Ecuador: $18 Billion Ruling Against Chevron Is Upheld.

An Ecuadorean appeals court on Tuesday upheld a ruling that the Chevron Corporation, the United States oil giant, should pay $18 billion in damages to plaintiffs who accused it of polluting the Amazon jungle and damaging their health. A local judge ordered Chevron to pay $8.6 billion in environmental damages in February, but the amount rose to about $18 billion because Chevron failed to make a public apology as required by the original ruling. Chevron swiftly denounced the ruling, calling it ''illegitimate'' and fraudulent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]