University Daily Kansan, February 15, 1985
Page 2
NATION AND WORLD
NEWS BRIEFS
Flu epidemic causing deaths
ALLIANTA — The nation's current flu outbreak is the worst since the winter of 1980-81 when 52,000 people, mostly elderly, were sick. The federal health officials said yesterday.
"We are seeing obvious increases in illness and in deaths nationwide that reflect, or are the result of, the flu outbreaks that are currently going on," said Dr. Karl Kappus of the national Centers for Disease Control.
For the week ending Feb. 9, the CDC reported 910 pneumonia and influenza deaths from 121 major cities.
Ravaged ship limps to port
NEW DELHI, India — A cruise ship blackened by fire during a voyage from Singapore struggled into port yesterday at an airport where 34 people had been killed in the blaze.
The Indian luxury liner "M. V. Chandambara" was carrying 702 passengers and a crew of 186 when the blaze erupted Tuesday on the bunk class "D" deck, where 300 passengers, mostly traders, had their berths. The fire may have been caused by a short circuit in an air-conditioning docket on the 17,226 luxury liner.
The victims were from India, Malaysia and Singapore.
MANILA, Philippines — Authorities blamed arsonists yesterday for a luxury hotel fire that killed at least 25 people, and search teams hunted for more victims in the blackened building.
Winds fanned new fires in previously untouched areas in the 460-room hotel Regent of Manila Hotel. The building continued to belch black smoke last night — 48 hours after the deadly blaze broke out.
At least five U.S. citizens were killed and two remain unaccounted for, a U.S. Embassy spokesman said.
Bike accident costs $125,000
HAMILTON. Ohio — A jury here ordered an 11-year-old boy to pay $125,000 in damages to a man injured when the youngster's three-wheeled bicycle collided with the man's motorcycle, a judge said yesterday.
Matthew Wilmot, the boy, was accused of negligence in operating his off-road vehicle. Bud Wilmot, Matthew's father, also caused negligence in entrusting the vehicle to his son.
James Manning sued the two after a Sept. 5, 1983, accident. Manning sought damages of $1 million.
Compiled from United Press International reports.
CNN correspondent safe after fleeing captors
By United Press International
BEIRUT, Lebanon — American reporter Jeremy Levin, one of five Americans kidnapped and held hostage in Lebanon, walked to freedom in his pajamas in the Beka Valley and surrendered to Syrian forces reported him yesterday to safety in Damascus.
In Washington, a State Department spokesman said the Syrian government told U.S. officials that Levin, 52, would be turned over to U.S. Ambassador William Eagleton at 10 a.m. today (1 a.m. CST) at the offices of the Syrian Foreign Ministry in Damascus.
"I am OK," Levin, a correspondent for his network, wrote in a note to his wife Lilley.
Reports from Beirut raised confusion over whether Lewis escaped or was freed by his
CAPTURE
THE FRENCH NEWS agency AFP said he escaped in pajamas from his kidnappers Wednesday night, but a caller claiming to
Four American men — a priest, a missionary, a diplomat and a librarian — are still held by kidnappers who seized them over the past year in Beirut.
represent Islamic Jihad, a pro-Iranian Shiite Muslim group, said Levin's abductors set him free after almost a year in captivity.
In Washington, a Syrian Embassy spokesman said Levin arrived in Damascus yesterday and Syria guaranteed his safe return to the United States.
"Syria got him released," the spokesman said. "He has been taken to a center to be treated."
Levin gave no details of his release. CNN executives said they had not spoken with him.
IN ATLANTA. CNN spokeswoman Judy Borza said CNN's Rome bureau chief, Tony Collins, chartered a jet and flew to Damascus last night. A senior State Department official said a CNN-chartered plane would fly Levin from Damascus to Frankfurt, West Germany.
Borza said CNN was told the jet would leave last night. Mrs. Levin, Levin's stepdaughter and other relatives would be flown to Frankfurt by a White House jet for a government official said. It was hoped that Levin could leave Damascus within 24 hours.
He said that if Levin had escaped, he "had no reason to believe" that reprisals would be taken against American hostages still held.
"The Syrians have been very cooperative and very helpful," Borza said. "The Syrians want to assure us that they are working to try to stop the kidnapping of the other Americans kidnapped in Beirut."
LEVIN, A NATIVE of Michigan, was kidnapped March 7. 1984.
Those still missing include Benjamin Weir, 60, a Presbyterian minister, William Buckley, 56, a U.S. Embassy official, Peter Kilburn, 60, a librarian at the American University of Beirut who disappeared Nov. 30, 1984, and the Rev. Lawrence Jenco, 50.
director of the Catholic Relief Services who was seized by gunmen last Jan. 8.
Meanwhile, in Sidon, Lebanon, Israeli occupation forces withdrawn from the Sidon area clashed with a guerrillas and stormed a Shiite Muslim village yesterday, killing 12 Lebanese, military and United Nations sources said.
A U.N. spokesman also said Israeli and U.N. soldiers engaged in a shoving match in the village of Borj Rahal when French U.N. forces tried to prevent the Israelis from bulldozing three homes and a community center.
The Israelis entered the southern Lebanese village at dawn in search of guerrillas and arms and interrogated residents about attacks on the Israeli troops.
The withdrawal from the Sidon area — to be completed by Monday — is the first phase of Israel's three-phase plan for pulling out of Lebanon.
Japanese police search for deadly candv
By United Press International
TOKYO — Nearly a quarter of Japan's police were on alert yesterday to head off a Valentine's Day offensive by the "Man with 21 Faces" extortion gang, which threatened to put cyanide-laced candy in stores across the nation.
About 45,000 plainclothes and uniformed officers — almost one-fourth of the nation's total police force — were ordered to duty in response to the discovery of at least 13 poisoned candy packets Tuesday and Monday, candy packed in Nagoya, about 200 miles west of mesas.
Pollice said tests confirmed that eight of the 13 packages — all marked with a warning that they contained poison — were spiked with lethal doses of cyanide.
No injuries or deaths have been reported as a result of poisoned candy.
In Tokyo, 15,000 policemen were mobilized to patrol large department stores and supermarkets in search of poisoned candy. Authorities said that 30,000 officers across the country were assigned to similar precautionary patrols.
The "Man with 21 Faces" gang has mounted a almost a year-long campaign to extort payoffs from food and candy companies. But, although the gang has managed to elude police, it apparently has yet to collect any of the money it has demanded.
"Who invented such a foolish practice?" the extortion gang said in a letter to the Mainichi newspaper Tuesday. "If they really are in love with men, why don't they commit double suicide by eating chocolate? We will help them."
A private survey by the Tokyo Shimbun of Japanese women showed that the gang's campaign prompted some to buy imported cigarettes, which is difficult to poison without detection.
Valentine's Day, a Western import, has acquired a unique twist in Japan, where women buy chocolates for their sweethearts.
The gang began a shakedown campaign last March by kidnapping the president of Ezeki Glico Co., a large candymaker, and demanding a ransom of 100 million yen — about $400,000 — and 220 pounds of gold. The gang waited for a few days later and the gang never collected.
The gang also has threatened other leading candymakers and food processors.
IMF axes Brazil's credit line; talks stall
remaining in its IMF credit line until agreement had been achieved on its 1985
The IMF would not officially confirm that Brazil's credit line had been put on hold. But banking sources said Brazil would not receive any of the approximately $1.5 billion
Banking sources said Brazil's money supply growth exceeded targets by about 30 percent in December, and authorities were unable to correct for it in January.
By United Press International
In an unusual statement issued yesterday afternoon the IMF commended Brazil's strong recovery in balance of payments and in strengthening international reserves. The IMF said Brazil had made progress domestically in adjusting prices and strengthening savings.
"However, inflation has not come down as expected, owing in particular to deviations in the monetary area," the IMF statement said.
The snag came as Brazil and the bank committee negotiating its debt had reached agreement on all but a few points for a refinancing agreement covering roughly $45.3 billion of Brazil's debt coming due in 1985 through 1991.
Report says Chernenko is dying fast
NEW YORK - The International Monetary Fund has cut off Brazil's credit line until it can bring its soaring inflation within guidelines agreed to in 1983, stalling indefinitely negotiations on its $100 billion debt, sources said yesterday.
Those talks were adjourned late Wednesday pending results of the IMF discussions.
By United Press International
A West German newspaper said yesterday that Soviet President Konstantin Chernenko was dying of an incurable illness, and that the doctor responsible for the health of the Kremlin leadership left for home after a U.S. speaking tour.
The report in Bonn's Bonner Rundschau newspaper was unconfirmed, and a spokeswoman for the group that arranged the U.S. visit of Soviet cardiologist Evgeny Chazov said his departure had been scheduled and was not unexpected.
Both developments came exactly seven weeks after the 78-year-old Chernenko made his last public appearance and one day after the first anniversary of his succession to power following the death of Yuri Andropov.
Soviet officials have acknowledgement enkenko is ill, but have not disclosed the nature of his aliment. His prolonged absence has fueled rumors that his condition was grave, including those that he suffered a heart attack or stroke.
"Cherenko has a chronic lung emphysema that cannot be cured," Bonner Rundschau said. It gave no source for its story.
EGGROLL KING
At Eggroll King we take great pride in the food we serve. When you come in and order our cashew chicken, broccoli and beef, or any of our authentic Chinese entrees, we start fresh. Fresh vegetables are combined with select cuts of poultry or beef and tossed into a steaming hot wok. Served on a bed of fried rice with an eggroll, it makes a great tasting, nutritious meal--Anytime! So the next time you get hungry for a really great tasting meal that's prepared just for you, it's time you tried Eggroll King.
Next time you're in Eggroll King be sure to tell them exactly what you liked. It may be your chance to tell KU why you wouldn't have it any other way than Eggroll King.
THIS WEEKS SPECIALS
Friday: Sweet and Sour Pork Saturday: Sweet and Sour Chicken
$1.99
Offer Expires 02/24/85
Sun.-Thurs. 11-10 p.m.
Fri.-Sat. 11-12 a.m.
1511 W.23rd
84E-ROLL
Dine-In or Carry Out
Use Kansan Classified.
Jayhawker Towers OPEN HOUSE Feb.16th,12-4 p.m.
Choose your space in an INDIVIDUAL CONTRACT Lease
On the KU Campus
1603 W. 15th
843-4993