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Show .. THE NATION Adtninistration to lift sanctions against Colutnbia WASIBNGTON (AP) - Citing gains in Colombia's war on drugs, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said yesterday the administration has decided to waive two-year old sanctions against that country. Albrigh t, m aking the announcement on behalf of President Clinton, praised rhe Colombian police and counter-narcotics forces for an 'effect ive eradication and interdiction effort." She also said the decis ion will lay the groundwork for future cooperation with the new leadership that will take over in Colombia following this year's presidential and legislative elections. Waiver of the sanctions means that there will be fewer impediments to U.S. assistance to Colombia's anti-drug efforts. Colombia also wiJJ be spared economic penalties for the coming year. ln Colombia, Foreign Minister Maria Emma Mejia called the U.S. decision a triumph "for this country, which bas suffered greatly, which has lost a lot of lives lin the war on drugs) and for the president, of course, who bas helped us emerge from this predicament we've had for two years that did not serve us well." The Clinton administration maintains that Colombia's president, Ernesto Samper, has links to drug cartels and has been an impediment in the anti-drug fight. The government officials spoke hours before public release of formal administration U.S. DIGEST JURY REJECTS CATTLEMEN'S LAWSUIT AGAINST OPRAH WINFREY: A jury yesterday rejected a lawsuit by Texas cattlemen who claimed Oprah Winfrey's televised comments about mad cow disease caused the beef market to plummet and cost them millions of dollars. The verdict - reached on the second day of o h jury deliberations - would be appealed, J:ifrey plaintiffs' attorneys said. The cattlemen sued - - - - - over a broadcast of "The Oprah W,infrey Show" that they said gave the impression that beef could spread mad cow disease to people. CAMPAIGN REFORM FAILS IN SENATE, APPARENTLY DEAD FOR THE YEAR: Legislation to overhaul campaign finance rules fell to a Republican filibuster in the Senate yesterday, leaving the issue doomed for the foreseeable future despite the abuses uncovered since the 1996 election. A final effon to punch through GO P delaying tactics failed, 51 48, njne votes shy of the 60 needed. Lawmakers of both parties agreed the vote in the Senate during the day doomed the chances for passage for the year. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, foreground, accompanied by Attorney General fanet Reno and Drug CzOI Barry McCaffrey meet at the State Dept. in Washington, yesterday. evaluations of the anti-narcotics performances of 30 foreign countries. On Capitol Hill, lawmakers praised the decision to waive sanctions on Colombia, saying it is in the national interest to work closely with the country to fight drug trafficking. Colombia remains t he world's leading producer and distributor of cocaine and a major supplier of heroin and marijuana. PARALYZED STUDENT SEEKING KEVORKIAN'S HELP WINS RELEASE FROM HOSPITAL: A Michigan college student paralyzed by a virus has won the right to leave a hospital so that he can seek Dr. Jack Kevorkian's h elp in killing himself. Roosevelt Dawson, a 21-year-old Oakland University student, would become the youngest person known to have committed suicide with the Roosevelt help of Kevorkian. A court psychiatrist denied Dawson a request by Metropolitan Hospital that Dawson be held involuntarily, spokesman Jim Childress said. ---II THE WORLD .·1 1 ---------------Suspected Mossad operation found Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu JERUSALEM jAP) - T he disclosure of a yet another bungled undercover operation, this one confirmed that an Israeli citizen had been in Switzerland and reportedly aimed at the arrested, but would not comment further. An Iranian-backed Hezbollab guerrilla group, struck Israeli official, speaking on condition of a demoralizing blow yesterday to Israel's fabled anonymity, said the targets were connected to Mossad intelligence agency. Iran. Swiss German Tele\!ision, meanwhile, said the Switzerland's Foreign Ministry demanded an apology from Israel after residents on the intended target was the militant Islamic group Hamas in Bern. outskirts of Bern reported a break-in and Israeli media pollcc caught a Mossad suggested Yatom resigned in part as a agent trying to install a wiretap. result of information On Tuesday, Mossad about the Swiss chief Danny Yatoro operation leaked by disgruntled senior resigned over hls Mossad officials. agency's botched Sept. 25 attempt to poison a Israeli officials indicated the Swiss had Hamas political leader been willing to keep in Jordan. And in January, retired Mossad the incident quiet, and had been negotiating agent Yehuda Gi l was indicted on charges of the release of the Mossad agent until fabricating reports that they were forced to Syria was preparing for war. respond to leaks. Israel's Yediot "' " We would have ~ preferred to have dealt Ahronot newspaper, o with it quietly," said quoting foreign sources, ~ Pierre Monod, the said the agent arrested 8 Swiss ambassador in in Switzerland was trying to bug offices of ~ Israel. !:l T he leaks - and the the Hezbollab. Swiss i:: blow they dealt to the officials said that the Mossad's crack image targets were foreigners. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu - drew more outcry in confirms that an Israeli citizen bad been Police in Zurich are Israel than the incident examining t he bugging arrested in Switzerland yesterday but declined itself. to further commsnt. equipment used. WORLD DIGEST ISLANDERS WITNESS WESTERN HEMISPHERE'S LAST ECLIPSE OF CENTURY: Fear gripped the Caribbean yesterday in the Western Hemisphere's last total solar eclipse of t he century. Thousands of tourists, Carnival revelers and astronomers took up front-row seats to marvel at the astral spectacular. In Haiti, parents thrus t children under beds and told them they must stay indoors at midday or be struck blind. This year, the eclipse coincided with annual Carnival parades and parties in Aruba and Curacao, where hotel rooms sold out months ago. US, BRITAIN PUSH U .N. RESOLUTION WARNING IRAQ TO COMPLY WITH ANNAN DEAL: Britain and the United States pressed other permanent members of the Security Council yesterday to back a resolution that packs a blunt warning to Iraq: Break a promise to open sensitive sights to arms inspection and face the ..K_o_fi_A...,n,._n_.an _ __, "severest consequences." China, Russia, and - - - -- Japan are wary of words that could lead to a military strike against Iraq, and it wasn' t clear they could be persuaded to accept the tough language. While diplomats struggled to agree on the wording, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan defended the accord he elicited from Saddam Hussein. BUS IDTS MINE IN ALGERIA; 10 KILLED AND 13 WOUNDED: A bus hit a mine planted on a road south of the Algerian capital yes terday, killing 10 people and wounding 13 others, Algeria's securit y forces said. Attackers put the mine on the road near the town of Medea just before the bus passed, residents of a nearby village said. After the blast, the attackers opened fire to prevent the villagers from helping the victims, witnesses said. The attack was the second bus bombing in as many days in the insurrection-wracked North African nation. No one claimed responsibility for either attack. |