CHICAGO — Federal authorities have questioned a former chief of staff to Gov. Rod Blagojevich and other cooperating witnesses about an attempt by friends of Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. to raise funds for Blagojevich to encourage him to pick Jackson for the U.S. Senate, sources said.

A federal grand jury investigating alleged corruption in the Blagojevich administration is expected to hear from witnesses about the fundraising effort in coming weeks, sources said.

Federal prosecutors allege Blagojevich, who was indicted last week on corruption charges, was considering awarding the seat to Jackson in return for a Jackson associate offering $1.5 million in campaign cash.

APARTHEID VICTIMS ALLOWED TO GO TO TRIAL

NEW YORK — Apartheid victims who accused automakers and IBM of helping the government of South Africa engage in violent repression to enforce racial segregation in the 1970s and '80s can go to trial with their claims, a judge ruled yesterday.

U.S. District Judge Shira A. Scheindlin rejected assertions by several countries that the lawsuits should not proceed because that might harm relations between the United States and South Africa.

HOSPITALS SETTLE OVER SKID ROW DUMPINGS

LOS ANGELES — A $1.6 million settlement has been reached with two Southern California hospitals accused of improperly discharging and dumping psychiatric patients on Los Angeles' Skid Row, the city attorney's office said yesterday.

City officials allege that over two years, as many as 150 patients from the two hospitals were dumped on Skid Row, an area on the east side of downtown where thousands of homeless people live.

FIJI'S MILITARY GOVERNMENT DECLARED ILLEGAL

SUVA, Fiji — Fiji's second-highest court has declared the military government illegal and says the president should immediately appoint an interim leader to oversee elections to quickly restore democracy.

Today's Court of Appeals ruling delivers a sharp blow to armed forces chief Commodore Frank Bainimarama, who seized power in a 2006 coup but insists he acted within the South Pacific nation's constitution.

Bainimarama did not immediately respond but is unlikely to step down.

MARIANAS MARKET SETTLES HARASSMENT SUIT

A supermarket chain in the Northern Mariana Islands has settled a sexual harassment, pregnancy discrimination and retaliation lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

The EEOC said yesterday that Saipan-based Inc. agreed to pay $80,000 in damages to six female cashiers who were subjected to a hostile work environment.

It says the women were harassed by a supervisor who slapped and spanked them, touched them inappropriately, lifted their skirts and repeated lewd demands.

TURTLE WITH ONE FLIPPER GIVEN EXTRA FIN

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas — Allison, a green sea turtle with only one flipper, has been going around and around and around for most of her life.

But swimming in tight circles is tough for a 5-year-old turtle whose life expectancy is about 150 years.

Allison was set straight yesterday when researchers at Sea Turtle Inc., a Texas not-for-profit group that rehabilitates injured sea turtles, outfitted her in a black neoprene suit with a carbon-fiber dorsal fin on the back that allows her to glide gracefully with other turtles.