Vehicles pass the illuminated Rome's ancient Colosseum December 17. Until the end of 2000, the Colosseum, site of terror and bloodshed in imperial Rome, will be illuminated with bright yellow-gold light for two days each time an execution anywhere in the world is suspended or commuted, or a nation abolishes capital punishment. A North Carolina man, Wendell Flowers, had been set for execution on Wednesday night, but the state's governor, Jim Hunt, commuted his sentence in life in prison.

PC/WS