News In Brief

Unofficial results in the Mexican elections continue to indicate that the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) has swept all seven governorships at stake. This includes the two most contested ones in the border states of Sonora and Nuevo L'eon. It is possible, however, that the opposition will increase its numbers in the Chamber of Deputies. There are 400 seats in that house. One hundred are automatically assigned to the opposition parties. Of the remaining 300, there is now only one opposition deputy, from the largest opposition party, the right-wing National Action Party (PAN).

PAN party officials first claimed they won 12 deputy seats; now they claim 37.

PRI officials said Wednesday that the opposition had won no deputy seats at all but now concede that they may have won two or three, especially in the state of Sonora. The opposition continues to charge that there has been serious fraud and has asked that the gubernatorial election results be annulled in Nuevo L'eon and Sonora.

In Monterrey, capital of Nuevo L'eon, roughly 15,000 people took part in a PAN march Wednesday to protest election abuses. In the meantime, the Nuevo L'eon legislature declared that the PRI gubernatorial candidate, Jorge Trevio, had won the election. There is some dispute about abstention rates. PRI spokesmen originally stated that 68 percent of the electorate had voted, but almost all independent observers believe the rates to have been higher, with some observers saying that only 60 percent voted. The ruling PRI party had made a particular effort to have many Mexicans vote as a sign of faith in the PRI-dominated political system. Official results of the elections will not be released until Sunday.

2nd flight recorder plucked by robot from Air-India jet

A robot submarine recovered the second flight recorder from the wreckage of the Air-India jet that crashed off Ireland June 23, killing all 329 people aboard, crash investigators said Thursday. Both recorders are to be returned to India for examination. But British authorities were trying to persuade the Indians to allow the examination to take place in Britain or the US, both of which have special centers for doing the analysis.

Soccer authorities relax ban on some British play

The International Football Federation relaxed its ban Thursday on British soccer clubs playing abroad. The federation, which had imposed the ban after 38 people were killed in a May 29 riot started by English fans at the Brussels European Cup final, said that English professional club teams are still banned from matches inside Europe.

Water rationing lifted in northern New Jersey

Gov. Thomas H. Kean has ended water rationing in 92 northern New Jersey communities because of public conservation efforts and higher rainfall levels, an administration spokesman said Thursday. The governor's order, however, does not cover other drought emergency restrictions, including bans on watering lawns, noncommercial car washing, and hosing streets.

Heavy toll reported in clash of Filipino troops, insurgents

At least 70 insurgents and 31 soldiers were killed in one of the biggest battles between government forces and communist rebels in the central Philippines, according to Manila's largest English-language newspaper, Bulletin Today. It said the fighting in Albay Province began on June 27 and lasted three days.

A military spokesman in Manila, however, expressed doubt about the report, saying he had not heard of a clash with that many killed.

Portuguese parliament OKs treaty for EC membership

The Portuguese parliament, by a majority vote, approved ratification of Portugal's treaty of accession to the European Community late Wednesday. Officials said only the Communists voted against the move at the end of a two-day debate, the Assembly's last major act before dissolution yesterday and the setting of a date for an early general election, expected in October.

Taiwan breaks Bolivian ties because of Peking recognition

Taiwan is breaking relations with Bolivia because the South American country has extended diplomatic recognition to the communist government of mainland China, the Foreign Ministry announced Thursday.

Share of women receiving child support posts a rise

The percentage of American women receiving child support payments they were due has climbed from 71.8 percent in 1981 to 76 percent in 1983, the Census Bureau said Thursday. The Census Bureau did not give a specific reason for the increase, although officials noted that the child support payments increased at a time when the nation's economy was improving, and they had fallen during the recessionary period earlier.

Bulgarian accused by Agca testifies he didn't know him

Bulgarian defendant Sergei Ivanov Antonov took the witness stand for the first time Thursday to confront papal assailant Mehmet Ali Agca, insisting he did not know Agca or have anything to do with a plot to kill the Pope. It is largely due to Agca's statements that this trial was initiated against Mr. Antonov, two fugitive Bulgarian diplomats, and four Turks on charges of complicity in the May 13, 1981, shooting of Pope John Paul II.

Only three of the seven are in custody. The rest are being tried in absentia.

Antonov is charged with driving Agca and other gunmen to St. Peter's Square on the day of the attack and of helping to plan the assassination attempt.

Tamil separatists reject Sri Lankan bid for talks

Four major Tamil separatist groups rejected Sri Lankan proposals at peace talks in Bhutan aimed at ending Sri Lanka's ethnic crisis, a separatist leader said Thursday. Earlier, police in Colombo said they foiled a planned assassination attempt on President Junius Jayewardene by separatist guerrillas.

Officials said police arrested two men while they were assembling timing devices on two bombs, containing 264 pounds of explosives each, which were to have been planted near President Jayewardene's office.

Mexican-style cheese recalled in 13 states

A second Mexican-style cheese is being recalled in 13 states from Alaska to Florida because it may contain the type of bacteria linked to 61 deaths and stillbirths, the Food and Drug Administration said Thursday. The FDA said the recall involved Cacique Fine Foods Mexican-style cheeses and dairy products. Jalisco Mexican Products Inc. of Artesia, Calif., was the subject of the first recall last month, after health officials determined Jalisco cheese contained the bacteria.

Bush names retired admiral to head terrorism task force

Vice-President George Bush Thursday named retired Adm. James L. Holloway to be executive director of a task force to examine ways the United States can combat terrorism. Admiral Holloway was former chief of naval operations and served on the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Union Carbide closes down its Bhopal pesticide plant

Union Carbide Corporation formally closed the pesticide plant that became the site of history's worst industrial disaster, in which more than 2,000 people lost their lives. More than 600 people lost their jobs as a result of the closing.

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