WORLD IN BRIEF : SINGAPORE : Decision Delayed on Clemency Plea

An American teen-ager sentenced to be flogged for vandalism ended his first month in jail without word on whether the government will accept or reject his plea for mercy. An official who requested anonymity said the case of Michael Fay, 18, was discussed at a Cabinet meeting, but no decision had been reached on the clemency plea. Fay was charged with spray-painting cars and other acts of vandalism in October. He was sentenced to four months in jail, a fine of $2,244 and six lashes on the buttocks with a rattan cane. Fay’s case has drawn international attention, particularly in the United States, where President Clinton has called flogging an excessive punishment.