Milestones

Ten years ago: In a sign that student demonstrators in Beijing had gained influence, China’s government conducted informal talks with leaders of the democracy protests, and then televised the discussions.

Five years ago: Hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing the terror of ethnic massacres in Rwanda were pouring into Tanzania. Israel and the PLO signed an agreement in Paris granting Palestinians broad authority to set taxes, control trade and regulate banks under self-rule in the Gaza Strip and Jericho.

One year ago: The United States, Canada, and Mexico agreed to eliminate tariffs on items accounting for $1 billion in trade at a meeting in Paris of the North American Free Trade Agreement.