Cable briefs

Press, 2 November 1984, Page 6

Cable briefs

Reprieve denied A Federal judge yesterday denied an appeal by a condemned murderer, Velma Barfield, and refused to halt her execution today, when she is scheduled to-become the first put to death in the United States in 22 years.— Raleigh, N. Carolina. Ver court veto The Piillippines Justice Minister yesterday rejected a proposal to set up a special court to try the Armed Forces Chief of Staff, General Fabian Ver and 25 others implicated by an official report in the murder of the opposition leader, Benigno Aquino. The Minister, Estelito Mendoza, told a publishers’ meeting that a special court as suggested by some opposition leaders would create more problems than it would resolve.—Manila. Bomb blast A bomb exploded 180 m away from the Chilean President, General Augusto Pinochet, yesterday. He was opening the Santiago International .Fair, an international trade fair, when the bomb exploded on a railway line opposite the Cerillos Park. Noone was injured by the blast Reporters accompanying General Pinochet, said that he did not appear to be affected by the Incident The bombing happened a day after a protest strike called by opposition trade unions and Leftist groups, in which the police said that eight people had died, more than 40 injured, and 185 arrested.—Santiago. Liner damaged The Cunard liner the Queen . Elizabeth 2 is running normally after a fire which cost two days of a scheduled seven day cruise. Cunard said that the liner had been completely repaired after an engine room switchboard malfunction. She would sail on an Atlantic Isles cruise on Sunday 48 hours after her scheduled time. The scheduled seven day cruise would therefore be shortened to five days and passengers would be offered compensation.—London. Argentinian deaths Thirty-four people have died and more than a dozen injured in a train collision with a crowded bus at a grade-crossing in a Buenos Aires suburb.—Buenos Aires. Man executed Thomas Andy Barefoot, who was convicted of murdering a police officer, has been put to death by lethal injection in Texas. Barefoot was pronounced ' dead minutes after another man convicted of murder, Earnest Knighton, had been executed in the electric chair in neighbouring Louisiana. — Houston.