to leave their homes amid the country's worst drought in years.

The government, no longer able to cope with the more than 25 fires burning through forest and farmland, called on the European Union for help over the weekend.

France dispatched two firefighting planes Sunday, and the Dutch air force was contributing with two helicopters. Spain, Italy and Germany also were joining in the operations.

Church replaces ousted leader

The Greek Orthodox Church in the Holy Land elected a new patriarch yesterday to succeed its ousted leader, who fell from grace over a controversial east Jerusalem land deal.

Metropolitan Theofilos was elected by the church's Holy Synod in a 14-0 vote.

Patriarch Irineos I was dismissed earlier this year over its leasing of prime property in east Jerusalem to groups interested in expanding the Jewish presence there. The leases enraged the church's predominantly Palestinian flock, which claims east Jerusalem as the capital of a future state.

Also

A dilapidated, four-story apartment building collapsed in downtown Bombay, India, today, killing 11 people, injuring 17 and leaving more than a dozen trapped, a top city administrator said.

Compiled from The Associated Press and Reuters