News Briefs

October 27, 1995
Web posted at: 10:30 p.m. EDT (0230 GMT)

Nineteenth Atlantic storm whips up over Atlantic

MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- Tropical Storm Tanya, the 19th named storm this year, formed Friday in the Atlantic.

At 7 p.m. EDT (2300 GMT), the storm was 575 miles southeast of Bermuda, heading northeast at 9 mph. Top sustained winds were 40 mph. Forecasters said some strengthening was likely.

Hurricane season won't end until November 30, but already this has been the second most active storm season in the 125 years since record-keeping began. The most active year was 1933, when there were 21 recorded storms.

Avalanche death tolls rises to 20

REYKJAVIK, Iceland (CNN) -- A baby girl missing in Thursday's avalanche in Flateyri was found dead Friday, bringing the death toll in the tiny fishing village to 20.

Two rescue teams searched throughout the night for the baby, the only person still missing after the avalanche. Ten people were rescued after the avalanche struck early Thursday, covering 19 homes, a gas station, an electric transformer and the village museum under tons of snow and ice.

Treaties may not stand if Quebec secedes

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Those voting for separatism in Monday's upcoming Canadian referendum should not assume that U.S.-Canadian agreements will automatically transfer to a new political entity, a senior State Department official said Friday.

All U.S.-Canadian agreements, including those related to trade, travel, tourism, and NAFTA, would have to be renegotiated with a possible independent Quebec, according to the official. He said his statement was not an attempt to meddle in Canadian politics.

Suspected North Korean spy killed after massive manhunt

SEOUL, South Korea (CNN) -- A suspected North Korean spy was shot to death in South Korea on Friday after one of the largest manhunts in the country's history.

The alleged infiltrator was shot and captured near Puyo, 85 miles south of Seoul. He was taken to a Seoul hospital where he died.

About 20,000 security forces had been searching for the infiltrator. Another alleged spy, who was captured on Tuesday, told interrogators the pair arrived in the south in August via the west coast island of Kanghwa.

Last week, South Korean troops on the border shot and killed an alleged North Korean infiltrator after he crawled out of a river dressed in a frogman's suit.

Wife of Chinese dissident released from detention

BEIJING, China (CNN) -- Chinese authorities have reportedly released the wife of dissident Chen Ziming after detaining her for five days. Wang Zhihong had been taken into custody for protesting the imprisonment of her husband and his alleged lack of medical treatment for serious health problems.

Chen is serving a 13-year sentence for his role in the 1989 pro-democracy movement. He was granted parole for medical reasons last year, but was arrested again last June.

Rebels in Sri Lanka resisting army offensive

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (CNN) - Tamil Tiger guerrillas are reportedly resisting a major military offensive in their northern Jaffna stronghold. The Sri Lankan army has been shelling the area and using air strikes against the guerrillas.

Both sides have suffered losses. The army says more than 500 rebels had been killed and 1,500 wounded in the army's latest and biggest offensive in Jaffna, launched 10 days ago.

An army spokesman said the rebels were withdrawing and making attacks on villagers in the east and on Colombo. Survivors said the guerrillas massacred 24 Sinhalese villagers on Thursday. The Tamil rebels have waged a 12-year war for an independent homeland in the north and east.

Imelda Marcos sworn in as member of Philippine Congress

MANILA, Philippines (CNN) -- Imelda Marcos was sworn in Friday as a member of the Philippine House of Representatives, less than a decade after she had to flee the country in disgrace.

Imelda Marcos fled with her husband Ferdinand to Hawaii after he was overthrown as president in a February 1986 popular revolt. She still faces an 18-year jail term imposed when she was convicted on corruption charges arising from her husband's 20 years in power.

Marcos is appealing the jail term and would automatically forfeit her House seat if the appeal is rejected. The appeal is likely to take years.

It was the Supreme Court which cleared the way on Wednesday for Marcos to take up the seat she won in national elections in May. Her victory had been challenged by the watchdog Commission on Elections and then by Cirilo Montejo, the incumbent congressman she defeated.