World briefs 7/31/03

Stones play Toronto to combat SARS image

TORONTO -- Tens of thousands of sun-drenched revelers gathered Wednesday for a star-studded outdoor bash -- headlined by the Rolling Stones -- aimed at showing Toronto is free of SARS and ready to rock.

Organizers hope the concert will revive tourism in Canada, particularly in Toronto, where two springtime outbreaks of severe acute respiratory syndrome devastated the crucial industry.

"We're bringing this city back," said actor Jim Belushi, who joined master of ceremonies Dan Aykroyd -- a Canadian -- for a set by their Have Love Will Travel Revue blues band. "We're celebrating with music and it's one of the most joyous and communal experiences."

With more than 400,000 tickets sold -- at $16 each -- organizers billed the 11-hour show as one of North America's largest ticketed events.

The concert lineup featured a dozen acts, including The Guess Who and Rush -- both from Canada -- AC/DC and Justin Timberlake.

Any profits, plus 70 cents per ticket, will be split between two funds helping health care and tourism workers affected by SARS and the ensuing economic downturn.

Iranian official: Death of photojournalist 'murder'

TEHRAN, Iran -- An Iranian-Canadian journalist who died in police custody this month was murdered, Iran's vice president said Wednesday in the first official admission that Zahra Kazemi was beaten to death.

Earlier government statements, including a report from a presidential committee, had acknowledged that the 54-year-old Kazemi died July 10 from head injuries, but suggested it could have been an accident.

"The murder was caused by brain hemorrhage due to a blow inflicted on her," Vice President Mohammad Ali Abtahi told reporters after a Cabinet meeting.

The presidential committee, while shying from calling the death intentional, had previously discredited an initial official report that Kazemi died from a stroke. The panel said she suffered a skull fracture "resulting from a hard object hitting the head or the head hitting a hard object."

Kazemi, an Iranian who lived in Montreal, died nearly three weeks after she was detained for taking photographs outside a Tehran prison during student-led protests. After 77 hours of interrogation, she was taken to a hospital controlled by hard-line Revolutionary Guards, where she died 14 days later.

Philippine military intelligence chief resigns

MANILA, Philippines -- The Philippine military intelligence chief resigned Wednesday -- the first top official to step down after a failed mutiny by officers and soldiers demanding military reforms.

But Brig. Gen. Victor Corpus warned that the crisis surrounding the insurrection was far from over.

The mutineers made several allegations against Corpus, including accusing him of incompetence and involvement in a recent deadly bombing to justify more military aid from Washington. They also demanded that other top military and government officials step down.

Nearly 300 mutinous troops who seized a Manila shopping and apartment complex Sunday retreated peacefully after some 19 hours. No shots were fired during the standoff with government troops.

Corpus denied the charges against him, but said he was resigning to quell dissent. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo accepted his resignation from the intelligence post, although he remains in the military.

-- From wire reports