W O R L D

Emergency extended in Fiji
SUVA, July 15 — Fiji’s army extended a state of emergency over the country today, citing concern over weapons stolen from the military by nationalist rebels and still unreturned.

Plantiff Ralph Della Vecchia, right, who's wife Angie died of cancer, hugs Margaret Amodeo, wife of plantiff Frank Amodeo, after the jury returned a verdict in the punitive phase of the Florida smokers trial on July 14 in Miami. — AP/PTI

145 b damages slapped on tobacco cos MIAMI, July 15 — A Miami jury awarded $ 145 billion in punitive damages today to plaintiffs in a landmark class-action lawsuit against the top five US tobacco companies.

Annan’s proposal turned down
UNITED NATIONS, July 15 — The pro-independence Polisario Front of the western Sahara has rejected UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s suggestion that alternatives to referendum be considered.

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PARIS: View of the fireworks show at the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Friday, July 14, 2000 as part of the Bastille Day celebrations. — AP/PTI

Arafat ‘threatened’ to quit peace talks
GAZA CITY, July 15 — The USA has withdrawn a written document presented to the West Asia peace summit at Camp David after the Palestinians threatened to quit over its pro-Israeli position, a senior Palestinian source said.

Putin dismisses senior aide
MOSCOW, July 15 — Russian President Vladimir Putin today sacked a senior aide whom he inherited from his predecessor Boris Yeltsin, the Kremlin said.

Negotiators called back to Manila
JOLO (Philippines), July 15 — Three government negotiators, who had been in direct contact with Muslim extremists holding 39 foreign and local hostages were abruptly recalled to the Philippines capital from the southern island of Jolo today.

Emergency extended in Fiji

SUVA, July 15 (AFP) — Fiji’s army extended a state of emergency over the country today, citing concern over weapons stolen from the military by nationalist rebels and still unreturned.

Army spokesman major Howard Politini told AFP that the government arms in rebel hands was one of the primary reasons behind the 14-day extension.

Under an amnesty granted to coup leader George Speight and his men, who held elected prime minister Mahendra Chaudhry and his government hostage for 55 days until Thursday, all arms were to be returned.

Rebels handed over more than 100 weapons and ammunition, including m-16 rifles and Uzi sub-machine guns, shotguns, pistols and mortars, to the military yesterday.

Maj Politini said he was confident that all arms taken by the rebels had been returned. Those still unreturned were held by coup sympathisers who took over the small town of Korovou — Speight's home village — and who were involved in the unrest in the towns of Levuka and Labasa.

Speight's supporters, fuelled by his racial rhetoric directed particularly at ethnic Indians, have staged sporadic outbreaks of violence since he stormed parliament on may 19.

Rebel soldiers in Labasa, the main town in the northern island of Vanua Levu, were continuing to hold the army division and the police station.

Coup supporters were also holding 27 prison officers hostage at the maximum security prison in Naboro, outside the capital Suva.

Meanwhile, Mr Mahendra Chaudhry today demanded the reinstatement of his government, which was thrown out of office by a rebel nationalist coup.

Mr Chaudhry, released on Thursday after being held hostage at gunpoint by the rebels for 55 days, said to do otherwise would be “to condone anarchy.”

“Any principled leader would not give in,” he told reporters.

“At all costs we must uphold constitutional democracy. A vocal and violent minority is holding this nation to ransom.”

The international community has warned of sanctions, slashed aid and international isolation for Fiji after the allies of George Speight took power yesterday.

The rebel nationalists made a bold attempt to show the world a peaceful face by handing in their weapons, most of them stolen from Fiji's military forces.

But the unrest and race hate against ethnic Indians, who make up more than 40 per cent of the population and who are widely resented by the indigenous community for their business success, is continuing.

Speight supporters continued to man roadblocks around the country and Fiji's only hydro-power station was still closed, also in the hands of coup sympathisers.

Fiji’s new president Ratu Josefa Iloilo Iloilo will name his 24-month interim government tomorrow.

$ 145 b damages slapped on tobacco cos

MIAMI, July 15 (AFP, Reuters) — A Miami jury awarded $ 145 billion in punitive damages today to plaintiffs in a landmark class-action lawsuit against the top five US tobacco companies.

After a trial lasting more than two years, Judge Robert Kaye read out the verdict reached by a six-member jury after approximately five hours of deliberations.

The plaintiffs had asked for record-breaking punitive damages between $ 123 and 196 billion from the five largest US tobacco companies for making smokers sick.

The suit named Philip Morris, RJ Reynolds, Brown and Williamson, Lorillard and Liggett as well as two tobacco research groups funded by the industry.

The Florida jury assessed punitive damages for Philip Morris at $ 73.960 billion; RJ Reynolds; $ 36.280 billion; Brown Williamson; $ 17.59 billion; Lorillard; $ 16.250 billion and Liggett $ 790 million.

Philip Morris attorney Dan Webb said he was confident the judgment would be overturned on appeal and claimed that the jury award would have “no practical impact.”

“This is a verdict in favour of no one and it will have no practical impact,” Webb told reporters, saying the case called for damages to be paid to hundreds of thousands of “unidentified and unknown smokers.”

“You’ve got to try 700,000 cases before a judgment can be entered in this case,” Webb said.

The largest punitive damage award in a personal injury case before yesterday’s $ 145 billion Engle tobacco verdict came in 1999 when General Motors was ordered to pay more than $ 4.9 billion to a family injured when their car’s gas tank exploded.

Annan’s proposal turned down

UNITED NATIONS, July 15 (PTI) — The pro-independence Polisario Front of the western Sahara has rejected UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s suggestion that alternatives to referendum be considered.

Mr Annan made the suggestion in a report to the UN Security Council sent on Thursday following fruitless efforts for almost a decade to resolve the issue of identification of potential voters.

But within a day of Mr Annan’s suggestions becoming public, the Polisario Front’s representative to the United Nations, Mr Ahmed Boukhari, made it clear that only a “free and fair” referendum would be acceptable to it.

Morocco, which is seeking integration of western Sahara, is yet to publicly respond to the suggestions made by former US Secretary of State James Baker and endorsed by Mr Annan. Mr Baker is negotiating with the parties as Mr Annan’s representative.

In a letter to the Security Council, Mr Boukhari said only a referendum would bring about a lasting solution to the issue. Other suggestions, he said, would deprive the people of the right to self-determination.

In the report, Mr Annan said time had come for the Security Council to consider alternative approaches and emphasised on a negotiated settlement rather than continuing fruitless efforts to hold a referendum.

Tamil parties to have talks with UNP, PA

COLOMBO, July 15 (UNI) — Due to mounting pressure from moderate Tamil political parties who have expressed reservations on the constitutional proposals, a tripartite meeting among leaders of the ruling Peoples’ Alliance (PA), opposition United National Party (UNP) and various Tamil parties would soon be called to iron out differences and work out a compromise.

Informed sources and media reports said that despite certain reservations expressed by the Tamil parties, Ms Kumaratunga was confident the PA-UNP consensus on constitutional reforms would be approved with a two-thirds majority and implemented.

The President was optimistic when she briefed the ministers on the consensus and prospect of a political solution, sources said.

She indicated that a tripartite meeting among leaders of the PA, UNP and Tamil parties would be called soon to settle their differences.

The UNP also responded positively to the initial reaction of the Tamil parties, with General Secretary Gamini Atukorale saying the party hoped the differences would be sorted out.

In another significant development, the Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) has expressed its desire to meet the opposition UNP privately, before the start of the tripartite talks.

Negotiators called back to Manila

JOLO (Philippines), July 15 (AFP) — Three government negotiators, who had been in direct contact with Muslim extremists holding 39 foreign and local hostages were abruptly recalled to the Philippines capital from the southern island of Jolo today.

Libyan mediator Rajab Azzarouq, local peace advocate Parouk Hussein and Sulu provincial Governor Abdusakur Tan, whose area covers Jolo island, were summoned to Manila by chief negotiator Roberto Aventajado, Mr Tan said.

He said they would meet Mr Aventajado in Manila but did not said why.

The departure of the three comes after Mr Aventajado announced there would be a revamp of the negotiating panel seeking the release of the 39 hostage being held by the Muslim extremist Abu Sayyaf group in Jolo island, some for more than two-and-a-half months.

DPA adds: Meanwhile, Islamic extremists holding more than 30 westerners and Asians captive in a southern Philippines jungle camp have agreed to free seven remaining Malaysian hostages next week, a rebel source said on Saturday.

Arafat ‘threatened’ to quit peace talks

GAZA CITY, July 15 (AFP) — The USA has withdrawn a written document presented to the West Asia peace summit at Camp David after the Palestinians threatened to quit over its pro-Israeli position, a senior Palestinian source said.

“The Palestinian side threatened to walk out after receiving a document from Mr Dennis Ross covering all issues of borders, Jerusalem and refugees, protesting that it adopted the Israeli positions,” the source told AFP yesterday.

“The talks almost collapsed,” he added.

“President Bill Clinton himself intervened and withdrew the paper when he returned to the summit on Thursday and negotiations resumed,” he added.

An Israeli official said the USA had not submitted any proposed compromises in writing but that Mr Clinton “did float some ideas. Late on Thursday, after a brief absence from the summit, Mr Clinton held separate talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat at his cabin in the Camp David compound, Mr Lockhart said.

Reuters adds from Thurmont: Mr Lockhart said the President was expected to remain at Camp David until he was due to leave for a major summit in Japan next Wednesday.

A senior Israeli source said: “The negotiations are difficult. These are subjects that are hard to solve. If there will be an agreement, Israel will have to pay a heavy price.’’

Meanwhile, Ms Albright left Camp David on Friday morning and met a group of Palestinian Leftist opposition leaders in the nearby town of Emmitsburg, Maryland, after the US hosts refused to allow them to confer with Mr Arafat at the summit venue.

Rain claims 8 lives in Pakistan

KARACHI, July 15 (UNI) — At least eight persons have been killed and many injured in southern and central Pakistan due to a heavy rain fall, press reports said today.

In Hyderabad city of southern Sindh, four persons, including a doctor and his two sons, were electrocuted. In central Punjab province four persons lost their lives in rain-related incidents.

Life in the interior of Sindh and certain cities of central Punjab province, including provincial capital Lahore was paralysed.

Pakistan had not been receiving adequate rains for the past three years, especially Sindh Province, which was hit by drought, death and famine.

Putin dismisses senior aide

MOSCOW, July 15 (Reuters) — Russian President Vladimir Putin today sacked a senior aide whom he inherited from his predecessor Boris Yeltsin, the Kremlin said.

A Kremlin spokesman said First Deputy Chief of Staff Igor Shabdurasulov had been dismissed at his own request. The spokesman gave no reason for the move.

Mr Shabdurasulov was the second most senior presidential aide, after Chief of Staff Alexander Voloshin. Both were retained from the Yeltsin administration after the former president resigned on New Year’s eve.

Beirut sells Pakistan defunct planes

BEIRUT, July 15 (Reuters) — Lebanon has sold Pakistan 10 derelict Mirage fighter planes for $ 4.7 million, a senior military source said.

The source, who declined to be named, told Reuters the deal was finalised two weeks ago after two years of negotiations with the Islamabad Government.

The French-made planes, dating back to the 1960s, were beyond repair and would be used by Pakistan for spare parts.

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Pak navy starts war exercises
KARACHI: The Pakistan Navy started its annual wargames ‘Hammerhead 2000’ here in the presence of the Chief Executive Pervez Musharraf. Hammerhead 2000 is the 22nd in the series of conceptual exercises conducted annually. Though primarily maritime, all relevant aspects of the parallel land and air battles are also taken into consideration. The opening brief of the wargame was held on Friday at the Pakistan Navy Tactical School. — PTI

Brazil prison riot toll eight
SAO PAULO: A two-day prison uprising in Brazil ended early on Friday with at least eight dead and several others injured after authorities met some of the prisoners’ demands, a prison official said. Between eight and 10 prisoners were stabbed to death and 15 others injured during the uprising in the Bernardes prison, west of Sao Paulo. — AFP

15 killed in bus mishap
QUITO (Ecaudor): At least 15 persons died and 30 were injured on Friday when a bus plunged 30 metres from a bridge and smashed onto a river bed, north of the capital, officials said. The crash occurred about 14 km outside the city. “The bus was heading toward Quito and for unknown reasons it fell from the bridge” said Cristian Rivera, a Red Cross spokesman. — AP

Manila dump collapse toll 153
MANILA: The number of people killed when a garbage dump collapsed on a shanty town on the outskirts of the Philippine capital, Manila, rose to 153 on Friday. As rain continued to pound the site, further hampering rescue efforts, Defence Secretary Orlando Mercado said the number of bodies pulled from the scene of the disaster had risen to 153. — AFP

15 drowned in shipwreck
MEXICO CITY: At least 15 illegal immigrants from central America drowned in a shipwreck off southern Mexico, while five or more passengers remained missing, the authorities said on Friday. The group was on their way to the resort of Huatulco in the south-eastern state of Oaxaca when the accident happened on Thursday. — DPA

15 die after eating mushrooms
MOSCOW: Fifteen persons have died in the central Russian city of Voronezh after eating poisonous mushrooms, RTR state television reported on Friday. The station’s correspondent in the industrial city said 20 teenagers were “on the brink of life and death’’ at the main hospital. The head doctor said the illness and deaths were caused by poisonous mushrooms. — Reuters

Man suspected of 50 rapes held
MUNICH: A man suspected of up to 50 rapes has been arrested, thanks to DNA analyses of sperm samples dating back eight years, the Munich police said . A test on the suspect’s saliva made in 1994 when he was arrested for sexual exhibitionism has been found to match that of the sperm found on four rape victims. The suspect, an unemployed man, was arrested at the end of the last month here with the help of a countrywide DNA analysis. — AFP

Richest dog buys Madonna’s villa
MIAMI: Madonna’s luxury mansion has been sold for $ 7.5 million to Gunther IV, a German shepherd and the world’s richest dog, who will make the diva’s bedroom his home, according to local press reports. The purchase was announced to astonished reporters by The Burdundians, a mysterious group of three women and two men, who said the 780-square-metre house would be used for filming and fashion shows. The mansion was purchased by the Bahamas-based Gunther Corporation, which manages the rich pooch’s money. — AFP

Jailed for covering up wife’s misdeeds
NEW YORK: A US Army Colonel employed in his country’s fight against drugs received a five-month jail term for failing to report that his wife had been smuggling heroin from Bogota, Colombia, to New York city, media reports said. Col James Hiett had once worked for the US anti-drug operations in Colombia. A federal judge in Brooklyn sentenced him on Thursday after Hiett refused to cooperate with the court. — DPA

Russian men can’t marry four times
MOSCOW: Men in Russia’s mainly Muslim Ingushetia region were told on Friday they can no longer marry up to four women each, RIA news agency reported. Ingushetia’s top court cancelled two Articles of law to end the traditional Islamic practice. RIA said the court took the step because the Articles contradicted Russia’s federal law. — Reuters