Nasser Nasser/AP Relatives of 16-year-old Wassim Tarifi mourn his death at the family home before his funeral in the West-Bank town of Ramallah yesterday. Tarifi was shot during clashes between Fatah and Palestinian security forces Sunday in Ramallah. Concerned about delays, the United States is pressing Israel and the Palestinians to start implementing their new peace agreement on time next week, officials said.

LA CEIBA, Honduras - Hurricane Mitch paused in its whirl through the western Caribbean yesterday to punish Honduras with 120 mph winds, sweeping away bridges, flooding neighborhoods and killing at least 32 people.

The storm was only 30 miles off the coast, and hurricane-force winds stretched 105 miles from the storm's center. That meant the Honduran coast and a portion of the interior was under hurricane conditions for more than a day.

''The hurricane has destroyed almost everything,'' said Mike Brown, a resident of Guanaja Island. ''Few houses have remained standing.''

At its peak Tuesday, Mitch was classified as the fourth-strongest Caribbean hurricane this century with 180 mph winds. By yesterday afternoon, the 350-mile-wide storm still packed a punch, but its sustained winds were down to 120 mph.

The U.S. National Weather Service said only three Atlantic storms were stronger than Mitchat its peak: Gilbert in 1988, Allen in 1980 and the Labor Day hurricane of 1935.

The rainfall - up to 25 inches in mountain areas - began to take a toll. More than 50 rivers had overrun their banks, and the government evacuated more than 45,000 people from low-lying areas, according to Col. Guillermo Pinel, chief of the National Emergency Committee.

Ads angering Democrats, Republicans undeterred

WASHINGTON - Democrats lashed out yesterday against a $10 million Republican ad campaign that makes an issue of the Monica Lewinsky scandal as party leaders struggled to raise money for a counterpunch.

Undeterred, Republicans planned to add another TV spot, this one accusing President Clinton of hiding behind ''legal mumbo jumbo'' in the Lewinsky case.

House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt, D-Mo., called the ads ''a sign of what they intend to do if we leave them in charge of the Congress, and that is continue an open-ended, non-ending impeachment investigation.''

Republican Party spokeswoman Mary Crawford replied: ''The president is the head of their party. We strongly disagree with his ideas and their party's ideas. This election is about their ideas versus our ideas, and that's what these ads are about.''

Scaling back AIDS treatments unsuccessful

Two experimental attempts to cut down on the 15 to 20 pills a day that HIV-infected people must take to keep AIDS at bay failed when the virus bounced back quickly in many patients.

Over the past few years, the three-drug AIDS ''cocktail'' has turned AIDS from a death sentence to a manageable illness. However, patients must take their pills on an excruciatingly precise schedule. Missing a few can let the virus mutate into forms resistant to the drugs.

In two studies published in Thursday's New England Journal of Medicine, researchers tried to find out what would happen if they cut back on patients' medication once the drugs had reduced the virus to almost undetectable levels.

Doctors in France and the United States took different approaches but got results so disappointing that both studies were ended early.

Logo battle to hit airwaves with national TV coverage

The trademark war between Ohio University and Ohio State University will take to the national airwaves early next month.

The piece detailing the battle and produced by Mike Leonard is tentatively scheduled to air on NBC's Today Show Nov. 11, a Today Show spokeswoman said. But if there is breaking news that has to run, the piece's air date could be pushed back, she said.

Leonard, who was in Athens Oct. 20 and 21, is the producer of the piece depicting the two universities and their sides of the battle.

He was in Columbus Oct. 18 and 19.

Historically, his productions have had a somewhat humorous tone, he said, and this one will not be any different. He likes to do a production on the little things of everyday life that loom large, he said.

"I am not going to poke fun at either university, because this is a serious issue," he said. "But at the same time, there are some people that view this as kind of a joke - two universities fighting over a name."

Campaign fund-raising gap still expanding

WASHINGTON - George Voinovich's Senate campaign has continued to churn up dollars long after it became clear his rival would never catch up.

While the campaigns were a mismatch from the outset because of the two-term Ohio governor's early start, the fund-raising gap has expanded with the approach of Election Day on Tuesday. Late contributions left the campaign of Republican Voinovich with a $1.3 million nest egg; his Democratic opponent, Mary Boyle, had $132,000.

''He's raised $40 million over the last six races of his,'' Boyle said yesterday. ''I don't think there's any way you can make any comparisons about what you do dollar for dollar in a race against the best political fund-raiser in Ohio history.''

Mayor offers safety tips for Halloween weekend

Athens Mayor Ric Abel discussed how Ohio University students, Athens residents and visitors can be smart and safe during the upcoming Halloween celebration.

"There will be 29 officers and 20,000 plus people; there isn't a lot of control," Abel said at a news conference yesterday. "Be safe and responsible. Make sure to stay with your friends and look after yourself. Don't depend on others."

Abel also said code enforcement and parking officers will be paired to patrol the streets this weekend.

"We don't want vehicles parked on the sidewalks," Abel said. "If you park there, you will probably get towed."

There also will be a shuttle service running from the fairgrounds to Uptown beginning at 6 p.m. Friday. The fare is one dollar each way.

Howl for Hunger food drive to benefit Athens

The second annual Howl for Hunger canned foods drive will take place Oct. 29 to help fight hunger in Athens. Kroger has joined with the Rotary Club of Athens AM to provide bright orange bags to fill with canned goods. The filled bags can be deposited in the in-store pumpkin receptacle or hung outside the door from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. for local collection. Bags are available at Kroger.

For more information, call 593-6883.

Trick-or-treat festivities to take place tonight

Athens "Beggar's Night," or trick-or-treat, will be Oct. 29 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. To participate, residents should turn on their porch lights during that time.

Following trick-or-treat, the Athens Recreation Department will host a free Halloween parade and party for children ages three to 12.

The parade starts at the recreation department at 7 p.m., and ends at the Athens Mall parking lot. Children will march to parade music from the Athens School Marching Band, while a disc jockey plays music for the parents.

At the parking lot, judges will award prizes for the best costumes displayed by children in four different age groups.

For more information, contact the Athens Recreation Center at 592-3325.