INSERT INTO `corpora` VALUES (852,2,'Takeover specialist Carl C. Icahn, whose $60-per-share bid for Texaco Inc. has met a heavy dose of skepticism on Wall Street, says he will have little problem raising the necesary cash to finance the buyout. Meeting with securities analysts Thursday, Icahn said he would have to borrow $8.86 billion to complete his offer, made last week, to buy the 86.2 percent of the company\'s stock he does not already own for $12.4 billion. The bid put a total value on Texaco\'s 207 million shares of $14.6 billion. To complete the deal, Icahn said he would sell two subsidiaries _ Texaco Canada Inc. and the company\'s 50 percent interest in Caltex, among other provisions. He then would borrow against the $2.98 billion cash flow expected to be generated this year to obtain the remainder, Icahn said. Texaco later scoffed at the plan, calling Icahn\'s offer ``still illusory\'\' and dismissing the details he provided as ``sketchy, sloppy and wrong.\'\' Icahn, Texaco\'s largest shareholder, launched a proxy fight for five of the company\'s 14 board seats on Friday, after the board rejected his offer. He said he would have dropped the bid if Texaco had put it to a shareholder vote at the company\'s annual meeting later this month. If his five-man slate wins, Icahn said Thursday he is confident he would be able to persuade the board to sanction such a vote. As far as financing is concerned, ``We\'ve had several banks tell us we would have no trouble raising that on the basis that (the takeover would be) on a friendly basis,\'\' Icahn said. On hostile terms, however, ``it would be just about impossible\'\' because of certain statutory requirements, he added. Texaco said in a statement issued from its White Plains, N.Y., headquarters that Icahn\'s $8.86 billion figure ``simply wished away or ignored more than $5 billion in debt and other obligations he would also have to immediately finance. ``Morgan Stanley & Co., our financial advisor, has informed Texaco that Icahn\'s plan is simply not financable in their opinion,\'\' the statement added. Securities analysts and the stock market have dimissed the offer as a ploy, either to lure other bidders into the ring, or to encourage Texaco\'s management to buy his shares or help him sell them to a third party. On the New York Stock Exchange, Texaco stock has traded just above $50 a share _ far below the $60 Icahn proposed. In late-morning trading on the New York Stock Exchange today, it stood at $50.37{ a share, down 25 cents. Icahn acknowledged that his own $60-per-share price was ``cheap,\'\' saying: ``If it were out for a vote, there\'s no doubt in my mind it would go higher, because there would be an auction.\'\' Asked what price he believed would be fair, Icahn replied: ``I\'m not going to go into that.\'\' From the start, Texaco officials questioned whether Icahn could arrange financing for the deal, despite his pledge to put up $100 million that would be forfeited to the company if he failed to come up with the financing in time for Texaco\'s annual meeting June 17 in Tulsa, Okla. Icahn stipulated, however, that the $100 million would not be forfeited if another party topped his offer or if the Internal Revenue Service failed to assent to the plan. On Thursday, he said his message to shareholders was simple: ``Even if you don\'t like me, if you vote for me, I\'m going to get you $60.\'\' And, he added, ``If I can\'t get you your $60, I\'ll resign and (Texaco) will get its $100 million.\'\' If his slate loses, Icahn said he would ``go away,\'\' and sell his shares ``in a secondary offer of some such thing.\'\' On another matter, Icahn also declined to comment on the interest in Texaco of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., an investment banking firm with a long record for conducting takeovers. In March Kohlberg said it bought 4.9 percent of Texaco\'s stock and asked permission from the Securities and Exchange Commission to up that stake to 15 percent. Icahn told reporters that he had spoken to Henry Kravis but stressed they were not collaborating. ``But that\'s not to say we have any deals with Henry Kravis, and we don\'t. We absolutely don\'t,\'\' he added. Icahn paid about $1.2 billion in building his Texaco stake, which is now worth about $1.8 billion. The amount he already has paid and the $12.4 billion he is offering for the remaining Texaco shares would put his total cost for acquiring the company at $13.6 billion _ the biggest sum ever paid in a corporate buyout. The biggest deal so far was the $13.4 billion acquisition of Gulf Corp. by Standard Oil Co. of California, now Chevron Corp., in 1984.\r\n'),(853,2,'Today is Thursday, Aug. 16, the 228th day of 1990. There are 137 days left in the year. Today\'s Highlight in History: On Aug. 16, 1977, the ``King\'\' of rock \'n\' roll, Elvis Presley, died at Graceland Mansion in Memphis, Tenn., at the age of 42. On this date: In 1777, American forces won an important victory of the Revolutionary War at the Battle of Bennington, Vt. In 1812, Detroit fell to British and Indian forces in the War of 1812. In 1829, the original ``Siamese\'\' twins, Chang and Eng Bunker, arrived in Boston aboard the ship Sachem to be exhibited to the Western world. In 1858, a telegraphed message from Britain\'s Queen Victoria to U.S. President Buchanan was transmitted over the recently laid transatlantic cable. In 1861, President Lincoln prohibited the states of the Union from trading with the seceding states of the Confederacy. In 1894, labor leader George Meany was born, in New York City. In 1896, gold was found at Bonanza Creek, Alaska. In 1948, baseball legend Babe Ruth died in New York at the age of 53. In 1956, Adlai E. Stevenson was nominated for president at the Democratic convention in Chicago. In 1960, Britain granted independence to the crown colony of Cyprus. In 1978, James Earl Ray, convicted assassin of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., told a Capitol Hill hearing he did not commit the crime, saying he\'d been set up by a mysterious man called ``Raoul.\'\' In 1984, a federal jury in Los Angeles acquitted former automaker John Z. De Lorean of all eight counts in a $24 million cocaine conspiracy indictment. In 1987, 156 people were killed when Northwest Airlines Flight 255 crashed while trying to take off from a Detroit airport; the sole survivor was 4-year-old Cecelia Cichan. In 1988, Vice President Bush tapped Indiana Sen. Dan Quayle to be his running mate, calling him ``a man of the future.\'\' Ten years ago: Thirty-seven people were killed when an arson fire roared through two adjoining social clubs in London. South Korean President Choi Kyu-hah resigned, paving the way for the election of General Chun Doo-hwan. Five years ago: One day after South African President P.W. Botha\'s speech in which he refused to endorse sweeping reforms, blacks and some whites expressed disappointment, with many preicting an escalation of violence. One year ago: A rare ``prime time\'\' lunar eclipse occurred over most of the United States, although clouds spoiled the view for many. Today\'s Birthdays: Former Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin (bay\'-gihn) is 77. Israeli Labor Party leader Shimon Peres (shee\'-mohn) is 67. Actor Fess Parker is 65. Actress Ann Blyth is 62. Actor Robert Culp is 60. Sportscaster Frank Gifford is 60. Singer Eydie Gorme is 58. Actress Julie Newmar is 55. Actress Anita Gillette is 54. Actress Carole Shelley is 51. Actress Lesley Ann Warren is 44. Singer Madonna is 32. Actor Timothy Hutton is 30. Thought for Today: ``It is better to be hated for what you are than loved for what you are not.\'\' _ Andre Gide, French author and critic (1869-1951).\r\n'),(854,2,'The U.S. Embassy in Kuwait _ the latest storm center of the growing Persian Gulf crisis _ is recalled by diplomats who served there as a cluster of modest buildings across a six-lane highway from the beach. It normally has a contingent of about a half-dozen Marines, who were withdrawn Thursday as today\'s Iraqi-set deadline for the closing of foreign embassies in Kuwait approached. ``It\'s not a very fancy embassy, but a very functional one,\'\' said Francois Dickman, a retired Foreign Service officer who was U.S. ambassador to Kuwait from 1979 to 1983. ``It\'s not one of the new fortresses that many American embassies around the world are increasingly,\'\' said another diplomat who has served in Kuwait, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Dickman, speaking by telephone from his home in Laramie, Wyo., said the embassy is in a compound surrounded by a wall eight or nine feet high. It is a rectangle running north and south with the east side facing Gulf Road, a six-lane highway. Just east of the highway is the Persian Gulf. ``It\'s not much of a beach,\'\' said Dickman. The compound is roughly two city blocks wide by four blocks long, the former ambassador said. Directly to the south is a Hilton hotel, seven or eight stories high. The only entrance to the compound is a steel gate on the west side, about 100 feet from the southwest corner. ``As you enter, you see the chancery,\'\' he said. ``The chancery is one story. It was a plain stone building with a corrugated roof.\'\' Dickman said the road then bends north to the site of the administration building, a brick structure that was destroyed in a terrorist bombing on Dec. 12, 1983. The building has since been rebuilt. Also in the compound are the two-story ambassador\'s residence, a warehouse, a parking lot and a garden just east of the ambassador\'s house, in which vegetables were grown in Dickman\'s day. There also is a swimming pool. In the 1983 bombing, Shia Moslem terrorists crashed a truck loaded with gas cylinders through the steel gates. It smashed into the administration building, demolishing it and also damaging the chancery and warehouse, Dickman said. Six people were killed, including the truck driver, but none were Americans. Since then the security system has been strengthened, according to the diplomat who spoke anonymously. ``I suppose a tank, like an Iraqi tank, could get through, but it has been reinforced, the wall has been upgraded and the entry gates,\'\' this diplomat said. Dickman said that when he was ambassador the Marines lived a block away from the embassy compound, but he later heard they were living within the enclosure. He applauded the decision to withdraw them. ``It makes sense,\'\' he said. ``These Marines can\'t do anything. There are only six of them. It is possible the number has been increased, but normally it is only a contingent of six.\'\' ``They don\'t really serve as guards,\'\' Dickman said. ``They man the entrance to the chancery and in the evening they make sure that things are locked up and provide elementary security.\'\' The diplomats obviously had pleasant memories of the place. ``The time I was there we had a little victory garden along the edge of the wall,\'\' said Dickman. ``I remember it being very green and pretty,\'\' said his colleague.\r\n'),(855,2,'The Air Force has dismissed ice buildup on the wings as the cause of a crash Nov. 17 of a B-1B bomber in South Dakota, and says there is no need to consider adding wing de-icing equipment to the long-range aircraft. ``We do not have any evidence that icing was a contributor to the B-1B crash at Ellsworth (Air Force Base),\'\' Pentagon spokesman Fred Hoffman said, downplaying a published report last week in the Chicago Tribune. The report said the B-1B ``may have been downed by excessive ice on its wings.\'\' Pentagon officials, speaking on condition they not be named, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that the ice detection system on the plane did not indicate the bomber had experienced a dangerous build-up of ice. ``There was some icing,\'\' one source said. ``There was ice on the wings of another B-1B that landed just before this one. But it wasn\'t a problem.\'\' ``Wing icing was not considered a potential problem when designing the aircraft and there never has been any operational evidence that wing icing is a problem,\'\' Hoffman added. ``We have no plans to study the addition of de-icing equipment,\'\' added Lt. Col. Rick Oborn, an Air Force officer and Pentagon spokesman. ``That hasn\'t even been considered.\'\' The $280 million B-1B, like many types of military aircraft, does not have any built-in de-icing equipment for its wings. It does, however, carry an anti-icing system for its four engines and an ice detection system for the wings. Capt. Jay DeFrank, an Air Force spokesman, said the rationale for leaving de-icing equipment off the B-1B was simple. ``The B-1B can fly at such high speeds at low altitude that it normally melts what would buildup on (the wings,)\'\' he said. ``And if you know you\'re facing icing conditions, you normally fly to another base or move to a different altitude. The plane has an ice detection system for the wings.\'\' The B-1B that crashed Nov. 17 was practicing instrument landing approaches. It was attempting to land shortly after another B-1B made a successful approach and for reasons unknown, came in too low and clipped a utility pole and power lines. The four crewmen survived after ejecting from the plane. In a related development, Hoffman said the Air Force would look into allegations by some Rockwell International Corp. employees that flawed parts might have been used in building the B-1B bombers. ``But the Air Force does not have any evidence at this time which corroborates the assertions by former Rockwell employees that substandard parts were used in the construction of B-1s,\'\' Hoffman said. ``However, the Air Force is investigating or is looking into these allegations.\'\' A copyright report Monday by WBNS-TV in Columbus, Ohio, quoted workers as saying substandard parts disappeared after being rejected by plant inspectors. The employees said they believe those parts subsequently were used in building the bombers to meet production schedules.\r\n'),(856,2,'GALVESTON, Texas _ It\'s graduation day Tuesday for some 1,100 Kemp\'s Ridley sea turtles, the most endangered sea turtle. Marine biologists hope the turtles, released into the Gulf of Mexico after being raised in captivity, will someday return to the Gulf\'s beaches to nest. Survival of the species is the goal. Tuesday\'s freedom for members of the species known as Lepidochelys kempi is the 10th annual turtle release, and experts still are waiting to see if the experiment to bolster the animal\'s population is a success. None of the 12,422 turtles raised and released by the National Marine Fisheries Service in Galveston since the so-called ``head start\'\' program began in 1977 has returned to the western Gulf of Mexico beaches to nest. ``You have to be patient to be a sea turtle scientist,\'\' Charles W. Caillouet, chief of the Life Studies Division at the service\'s Galveston laboratory, said Monday. This latest senior class spent its entire lifetime circumnavigating small circular tubs, one turtle to each container, stored in climate-controlled greenhouses. Early Tuesday, three truckloads of cardboard boxes carrying the 1-and 2-year-old turtles head to Port Aransas about 200 miles away, where they will be loaded on a boat and taken several miles into the Gulf off Padre Island. ``When that last turtle hits the water, it\'s like a lead weight has been lifted off our backs,\'\' said Tim Fontaine, a research fishery biologist. ``We\'ve done our job.\'\' Fontaine has overseen the growth of the turtles since they were 3 to 5 days old, about the size of silver dollars and weighing less than an ounce. Today the year-old turtles weigh about 2{ pounds each. And for the first time this year, 98 2-year-old turtles weighing about 25 pounds each will be released. Biologists hope the more mature animals will stand a better chance of surviving. Scientists are looking for the answer to attract the turtle back to the western Gulf of Mexico beaches, its only known nesting area. Turtle eggs were taken a year ago to the North Padre Island beach and the hatchlings scurried across the beach into the water before they were captured and moved to Galveston. It\'s hoped when they reach sexual maturity, the turtles will return instinctively to the beach. ``That\'s the critical objective,\'\' Caillouet said. ``It\'s documented very clearly our turtles survive for a long time and mix themselves in with the natural stocks.\'\' Galveston-grown turtles marked with metal tags or special skin grafts or electronic and magnetic devices have been found as far away as Morocco, France and Newfoundland. The mystery, however, is what triggers the animal\'s nesting and a return to the Gulf. ``We don\'t know how long it takes for them to mature in the wild,\'\' Caillouet said. ``We would guess we are looking for 8 to 10 years for early maturity in the wild, but we really don\'t know.\'\' In the late 1940s, as many as 40,000 turtles nested in a single day near Rancho Nuevo, Mexico, about 200 miles south of Brownsville, Texas. Today, less than 600 turtles nest in the entire season from April through July or August, Caillouet said. There may be as many as 100 eggs incubating over 60 days in each nest. Upon hatching, the tiny turtles flee into the Gulf. The decline in population came as the beaches and turtles and eggs were exploited from the 1940s until the 1960s. ``That problem has been resolved, but we yet don\'t see any of the increase in the number of nesters,\'\' Caillouet said. ``So something\'s happening to the turtle at sea.\'\' Once they reach adult growth, the turtles only known natural predator is shark. ``They are the bulldogs of the sea,\'\' says Fontaine. ``They are a highly agressive animal.\'\'\r\n'),(857,2,'A collection of political have-nots is out to accomplish collectively what its members couldn\'t do individually: Defeat the powers of congressional incumbency. ``Our country is suffering from an imperial, permanent Congress. It is a Congress that cannot solve the problems we have,\'\' complained Paul Jurgens, a Decatur, Ill., Republican who ran unsuccessfully for the House in 1988. He was one of more than three dozen past and current congressional challengers who gathered Monday on Capitol Hill to call for a political housecleaning. ``Our federally elected officials have so rigged the process that they are impossible to unseat,\'\' said Harold Coker, a Chattanooga, Tenn., Republican and losing candidate in 1988. That complaint was the central theme at a meeting of the Coalition to End the Permanent Congress, a grassroots organization formed out of frustration with the 1988 elections, in which 98.5 percent of House incumbents won re-election. Coalition members from at least 18 states advocated a long list of reform proposals. Among them were a ban on taxpayer-paid mass mailings by members of Congress; prohibiting lawmakers from accepting honoraria or speaking fees; eliminating political action committees, which contribute mostly to campaigns of incumbents; and imposing a 12-year limit on how long members can serve in the House and Senate. Lionel Kunst, a Kansas Democrat who helped found the group, urged coalition members to return to their states and vigorously push the issue of congressional reform among voters. ``This thing is hot right now. We can make a greater impact,\'\' said Kunst. The group has met about a half dozen times in other cities since its first gathering last year in Kansas City, Mo. The coalition\'s latest assault on incumbency came as the Senate prepared to consider legislation to overhaul the system of financing congressional campaigns. But Kunst denounced the legislation as ``pablum\'\' and said it would do little for challengers.\r\n'),(858,2,'Supermarkets, pharmacies and small shops opened for the first time in 10 days Wednesday as a nationwide strike aimed at toppling Gen. Manuel Antonio Noriega began to fall apart. Despite the defections, Alberto Boyd, president of the National Council of Private Enterprise, said he and other strike leaders were not ending their effort to get rid of Noriega. In Washington, the Reagan administration said it was considering new sanctions to force out Noriega, but it appeared no action was imminent. The reopening of the capital\'s Gago, Rey and Super 99 supermarkets signaled the first crack in a work stoppage that closed an estimated 90 percent of the nation\'s business and industry. Later, the city\'s leading pharmacies reopened, as did some small clothing and other dry goods stores in the central business district. Traffic, extremely light for days, began to build again on Panama City\'s streets, with the usual jams of buses, taxis and private autos developing at major intersections. Grocery stores were doing a brisk but not extraordinarily heavy business. Customers were required to pay in cash and appeared to be buying mostly essentials. The government said some of the nation\'s banks, closed since March 3, would reopen Thursday, but only to process old checks. Even with a limited reopening of banks and some stores, there appeared to be no hope of a quick infusion of cash that would permit a return to normal commerce in the money-short nation. The cash crisis is due in part to U.S. economic sanctions against Noriega, who is charged in the United States with drug trafficking. As chief of the 15,000-member Defense Forces, Noriega is the real power behind Panama\'s civilian government. Some U.S. companies, including Miami-based Eastern Airlines and Harrison, N.Y.-based Texaco, Inc., this week paid the government $5 million owed for taxes, a diplomatic source who spoke on condition of anonymity said Wednesday. Owners of the reopened grocery stores could not be reached for comment, but Angelica Guinard, a leader of the opposition National Civic Crusade leader, said they had been under strong government pressure to reopen. She said the pressure included threats of confiscation of their goods and personal threats against themselves and their families. However, an executive of the Gago supermarket chain, the city\'s largest, said his company\'s stores opened ``because we have to pay our employees, and if we didn\'t open, we wouldn\'t have anything to do it with.\'\' He spoke on condition of anonymity. A woman leaving a Rey supermarket in one of Panama City\'s middle-class neighborhoods said she had bought only essentials: rice, milk, beans and soap. ``The kids don\'t understand,\'\' she said. ``They want to know why we don\'t have the kinds of things we had before.\'\' But she said the eldest, who turned 8 on Saturday, is catching on. ``He said, `Mommy, you can\'t throw a party for me because Noriega won\'t leave,\'\'\' she said. She wouldn\'t give her name. Felix Navarro, a wholesale fruit and vegetable dealer who closed down his own business in the strike, carefully studied prices on five-pound bags of rice before choosing one. Pointing to the rice and a container of cooking oil, he said, ``I had $100 in cash at the beginning of the month, and after I buy these, I\'m broke.\'\' Panama\'s chronic cash shortage worsened last month when Noriega fired President Eric Arturo Delvalle, touching off a panic run on the banks that eventually forced their closure. The United States aggravated the crisis by imposing a number of economic sanctions, including the freezing of millions of dollars in Panamanian government funds held by U.S. banks. The Reagan administration continues to recognize Delvalle, who is in hiding, as Panama\'s president. White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater told reporters in Washington on Wednesday that ``other sanctions are being actively considered\'\' to force Noriega\'s ouster. Sen. Alfonse M. D\'Amato, R-N.Y., said Noriega\'s troops have harassed and beaten Panama Canal employees. ``There is a continuing pattern of escalation\'\' in Panamanian actions against the canal, he said in an interview on ABC-TV\'s ``Good Morning America.\'\' He did not elaborate. On Tuesday, Noriega condemned the presence of the U.S. helicopter carrier Okinawa on the Pacific end of the Panama Canal. It passed through the canal Tuesday on its way to its home port, San Diego. The U.S. Defense Department said in Washington that the passage was ``routine,\'\' but Noriega called it ``a threat and an aggression.\'\' There was no immediate indication how long the vessel would stay in the area.\r\n'),(859,2,'Some of the investment advisers who earn a living touting their picks on stocks and futures deals are now trying their luck at handicapping the date war might break out in the Persian Gulf. For example, anytime after midnight between Nov. 12 and Nov. 22 is ``the best time for an attack to occur,\'\' say Peter Beutel and Thomas Blakeslee, oil analysts with Pegasus Econometric Group Inc., in Hoboken, N.J. They say their theories are rooted in military analyses coupled with the lunar cycle. During the ``window\'\' for war picked by Beutel and Blakeslee, the Kuwaiti tide will be high after midnight, which they say would help commandos get closer to a potential beachhead, and the moon phase will keep the sky dark, making it easier to storm the desert. After weeks in which financial markets were rocked by news and rumors from the Gulf standoff, feelings that war was inevitable perhaps inevitably led some experts to making picks on the startup date. The picks have been gushing through the investing community, with varying amounts of credibility. The Pegasus analysts, who offer advice on oil trading at the New York Mercantile Exchange, have gone so far as to put their predictions in writing. They call Nov. 12-22 ``a time to play any short positions extremely closely. If there is any military action, expect the U.S. to lead with its strong aerial suit.\'\' They emphasize they\'re not predicting war, and don\'t want to convey the impression that there\'s a sure-fire profiteering opportunity. They are merely saying when and how they think war would be most likely. Other wartime picks are not being made as boldly, and some analysts say all of the guesswork is crazy, but they are cropping up by the hundreds. Many analysts picked the days after the elections on Tuesday, with some taking coming holidays into account. ``Another theory one hears about is the weather factor,\'\' said Ann-Louise Hittle, a senior oil analyst with Shearson Lehman Brothers Inc. who emphasizes she is neither making nor touting any picks for a likely day that the war can begin. ``There\'s a cloudy season that starts up, an overcast season in February, that would make it difficult to stage an air strike,\'\' Hittle said. One stock market analyst has heard numerous Wall Streeters picking precise days for the attack, say, this coming Sunday. ``If I talk to 47 people, I get 47 opinions,\'\' said Sara Cerato of Nomura Securities International Inc. ``Each of these opinions seems to be an excuse not to get into the (stock) market right now. In the past, in a bull market, it paid to buy the market dips. Now, it doesn\'t seem to be working. The war seems to be the latest excuse\'\' to stay out. Early in the week, some oil traders were picking invasion days between Wednesday, which came and went with no war, and Friday. A Las Vegas oddsmaker said it would be possible to handicap the outset of war, just as people handicap anything else from football games to movies that might win an Oscar. But don\'t count on any Vegas sports books getting involved in war speculation. It\'s only legal for them to set odds on sporting events. Other oddsmaking is done only for promotional and entertainment purposes. ``We put out odds on whether George Steinbrenner would be banned from baseball,\'\' said oddsmaker Art Manteris of the Las Vegas Hilton. ``We put out odds on whether Pete Rose would be admitted to the Baseball Hall of Fame.\'\' Manteris said handicapping war would be ``a business matter, not an entertainment matter.\'\'\r\n'),(860,2,'Federal workers are being told to report for work Monday but to be prepared to go home if there\'s no agreement between Congress and the White House on how to pay them. The instructions to go to work as usual were contained in a memorandum from Budget Director Richard Darman to agency heads Friday. In the absence of legislation to keep the government operating beyond the start of the new fiscal year Monday, non-essential workers would be sent home within three hours if a government ``phase-down\'\' is launched, Darman\'s memo said. Federal workers complained earlier about the confusion surrounding what they should do. Before Darman\'s memo was released late in the afternoon, workers were being told to listen to the radio over the weekend. ``This is absolutely no way to run any kind of ship,\'\' said John Sturdivant, president of the 700,000-member American Federation of Government Employees. ``It\'s just ridiculous that we\'ve always got to operate on the basis of crisis. People don\'t know whether they\'re supposed to go to work, whether they have a full-time job or what,\'\' Sturdivant said. About 1.1 million federal workers received notices a month ago that they might be furloughed up to 22 days if automatic Gramm-Rudman deficit reduction budget cuts kick in on Monday. The furloughs and the phase-down are two separate threats facing federal workers. Most of those furloughs probably won\'t start until later in the week if no budget accord is reached; The phase-down would occur Monday if Congress doesn\'t pass - or President Bush refused to sign - temporary legislation to keep the government in operation. If such legislation were signed but the Gramm-Rudman cuts took effect, the furloughs probably would not start until later in the week. Also Friday, the federation sued to exempt Social Security employees from the automatic budget cuts. The suit, filed in U.S. District Court, contends those 60,000 workers should be excluded because their salaries are not paid out of general treasury funds. Instead, the suit notes, those workers are paid from the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Program, which is exempt from the Gramm-Rudman deficit-reduction act that will trigger $85 billion if no budget agreement is reached.\r\n'),(861,2,'Federal thrift officials said today they are seeking a cease and desist order against Neil Bush, one day after the president\'s son rejected a settlement over his role as a director of a collapsed savings and loan. Neil Bush\'s actions as a director of Silverado Banking, Savings and Loan Association of Denver amounted to conflicts of interest, said the Enforcement Review Committee of the Office of Thrift Supervision in Washington, D.C. The case will be heard by an administrative law judge. If the order is granted, the younger Bush would be barred from practices that could constitute a conflict of interest if he ever serves again with a federally insured financial institution. Bush said Thursday the Office of Thrift and Supervision had proposed the cease and desist order, but he had rejected it because it would imply that he had acted improperly. ``In my view, a settlement agreement would leave an implication that I misbehaved as a director of Silverado,\'\' Bush said in a statement. ``As I have said in the past, I have nothing to hide and I have done nothing wrong,\'\' he said. ``Therefore, I have refused to consent to any agreement with the Office of Thrift Supervision and if they choose to bring action against me, I will fight the matter in court.\'\' Bush, 34, served as a director of Silverado from 1985 to August 1988, resigning two weeks after his father got the GOP presidential nomination. The collapse of Silverado, now operating as part of Columbia Savings, the largest thrift in Colorado, is expected to cost taxpayers up to $1 billion. Karl Hoyle, senior deputy director of the Office of Thrift Supervision, said in Washington late Thursday that Bush\'s lawyers had told the agency Bush intends to contest the allegations of conflict of interest made by thrift regulators. Hoyle said the agency wouldn\'t seek a more severe penalty, which would ban Bush from ever working for a federally insured financial institution, because the office didn\'t believe it had grounds to seek it. That penalty has been imposed on five former Silverado officers. In a related matter, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation is considering whether to sue Silverado officers and directors, including Bush, for damages for losses to the taxpayers in the bailout. The Office of Thrift Supervision said examiners had expressed ``grave concern\'\' about Silverado\'s operations, particularly its heavy investment in Colorado\'s ailing commercial real estate market. They also have focused their investigation on what they said was ``an exceptionally large number of problem transactions\'\' between Silverado insiders and borrowers. Bush, who was a partner in an oil exploration firm, JNB Exploration, had business deals with two of Silverado\'s major borrowers, developers Bill L. Walters and Ken Good. ``Bill Walters had a passive 6.25 percent limited partnership interest in JNB Exploration,\'\' Bush said. ``Because I did not benefit directly or indirectly from any loan or transaction between Silverado and businesses controlled by Bill Walters, as an outside director I voted in 1986 with the other directors in unanimously approving the Walters loans and transactions brought to us by management. ``I voted because there was no conflict of interest under the federal banking laws and regulations or under the laws of Colorado,\'\' Bush said. Good, according to Bush, had a more active interest in the financing and management of JNB Exploration, and ``as a result, I abstained on all votes concerning Good. The other board members unanimously approved the transactions with Good,\'\' Bush said. He said both Walters\' and Good\'s relationships with Silverado, as borrowers and preferred shareholders, were established before he became a director. ``Their relationships with my company, which began in 1983, also preceded my Silverado board appointment,\'\' Bush said. A former federal S&L examiner, James Moroney, has alleged that regulators dragged their feet on Silverado because of Bush\'s presence on the institution\'s board and other political connections. But regulators in Washington have said they investigated Moroney\'s allegations and found them invalid. Bush has said he never sought to use his political connections and wouldn\'t have if asked.\r\n'),(862,2,'Former Virginia Gov. Charles S. Robb, nominated by acclamation for the U.S. Senate, was shouted down during his acceptance speech Saturday by Democratic convention delegates who support Jesse Jackson\'s presidential candidacy. Robb was briefly surrounded by Jackson supporters as he walked down the center aisle of the convention hall to make his speech, amid shouts of ``Jesse.\'\' About midway through his speech, 60 Jackson supporters began shouting again. Robb continued speaking for a few minutes until the dissidents made their way toward the platform. By then, they were surrounded by Robb supporters shouting the former governor\'s name. ``Whoever said Democrats didn\'t have any life left in them?\'\' an obviously exasperated but still smiling Robb said. He then quit speaking. Saturday\'s floor incident came on the heels of a Friday meeting between Robb and Virginia leaders of Jackson\'s campaign. The session, which lasted more than an hour, was held in an effort to settle complaints that Robb has not supported Jackson for a position in likely nominee Michael Dukakis\' White House bid. Robb, asked what the Jackson supporters wanted him to do, said, ``I\'m not real certain.\'\' Convention delegates voted down a floor motion to open debate on allocating the party\'s 75 national convention delegates, 37 of which went to Jackson, 22 to former candidate Albert Gore Jr. and 16 to Dukakis. The three-way split reflects the outcome of the Super Tuesday primary in Virginia.\r\n'),(863,2,'Interest rates on short-term Treasury securities rose in the government\'s latest auction, with yields on six-month bills hitting the highest level in more than three months. The Treasury Department sold $6.4 billion in three-month bills at an average discount rate of 5.92 percent on Monday, up from 5.78 percent last week. Another $6.4 billion was sold in six-month bills at an average discount rate of 6.28 percent, up from 6.14 percent last week. The rates on three-month bills were the highest since April 11, when they sold for 5.98 percent. The rates on six-month bills were the highest since Jan. 19, when rates averaged 6.37 percent. The new discount rates understate the actual return to investors _ 6.09 percent for three-month bills with a $10,000 bill selling for $9,850.40 and 6.58 percent for a six-month bill selling for $9,682.50. In a separate report, the Federal Reserve said the average yield for one-year Treasury bills, the most popular index for making changes in adjustable rate mortgages rose to 7.03 percent last week from 6.92 percent the previous week.\r\n'),(864,2,'Civil servants across the country staged a one-day strike for better pay Thursday, disrupting public services and presenting Premier Michel Rocard with the toughest challenge of his five months in office. There was no way to determine how many of the estimated 5 million civil servants participated. In Paris, subway and bus service was cut by one-half to two-thirds. Many commuters feared the worst and drove into the city, resulting in huge traffic jams. Some highways leading into Paris were backed up as much as 17 miles. Air France canceled 31 flights and major rail lines were running at one-half to two-thirds their usual number. Mail went undelivered and teachers didn\'t show up for classes in many parts of the country, and many public offices were closed. ``The worst thing that could happen would be that the government continue in its obstinacy,\'\' said Jean Kaspar, national secretary of the Socialist-run French Democratic Confederation of Labor, at a demonstration in central Paris. Andre Bergeron, head of the Worker Force union, said the government must ``concede something and come to an agreement next week or risk finding itself in an inextricable situation,\'\' perhaps involving more and longer strikes. Public service employees received a 1 percent raise in March and 1 percent in September. They have been offered a 2.2 percent increase for 1989. Inflation is expected to hit 2.8 percent in 1988, and the public workers see themselves losing 0.8 percent in purchasing power. Maintaining purchasing power is not the only demand of the seven different unions representing public workers, but it is far and away the most important one. Rocard has been criticized by the conservative opposition and by his own Socialist Party. Civil service workers in France traditionally vote left, and they are especially disappointed by the lack of sympathy they perceive on the part of the Socialists, who took over from the conservatives after spring elections. The government received a shock in August when the monthly trade deficit nearly tripled to $1.5 billion. With little prospect of the trade deficit improving much, officials are afraid any relaxation in austerity measures will increase inflation and lead to an even wider trade deficit. Alain Juppe, secretary-general of the conservative Rally for the Republic party, accused Rocard of failing to start consultations with labor soon enough. He criticized the premier for trying to deal with different types of employees on a case-by-case basis instead of working out an overall solution. Pierre Mauroy, a former premier who is now head of the Socialist Party, publicly castigated Rocard for his approach. In a radio interview Wednesday, Mauroy expressed his ``solidarity with the strikers\'\' and said, ``This situation cannot continue. They cannot be the only ones to see their purchasing power diminish.\'\' The workers believe that the French economy has been improving lately and that after years of austerity, they should now benefit. The government has pleaded for more time, six months to a year. Police and firefighters are public sector employees but they don\'t have the right to strike and did not participated in Thursday\'s action. Nurses in public hospitals can strike but are required to provide minimum service. Air traffic controllers also are public employees but, like nurses, are required to provide minimum service.\r\n'),(865,2,'Among the also-rans, Gary Hart and Bruce Babbitt failed in New Hampshire to extract themselves from the bottom of the seven-man Democratic heap, but Pete du Pont\'s slow-but-improved showing on the Republican side Tuesday gave him cause for hope. None of the last-tier candidates was counting himself out as votes from the nation\'s first primary rolled in. But in the days to come, New Hampshire still could send a few candidates packing before Super Tuesday rolls around March 8. Proving that in politics all things are relative, du Pont, who was running fourth in the five-man Republican field, said: ``This has been a terrific evening for us here in New Hampshire.\'\' He had finished fifth in a six-man field _ before the withdrawal of Alexander Haig _ in Iowa\'s caucuses a week earlier. Du Pont\'s showing was just shy of Jack Kemp and ahead of Robertson, according to partial returns. All three trailed front-runner George Bush and his main rival, Bob Dole. For the Democrats, Babbitt edged out Hart. Ahead of them were Jesse Jackson and Albert Gore, each of whom had solid organizations awaiting them in the South. Richard Gephardt and Paul Simon were in the strong second tier behind winner Michael Dukakis. Hart, who won New Hampshire when he ran in 1984 but whose candidacy has failed to catch fire since he re-entered the 1988 race, called his meager showing at the bottom of the Democratic pack this time ``disappointing ... but not discouraging.\'\' The former Colorado senator said he expects to be a candidate ``as far ahead in the future as I can see\'\' but he was pragmatic about the need to start picking up some solid support that would translate into the dollars and delegates needed to win nomination. ``I understand that there are standards that have to be met in terms of delegates and votes,\'\' he said. ``It will take at least 30 to 60 days to determine if I can put together a viable candidacy.\'\' Babbitt, who had said prior to the New Hampshire primary that its voters had the power of life and death over his candidacy, insisted he wasn\'t ready to start planning his funeral just yet. ``I\'m going to move on for a couple of days to Washington in a couple of days and call and talk to my supporters all over the country and ask them this question: How ... can we keep this reform movement alive?\'\' Jackson said he met with Babbitt on Tuesday night and discussed getting his support. ``Our message has tremendous overlap ... I hope that in time we will work out some common ground in terms of our politics,\'\' Jackson said. Robertson failed to repeat his dramatic second-place showing from Iowa, but had never claimed he\'d sweep New Hampshire. He had better prospects in sight in the South and plenty of money on hand to propel him forward. One of the also-rans from the Iowa caucuses never even made it as far as the New Hampshire primary. Haig last week bowed out and threw his support to Dole.\r\n'),(866,2,'The Interstate Commerce Commission today unanimously approved the sale of the Southern Pacific Railroad to Rio Grande Industries, creating a 15,000-mile rail system that covers 15 states from Portland, Ore., to New Orleans. Rio Grande Industries has agreed to buy the Southern Pacific from Santa Fe Southern Pacific Corp. for $1.2 billion. The ICC in a 4-0 vote said the merger of the Southern Pacific and the Denver & Rio Grande Western railroads would have the best competitive results and be in the public interest. The commission last year ordered the Santa Fe Southern Pacific Corp. to divest itself of the Southern Pacific after the rejection of that railroad\'s merger with the Santa Fe. Santa Fe Southern reached agreement with Rio Grande Industries, but when permission for the sale was sought from the ICC, another railroad company, Kansas City Southern Industries, objected and sought to buy Southern Pacific as well. But the ICC in a series of votes today turned its back on the Kansas City Southern proposal and approved the sale to Rio Grande Industries instead. At a news conference, Philip Anschutz, chairman of Rio Grande Industries, applauded the ICC decision and said the combined railroads ``will operate under the banner of Southern Pacific.\'\' He said that senior officers of the Southern Pacific will be announced before the purchase is completed and that managers will be drawn from the ranks of both railroads. The Southern Pacific also has extensive real estate holdings in the West, but Anschutz said, ``We will be in the railroad business, first and foremost.\'\' The Southern Pacific operates up and down the West Coast and along the southern tier of the country with tracks stretching from Portland, Ore., through central California through El Paso, Texas, and as far east as New Orleans. It also operates from St. Louis to the Gulf Coast. The Denver & Rio Grande runs along a central corridor from Ogden, Utah, to St. Louis. Kansas City Southern could challenge the ICC ruling in court but the company\'s president and chief executive officer, Landon Rowland, said no decision has been made on what the next step, if any, would be. ``We\'re not ruling out anything. ... I don\'t know what our options are,\'\' Rowland told reporters after the ICC vote.\r\n'),(867,2,'Craftsmen are putting the finishing touches on a dream, spanning generations, of a restored Mormon mecca on the Mississippi. Completion of a log cabin and post office by Oct. 1 will cap the extraordinary rebirth of a city known in its heyday as ``Nauvoo the Beautiful\'\' _ the center of the Mormon world for seven years in the mid-19th century. The Mormons have spent more than $15 million over 28 years to restore more than two dozen homes and shops, and to build two visitor centers and a 700-acre farm dotted with 330 head of cattle. ``People come here because it\'s a historical setting,\'\' said Elder Loren C. Dunn, president of Nauvoo Restoration Inc. ``By telling the story of Nauvoo, we are also telling the story of the church. The people are coming in through the historical door.\'\' From 1839 to 1846, the swampland below a bend in the Mississippi River some 80 miles upstream from Hannibal, Mo., was transformed into a bustling city of 12,000. Mormons fleeing mob violence in Missouri and converts arriving from Great Britain were among the newcomers. A rival of Chicago as the most populous Illinois city, Nauvoo was where church founder Joseph Smith\'s vision of a theocracy achieved its fullest flowering. But just as before in Missouri, political, economic and religious differences with non-Mormon neighbors degenerated into armed conflict. Less than two years after Smith was slain by a mob in nearby Carthage in 1844, the ``City of Joseph\'\' stood a virtual shell. The Mormons under Brigham Young made their pioneering exodus to the Great Basin. The Mormons didn\'t forget Nauvoo. Decades after having left in sorrow, pilgrims returned seeking a sense of their past. One, making the trip after 78 years, put his thoughts to verse: ``In \'46 I left Nauvoo ``Behind an old oxen team. ``Now I\'m going back in a Henry Ford, ``To see how it will seem.\'\' J. Leroy Kimball, a Salt Lake City physician whose patients included several top officials of the Mormon Church, believed Nauvoo could be reborn. Kimball\'s powers of persuasion were a match for his healing skills. ``When you\'re there in a doctor\'s office with your clothes off, you\'re kind of forced to listen,\'\' recalls his son, James L. Kimball. ``Dad really pushed the idea that something should be done.\'\' Several of his captive listeners journeyed to Nauvoo in 1960 to see the home of Heber C. Kimball, a Smith associate and Kimball\'s great-grandfather. The doctor had purchased the house in 1954 and restored it. Kimball and others who had bought homes or property were prepared to donate them to the church. Mindful that any large-scale Mormon effort would drive up land values and inflame anti-Mormon sentiments, church leaders in 1962 established the non-profit corporation to do the restoration. The church\'s 1,250 acres of old Nauvoo includes 23 restored homes and shops. The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, which split with the Mormons after the Nauvoo period, has restored another 44-acre section that includes Joseph Smith\'s residence and grave site. The pastoral serenity, hard by the big river and down a verdant hill from the modern town of 1,100 inhabitants, verges on the mythic. A scholar of the city\'s story calls it ``a dreamscape, almost,\'\' a Nauvoo of the imagination. Locals boast that it is ``the Colonial Williamsburg of the Midwest.\'\' That\'s the problem, historians grouse. Although the project was carefully researched by archaeologists, architects and historians, it has drawn criticism from scholars who say its well-manicured grounds and brick structures bear little resemblance to the original. ``People who go to Nauvoo and think they have seen the real Nauvoo are sadly mistaken,\'\' said Robert Bruce Flanders, a Southwest Missouri State historian of the town. ``It\'s true of Nauvoo as of Williamsburg. It really doesn\'t look anything like Nauvoo did in 1845.\'\' Still, Flanders gives the church high marks for its restoration of individual buildings like Brigham Young\'s home and is unaware of any site where ``there is so little development overlaying an old settlement.\'\' Dunn has heard the criticisms and tries to put them in perspective. ``There are not any two historians that will agree what Nauvoo was really like,\'\' he said, ``and we\'ve tried to restore it to the best of our ability.\'\' Dunn points out that the brick structures were the ones that survived in the best condition and, once restored, are far less expensive to maintain. Still, sensitive to the preponderance of brick, Nauvoo Restoration is erecting an authentic log cabin. And a detailed model and film in the visitor center seek to correct any false impression about what\'s outside. ``It\'s too clean and too beautiful and you are seeing it at its Sunday best,\'\' concedes Kimball\'s son, who is senior librarian for the church\'s historical department. ``But I think the Saints who left Nauvoo carried in their minds the vision of what it could have been, or will be again.\'\'\r\n'),(868,2,'A former lawmaker from Italy\'s neo-fascist party was formally charged on Wednesday in connection with a train bombing that killed 16 people and wounded 266 in 1984. Massimo Abbatangelo, who served in the Chamber of Deputies for the Italian Social Movement from 1979 to 1987, was charged with causing a massacre, joining an armed band, bombing with terrorist and subversive ends, and possession of explosives. He was detained in Naples on Oct. 10 after a year as a fugitive, but the formal arrest warrant and charges were filed Wednesday by investigative magistrate Claudio Lo Curto. Nine other people are on trial for the bombing in Florence. The bomb exploded Dec. 23, 1984, on an express train traveling between Naples and Milan. Authorities say the bombing was carried out by right-wing terrorists and the Mafia in an attempt to destabilize the country.\r\n'),(869,2,'United Mine Workers strikers won concessions on health care and pension benefits and Pittston Coal Group got the ability to run its mines almost nonstop in a proposed settlement distributed to miners today. If approved by the UMW\'s rank-and-file in Virginia, West Virginia and Kentucky, the settlement could resolve the union\'s bitter and sporadically violent 10{-month strike against the nation\'s largest coal exporter by next week. The Associated Press obtained a copy of the proposed contract from a source who insisted on anonymity. Since Pittston and the union negotiators reached agreement on New Year\'s Eve, they have kept contract details secret while both sides moved to dismiss lawsuits and fines stemming from the strike. UMW President Richard Trumka announced Thursday that union members would vote on the pact Monday, despite $64 million in fines pending in a Virginia state court for illegal strike activity. More than 2,000 union members packed into a building at the Russell County Fairgrounds this morning to receive copies of the 49-page contract, listen to pep talks by the union\'s top officers and receive a briefing on the terms. Trumka choked back tears as he congratulated the miners on what he said was a successful strike. ``I\'m proud. I\'m proud you did this,\'\' Trumka said as he raised the contract in the air to a round of applause. Some miners grumbled about terms in the contract but most gave it a favorable review. ``There\'s some good, some bad,\'\' said Jack Hale, a 48-year-old laid-off miner. ``We\'ll just have to weigh the good against the bad.\'\' The proposal in many respects mirrors health and pension benefits contained in the 1988 Bituminous Coal Operators Association contract, the industry\'s national labor contract. But it differs in two significant respects: Pittston won the ability to hire contract truck drivers and maintenance workers, as long as union miners are not laid off in the process. And the company would be able to run its mines around-the-clock and seven-days-a-week, except for Christmas and the Sunday day shift. Wages were not a major issue in the strike. But miners would receive a cumulative $1.20-an-hour raise at the end of three years. Top-scale hourly pay in selected positions would be $17.52. Pittston dropped out of the health-care plan negotiated between the union and the BCOA and spurred the strike by proposing payment of 80 percent of the covered medical expenses rather than 100 percent. The UMW won its demand to maintain 100 percent medical coverage for employees, pensioners and their families. The contract has a new health-cost containment provision in which Pittston issues $500 twice-a-year to each miner and pensioner under the age of 65 to cover their deductibles. After it dropped out of the BCOA, Pittston stopped contributing to the multi-employer retirement fund and promised to take care of its own retirees. It now has agreed to go back to the union pension fund. ``Pension benefits in the new contract are identical to those contained in the 1988 national agreement,\'\' according to a contract summary. The company wanted to be able to contract out work in five job categories but won the limited right in two areas: transportation of coal and repair and maintenance work. The company wanted to eliminate a provision that union contracts are not broken when a union mine changes hands or is conveyed from one subsidiary to another. But the settlement retains the successorship provision in the 1984 agreement and contains ``strengthened protection for UMWA members against internal company reorganization and shifting of coal lands,\'\' the contract said. Pittston\'s significant victory was its request to establish round-the-clock operations. During negotiations, the company dropped its original demand for a Sunday day shift, with four 10-hour shifts a week instead of five eight-hour shifts and the ability to call in workers for ``reasonable overtime\'\' with 12 hours notice, on a mandatory basis. The UMW wanted to stick with its traditional fixed five-day work week. The contract contains two ``flextime\'\' work schedules in addition to the regular work week. The flextime allows the company to work continuously. Pittston did not want to reinstate miners convicted of strike-related felonies. The UMW wanted all miners reinstated. A mention of the issue could not be found in the labor agreement.\r\n'),(870,2,'Timothy Busfield says he draws on his own personality in playing Elliott Weston, the yuppie jerk, in ABC\'s ``thirtysomething.\'\' ``That\'s who I am,\'\' Busfield said in an interview in the March 17 edition of TV Guide. ``I\'m a jerk, first and foremost. I don\'t know the answers. I\'m an idiot. I make mistakes. I stick my foot in my mouth. I\'m insensitive when I don\'t want to be.\'\' But Busfield said he has more than an emotional identification to Elliot. Elliot has a failed business behind him and two small children he struggles to know. He chases other women and at one point separated from his wife. When the role was offered to him, Busfield was in the throes of his own failed marriage, had trouble connecting with his own young son and had watched his children\'s theater project go under. This season, Elliot has reconciled with his wife, is back working with his old partner and has reached an understanding with his children. And Busfield has remarried, has a second son and his children\'s theater company is thriving. He said he people he meets recognize him as Elliot. He gets Bibles in the mail from those offended by the character\'s philandering, and one time a woman walked up to him in a supermarket, said ``Oh, it\'s you!\'\' and slapped him. People are ``emotionally disturbed by Elliot, yet they\'re completely enthralled by the character,\'\' Busfield said. ``He gets under their skin.\'\'\r\n'),(871,2,'Lawrence Alloway, an art critic and former curator of the Guggenheim Museum credited with coining the term ``pop art,\'\' has died at age 63. Alloway died of cardiac arrest Tuesday at his home in Manhattan. Born in Wimbledon, England, Alloway studied art history at the University of London but never earned a degree. From 1954 to 1957, he served as director of London\'s Institute of Contemporary Art, where he became known for his shows and critiques of avant-garde artists. In 1958, he won a grant to study art in the United States. Alloway served as curator of the Guggenheim Museum from 1962 to 1966, wrote art criticism for The Nation from 1963 to 1971 and taught art history at the State University of New York at Stony Brook from 1968 to 1981. There he cofounded ``Art Criticism\'\' magazine with the critic Donald Kuspit. An early champion of postwar American art, he is credited with abbreviating the term popular art into ``pop art\'\' to denote new work by younger artists that dealt with consumer images. Alloway wrote several books, including a study of violence in American films. He is survived by his wife, painter Sylvia Sleigh.\r\n'),(872,2,'A leftist guerrilla attack on a hydroelectric dam north of the capital killed 16 soldiers, injured 15 and caused a nationwide power shortage. In San Salvador, a correspondent for the Soviet newspaper Pravda was expelled from the country, and a military judge was fatally shot outside his home. Rebels destroyed five transformers and a central control board during their pre-dawn attack Wednesday at the November 5th Dam, said Col. Carlos Eduardo Melendez of the government\'s Rio Lempa Hydroelectric Power Authority. The dam, 50 miles north of San Salvador, supplies 22 percent of El Salvador\'s electricity needs, Melendez said. ``The outage of the system of these five transformers practically leaves the dam out of service for a while. How long we cannot say,\'\' Melendez told a news conference. He said the attack would worsen an already severe electricity shortage caused by a drought and sabotage by leftist guerrillas, who have fought the U.S.-backed government for the last eight years. The power authority already had planned to start rationing electricity with three-hour daily cuts nationwide beginning Wednesday. The attack forced the authority to increase daily cuts to four hours, Melendez said. Melendez said the guerrillas have mounted about 2,000 attacks on electrical installations causing $51 million in damage since the civil war began in October 1979. The guerrillas\' last major attack on the dam was in June 1984. The Soviet journalist, Yuri Stroev, was taken from the Hotel Camino Real on Wednesday by several men who said they were immigration officials, hotel employees said. He was the first Soviet correspondent to visit the country, according to the Foreign Correspondents Association here. The employees, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the gunmen asked Stroev to pack his luggage and accompany them. He was taken away in a vehicle driven by several plainclothes individuals, they said. An immigration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press today that Stroev was deported to Guatemala. He said the journalist had been told he could stay only if he received military accreditation. Stroev had told colleagues earlier that he had applied for accreditation at the Press Committee of the Armed Forces general staff, but officials there had told him they had run out of credentials. Stroev had arrived in San Salvador on Sunday. Also Wednesday, a man jumped from a jeep in a San Salvador neighborhood and shot Jorge Alberto Serrano, a military judge who handles cases related to the civil war. The jeep pulled up outside Serrano\'s home and the gunman fired four shots into the judge\'s car, witnesses said, speaking on condition they not be identified for fear of reprisal. The attacker escaped. Serrano, 45, died at the scene. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. Serrano was one of three military judges in charge of national security cases linked to the civil war. Some cases involved people suspected of cooperating with the guerrillas and others involved military officers. In January, Serrano ruled that three men accused in the June 1985 shooting deaths of 13 people, including six Americans, should be freed under an amnesty program implemented in November. President Jose Napoleon Duarte overruled Serrano\'s decision in April.\r\n'),(873,2,'Some people never throw anything away, according to Scott Bruce, who came to this breakfast food mecca looking for old cereal boxes to add to his collection. Sound flaky? ``Cereal boxes represent heroes of popular culture _ the grain gods, I call them,\'\' said Bruce, a Cambridge, Mass., collector who once started a lunch-box collecting craze. ``When a kid sits down with a bowl of his favorite cereal, he becomes one with his hero. It\'s like a secular communion rite.\'\' Bruce, 34, is talking this week with cereal company executives as well as ordinary people who hoard cereal boxes, if there is such a thing. Rare boxes can fetch up to $1,000, said Bruce, who began his collection in 1988 and recently published a collector\'s magazine called Flake. Battle Creek is the home of Kellogg Co., the world\'s largest cereal maker, as well as Post and Ralston-Purina plants. ``The people here have cereal in their bloodstream,\'\' said Bruce. Old cereal boxes are all the more valuable because of the scarcity of people who allow them to hang around. ``The militant mom was the death to many collections,\'\' he said mournfully. ``But maybe I\'ll find that that odd citizen who has a Corn Flakes box with Vanessa Williams.\'\' Miss Williams, Miss America 1984, lost the crown when it was disclosed she had posed nude for Playboy. Bruce said he generally hunts for vintage boxes in good condition from the 1930s through 1970s. But he\'s even squirreling away some of today\'s boxes. ``The 1990 Batman cereal box from Ralston is an instant classic,\'\' he said. ``Just you wait.\'\'\r\n'),(874,2,'The republic of Georgia postponed elections scheduled Sunday to introduce a multiparty system and give opposition parties time to organize their campaigns against the ruling Communists. The republic\'s ruling Supreme Soviet parliament decided late Tuesday to postpone the elections. A spokesman for the opposition People\'s Front, Valerian Khukhunasvili, said the decision was made after intense negotiations between the Communist Party chief and the head of the People\'s Front. The official Soviet news agency Tass said the elections would be held in October or November and that current legislators would continue in their offices until then. The Georgian Supreme Soviet also abolished an article in the republic\'s constitution granting the Communist Party a monopoly on political power, Tass said. The move echoed the national legislature\'s vote last week to end the unchallenged role of the Communist Party. The amended Georgian constitution gives all political parties and public organizations the right ``to take part in working out the policies of the government, in managing government and public affairs.\'\' The People\'s Front was instrumental in pressing for the change and has spearheaded the republic\'s fight for independence. On March 9, the Georgian parliament condemned what it said was the republic\'s forced annexation by the Soviet Union in the 1920s and demanded negotiations on restoring independence. Two days later, the Baltic republic of Lithuania declared itself independent, which the Soviet government refuses to accept. Pro-independence groups have scored significant victories in local elections this year in Lithuania and the two other Baltic republics, Estonia and Latvia. Pro-independence parties in Georgia, including the People\'s Front, have been pushing for secession for more than a year. The parties have used mass demonstrations to press for independence. On April 9, 1989, Soviet soldiers moved against a crowd of peaceful demonstrators in the republic\'s capital of Tbilisi, killing 19. A patrol later shot another person for violating curfew.\r\n'),(875,2,'It will be hard to top the color and drama of his fourth U.S.-Soviet summit, but President Reagan\'s aides and backers say he will have plenty to keep him busy until he leaves office 7{ months from now. There\'s just a chance that his schedule might include a fifth meeting with Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev to sign a treaty reducing superpower arsenals of long-range nuclear missiles. ``I think what we are seeing is that Ronald Reagan has not yet reached the peak of his powers or his accomplishments,\'\' says Martin Anderson, the president\'s former top domestic policy adviser and author of a book about his administration. Reagan\'s agenda will include an economic summit meeting with leaders of the industrialized Western democracies and Japan, campaign trips on behalf of George Bush and other Republican candidates and a brief appearance at the GOP convention in New Orleans. He is also expected to squeeze in four more vacation trips to California before he turns over the reins to his successor at noon next Jan. 20. As they have for many months, the president and his aides also say that efforts continue to secure the freedom of nine American hostages held in Lebanon. Administration efforts to force Gen. Manuel Antonio Noriega from power, which collapsed as Reagan was on his way to the summit, may also be resumed. On the president\'s immediate schedule are a couple of speeches in Washington in which he will report on his Moscow visit. Details of the speeches had not been announced as the president prepared to leave Moscow. Still up in the air was the future of a proposed treaty reducing intercontinental ballistic missile arsenals by 30 to 50 percent, which both sides had originally said they hoped might be signed during the meetings in the Kremlin. ``We are both hopeful that it can be finished before I leave office,\'\' Reagan told students at Moscow State University. ``But I assure you that if it isn\'t ... I will have impressed on my successor that we must carry on until it is signed.\'\' Anderson, interviewed by telephone at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, where he is a senior fellow, said, ``I would predict that he and General Secretary Gorbachev are going to be working even harder to put together a reduction in the big weapons.\'\' ``They may not get to the full 50 percent but I wouldn\'t be surprised if they did get some agreement,\'\' said Anderson, who in his recent book, ``Revolution,\'\' depicted nuclear arms reduction as Reagan\'s overriding concern during his presidency. Gorbachev and Reagan, who first met in Geneva in 1985 and subsequently got together in Reykjavik, Iceland, and in Washington before their session in Moscow, have indicated they would be willing to meet again to sign such a treaty. With difficult negotiations still ahead, no concrete plans have been made, but some sources have suggested Budapest, Hungary, as a possible site. More immediately, Reagan will meet in Toronto June 19-21 with heads of government from Canada, Japan, West Germany, Britain, Italy and France for the 14th annual economic summit. With the exception of Britain\'s Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, he will have been in office longer than any of them. ``There are no burning issues,\'\' said one administration official. ``It\'s a `where we have been and where we are going\' kind of thing.\'\' Reagan\'s speech at the Republican National Convention in New Orleans Aug. 15-18 is expected to be a brief drop-in enroute to his annual August vacation at his ranch north of Santa Barbara, Calif. He is also expected to visit the ranch in July and, as usual, spend Thanksgiving there and round out the year at the home of old friend Walter Annenberg in Rancho Mirage, Calif. The president is expected to make campaign appearances on Bush\'s behalf after the vice president\'s expected nomination at the convention. ``Nothing has been scheduled, but he will be doing campaigning for the vice president and a lot of campaigning for Senate and House candidates,\'\' Deputy White House Press Secretarty B.J. Cooper said. It does not sound as dramatic as meeting with refuseniks in Moscow, dueling with Gorbachev inside the Kremlin walls or answering barbed questions from Soviet students. But, as Reagan said in a May 2 speech to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce reviewing his administration\'s accomplishments, ``We aren\'t at the end yet.\'\'\r\n'),(876,2,'Two cars of an express passenger train derailed and slammed into a parked freight train at a station, killing at least 33 people and injuring 15, the state Tanjug news agency reported today. One passenger was quoted as saying the express train entered the station in eastern Yugoslavia at high speed, then slammed on its breaks. But the news agency said the driver obeyed all signals while entering the station. The crash occurred at 7:20 p.m. Sunday in Lapovo, 50 miles south of Belgrade. Rescue teams worked through the night to reach the victims, using blow torches to cut through the derailed coaches, Tanjug said. The train was traveling from the southern city of Skoplje to Belgrade when its last two cars jumped off the rails at the Lapovo station and rammed into an engine of a parked freight train, Tanjug said. A Belgrade radio report described the impact as ``tremendous.\'\' Initial findings suggest that technical failure, rather than human error, was the cause of the accident as the driver of the passenger train reportedly entered the station observing all signals, the agency said. ``I felt the train arrived in the station at full speed before braking suddenly. We kept on sitting for 15 minutes without knowing what was going on,\'\' Merima Cvetkovic of Belgrade told the newspaper Politika. Citizens offered their private vehicles to help ambulances transport the injured to hospitals. The government of Serbia today asked federal authorities to proclaim Wednesday a day of national mourning for the victims, but there was no immediate word on whether the request was approved.\r\n'),(877,2,'Police on Saturday fired on thousands of rioting prisoners demanding freedom, killing at least three and wounding more than 90, prison officials said. At least 33 prison guards were injured, 12 of them hospitalized, after prisoners stormed the prison\'s main gate with iron rods and sticks, said a police spokesman who could not be identified under briefing rules. About 5,000 convicts and detainees awaiting trial took part in the riot at Dhaka Central Jail, and some tried to scale the walls, a senior police official said on condition of anonymity. Police fired bullets and several tear gas shells. State television said three prisoners were killed. The state BSS news agency said the riot was continuing late Saturday, and some prison wardens were taken hostage. Hundreds of police surrounded the prison. Prisoners later waved blood-stained shirts from the roofs and threw two slips of paper with written messages for journalists standing outside the prison compound. In one message, the prisoners claimed that 20 to 50 prisoners were killed in police firing and between 100 and 300 were injured. The other message demanded that the prisoners be released because their crimes were small compared to those of Kader Siddiqui, an opposition political leader convicted of treason and sentenced in absentia for 12 years in prison. Siddiqui, who fled to neighboring India after the assasination of political ally President Sheik Mujibur Rahman in 1975, returned to a hero\'s welcome this month. The unrest started Friday when some prisoners who were jailed during the four years of martial law rule under former President Hussain Muhammad Ershad protested their detention and demanded they be released. Other prisoners joined in the protest. Ershad, a former army general, seized power in a 1982 coup and imposed martial law uptil 1986. He was arrested and placed under house arrest early this month following seven weeks of nationwide protests. Police have charged Ershad and several former ministers with corruption and abuse of power. Last week, the caretaker government that replaced Ershad freed 167 prisoners when it celebrated the nation\'s 19th year of independence from Pakistan.\r\n'),(878,2,'Here are Broadway\'s new and current shows. Ticket supply as of Feb. 19 is indicated as Difficult or Available. Credit card holders can order tickets by phone or by calling Telecharge, Teletron or Ticketron. Telecharge\'s number is 212-239-6200 unless otherwise indicated. Teletron\'s number is 212-246-0102. Ticketron is 212-977-9020. For 24-hour information on theater, dance and music performances, call the Theater Development Fund\'s New York City@On Stage, 212-587-1111. When calling theaters directly, use New York area code 212. Advance inquiries should be made, as ticket availability is subject to change. _ ``A Chorus Line,\'\' the longest-running musical in Broadway history, is about the hard life and struggles of chorus-line members. Shubert, 239-6200, same number as Telecharge. Ticketron. Available. _ ``A Walk in the Woods,\'\' Sam Waterston and Robert Prosky star in Lee Blessing\'s two character-play about nuclear arms control negotiators in Geneva. Now in previews, opens Feb. 28. Golden, 239-6200, same number as Telecharge. Available. _ ``Anything Goes,\'\' a revival by the Lincoln Center Theater of the 1934 Cole Porter musical. Vivian Beaumont, 239-6200, same number as Telecharge. Ticketron. Difficult. _ ``Breaking the Code,\'\' Derek Jacobi stars in a play about the man who broke the Nazi Enigma Code during World War II. Neil Simon, 757-8646. Teletron. Available. _ ``Broadway Bound,\'\' Neil Simon\'s autobiographical comedy about two struggling young writers. Broadhurst, 239-6200, same number as Telecharge. Ticketron. Available. _ ``Burn This,\'\' John Malkovich and Joan Allen star in Lanford Wilson\'s contemporary romantic comedy. Plymouth, 239-6200, same number as Telecharge. Ticketron. Available. _ ``Cabaret,\'\' Joel Grey stars in a revival of the landmark Harold Prince musical set in Berlin of the 1920s. Minskoff, 869-0550. Teletron. Ticketron. Available. _ ``Cats,\'\' musical based on T.S. Eliot\'s cat poems, music by Andrew Lloyd Webber of ``Evita\'\' fame. Winter Garden, 239-6200, same number as Telecharge. Ticketron. Available. _ ``Fences,\'\' Billy Dee Williams stars in a black family drama by August Wilson. Winner of the 1987 Tony award for best play and the Pulitzer Prize for drama. 46th Street, 221-1211. Teletron. Ticketron. Available. _ ``42nd Street,\'\' hit remake of the 1930s movie-musical classic. St. James, 398-0280. Teletron. Ticketron. Available. _ ``Into The Woods,\'\' Bernadette Peters stars in a Stephen Sondheim musical about what happens to several fairy tale characters after they live happily ever after. Martin Beck, 246-6363. Teletron. Ticketron. Available. _ ``Les Miserables,\'\' a lavish musical retelling of the epic Victor Hugo novel. Winner of the 1987 Tony award as best musical. Broadway, 239-6200, same number as Telecharge. Ticketron. Difficult. _ ``Me and My Girl,\'\' Jim Dale stars in the 1930s English musical hit about a cockney scamp making it big in high society. Marquis, 382-0100. Teletron. Ticketron. Available. _ ``Oh! Calcutta!,\'\' long-running nudie musical that spoofs sex and swinging and such. Edison, 302-2302. Available. _ ``Penn & Teller,\'\' hip vaudeville and magic tricks from two young comedians. Ritz, 582-4022. Teletron. Available. Closes March 20. _ ``Sarafina!,\'\' a South African musical about high school students in a black township. Cort, 239-6200, same number as Telecharge. Available. _ ``Serious Money,\'\' Caryl Churchill\'s black comedy about high finance and dirty dealing. Royale, 239-6200, same number as Telecharge. Available. _ ``Starlight Express,\'\' an Andrew Lloyd Webber-Trevor Nunn roller-skating extravaganza about a train race across the United States. Gershwin, 586-6510. Teletron. Available. _ ``The Nerd,\'\' Robert Joy and Peter MacNicol star in Larry Shue\'s comedy about the limits of friendship. Helen Hayes, 944-9450. Teletron. Ticketron. Available. Advertising ``Last Weeks.\'\' _ ``The Phantom of the Opera,\'\' the lavish Andrew Lloyd Webber musical about a deformed composer and the young soprano he loves. Majestic, 239-6290, same number as Telecharge. Difficult.\r\n'),(879,2,'Here are the world\'s top manufacturers of color televisions. Companies are ranked by the consulting firm BIS Mackintosh according to the number of sets sold in 1987 (figures in millions). 1. Thomson Group, France (including GE-RCA), 7.3. 2. NV Philips, Netherlands (excluding Grundig), 6.8. 3. Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd., Japan, 5.3. 4. Toshiba Corp., Japan, 4.0. Sony Corp., Japan, 4.0. 6. Hitachi Ltd., Japan, 3.6. Sanyo Electric Co. Ltd., Japan, 3.6. Samsung Group, South Korea, 3.6. Lucky Goldstar Group, South Korea, 3.6. 10. Sharp Corp., Japan, 3.0. 11. Victor Co. of Japan Ltd. (JVC), Japan, 2.6. 12. Grundig AG, West Germany, 2.2. 13. Nokia Corp., Finland, 2.1. Zenith Electronics Corp., United States, 2.1. Note: Philips owns 31 percent of Grundig.\r\n'),(880,2,'Mikhail S. Gorbachev on Friday night closed a national Communist Party conference on his program of ``perestroika,\'\' saying resolutions endorsed by the delegates lead the way to a ``democratic image of socialism.\'\' The four-day conference, the first held by the party since 1941, was unprecedented in the openness of criticism of past and present leaders. Gorbachev pointed out one key to the four-day conference _ the attempt to overcome the party\'s Stalinist legacy _ when he called for construction of a monument to the victims Josef Stalin. ``I think we must agree to this, and such a monument must be constructed in Moscow,\'\' he said in his closing address. ``This would be an honest step, and it will be supported by the entire Soviet people.\'\' Gorbachev spoke after the conference of 5,000 party members adopted resolutions in what the Tass news agency called an ``unusually stormy and long\'\' debate. The meeting, which was called by Gorbachev to pass judgment on his 3-year-old policy of restructuring Soviet society, formally closed after his address. The Soviet leader also engaged in a long critique of the work of former Moscow party boss Boris N. Yeltsin, who appealed earlier in the day to the conference to absolve him of blame for criticizing the pace of Gorbachev\'s reforms last fall. That criticism cost Yeltsin his job and his spot as a candidate member of the ruling Politburo. Summing up the work of the conference, Gorbachev said, ``Through democratization, economic reform and changes in the political system we willmake perestroika irreversible. We will reach a fundamentally new state of our society, a new human and democratic image of socialism.\'\' He called for the policy-making Central Committee and other organs to urgently settle questions related to political reforms so they can begin to be implemented at a fall session of the Supreme Soviet. Referring to his proposals to restructure the government\'s legislative branch and give the president new powers, Gorbachev said ``the conference will continue living in the society, in the discussions in the society, but now we know how we must transform the political system.\'\' Tass said the conference adopted a package of six resolutions, saying the debate on bureaucracy, inter-ethnic relations and Gorbachev\'s policy of ``glasnost,\'\' or more openness, were particularly thorny. It did not say what the resolutions said. The Tass report said there were several votes on amendments, and that the conference rejected proposals by space scientist Roald Sagdeyev on elections to government councils. An amendment calling for the Communist Party newspaper Pravda to be taken out of the hands of the policy-making Central Committee received only 56 votes, it said. Gorbachev praised the open atmosphere of the conference. ``One of the heroes of our conference was glasnost because our conference was a result of the atmosphere of sincerity that is being reflected in our society. We also discussed its limits,\'\' he said. He called on the Soviet media to ``publicize the real achievements of the real heroes of perestroika,\'\' and proclaimed that no one has a monopoly on the truth. In an apparent reference to the time of Stalin, he said ``the printed word was a servant of arbitrary totalitarianism.\'\' In contrast, he said the conference had showed how the interparty debate must be carried out. Before the conference debate ended, however, the long-simmering feud between Yeltsin and Kremlin No. 2 leader Yegor K. Ligachev broke into the open. Yeltsin was judged as being politically mistaken by the party, but he said Friday his only mistake was poor timing. Gorbachev said Yeltsin was chosen to run the Moscow party organization because of his experience and energy, but ultimately proved he could not handle the job. Ligachev, at whom much of Yeltsin\'s criticism was leveled, took the floor Friday evening to oppose his return, saying Yeltsin committed many errors and still hadn\'t learned his lesson. The 57-year-old Yeltsin, a leading reformer and former protege of Gorbachev, was fired from his Moscow job as head of the Moscow Communist Party after he attacked the slow pace of reform during a speech in October to the Central Committee. The speech has not been published. Yeltsin was reassigned as first deputy of the state construction committee, a ministerial-level post. He was dropped from the Politburo in February but retained sufficient status in the party to be chosen a delegate. ``I think my only mistake was that I spoke too early, before the 70th anniversary of the October Revolution,\'\' Yeltsin said. It was a time when the party was trying to display unity and celebrate its successes. ``Taking to heart what happened, I ask the conference to change the decision of the plenum of the Central Committee,\'\' Yeltsin told the delegates. ``If you find it possible to do this, you will rehabilitate me in the eyes of Communists.\'\' Yeltsin took the floor to answer questions from many delegates about the circumstances of his ouster and about his demand that Ligachev resign. He had told Western reporters during the U.S.-Soviet summit meeting in Moscow that Ligachev was the party official most responsible for holding back Gorbachev\'s reforms. Ligachev said Yeltsin had ``not drawn the necessary conclusions from his mistakes and the principled criticism of his party comrades.\'\' Other delegates also criticized Yeltsin, charging that he had been tactless on a visit abroad and gave interviews to foreign new agencies just to boost his own prestige. Some rose to Yeltsin\'s defense in an open debate. Earlier Friday, the nation\'s top environmental official demanded punishment for planners responsible for pollution disasters, and a reformist publisher defended the new openness of the press. At other times during the conference, delegates have openly disagreed on the concrete results of Gorbachev\'s drive for perestroika, which was launched after he took power in March 1985.\r\n'),(881,2,'A magistrate on Wednesday ordered the Coast Guard to turn over tapes of its seizure of a marijuana-laden cargo ship to attorneys defending the vessel\'s 18 crewmen. Defense attorneys had requested to see and hear hours of video and audio tapes to prove their claim that the Coast Guard boarded the ship and arrested the 18-man crew without probable cause. The attorneys began reviewing the tapes Wednesday afternoon after the order from U.S. Magistrate John Weinberg. The Coast Guard seized the cargo ship Encounter Bay on June 30 about 500 miles off the Washington coast. It was carrying an estimated 72 tons of marijuana with a street value of about $280 million, making it the largest maritime drug bust on the West Coast. Defense attorneys had asked to review all communications regarding the vessel\'s seizure, but Weinberg declined the request after Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerry Diskin said much of the material was classified. Among material not released was the first of two messages to the Boutwell indicating that the Panamanian Embassy in Washington, D.C., gave the Coast Guard permission to board the Encounter Bay, which was registered in Panama. Raul San Malo, Panamanian Embassy minister, told The Associated Press that permission to disable with gunfire, board and search the vessel had been granted by Ambassador Juan Sosa. Sosa is recognized as ambassador by the U.S. government, but not by Gen. Manuel Noriega, the Panamanian military leader who has been indicted on drug-related charges in Florida. If probable cause is found, crew members would face charges of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, which carries a penalty of 10 years to life in prison, Diskin said. Diskin also began presenting arguments to continue to detain the crewmen, who include three Americans, one Englishman, one New Zealander and 13 from Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore. Jeffrey Bernard Press, 41, a British citizen who lives in Singapore, and Anthony Gilbert Sayers, 53, of Auckland, New Zealand, have a long association with the Encounter Bay as master and chief officer, respectively, Diskin said. Samuel J. Colflesh, 31, of Springfield, Pa., ``... admitted being the master at least on this voyage,\'\' Diskin said. As for Terrance Albert Nolan, 36, who gave an address in New Orleans, and Gary Robinson, 34, of Missouri, ``the reasons for their presence aboard the vessel is connected only with the contraband aboard because there\'s no evidence of them being part of the crew,\'\' Diskin said. Five of the Southeast Asian crewmen aboard the Encounter Bay appeared to have worked on the ship for years, Diskin said. The backgrounds of the other Southeast Asian crewmen was not known, he said. On Tuesday, Lt. Thomas Rogers testified the Coast Guard had information indicating that the high-grade Thai marijuana was loaded off Danang, Vietnam, during the first 10 days of June, and that the Vietnamese army was involved in the operation. No questions about Vietnam\'s alleged involvement were raised in court Wednesday, but in a telephone interview Tuesday night with the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Be An, second secretary to the Vietnamese consul general in Mexico City, denied the Coast Guard account. ``The problem is this: Some people don\'t tell the truth,\'\' he said. ``They\'ve been caught. They could say any old thing. ``Our government doesn\'t permit drug trafficking. We\'ve never had an interest dealing with these drug (operations).\'\'\r\n'),(882,2,'A man who won $10 million in a magazine contest last year notched another victory Saturday: He was elected mayor of this city of 50,000 residents. Bob Castleberry, 60, said he had thought about running for the non-paying job for years, but couldn\'t afford to until he won the Publishers Clearinghouse Sweepstakes a year ago. He quit his job as a salesman for a business forms company in January to follow in the political footsteps of his father, who served on the Denton City Council. ``I grew up watching my father giving everything to the community,\'\' Castleberry said. ``Now I just want to do what I can.\'\' Castleberry beat two-term incumbent Ray Stephens, winning 50 percent of the vote to Stephens\' 45 percent. Appearing in advertisements about the sweepstakes helped in the campaign by boosting his visibility in the community 35 miles northwest of Dallas, the new mayor said. Castleberry gets his $10 million in annal installments: He got $500,000 last year and gets $250,000 a year for the next 27 years, when a lump sum of $2 million is due. Castleberry used part of the money to set up scholarships at Texas A&M University, the University of North Texas and Texas Woman\'s University and to buy a $32,000 car. It wasn\'t immediately known how much he spent on the campaign.\r\n'),(883,2,'Police said today they recovered nearly all of the $8 million that disappeared last month from a plane carrying the money from the United States to Argentina. ``We\'re counting the money, and very little is missing,\'\' said Nilo Augusto Batista, the police official in charge of investigating the theft. One person was arrested before dawn in connection with the disappearance, and that arrest led to several others, Batista said. The official said all in custody were Brazilians and that their names would be released later. The money was part of a $52 million shipment from the Federal Reserve Board in New York to the Central Bank of Argentina that was stolen sometime between Feb. 4 and 5, said Marven Moss, a spokesman for Brink\'s Inc., based in Darien, Conn. The money was shipped through Brink\'s on a routine flight aboard a commercial airliner in 13 bags and was made up of new, consecutively numbered $100 bills, Moss said. The theft was discovered when the airliner arrived in Buenos Aires and authorities found only 11 bags. The two missing bags contained $8 million, Moss said. ``Apparently what happened is that some people who were working at the airport on a temporary basis took the bags and didn\'t realize what they took. They thought it was (music) cassettes. Then, they get home and realize they have $8 million,\'\' Moss said. Batista said the first break in the case came from the Narcotics Department of the Rio de Janeiro state police. ``Even though this case was, technically, not in the drug area, our people followed the tip, and the result was nearly total success,\'\' Batista said. He said the missing dollars were traced to several Brazilian states, where the thieves tried to exchange them, apparently for other American dollars or for foreign currency. ``They didn\'t get a chance to spend much,\'\' the official said. But Moss said Brazilian drug agents recovered virtually all the cash today during a drug but. Those who stole the money apparently used some of the cash to buy drugs, he said. The spokesman didn\'t have any more details on the arrest, nor the exact amount of cash recovered. The recovered money belongs to Brink\'s, since its insurance repaid the Federal Reserve Board for the theft, Moss said. The $8 million heist was the largest in Brink\'s history, Moss said.\r\n'),(884,2,'In 1968, Filipino seamen sailed a cast-off U.S. warship across the Pacific for service in their navy. In November, the 48-year-old vessel finally sank in a typoon. The saga of the patrol ship Nueva Vizcaya, which sank Nov. 14 off Cebu, typifies the problems facing the navy, the stepchild of a poorly equipped armed forces. Although a nation of 7,100 islands, with a longer coastline than the continental United States, the Philippines has the most primitive navy in Southeast Asia. ``Being an archipelago, we must become a sea power or we will be powerless,\'\' navy chief Rear Admiral Mariano Dumancas said in a recent interview. The reality makes Dumancas\' words seem comical. The navy\'s inventory consists mostly of World War II hand-me-downs from the United States, including the Nueva Vizcaya, built in July 1942 and once known as the Altrus. The vintage ships have poor navigational equipment and inadequate anti-pollution maritime devices, according to a secret navy report obtained by The Associated Press. The report said Philippine warships average 41 years of age, compared with 19 for the Indonesian navy and 13 for the Malaysians. ``It\'s not safe or effective to have these floating coffins used,\'\' admitted a senior navy officer, who spoke on condition he not be named. The demise of the Nueva Vizcaya, which spent its last few years being towed from dock to dock because its engine was inoperable, left the navy 22 patrol ships, 21 transport vessels, 85 small craft and 14 aircraft. ``On the surface, this inventory looks huge,\'\' the classified report said. ``In reality... they have very limited operational capabilities, and have become very expensive to operate and maintain.\'\' The report admitted that ``in an honest-to-goodness encounter, the capacity of our men-of-war to sustain as a viable naval force is extremely doubtful.\'\' Among its other deficiencies, the Philippine navy has no capability against submarines, missile attack or mine warfare. While the U.S. Navy has a formidable fleet of carriers, destroyers and assault ships in Subic Bay, 50 miles northwest of Manila, Philippine sailors patrol their own waters with three wooden outriggers. Occasionally, the navy must borrow private boats for raids against pirates and smugglers, according to navy officers in Subic. ``Countries in this region are modernizing their navies and some are in good shape,\'\' said Joris Janssen-Lok, naval editor of the respected Jane\'s Defense Weekly in London. ``But this country is indeed deplorable.\'\' Since independence from the United States in 1946, land forces have traditionally received the largest share of the defense budget because of persistent internal security problems, including Moslem and Communist insurgencies. Meanwhile, Filipino officials grew lax in building an effective navy because there was no immediate threat and even if there were, they could always rely on the Americans. But the Mutual Defense Treaty obligates the United States to defend the Philippines against foreign aggression and not combat smugglers, pirates or incursions by foreign navies. ``The prolonged presence of the U.S. military in our country made us neglect to undertake the necessary long-term steps to build our external defense over the years,\'\' said Sen. Leticia Shahani, chief sponsor of a congressional bill to modernize the navy. Dependence on the U.S. Navy is often illustrated during typhoons, air and sea accidents and other disasters when Philippine authorities turn to the Americans because they lack the capability for their own search and rescue. ``We have become too dependent on the Americans,\'\' said Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, a former defense minister. ``We have neglected to modernize our navy.\'\' The psychological blanket that the U.S. presence provides has resulted in giving less priority to buying, repairing and modernizing ships. Last year, the navy received 16 percent of the defense budget with the army and the Philippine Constabulary receiving more than half. Realizing the need to modernize, the navy proposed an additional allocation now equal to $430 million to buy new ships over 5 years. But inflation and the falling peso are threatening to increase costs beyond those projections. ``There is an urgent need to upgrade the navy, but realistically, we cannot afford it,\'\' said Sen. Ernesto Maceda, chairman of the Senate defense committee. ``We have to subsidize rice, fuel, schools, buy medicines - basics first.\'\'\r\n'),(885,2,'President Reagan has given his support to compromise legislation to strengthen enforcement of anti-discrimination laws in housing, a Republican leader said Tuesday. Rep. Robert H. Michel, R-Ill, the House minority leader, said Tuesday that Reagan told him from by telephone from the Toronto economic summit that he believes the agreement between congressional liberals and conservatives, as well as between civil rights groups and real estate agents, ``preserves the constitutional right to jury trials and (he) hopes the Congreess will move quickly on the legislation to strengthen fair housing laws.\'\' Michel made his comments at a news conference attended by congressional leaders, the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights and the National Association of Realtors. The House should take up the fair housing legislation either Wednesday afternoon or Thursday. The Senate also is expected to act quickly after the House approves the measure. The House Judiciary Committee approved legislation on April 27 which would authorize the Department of Housing and Urban Development to levy fines and issue injunctions against people who discriminate in the rental or sale of housing. Under current law, HUD can play only a conciliatory role, attempting to mediate housing disputes. Enforcement of the law depends on private individuals, who can take a discrimination case to court, and on the Justice Department, which has authority to prosecute if there is evidence of a ``pattern or practice\'\' of housing discrimiantion. The bill sets up a new system of administrative law judges who would hear cases of alleged housing discrimination. If a party were dissatisfied with the decision, he or she then could go to federal court. The Reagan administration and the Realtors contended that the process was constitutionally flawed because it would subject a defendant to fines without benefit of a jury trial, as required under the Constitution\'s 7th Amendement. The compromise, to come as an amendment proposed by Rep. Hamilton Fish Jr., R-N.Y., will provide that any party charged with housing discrimination can elect to have the accusation litigated in federal court. If no such election is made, the case will be handled by the administrative process. Rep. Don Edwards, chairman of the House Judiciary civil and constitutional rights subcommittee, said, ``We believe (the bill) will do the job of putting teeth into fair housing law. ``Besides putting teeth into fair housing laws, (it) provides anti-discrimination protection to individuals with handicaps and to families with children,\'\' Edwards told the news conference. ``These new classes need protection, as our long study of the matter has clearly pointed out. These provisions are an essential part of the bill.\'\' Nestor R. Weigand Jr., president of the Realtors, said the compromise was a milestone in the history of fair housing legislation. ``Our respective organizations have been able to overcome their disagreements of the past decade and come to an agreement that will ensure free and equal access to housing for all Americans, as well as expedite enforcement proceedings in fair housing disputes.\'\' Sens. Bob Dole, R-Kan., the Senate minority leader, and Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., chairman of the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee, each said he expects the Senate to act promptly and complete action on the bill before Congress recesses for the year.\r\n'),(886,2,'Attorneys for inmates of the U.S. Penitentiary at Marion asked an appeals court Friday to end the prison\'s 4{-year lockdown, arguing that inmates are suffering physical and psychological brutality. ``Prisoners are chained to their beds, spread-eagle, sometimes for days at a time,\'\' attorney Nancy Horgan argued before a three-judge panel of the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. U.S. District Judge James Foreman, who heard the original class-action lawsuit filed on behalf of Marion inmates, refused last February to grant an injunction ending the lockdown. Foreman\'s ruling followed a 1985 decision by U.S. Magistrate Kenneth Meyers that tight security at the prison dubbed the ``new Alcatraz\'\' did not constitute cruel and unusual punishment and was necessary to protect inmates and staff. The lockdown was imposed in October 1983, following a bloody week in which two guards and an inmate were killed in separate incidents. Since then, virtually all 350 inmates at the maximum-security penitentiary remain locked in 7-by-8-foot cells for 23 hours a day, although prisoners in certain tiers are given an additional four hours outside their cell each week. Family contact visits aren\'t allowed. Meals are delivered through a slot and are eaten by prisoners while sitting on the floor or on a bed because cells have no chairs or tables. Attorneys for the inmates argued Friday that the lockdown has become a permanent condition of imprisonment, and that Marion officials use a capricious, arbitrary system in assigning prisoners to tiers and doling out limited privileges. Prison officials counter that the lockdown is necessary because the prison houses the most unmanageable inmates in the federal prison system. ``Most of them come from the segregation units at other federal prisons,\'\' Assistant U.S. Attorney Ralph Friederich told the judges. ``It is a place for inmates who have demonstrated an inability to control their conduct at other institutions.\'\' Marion was built in 1963. In 1979, it was designated by the federal Bureau of Prisons as the first Level 6 prison _ the system\'s most secure. It remains the only Level 6 institution. The roster of high-profile inmates who have been imprisoned there and several spectacular escape attempts have led to its comparison to Alcatraz, the fortress island prison in San Francisco Bay that was closed 25 years ago. Before Friday\'s hearing, about 50 demonstrators marched outside the federal building in support of the inmates, carrying signs reading ``Prison System Built on Lies.\'\' Stephen Wittman, a spokesman for the Committee to End the Marion Lockdown, which helped organize the demonstration and has provided legal and financial support to the legal case, contended the penitentiary was being used to silence political prisoners. ``They keep them as long as (they) can and each time we draw attention to an individual, they transfer them,\'\' he said. ``Equally important, they hold Marion over the head of all prisoners in the system,\'\' Wittman contended. ``They use the prospect of going to Marion to intimidate them into behaving the way they want them to.\'\'\r\n'),(887,2,'Precious metals futures plunged Friday on the New York Commodity Exchange in the wake of weak May employment figures and amid uncertainty about whether a trade agreement will result from U.S.-Soviet summit talks. On other markets, grain and soybean futures fell; livestock and pork futures were higher, and energy futures were mixed. Peter Caudillo, an analyst with Josephthal & Co. in New York, said that the precious metals market was monitoring the progress of talks between President Bush and Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev in Washington, D.C. ``If nothing positive comes of out of the summit, there are fears the Soviets will be forced again to sell gold in the open market\'\' to pay for overseas purchases, Caudillo said. He noted that gold has not been able to rally since mid-May, when heavy cash market selling of the metal sent prices tumbling. The U.S. Labor Department announced Friday that the nation\'s unemployment rate went fell 0.1 percenttage point to 5.3 percent in May while job growth amounted to a smaller-than-expected 164,000. ``The figures are indicating economic weakness, translating into a downward trend in inflation,\'\' he said. Gold is seen as a haven during inflationary periods. Silver futures were battered by gold\'s plunge, with the day\'s gains erased when investors liquidated near-month contracts. Gold settled $5.10 to $5.80 lower with the contract for delivery in June at $359.20 a troy ounce; silver was 2.8 cents to 4.4 cents lower with June at $5.046 a troy ounce. Grain and soybean futures were mostly lower on the Chicago Board of Trade as improving weather depressed prices. Soybeans dropped sharply when the July support level of $6.05 a bushel was breached and followthrough selling set in. National Weather Service forecasts called for dry conditions much of next week, which will facilitate planting of soybeans, said William Biedermann, an analyst with Allendale Inc. in Chicago. Soybean plantings had been delayed by soggy fields. Corn futures were pushed lower by progress made this week in planting the corn crop. Biedermann noted that sparce export business and a lack of progress in trade talks during the Bush-Gorbachev summit talks influenced corn futures. Fairly good weather, allowing for progress in the harvesting of the winter crop, pushed wheat futures lower. Wheat was 1 cent to 4{ cents lower with July at $3.29\\ a bushel; corn was 1} cents to 2\\ cents lower with July at $2.75} a bushel; oats were a { cent lower to 1 cent higher with July at $1.44 a bushel; soybeans were 5\\ cents to 7{ cents lower with July at $6.02 a bushel. Energy futures were mixed on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The near-month contract for crude oil bounced back from Thursday\'s sharp selloff on belief that the drop was overdone, analysts said. Gasoline, while slightly higher, continued to be pressured from American Petroleum Institute inventory figures showing refinery runs increased sharply last month, while gasoline stocks also rose. West Texas Intermediate crude oil was 10 cents lower to 10 cents higher with July at $17.50 a barrel; heating oil was .15 cent to .78 cent lower with July at 48.73 cents a gallon; unleaded gasoline was .48 cent lower to .15 cent higher with July at 60.78 cents a gallon. Livestock and pork futures were higher in trading on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Live cattle were .17 cent to .52 cent higher with June at 74.47 cents a pound; feeder cattle were .20 cent to .72 cent higher with August at 84.37 cents a pound; live hogs were .35 cent lower to .25 cent higher with June at 65.75 cents a pound; frozen pork bellies were .85 cent to 1.42 cents higher with July at 65.05 cents a pound.\r\n'),(888,2,'The stock market eked out a modest gain today in light pre-Christmas trading. Wall Streeters were expecting a quiet day as many investors opted to get an early start on the long holiday weekend. Brokers also said money managers at investing institutions had pretty much finished their maneuvering for the year. However, stocks did attract a few nibbles from buyers as the market opened. There has been a lot of talk lately of accumulating stocks before New Year\'s to try to benefit from the so-called January effect. Academic researchers have published many studies about an evident tendency of stock prices to rise in the first month of the year. Whether that phenomenon will persist in 1989, of course, remains to be seen.\r\n'),(889,2,'Iowa police must release the names of most rape victims to the news media, the state attorney general\'s office said Friday, but newspaper editors and broadcasters said they would continue to protect the names. The opinion quickly drew the wrath of a victim services counselor, who said it would make sexual assault victims reluctant to report crimes. In response to a request by Gov. Terry Branstad, assistant attorney general Gordon Allen said state law does not permit police to keep the names of rape victims confidential. The only exception, he said, is when release of the name would jeopardize the investigation or put the victim in danger. Branstad will seek to change the law to assure confidentiality, said Richard Vohs, a spokesman for the governor. The issue came up earlier this year when The Des Moines Register challenged the practice by Des Moines police of routinely suppressing names and other information about rape victims. The department has since released the names, but none has been used in news stories. Although release doesn\'t mean the news media would use the names, Polk County Victim Services counselor Terry Shock said many victims won\'t understand that distinction. ``There will almost certainly be misconceptions,\'\' she said. She said society places a negative stigma on rape victims, as if the woman somehow brought on the crime, and most victims simply do not want anyone to know. ``Face it, people will be people. A lot of them will blame the victim. A lot of people aren\'t going to report the crime or won\'t even go to the hospital for fear that the hospital has to report it,\'\' Ms. Shock said. She also said that when reporters have the names, there\'s room for error that would allow the name to get in print. ``And somewhere or sometime, there\'s going to be journalists who simply don\'t care,\'\' she said. ``It\'s just very unfair to the victims.\'\' Allen said he was sensitive to arguments about not releasing the names, but he said the law makes no exception for rape victims. ``Due to the strong presumption in favor of disclosure of governmental records frequently reiterated by the Iowa Supreme Court, it is our view that (any doubts on the issue) would be resolved in favor of disclosure,\'\' Allen wrote. The law allows police to withhold information which ``would plainly and seriously jeopardize an investigation or pose a clear and present danger to the safety of an individual.\'\' But Allen said this exception cannot be applied to all rape cases. ``To the best of my knowledge, there is no other law in the nation that attempts to devastate victims\' lives like that,\'\' said Anne Seymour, spokeswoman for the National Victim Center, based in Fort Worth, Texas, and New York City. ``I\'m 99 percent sure.\'\' ``One of the critical reasons why victims say they don\'t report the crimes ... is the fear of exposure,\'\' she said from New York. The National Victim Center serves over 7,000 local victim service groups, Ms. Seymour said. Virtually all of Iowa\'s newspapers and radio and television stations have said they would not use the name of rape victims without permission from the victim. Mark Bowden, managing editor of The Gazette in Cedar Rapids, said the opinion will not change his paper\'s policy of not publishing the names. But Bowden said mistakes leading to the broadcast or publication of a name could be made regardless of the law. ``You might have an inexperienced reporter, but is that any different than having a rookie at the police desk?\'\' he said.\r\n'),(890,2,'Major obstacles to an Iran-Contra trial of Oliver L. North were removed when the judge in the case sharply restricted the number of classified documents the former White House aide may use for his defense. By deciding to bar as evidence more than 90 percent of the classified documents North wanted to disclose, U.S. District Judge Gerhard A. Gesell greatly increased the chances that the case will go to trial, possibly late next month. Gesell\'s ruling diminishes the possibility that President Reagan\'s refusal to release virtually all the secrets sought by North would force dismissal of charges on the ground that the former National Security Council aide couldn\'t get a fair trial. The judge harshly rebuked North for demanding ``disclosure of masses of classified material which under no conceivable version of a defense could have any utility whatsoever.\'\' ``North, as a tactical matter, has taken an obdurate stand,\'\' Gesell said in an order issued Monday. ``If this tactic were permitted, there would be no trial.\'\' Gesell rejected a Nov. 14 list of 3,500 documents covering 30,000 pages of secrets that North had proposed as evidence under a provision of the Classified Information Procedures Act. But the judge denied independent counsel Lawrence E. Walsh\'s request to bar North completely from disclosing any secrets, saying a blanket prohibition would ``too severely restrict the defense.\'\' Instead, Gesell gave North until Jan. 3 to pick 300 documents from the Nov. 14 list that he wants to use as evidence. The documents will be censored for sensitive references to secret information by an interagency task force that reviewed Walsh\'s exhibits. The defense will be required to show the ``relevancy and materiality of each item and generalities will not be accepted,\'\' Gesell said. Gesell granted Walsh\'s request to censor some of the 300 documents the independent prosecutor wants to use as evidence to prove that North conspired to divert U.S.-Iran arms-sale profits to the Nicaraguan rebels. North had objected to virtually all of the deletions of sensitive information. But Gesell approved many of the changes, such as censoring the names of CIA agents, foreign officials and the sources of U.S. intelligence. He also approved Walsh\'s proposal to remove sensitive information from the orders by President Reagan approving the arms-for-hostage initiatives. But the judge made clear that he wants public disclosure of as much evidence as possible, denying requests to delete the names of Central American countries, Israel and Iran from documents in the case. Gesell noted that an earlier evidence proposal by North, on Aug. 1, also was rejected after a check of some of the documents listed showed it was ``obviously submitted in bad faith.\'\' Since then the court has repeatedly reminded North that he must provide specific information about how a document would help his case. Despite those warnings, the Nov. 14 notice contains ``ample evidence of North\'s attempt to frustrate the prosecution,\'\' the judge said. ``North\'s unwillingness to pay token respect to the court\'s requirement to provide detail appears to reflect his mistaken view that he is entitled to use classified materials at trial without indicating in any way the significance of that material to the prosecution and the court,\'\' Gesell said. ``This trial does not concern the reaction of various Central American countries to congressional legislation, the life history of a potential defector, the precise distribution of Sandinista forces at a particular time among various villages,\'\' Gesell said, listing the type of secrets North proposed to disclose. ``This is a case charging fraud and deceit on the United States, its chief executive and Congress, involving the use of arms profits in a manner allegedly unauthorized by the president,\'\' the judge said. ``It must remain focused on these issues, rather than be derailed by the myriad unrelated issues\'\' raised by North. North still has until Dec. 19 to submit an additional list of secrets he wants to disclose in testimony or from other documents not covered in the Nov. 14 notice. But Gesell\'s order made clear that he would reject a list that was similar to those previously filed. North\'s lawyers, meanwhile, sought a one-month delay in filing the next notice and argued that disclosing defense testimony will violate the former White House aide\'s right to a fair trial. ``Never before in the history of American criminal law has a court granted the prosecution such a one-sided bonanza of information about the defense case,\'\' lawyers Brendan V. Sullivan Jr. and Barry S. Simon said in the pleading filed Monday.\r\n'),(891,2,'Pfizer Inc. said Thursday the strength of the dollar helped depress its net income by 5.9 percent in the fourth quarter of 1989 despite a 9.2 percent increase in sales. For the three months ended Dec. 31, the pharmaceutical company\'s net income fell to $133.3 million, or 79 cents a share, from $141.6 million, or 84 cents a share, a year earlier. Fourth-quarter sales rose to $1.49 billion from $1.37 billion. The dollar\'s strength against foreign currencies, increased marketing expenses for new products and continued high research spending contributed to an 8.1 percent decline in net income for all of 1989, even though sales increased 5.3 percent, Pfizer said. ``Although these investment expenses will again be high in 1990, the sales momentum of our new products is increasing,\'\' Chairman Edmund T. Pratt Jr. said in a statement. Pratt said a new extended release version of Pfizer\'s Procardia prescription drug for angina and hypertension tallied $40 million in sales in just three months on the U.S. market. The company expects to win U.S. regulatory approval this year to sell another angina and hypertension drug, Norvasc, which it currently sells in Britain and Ireland, he said. The dollar\'s strength reduced sales by two percentage points and turned what would have been a modest growth in profits into a decline, the company said. A strong dollar makes U.S. products more expensive, and therefore less attractive, overseas. For the full year, net income fell to $727.3 million, or $4.31 a share, from $791.3 million, or $4.70 a share. Full-year sales rose to $5.67 billion from $5.39 billion. If the dollar hadn\'t risen in value last year, sales would have been three percentage points higher and the profit decline would have been cut in half, Pfizer said. The company\'s sales of pharmaceuticals increased 11 percent in the latest year while sales of hospital products rose 3 percent. Consumer products sales rose 12 percent, specialty chemicals sales gained 6 percent and sales of animal health care products were up 9 percent.\r\n'),(892,2,'The Rales brothers have won a major victory in their hostile $2.7 billion bid for Interco Inc., with a court issuing a preliminary injunction blocking the furniture and apparel company\'s poison-pill takeover defense. But St. Louis-based Interco said shortly after Tuesday\'s announcement that it would appeal the Delaware Chancery Court ruling and seek a stay to prevent the Raleses from actually acquiring any shares under their tender offer until a decision is rendered.\r\n'),(893,2,'There is a growing perception within the Bush administration that Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev\'s power is ebbing, leading U.S. officials to open lines of communication to other levels of the Soviet system. Some U.S. officials are searching for ways to shore up Gorbachev\'s beleaguered regime, while at the same time trying to position the United States for a possible realignment of political power in the Soviet Union. ``The evidence is clear that power is now moving out of the central government to other levels, or even out of government altogether,\'\' said one U.S. official who agreed to discuss the issue on condition his name not be used. ``The focus now is in the republics.\'\' Another official said the administration is not worried - at least not at this point - about the Soviets\' ability to live up to their international agreements or about any desire to change their strategic posture. International confidence in the Kremlin\'s peaceful intentions will be on display this week when President Bush, Gorbachev and the leaders of 32 other nations gather for the signing of a long-sought agreement to reduce conventional forces in Europe and end the military faceoff that divided East and West throughout the Cold War. The Bush administration doesn\'t doubt the Soviet regime\'s will, one source explained, but added: ``The danger is that Gorbachev may lose the ability to make decisions and carry them through.\'\' That official, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, said the United States is now working with reform leaders in the Russian federation, the Baltics and elsewhere, partly in hopes of shoring up Gorbachev\'s political standing at home. ``By helping the reform movement at various levels, we help Gorbachev,\'\' the official said. ``It gives us other access, more information about what\'s going on, plus it\'s neutral-to-beneficial for Gorbachev because we\'re supporting Gorbachev. It doesn\'t undermine him.\'\' Fourteen of the Soviet Union\'s 15 constituent republics have declared sovereignty or, in a few cases, their intention to seek complete independence from Soviet rule. Boris Yeltsin, president of the Russian federation, which accounts for roughly half the Soviet population, is threatening to institute his own reforms that could establish an economic system independent of the central government. The deteriorating Soviet economy is at the root of much of the public\'s unhappiness with the central government. In one sense, the shift of power away from the center ``is quite consistent with democratization,\'\' which the U.S. government has supported wholeheartedly, one analyst observed. But he added that it complicates Western efforts to support reform. ``We recognize that imbalances and uncertainty can lead to instability,\'\' the source said. ``There is a potential for a very high level of frustration, public indignation, a volatile situation if economic deterioration continues.\'\' Demonstrators from both the left and right showed their anger with Gorbachev and the economic calamity in Revolution Day demonstrations Nov. 7 marking the 73rd anniversary of the Russian Revolution. John Hardt, a specialist in Soviet affairs at the Library of Congress, said Gorbachev does not appear in imminent danger. He retains control of the police, the military and the KGB, the secret police agency responsible for state security, Hrdt noted. ``The levers of power are quite clearly in Gorbachev\'s hands,\'\' he said, adding that the Soviet leader was able to implement massive military reductions and set a new course for Soviet policy in the Middle East, neither of which could be expected to garner strong support from the military establishment or government bureaucracy. But Hardt acknowledged that Gorbachev is threatened by crises rippling through Soviet society and that his popularity inside his own country is extremely low compared to his status elsewhere in the world. ``Gorbachev\'s power is becoming more diffuse,\'\' said a State Department official, also speaking on condition of anonymity. ``But we want to be careful not to sell him short. He\'s shown he can accomplish a great deal, even against tremendous inertia and resistance.\'\' ``Time will tell,\'\' the source said, ``whether this master of the old political system can master the new\'\' one he has installed. A source familiar with foreign policy strategy discussions at the top levels of the administration said there does not appear to be an imminent threat to Gorbachev. ``There is no apparent challenger, no alternative, no reason to expect military intervention,\'\' the source said. ``What is more likely is that it will become harder for him to exert influence. ``To a degree, that\'s a natural result of increasing pluralism, and we applaud that. But what\'s difficult is the institutional structures have not had much time to develop, and that makes for an unstable situation.\'\' The United States, several sources said, is continuing to support Gorbachev while trying to establish contacts at other levels, particularly where it can encourage economic reform and creation of market forces. ``Arms control agreements still have to be negotiated at the central government level,\'\' one source explained. ``But we can provide technical cooperation and support economic activity at both levels.\'\' The Soviet republics are in some ways similar to the states of the United States in that they have government structures that mirror the one in Moscow. Under Gorbachev\'s predecessors, the Kremlin dictated practically all policy to the republics, but it clearly can no longer do that. Today, under pressure from nationalists and malcontents in almost every republic, it is struggling to keep the union from splintering along republic or ethnic lines while it negotiates a new balance of power between the center and the republics. The shift in power complicates the effort to back Gorbachev and his reforms, one source said. ``No one has much experience in making changes of this sort.\'\' ``Gorbachev\'s ace in the hole is that he is the only Soviet leader who has made it on the world stage,\'\' said another official. ``True, that doesn\'t put food on the table, but many realize they need the West if they\'re going to improve and modernize their own situation. ``Much of the Soviet leadership recognizes this, even if they don\'t like it. So Gorbachev has a strong card to play in foreign relations.\'\'\r\n'),(894,2,'President Jose Napoleon Duarte of El Salvador has left a military hospital where he spent six days after falling ill during inauguration ceremonies for Mexico\'s president. Duarte, who suffers from incurable liver cancer, was released Wednesday. He was hospitalized with stomach pains shortly after Carlos Salinas de Gortari was inaugurated last week, and doctors said he was suffering from an intestinal infection. ``He\'s in high spirits, he feels good, and we\'ll be going to El Salvador soon,\'\' said Duarte\'s doctor, Jose Luis Saca. ``He\'s reacted well to a bland diet.\'\' He said Duarte might be able to return home today. In June, doctors diagnosed Duarte with cancer and gave him from six to 18 months to live. However, they have said recently that his condition has improved remarkably. At a brief news conference before leaving the hospital, Duarte said it would be hard to set up a Christmas truce with the rebel Farabundo Marti Liberation Front. ``The problem is that the terrorists have a concept of violent war, of reaching objectives via terrorism. That I can\'t agree with,\'\' Duarte said. In 1984, Duarte became his country\'s first democratically elected president in 50 years. Since then, his U.S.-backed government has fought leftist rebels in an eight-year struggle. More than 65,000 Salvadorans, mostly civilians, have been killed.\r\n'),(895,2,'In 1982, the median-priced existing home required a monthly payment of $702. In October 1988, the median-priced home required only $588 a month to carry. This is a story about the impact of interest rates _ and it is only beginning. The 1982 house cost $67,800, the 1988 house cost $88,100. That is, the lower-priced house cost $114 more to carry than the higher-priced one. The explanation for this otherwise strange situation lies in the interest rates that prevailed in the two periods. In 1982, the average interest rate was 15.38 percent. In October of this year it was 9.41 percent. Interest rates power housing markets. Consider this additional statistic: In 1982, when home prices were lower, monthly payments took 35.9 percent of median family income. In October 1988, the percentage was only 22.2. The significance of such figures, compiled by the National Association of Realtors on the basis of 20 percent downpayments, is becoming increasingly important now, the reason being that home mortgage rates are rising. It\'s bad news for a lot of people. While the immediate emphasis is likely to be on the growing difficulty of families to find affordable homes, the impact is more widespread. Sellers may have to wait longer for a sale. Agents may face reduced income and possibly lose jobs. Builders conceivably could have to lay off workers. No wonder, therefore, that the key forecasting tool of the entire housing industry is the level and direction of interest rates. John Tuccillo, NAR chief economist, believes the higher trend of rates will last through the winter. They\'ll continue higher for about five months, he says, ``and this will cause a further decline in affordability conditions.\'\' The potential homebuyer who won\'t be hurt, and might even be aided by these conditions, is the all-cash buyer. While such people are rare, they do exist; most of them probably are those who have just sold another home. For such people, the possibility exists that interest rates will drive down prices _ they already have to a slight degree _ or at least place buyers in a stronger negotiating position. Worst hurt by rising rates are first-time buyers. Trade-up buyers _ those who have owned and now wish to move up to a more expensive house _ at least have sufficient money for downpayments and closing costs. First-timers might have to count every nickel. For first-timers, the temptation might be to postpone buying in the hope of lower interest rates next spring. It\'s a risk that could prove correct. It could also boomerang, since lower interest rates at any time of the year generally push up prices _ and in the spring this impact is intensified. Based on October prices and rates, the NAR offers this rough affordability guide for those planning to buy: _For buyers with income of $20,000, the mortgage amount that can be handled is $50,000 on a home price of $62,500. _Income $30,000, mortgage $75,000, home price $93,800. _Income $40,000, mortgage $100,000, home price $125,000. _Income $50,000, mortgage $125,000, home price $156,300. _Income $60,000, mortgage $150,000, home price $187,500. _Income $70,000, mortgage $175,000, home price $218,000. Of course, all this could change radically. If interest rates rise, prices might fall, but in all probability they might not fall enough to offset the higher carrying charges. If rates fall, prices might rise, but most likely not enough to offset the better rates. Watch interest rates. They\'re the key to the housing market.\r\n'),(896,2,'On weekends by the Red Sea, women in head-to-toe black shrouds picnic discreetly beneath umbrellas. These days, however, some prefer bare knees as they blast along on jet skis. Times are changing for Saudi women, but those who will speak out on the subject disagree sharply over how much and how fast. The Persian Gulf crisis, most say, is accelerating a process already under way. ``We\'ve been spoiled with an easy life and never thought about independence,\'\' said Faiza Ambah, a Saudi reporter for the Arab News. ``If war breaks out, we are going to have to depend on ourselves.\'\' She shares a newsroom with men but covers her hair and clothes with black wraps. Her bookshelf contains Danielle Steele\'s ``Changes,\'\' but she is careful to note she brought it in for a friend. In Saudi Arabia, women have equal rights but far fewer privileges than men. They cannot drive or expose their skin to public view. They can work but, with rare exceptions, not around men. Men and women together, in cars, on the street or in restaurants, must be married. Dating and parties are strictly chaperoned and only take place behind the walls of private homes. Transgressors risk at least a rap on the arm from an Islamic vice squad, if not a term in jail. Women began school only in the early 1960s, when Saudi Arabia also abolished slavery. ``You can imagine the pressure,\'\' said an Egyptian diplomat who knows Saudi Arabia. ``Girls come home from Berkeley with a drivers\' license and a degree and cower from some old man with a stick.\'\' Well before the gulf crisis, major shifts were under way. Women nurses were allowed to work with men doctors in hospitals. Now half the medical students in Jiddah are women. Years ago, some banks opened all-women branches. Now there are banks operated by women that lend money at a burgeoning pace to women who are opening shops, cooperatives and small businesses. When U.S. troops arrived, a favorite topic was all the women in uniform, liberated professionals who slung rifles over their shoulders, manhandled heavy trucks and barked orders at men. But foreign troops have been kept out of sight, and women soldiers wear modest civilian dress when they have to appear among Saudis. More visible are nearly 100,000 Kuwaiti women, traditionally far freer and more outspoken. As refugees, some attempt to observe local customs, but their attitudes are not masked by veils. Opinions vary widely over the weight of these outside forces. ``Anything is possible as long as it is done discreetly,\'\' said a Saudia Airlines stewardess, explaining how women forbidden to drive can frolic on jet skis in prohibited swimwear. ``The religious police don\'t go out on the water.\'\' A young hospital worker, educated in the liberal climate of Egypt, wears eye-popping bodices under her black abaya on the rare occasions she gets out at night for dinner with friends. ``I don\'t think things will change much,\'\' she said, clearly distressed at the thought. ``The Saudis are used to it, and they like it.\'\' But Rabaa al-Khateeb, who teaches Shakespeare at Jiddah\'s Abdul Aziz University, argued in a ground-breaking article for the Arab News that it was time to rethink the role of Saudi women. She wrote that Saudi Arabia could not continue ``suppressing the talents and stifling the abilities of one-half the society.\'\' With or without a crisis, she said, Saudi Arabia will have to employ its women to develop and thrive. Later, in an interview, she took pains to assure that she was not urging full-blown women\'s liberation. ``We accept that we are different here,\'\' she said. ``This is our way of life.\'\' She said most Saudi women believed that restrictions on their activities reflected a male desire to protect them rather than to keep them in an inferior role. Nihal al-Omari, a Western-educated journalist, works with the Nahdha Philanthropic Society in Riyadh which marshals women volunteers for health and social services. She sees important recent strides but a long road ahead. ``All the changes that have been happening lately,\'\' she said, ``all could go back to before.\'\' Even among the younger generation, pressure for immediate change is cautious, often muted, and expectations are few. ``We feel safe here, taken care of,\'\' said Aisha, one of eight young women, mostly students, who gathered at a private home to tell an American reporter how they looked at their future. Aisha, raised in Detroit by Saudi parents, returned only three years ago but settled into the lifestyle of Jiddah. Although she still visits the United States, she prefers Saudi Arabia. She said she was comfortable with a system where fathers and brothers had a say in whom she married and forbid Western-style dating. Her father has two wives, and she thought that worked well. ``It\'s better than fornification,\'\' she said, looking around to see if that was the word she meant. A friend corrected her: ``Adultery.\'\' But Leena, also educated in America, wanted more job openings for women, a greater say in how she shaped her life. And, like most Saudi women interviewed, she wanted to drive. ``The crisis will make the process quicker,\'\' she said. ``It has opened things up.\'\' Asked about priorities, one woman said: ``Freedom of speech would be nice. Don\'t quote me.\'\' After an hour\'s debate, most agreed they were content but would welcome change. Leena explained, ``We want to take some of the best you have (in the West) -your way of thinking - but with the protection and stability of our way of life.\'\' Aisha said: ``Our rulers do what is right. I just wish they would do it a bit faster.\'\'\r\n'),(897,2,'Eight theater companies will receive grants from AT&T to present three new works and three adaptations of classics next year in regional theaters in the United States and one theater in Europe. The grants were announced Monday by AT&T. Among the artists involved in the three AT&T OnStage Classics presentations are actress Diana Rigg, who will appear in a London revival of ``All for Love,\'\' a rarely produced Restoration tragedy by John Dryden, and Robert Wilson, who will design and direct a production of Henrik Ibsen\'s ``When We Dead Awaken\'\' in Cambridge, Mass., and Houston. ``All for Love\'\' will be presented by the Almeida Theater in London for a limited engagement beginning April 30, 1991. ``When We Dead Awaken\'\' will be performed at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Mass., in February and the Alley Theater in Houston in May. The third classic adaptation will be a modern-day version of Shakespeare\'s ``The Winter\'s Tale,\'\' done by the Cornerstone Theater Company. The ensemble troupe that will tour 12 states and perform outdoors in such cities as New York, Washington, Boston and Miami next summer and fall. The amount to be spent on the classics presentations was not disclosed, but AT&T will spend $180,000 on new play development, the company said. Receiving grants under AT&T\'s ``New Plays for the Nineties Project\'\' were: - The Old Globe Theater in San Diego, $50,000, to present ``The White Rose\'\' by Lillian Garrett. The play, which opens Jan. 17, 1991, concerns a group of anti-Nazi students in World War II Germany. - The Denver Center Theater Company in Denver, $50,000, to present ``Back to the Blanket\'\' by Gary Leon Hill. The play looks at the 1890 Indian massacre at Wounded Knee. It opens May 17, 1991. - Center Stage in Baltimore and the La Jolla Playhouse in La Jolla, Calif., $40,000 each, to co-present a play entitled ``The Heliotrope Bouquet by Scott Joplin and Louis Chauvin.\'\' The play, written by Eric Overmyer and called ``a lyric theater poem,\'\' opens Feb. 20, 1991, in Baltimore. It will be performed in California next August.\r\n'),(898,2,'Governments in the Ivory Coast and Gabon will be tested on Sunday in elections that reflect growing demands for multiparty democracy in sub-Saharan Africa. The Ivory Coast\'s octagenarian President Felix Houphouet-Boigny faces an opponent for the first time since independence from France in 1960. In Gabon, President Omar Bongo\'s Democratic Party - with 22 years of autocratic rule - is being challenged by several opposition parties in the last round of voting for the national assembly. The ruling parties are favored in both elections, but their supporters concede that it no longer will be possible to shut opposition parties out of the system. All but a handful of black Africa\'s nations were one-party states at the beginning of the year. When Communist regimes started to fall in East Europe, Gabon\'s state-controlled newspaper The Union commented: ``The great winds carrying democracy ... that have triumphed in the countries of Eastern Europe will not shake the coconut trees in Africa.\'\' Within weeks, one African country after another was hit by demonstrations demanding change. As in Eastern Europe, the collapse of economies was a major cause of Africans\' dissatisfaction. By now, at least 13 governments have said they accept multiparty democracy in principle: Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Congo, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Mozambique, Sao Tome and Principe, Somalia, Zaire and Zambia. Some governments, including Kenya, Sierra Leone and the Central African Republic, have refused to concede any rights to opposition groups, equating criticism with treason. Although Houphouet-Boigny gave in to demands to legalize opposition parties following riots in February, his government has used every device at its command to block them. Opposition meetings were often banned or constrained by broad restrictions. Government-controlled television and radio rarely mentioned the opposition, except to accuse it of responsibility for damage caused during the riots. The media nightly broadcast lengthy reports on meetings of people who supported the president. After several demonstrations at the national television station, the opposition was granted 20 minutes nightly of air time, a concession made only two weeks before the voting. One night, the opposition broadcast was banned on grounds it contained lies. One government restriction may have backfired. Initially, it sought to encourage as many opposition groups to form as possible, diluting their strength. But only a week before the 10-day presidential campaign was opened, candidates were required to post the equivalent of an $80,000 bond. The bond would be forfeited if the candidate failed to gain at least 15 percent of the vote. Only one of the newly formed parties, the Ivorian Popular Front, was able to meet the demand. This reduced the election to a contest between Houphouet-Boigny and front leader Laurent Gbagbo, a 46-year-old history professor who had been jailed for two years for opposing the president. Although no opinion polls have been conducted, Gbagbo\'s party acknowledged it was having difficult building from its base of middle-class and educated Ivorians. It also lacked the staff of Houphouet-Boigny\'s Ivorian Democratic Party, whose control of the government for 30 years gives it broad leverage with the population. The opposition\'s main campaign theme has been that Houphouet-Boigny and his cronies have enriched themselves while the country\'s once wealthy economy has been brought near collapse. Ivorian officials said first returns from voting will be released Sunday night. Houphouet-Boigny, 85, Africa\'s longest-serving president, received 100 percent of the vote in 1985, according to the government. The situation is more complicated in Gabon, also a former French colony, where Bongo still has three years to serve as president. Even the legalization of opposition parties failed to stop unrest this year, and France was briefly forced to send in troops to evacuate Europeans from the oil center of Port Gentil. Bongo may have won some breathing space with the sharp increase in oil prices after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. The party of the president, who claimed 98 percent of the vote in the last presidential election, was winning 62 percent of the seats before the final round of voting Sunday.\r\n'),(899,2,'The Federated and Allied department store groups may get quick approval when they ask a U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge Thursday for permission to continue paying employee benefits, the U.S. trustee handling the case said Tuesday. The companies also hope for quick approval to use $700 million in interim financing from New York banks. U.S. Trustee Conrad J. Morgenstern said in his view the requests by Federated Department Stores Inc. and Allied Stores Corp. are necessary in order to assure continued funding of benefits that the companies\' 100,000 employees nationwide are expecting. The benefits include health and education plans, disability insurance, workers\' compensation, bonus plans, assistance for employees troubled by drug and alcohol abuse, and 401K retirement plans funded by payroll deductions which serve a total of 44,461 Allied and Federated employees. Also among the benefits to be paid are merchandise discount plans for 8,650 retirees who terminated employment with Allied or Federated before the Chapter 11 filings. Those plans generate additional sales for the companies, Morgenstern said. Morgenstern said he and his staff have been examining the proposals to ensure they are appropriate and adequate. ``I think all of these requests are entirely appropriate and necessary in order to have a company such as this, which is so people-oriented, keep functioning at the high level of morale they strive to achieve,\'\' Morgenstern said in a telephone interview from his Cleveland office. ``Our office will not be in opposition to those requests.\'\' Federated and Allied, the American retailing divisions of the Canadian company Campeau Corp., filed Chapter 11 reorganization petitions Jan. 15 in Cincinnati to obtain court protection from creditors. The Cincinnati-based retail companies listed $7.7 billion in debts. Under the Chapter 11 filing, the companies must obtain the approval of U.S. Bankruptcy Judge J. Vincent Aug Jr. for paying operating expenses and other bills. Morgenstern\'s office is assigned to assist federal bankrupcy courts in Ohio and Michigan. His staff is to attend Thursday morning\'s hearing in Cincinnati before Aug, along with lawyers for Federated, Allied and creditors. Federated and Allied also filed a motion Tuesday seeking Aug\'s approval to use interim financing money from banks. New York\'s Citibank is the chief source of Federated\'s $400 million in loans, while Chemical Bank of New York is the major lender providing $300 million for Allied. Carol Sanger, a spokeswoman for Allied and Federated, said the companies hope for quick approval. ``Most of this is housekeeping stuff,\'\' Ms. Sanger said. ``It\'s customary for debtors, soon after they file under Chapter 11, to ask the court for authority to pay certain prepayment claims,\'\' Morgenstern said. Morgenstern said he thinks Aug may give swift approval for the employee benefits, but may take longer to approve the financing requests. Aug has declined to be interviewed about the case, which represents the largest Chapter 11 filing in American retailing history. The parent Campeau Corp. and the retailers have been struggling with debt accumulated when Campeau bought Allied in 1986 and Federated in 1988.\r\n'),(900,2,'Flying across this nation, it is virtually impossible to discern the mighty rivers that normally ribbon the landscape. There are just vast seas of muddy brown water _ and millions of stranded people. Floods have inundated three-quarters of Bangladesh and cut transportation links from its major port to the capital and other interior cities, officials say, though adding today that flood waters on three major rivers were receding. In Dhaka, flood waters were at their highest levels in 54 years and covered three-fourths of the capital. Dhaka newspapers reported 60 more flood deaths today, bringing the toll to at least 1,007 since June, when rivers began overflowing their banks in annual monsoon flooding in this impoverished nation of 110 million people. The government count of 333 dead is widely considered low. Millions of the marooned are eating raw food and drinking muddy, probably contaminated water, and 83,000 people nationwide have contracted diarrheal diseases, said Health Minister Abdul Munim. He said 65 people have died of the diseases so far. ``It is a calamity,\'\' Information Minister Mahbubur Rahman told reporters Sunday night. ``It is a havoc-creating, menacing flood.\'\' Flying in an airplane across Bangladesh Sunday from the Indian border to Dhaka, even the civilian pilot couldn\'t differentiate between the rivers and the flood waters. ``I\'ve never seen anything like it before,\'\' said Ghias Ahmad, who has been flying over his country for 19 years. The waters swallowed up entire villages. Occasionally, tin roofs glinted in the sunlight, the houses beneath them completely submerged. On a few high spots of ground or short stretches of paved road still above water, people milled idly, small boats beached beside them. The Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers and their dozens of tributaries flow from India and through Bangladesh to the Bay of Bengal. The rivers flood almost every year after the monsoon rains in Bangladesh and India. Last year, the flooding in Bangladesh killed about 1,500 people. This season, some refugees have found shelter in relief centers or relatives\' homes, said government officials who spoke on condition of anonymity. But they estimated that at least 20 million people were either stranded in their homes or marooned on small outcroppings of high ground with few supplies. Wells and pumps are flooded, officials said, and flood water, which is probably impure, is the only source of drinking water. The central government has appealed for foreign aid, including boats, helicopters and 3 million tons of grain. Officials today reported water levels falling on the Brahmaputra, Ganges and Meghna rivers. But relief officials cannot reach many parts of the country because transportation has widely broken down. ``Shortages of medicine, cooked food and drinking water is causing untold miseries to millions of marooned people,\'\' a relief ministry official said on condition of anonymity. The information minister said flood waters destroyed crops and could prevent planting of the winter rice crop. He said this might lead to a shortfall of 2 million tons of rice. The minister said Bangladesh needs 18 million tons of rice a year to feed its people. He said 16.5 million tons are grown at home and 1.5 million imported. In Dhaka, a city of 6 million people, gasoline has become scarce for the few motor vehicles still navigating the streets. Many gas stations are closed. Boats have replaced cars and bicycle-powered rickshaws in many parts of the city. River boats capable of carrying 100 to 200 people sail between partly submerged houses in low-lying neighborhoods flooded by the Buriganga, Turag and Sitalakhya rivers that surround Dhaka on three sides. Many of the capital\'s streets are knee-deep and waist-deep in murky black water that carries a strong stench of sewage, and adults and children alike wade through it. Over the last week, the price of rice nearly doubled, from 15 cents a pound to 28 cents, as those who could afford it started hoarding.\r\n'),(901,2,'President Bush on Wednesday announced his intention to name two members to the National Labor Relations Board: Atlanta attorney John N. Raudabaugh and board member James M. Stephens, who is to be reappointed and named chairman. The White House also announced Bush will name: _Earl Roger Mandle, deputy director of the National Gallery of Art, as a member of the National Council on the Arts. _Rep. Norman Sisisky, D-Va., as a member of the board of trustees of the James Madison Memorial Fellowship. _Washington attorney Edwin D. Williamson as legal adviser to the State Department, succeeding Abraham Sofaer. _C.M. Schauerte, vice president for American General Corp., in Houston, as federal insurance administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.\r\n'),(902,2,'Officials from both German nations announced a multibillion-dollar project Friday to renovate crumbling cities in East Germany and provide more and better housing for people on both sides of the border. Also Friday, East German\'s official news agency reported that ousted Communist leader Erich Honecker, who faces corruption charges, is too ill to be jailed and needs surgery to remove a kidney tumor. The first beneficiaries of the joint renovation project will be the East German cities of Meissen, Weimar, Brandenburg and Stralsund. Those cities and many other urban areas of East Germany require major restoration following damage during World War II. General neglect under a socialist system that gave priority to industry over living conditions, and the devastating effects of the brown-coal haze choking major cities, have contributed to their deterioration. West Germany\'s construction minister, Gerda Hasselfeldt, said Bonn will contribute $4 billion to the project in the next two years. Ms. Hasselfeldt and East Germany\'s minister for construction and housing, Gerhard Baumgaertel, said the reconstruction of the four cities will be the pilot project for cooperation between the German states. ``It is my hope that by pursuing all means of improving housing and construction in this country, that our housing market can be eased as well,\'\' Ms. Hasselfeldt said. East Germany suffers a serious housing shortage because many residential buildings are unfit for habitation. West Germany\'s housing problem is due more to a lack of space and the high cost of construction. Tens of thousands of apartments in East Berlin are empty because of last fall\'s exodus to the West of disgruntled East Germans. If the apartments were upgraded to Western standards, arrangements could be made to rent some of the space to West Berliners, who are short at least 50,000 homes in their crowded city of 2.1 million people. Ms. Hasselfeldt said more incentive for ``private ownership and individual responsibility\'\' was needed to ensure the joint projects succeed. She said West Germany was not putting any conditions on the financial and technical aid it will give to the renovation but said the projects ``cannot function successfully without structural changes\'\' in the East German economy. The new chairman of West Germany\'s Deutsche Bank visited East Berlin on Friday, but no details of the talks were disclosed. Deutsche Bank is expected to play an important role in turning around East Germany\'s stagnant economy after 40 years of socialist mismanagement. Communist Premier Hans Modrow has called for limited steps to attract foreign investment and encourage some private enterprise. His plan for guiding the nation out of its economic morass is to be disclosed next week. Modrow became premier during the pro-democracy movement that resulted in Honecker\'s ouster Oct. 18. Honecker, 77, has been in seclusion at a former Communist Party estate since Oct. 18, but he must be moved from the compound by the end of the month as it is to be converted to a state home for the handicapped. The official ADN news agency said Thursday that doctors had asked to examine him to determine if he could be imprisoned pending investigation of corruption charges. On Friday, ADN said Honecker was too ill to be jailed. Another new opposition group announced its formation Friday. The pro-Western party calls itself the Social Citizens Union of Germany and advocates reunification with West Germany and transition to a full market economy. Most other pro-democracy groups are pressing for closer ties with West Germany but retention of East German sovereignty. National elections are scheduled in May.\r\n'),(903,2,'Government supporters and foes fought with bombs, iron rods and sticks in Dhaka and at least 13 other cities during a daylong strike Tuesday and at least 260 people were injured, witnesses and news reports said. Two big opposition parties, the Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party called the strike to force President Hussain Muhammad Ershad to resign. A senior police official said several people were detained for rioting, but he refused to give a number or to allow his name to be used. Police burst tear gas shells and repeatedly fired in the air to disperse protesters throughout Dhaka, the capital city of 7 million people, witnesses said. At least 60 people were injured in political frays, including five who suffered bullet wounds, they said. The strike was the seventh opposition-sponsored shutdown the past month. It closed businesses and halted traffic in Dhaka and several other cities, the opposition claimed. Government offices were open, but few people went to them. At least 40 people were injured in political fighting in the port of Chittagong and at least 100 in Rajshahi, 120 miles northwest of Dhaka,, the United News of Bangladesh news agency said. The Bengali-language daily Sangbad said an additional 60 people were injured in clashes in 11 other towns. Abdus Salam Talkdar, secretary-general of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, told reporters three people raided the house of party president Khaleda Zia on Tuesday. He said Mrs. Zia was not at home, but the attackers assaulted her son and two servants. He said one raider demanded to know where she was and said repeatedly: ``I will kill her.\'\' Ershad, a 60-year old former army general, seized power in a bloodless coup eight years ago. He has promised elections next year, but the opposition has sworn to boycott all elections under Ershad. They say he must first step down and appoint a caretaker government. Ershad left for the Maldives on Tuesday for a summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation.\r\n'),(904,2,'Actress Elizabeth Taylor, hospitalized three weeks with pneumonia, had a good weekend and has started poring over the thousands of cards and letters from well-wishers, her publicist said Monday. ``She\'s doing fine,\'\' spokeswoman Chen Sam said. Miss Taylor, 58, who was reported near death the previous weekend, was moved Thursday to a private room after an 10-day stay in intensive care at St. Johns Hospital and Health Center. Doctors gave no indication when Miss Taylor could leave the hospital and continue recuperating at her Beverly Hills home, Ms. Sam said. The Oscar-winning star has started to read messages from well-wishers. ``She\'s beginning to look at some of them, but the doctors are concerned that she get a lot of rest,\'\' Ms. Sam said. ``There is an unbelievable amount of interest. They (cards and letters) are coming in the masses.\'\' Last week, the hospital released a statement on Miss Taylor\'s behalf thanking fans and friends for their cards and letters during her hospitalization.\r\n'),(905,2,'Thousands of Iranians gathered at the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini\'s tomb Thursday, the 11th anniversary of his return from exile, and his son preached continued hostility to America, Tehran radio said. On the first anniversary since the revolutionary patriarch\'s death June 3, Ahmad Khomeini said his father, known as the Imam, constantly defied ``global arrogance,\'\' an Iranian phrase for United States and its allies. ``We must always remain on the Imam\'s path,\'\' he said at a ceremony beginning a 10-day celebration of the Islamic revolution. Ahmad Khomeini said his father warned that, ``if we show the slightest bit of complacency, America will deliver its final blow against us. You, the people, must prepare for struggle against America.\'\' The radio the younger Khomeini, a leading radical, praised his father\'s successor as spiritual leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, for ``treading the same path as the Imam.\'\' His exhortation for no compromise with the United States was seen as a warning to President Hashemi Rafsanjani, leader of the so-called pragmatist faction in Iran. Rafsanjani, who attended the ceremony Khomeini\'s golden-domed tomb in the Behesht Zahra cemetery, seeks better relations with the West in order to obtain help in recovering from eight years of war with Iraq. The first part of Rafsanjani\'s 5-year development plan, calling for up to $20 billion in foreign investment, got Parliament\'s approval Wednesday over opposition from radicals who want state control and no foreign involvement. Tehran television showed throngs at the cemetery chanting ``Death to America!\'\' and ``Death to Israel!\'\' Iranian officials paid their respects at the tomb and promised to safeguard Khomeini\'s ideological legacy, the radio said. ``At a time when the government was in the hands of the enemy, the Imam\'s coming from a safe place to the center of the danger was an act rooted in the immense power of the Lord,\'\' Rafsanjani said at the graveside, the radio reported. Khomeini returned from 14 years of exile Feb. 1, 1979, after Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was forced to flee. Ten days later, the government he left behind collapsed and Khomeini proclaimed the Islamic republic, Rafsanjani said: ``The Iranian people have proved that if a nation is resolute in its stand, and if it has courage and spirit, it cannot be defeated.\'\' He said recent changes in Eastern Europe and elsewhere were ``a small example of what the people of Iran achieved 11 years ago, and these popular rebellions are the legacy of the people of Iran.\'\' Khamenei, the nation\'s spiritual leader, told another gathering in Tehran: ``The future belongs to Islam, the Moslems and the freedom-loving nations of the world,\'\' the television reported. ``In the confrontation with the organizations of the satanic powers (the West), it will be Islam which triumphs.\'\' Despite the fiery rhetoric, this year\'s anniversary of the revolution differs from past observances. It reflects the more more relaxed character of Rafsanjani\'s government, formed in August, and an easing of Islamic rigidity. While Khomeini was alive, the anniversary was a time of rallies to show support for him, and of reruns on state television of bloody clashes between revolutionary zealots and the shah\'s forces. On Thursday, television showed film of Khomeini arriving in Tehran in 1979 on a chartered Air France jet, but comedy and children\'s shows dominated the morning programming. The official Islamic Republic News Agency said music would be part of the celebrations this year for the first time. Khomeini felt good Moslems should shun music.\r\n'),(906,2,'The crowd gave Yves Saint Laurent a standing ovation for his colorful couture show on Wednesday, which featured his flawless tailoring and technique, and his daring use of color. It\'s hard to imagine anybody else sustaining such interest through a series of 25 tuxedo suits. Each one was perfection, whether with short skirts, long skirts, long pants, spencers or long jackets with white satin wing lapels or black kimono lapels. The sparkly vineyard embroideries with bunches of grapes plastered onto bolero jackets and necklines of satin cocktail suits and evening gowns nearly brought the house down. The show in the Intercontinental Hotel ballroom attracted celebrity clients including first lady Danielle Mitterrand, Paloma Picasso, film star Catherine Deneuve and American socialite Lynn Wyatt. ``It was terrific, like watching an artist at work,\'\' said Liza Minnelli. ``His clothes are works of art. It\'s like going to a museum.\'\' The suits were classics, wearable anywhere. Shoulders were amply padded but not offensively so. Besides his favorite short and straight skirt, Saint Laurent has adopted another shape and length: a longer length to just below the knee, flared or pleated below the hip. Daytime trousers looked straightforward and sporty, although they could be dressed up by one of the mink or ruddy fox coats, or a taffeta coat, another great Saint Laurent item for winter. With raglan or puffed sleeves, these superb taffeta numbers sometimes had bright, contrasting linings. Saint Laurent\'s use of zingy color was a far cry from his sober looks of past seasons. Cerise and pink teamed often for day or evening, and brightly piped suede suits came on in turquoise and rust, red and green, rust and navy. It was a huge show _ 134 outfits _ and just about everything was totally elegant and wearable, from the beautiful Chanel-style dresses with touches of white and gold buttons to the marvelously draped chiffons with a feminine high-waisted look to emphasize the bust. Guy Laroche went colorful as well. The double-breasted cafe au lait smooth wool suit was excellently tailored and shown with a bright orange satin blouse. A violet leather fitted jacket with brown mink shawl collar and cuffs over a lean tobacco short skirt made a perfect dressy daytime outfit. Laroche used an original touch in some of the day and evening wear: Chinese-lantern puffs on the sleeves. Some of the evening wear was appealing, especially the beaded and embroidered black dresses. But short evening gowns with puffy skirts and plenty of fancy touches looked young and fussy. Lecoanet-Hemant, a youthful pair of designers celebrating their 10th haute couture season, showed they have all the technique it takes to make couture. But it seems a shame to waste so much fabulous fabric and detail on what sometimes ends up looking more like abstract sculpture than clothes. Topped by spiraling hats, the dresses and suits with tiny skirts, enormous stand-out basque bottoms on jackets, huge cone-shaped tops sometimes looked overladen with details, and too zany for comfort. Nevertheless, the miniskirts, draped and ``laced\'\' through rhinestone loops, the exotic cut-out patterns and the superb satins and rich Indian fabrics were well worth looking at, if hard to wear. Paco Rabanne also seems to concentrate more on showy art objects than clothes, and aptly showed at the Decorative Arts wing of the Louvre. He is famous for his chain-mail effects, and obliged an audience eager to be entertained. Rabanne\'s sequined dresses, too, were larger than life, often dazzling in all colors of the rainbow, reflected prism-like from the sequins. Not everything was impractical. Rabanne also showed some very attractive rubber raincoats and a good-looking reversible rubber bolero lined with sequins worn with a black corduroy jumpsuit.\r\n'),(907,2,'About 200 people have died and hundreds more have been injured in widespread rioting in Algeria over the past five days, police and hospital sources said Sunday. Most of the deaths came in clashes between the army and demonstrators in the southern and eastern suburbs of Algiers, in the western port city of Oran and in a dozen other provincial centers, the sources said. They spoke on condition of anonymity. Rioters have been protesting the government\'s austerity policies and escalating prices. Interior Minister El Hadi Khediri said in a televised address Saturday night that members of the security forces were among the dead, but he gave no figures. Bachir Rouiz, the information minister, told a news conference Saturday that too many authorities were involved to give an accurate official list of casualties. The police and hospital sources gave casualty accounts amounting to at least 200 killed, with many hundred wounded. The largest number of casualties appeared to come from Kouba on the southern fringes of Algiers, where witnesses said the army shot directly into the crowd Saturday night after people ignored repeated calls to disperse. The army used heavy machine guns mounted on tanks and jeeps in Kouba, according to witnesses who spoke on condition of anonymity. Hospital sources there later reported more than 60 dead. The government announced Friday night and later repeated that soldiers had orders to fire on protesters defying a ban on demonstrations under a state of emergency proclaimed Thursday.\r\n'),(908,2,'Michael Dukakis, the clear Democratic front-runner after beating Jesse Jackson and Albert Gore Jr. in New York, said today the party\'s runner-up after the primaries won\'t necessarily be the vice presidential choice. Gore, conceding ``things didn\'t turn out exactly as I planned,\'\' suspended his campaign but said he would hang on to the delegates he\'s won so far. ``I want no part of a stop-Jackson or stop-Dukakis movement. The only man I want to stop is George Bush and we\'re going to stop George Bush, Gore said, bringing applause from supporters at a news conference in a Senate office building. ``Technically, I shall remain a candidate for the nomination but only to enable my delegates to go to the convention so they can represent our point of view in our party\'s deliberations,\'\' he said. Gore, the youngest candidate in the race, joked that in the campaign, ``I was doing great until I turned 40.\'\' Jackson, in Pennsylvania, brushed aside surveys suggesting he faces an uphill fight in next week\'s primary in that state. ``I do not follow opinion polls, I mold opinion,\'\' Jackson told cheering supporters in Philadelphia. Gore\'s decision to merely suspend his campaign followed a similar action by Sen. Paul Simon earlier. Both Dukakis and Jackson were campaigning today in Pennsylvania, where 178 Democratic delegates are at stake on Tuesday. Dukakis was going on to Ohio, which holds its primary a week later. Dukakis, asked about a potential running mate during an interview with The Associated Press, said, ``I have spent literally zero time thinking about it. And I will not, unless and until I have either won the nomination or it looks as if it\'s pretty well in hand.\'\' Some Jackson backers were beginning to float the idea of Jackson as a possible running mate if Dukakis were the nominee. ``There would be lots of enthusiasm for that ticket,\'\' campaign chairman Willie Brown told The New York Times. But Democratic National Committee Chairman Paul Kirk said such a ticket was unlikely. Kirk, in comments published in today\'s Seattle Post-Intelligencer, said, ``Only once in 19 elections since the turn of the century has the nominee turned to the person who placed second and asked him to run. It was 1960.\'\' Dukakis himself said, ``If I were to finish second, it wouldn\'t entitle me to anything more than consideration, period.\'\' He refused to discuss any individuals and tried to steer questions about the vice presidency away from Jackson. ``The nominee makes that decision _ as he (Jackson) himself said. And rightly so,\'\' Dukakis said. On the Republican side, Vice President George Bush continued his march to the nomination, with 1,052 of the 1,139 delegates needed to nominate. Bush was endorsed Wednesday by California Gov. George Deukmejian, who had initially pledged neutrality through the June 7 California primary. But Bush\'s only remaining competitor is Pat Robertson, who has all but halted his campaign. Simon\'s suspension of his Democratic presidential campaign earlier this month drew fire from Jackson, who complained bitterly about the Illinois\' senator\'s decision to keep a lock on delegates that would otherwise have gone to him. Jackson campaign spokesman Bob Brosage brushed aside talk of Jackson as vice president. ``We\'re still running for president,\'\' he said. ``There are significant primaries to come.\'\' And Jackson himself gave no indication he\'s giving up his drive for the nomination. ``We have come a long way, and we will not turn back,\'\' he told an enthusiastic crowd of 3,500 at a Philadelphia rally. Jackson was also picking up the endorsement today of the Philadelphia Daily News. A survey commissioned by the newspaper, in concert with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, suggested this week that Dukakis had a 3-1 lead in the state. Even so, ``Jesse Jackson can win,\'\' the Daily News said in an editorial. Financial reports filed with the Federal Election Commission indicated Jackson had his best fund-raising month ever in March, raising $2.8 million. But Dukakis, whose campaign has been well bankrolled all along, raised $3.4 million during the same period. Jackson\'s stops in Pennsylvania today ranged from a high school to a labor rally to a homeless shelter. Dukakis was heading for Pittsburgh tonight, after spending a day in Boston following the New York primary. New York Gov. Mario Cuomo, at a Democratic dinner in Washington Wednesday night, was eager to move beyond the raucous contest in his home state. ``I expect the campaign will be converted to an intelligent, civilized exchange of opinions,\'\' he said. Dukakis is comfortably ahead of Jackson in the delegate count, getting a boost Wednesday from the selection of congressional ``super delegates.\'\' The latest Associated Press delegate count gives Dukakis 1,063.15; Jackson 841.1; Gore 421.55; and uncommitted 613.75, out of 2,081 needed to nominate. But Dukakis was doing his best to dampen any talk of inevitability. When he was introduced at a Statehouse reception in Massachusetts as ``the next president of the United States,\'\' he grinned but quickly cautioned: ``Steady as she goes.\'\' In one respect, however, Dukakis was behaving as if he were the nominee, focusing attacks on Bush, who is all but certain to carry the GOP banner in the fall. ``I\'m a doer,\'\' Dukakis said Wednesday, saying that characteristic stands in ``sharp contrast to the Republican nominee.\'\'\r\n'),(909,2,'Singer Lou Rawls was host of a star-studded weekend telethon that raised more than $9.4 million in pledges for the United Negro College Fund. More than 50 stars appeared in the Ninth Annual Lou Rawls Parade of Stars featuring performances from celebrities including Ray Charles, Harry Belafonte, Neil Sedaka, Ben Vereen, Aretha Franklin and Bob Hope. Taped messages from Michael Jackson and President Reagan also were shown during the seven-hour telethon. The show was broadcast locally from 6 p.m. Saturday to 1 a.m. Sunday on KTLA-TV, but will not be shown in several cities, including San Francisco, Miami, Chicago, St. Louis and Baltimore, until Dec. 30. Telethon officials said telephone lines will be open until the show has been televised in all target areas. ``The beat goes on and I\'m still going,\'\' Rawls said during a break in taping. ``These students are going to be the next politicians, lawyers, doctors, engineers. ... We\'ve got to make sure they get it right in order for them to fulfill themselves and their destiny,\'\' he said. Contributions benefit 42 member colleges. The private schools enroll about 45,000 students. Last year\'s telethon raised about $10 million, said college fund spokeswoman Adrienne Rhodes.\r\n'),(910,2,'A rainstorm with winds of more than 60 mph battered northern Bangladesh, injuring more than 100 people and leaving an estimated 15,000 people homeless, police said today. Police at Rangpur, 80 miles north of Dhaka, said by telephone that the storm Wednesday destroyed at least 3,000 mud-and-straw huts, uprooted hundreds of trees and downed electrical lines. Thousands of acres of rice paddy were damaged, they added. Most of the injuries were caused by collapsing huts or flying tree limbs and other debris, they said. About 20 people were reported in critical condition. Police said 15,000 people, most of them poor farmers, were homeless. Rainstorms with high winds are common during summer months in Bangladesh. In the past two weeks, storms in several areas, including the capital of Dhaka, have claimed more than a dozen lives and injured several hundred people.\r\n'),(911,2,'A storm that moved across the Midwest today dumped more snow in Kansas and Missouri and threatened a winter redux in the Northeast. Snowfall accumulation early today had reached as much as 8 inches in northern Missouri and 7 inches in parts of central Kansas. Light snow also fell today south of Indianapolis, in southwestern Pennsyvania and in Cincinnati and Louisville, Ky. The storm front threatening southern Ohio was expected to bring up to 5 inches of snow overnight to West Virginia and between 2 and 4 inches to Philadelphia. Snow also was expected today in New York, New England and portions of South Dakota, Nebraska and Iowa. Elsewhere, unseasonably warm temperatures were expected to extend across the Southwest, and thunderstorms were to scatter over the southern Plains. Forecasters predicted highs today in the 80s and 90s in the Southwest and Florida, and in the 40s and 50s across much of the nation\'s midsection. Thunderstorms produced inch-thick hail near the Oklahoma towns of Mountain Park and Meers on Friday. In the Florida Panhandle, some of an estimated 2,500 evacuees began moving back to their flood-damaged homes on Friday as swollen rivers began receding. The flooding stemmed from torrential rains in Alabama and Georgia a week ago. The nation\'s high Friday was 97 degrees at Borrego Springs, Calif. Other reports at 4 a.m. EST: _EAST: Albany, N.Y., 25 fair; Atlanta 56 fair; Boston 30 cloudy; Buffalo 23 snow; Charleston, S.C., 57 fair; Chattanooga 52 fair; Cincinnati 29 snow; Cleveland 29 cloudy; Detroit 23 fair; Hatteras 56 fair; Jacksonville 52 fair; Key West 71 fair; Knoxville 50 partly cloudy; Macon 58 fair; Miami 71 partly cloudy; New York 35 partly cloudy; Philadelphia 37 cloudy; Pittsburgh 30 cloudy; Portland, Maine 23 fair; Richmond 43 fair; Tampa 56 fair; Washington D.C., 42 cloudy. _CENTRAL: Birmingham 54 partly cloudy; Bismarck 14 fair; Chicago 29 cloudy; Denver 18 freezing drizzle; Des Moines 25 snow; Fort Worth 50 cloudy; Indianapolis 25 snow; Kansas City 20 snow; Little Rock 44 rain; Louisville 32 snow; Memphis 46 fair; Nashville 45 cloudy; New Orleans 59 fair; North Platte 16 cloudy; Oklahoma City 29 windy; Omaha 24 cloudy; Rapid City 12 snow; St. Louis 24 snow; Minneapolis-St. Paul 18 partly cloudy; Sault Ste. Marie 11 fair; San Antonio 63 cloudy. _WEST: Albuquerque 49 fair; Anchorage 25 fair; Boise 33 fair; Casper 07 snow; Fairbanks 22 fair; Great Falls 03 fair; Honolulu 72 partly cloudy; Las Vegas 64 fair; Los Angeles 57 foggy; Medford 40 fair; Pendleton 35 cloudy; Phoenix 71 fair; Portland, Ore., 40 fair; Reno 43 fair; Salt Lake City 44 partly cloudy; San Diego 56 hazy; San Francisco 49 fair; Seattle 41 fair; Spokane 30 partly cloudy. _INTERNATIONAL: Calgary 12 fair; Montreal 18 fair; Ottawa 19 fair; Regina 09 fair; Toronto 19 fair; Winnipeg 10 fair; Merida 72 fair; San Juan 73 fair.\r\n'),(912,2,'The re-election of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi to Parliament has been challenged in court by the candidate he defeated in voting marred by violence and fraud charges, news reports said today. Rajmohan Gandhi, grandson of independence leader Mohandas K. Gandhi, filed a petition Wednesday in Lucknow saying the former prime minister\'s campaign workers resorted to terror, bribery and abuse of power during November\'s balloting, according to reports in The Statesman and other newspapers. ``My petition alleges that the election was conducted in defiance of all rules and regulations and of every democratic norm,\'\' The Statesman quoted the losing candidate as saying when he left the court building in Lucknow. The two Gandhis are not related. The challenger asked the High Court of the state of Uttar Pradesh to declare the poll invalid and hold new elections. No date was given for further court action. After an investigation of the Nov. 24 voting in the two candidates\' Amethi constitutency, the Election Commission threw out thousands of ballots and ordered a partial repoll in the poor rural district 60 miles southeast of Lucknow. The revote was ordered after Rajmohan Gandhi and his Janata Dal Party complained of widespread voter fraud and intimidation by supporters of Rajiv Gandhi and his Congress Party. In the most dramatic confrontation, a local Janata Dal leader was seriously wounded when he was shot in the stomach during a dispute with Congress Party workers on election day. In the final vote count, Rajiv Gandhi won 270,471 votes to Rajmohan Gandhi\'s 69,099. Nationwide, the elections were the most violent in India\'s 42 years of independence. At least 140 people died across the country during the voting. The Congress Party lost control of the goverment, and V. P. Singh of the National Front alliance came to power as prime minister. Rajiv Gandhi was relegated to the role of opposition leader in Parliament.\r\n'),(913,2,'This year\'s college graduates received higher salary offers than last year\'s graduates, especially in business fields, but the number of job offers declined slightly, according to a survey released Sunday. The largest increase was in accounting, with graduates receiving salary offers 10.9 percent higher than last year. The average monthly offer rose from $1,812 to $2,010, for an average yearly salary of $24,120. Job offers in accounting were down slightly from 5,478 to 5,264, according to a College Placement Council survey released Sunday. The data included offers made to students graduating between Sept. 1, 1987, and Aug. 31, 1988. Placement offices at 154 colleges and universities participated in the survey. Acceptances were not reported because August graduations were included. In business administration, the average salary offer rose 4.1 percent from $1,701 to $1,772, or $21,264 a year, but offers fell from 1,788 to 1,285, the survey said. In banking, salary offers dropped 3.9 percent from $1,889 to $1,815, or $21,780 a year, but the number of jobs increased from 395 to 527. Non-technical graduates received 48 percent of the job offers made to graduates with bachelor\'s degrees, while technical graduates received 52 percent of the offers. For non-technical graduates, 40 percent of the job offers came from public accounting employers, while the electrical and electronic machinery and equipment industry provided 16 percent of the job offers to technical graduates. The average monthly salary offered to non-technical graduates was $2,045, or $24,540 a year, according to the survey. Technical graduates averaged monthly offers of $2,465, or $29,580. For master\'s of business administration candidates with non-technical undergraduate degrees, starting offers increased 5 percent to $2,791, or $33,492 annually. Inexperienced MBA candidates with technical undergraduate degrees attracted offers of $3,192, or $38,304, an 11.8 percent rise. Technical and non-technical MBA graduates with previous experience garnered increased salary offers between 4 percent and 16 percent, the survey said. The engineering field provided 42 percent of the job offers to graduates with bachelor\'s degrees and was followed by business with 40 percent, sciences at 10 percent, humanities and social sciences at 6 percent and communications at 2 percent. However, for master\'s degree candidates, business disciplines made 52 percent of the offers; engineering, 36 percent; sciences, 8 percent; and humanities and social sciences, 4 percent. The survey reported men received slightly higher salary offers in business administration, marketing and distribution, economics and several science disciplines. Women received slightly higher offers in engineering.\r\n'),(914,2,'James Wesley Coldsmith, former editor and publisher of newspapers in Alexandria, Va., died Saturday at his home of leukemia. He was 60. Coldsmith was an editor or publisher of newspapers in the northern Virginia city from the 1960s through the 1980s and ran twice for the city council as a Republican. He expanded an advertising flyer into what became The Journal group of newspapers in the Virginia and Maryland suburbs near Washington. Coldsmith earlier had been editor and publisher of the Alexandria Port Packet and the Alexandria Gazette. Born in Parsons, Kan., Coldsmith worked for The Associated Press in Tokyo, Denver and Chicago, before moving to Virginia in 1966. Earlier, he served in the Army and was news editor of the Stars and Stripes in Tokyo.\r\n'),(915,2,'A woman suffering from tuberculosis who repeatedly refused treatment was arrested by authorities, who suspect she spread the disease to family members and acquaintances. The woman, Margaret Allen, 29, was taken Wednesday to Montabello Rehabilitation Center in Baltimore for treatment. Elin Gursky, director of epidemiology and disease control for the Prince George\'s County health department, said Allen was arrested by sheriff\'s deputies under a little-used provision of Maryland law that requires public health officials to control the spread of contagious diseases. Tuberculosis, which causes coughing, night sweats and profound weight loss, can be cured but can cause death if not treated, Gursky said. Health officials cannot force Allen to receive treatment for the disease, but they can incarcerate her to prevent its spread, Gursky said. Allen was described as being in a highly infectious stage of the disease, and if she leaves the hospital, Gursky said, she can be jailed. Health officials repeatedly tried to persuade Allen to be treated for the disease and then obtained a court order in a civil proceeding before seeking a criminal warrant for her arrest, Gursky said. Several members of her family have tested positive for tuberculosis, and are expected to receive treatment. ``I don\'t want people to think we go around arresting people who have communicable diseases because we don\'t,\'\' Gursky said. ``This was an extreme case.\'\' Tuberculosis is caused by an airborne strain of bacteria that can be transmitted by sharing a close space with an infected person, she said.\r\n'),(916,2,'A federal appeals court Wednesday gave states the authority to regulate new telephone services such as voice mail and computer access, a move one Baby Bell company said could raise costs to consumers. The decision could force the seven regional Bell telephone companies to set up separate corporate entities to handle their regulated telephone services and their newer, unregulated services, officials said. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals opinion vacated a 1985 Federal Communications Commission rule that had required the Baby Bells to keep finances separate for regulated and unregulated services but not create separate corporations. Seven lawsuits had been filed to overturn the rule. The court\'s ruling allows each state to decide whether to require separate corporations. The California Public Utilities Commission, which filed three of the lawsuits against the FCC, heralded the decision. The plaintiffs had contended that the Baby Bells could have subsidized unregulated services by charging higher prices on regulated phone service. ``It properly gives the states greater freedom to promote the development of enhanced services and the terms and conditions upon which those services are provided,\'\' Commission President G. Mitchell Wilk said. Steven Harris, director of planning and policy for Pacific Bell, said the company supports state regulation but fears state control could lead to a costly corporate division of regulated and unregulated services. ``It\'s not clear that we are going to have to split off,\'\' Harris said. ``It\'s up to the states. But we strongly believe that independent subsidiaries are not necessary and would make it more difficult to provide the services to the public.\'\' An FCC spokeswoman said the opinion is a setback for the communications industry. ``We adopted the rules because we believed they would be in the public interest,\'\' said spokeswoman Jane Mago. ``So, of course, we\'re disappointed in the outcome. We have to start from scratch.\'\' Unregulated communications services have developed rapidly in the past 10 years into a multi-billion-dollar industry that ranges from voice and electronic mail to automatic teller machines, Harris said. The appeals court ordered the FCC to develop new rules to help regulate new telecommunications services offered by the Baby Bell companies. Those companies had been prevented from providing information services under a court decree that stripped AT&T of its local operating companies in January 1984. Later that year, the FCC allowed the Baby Bells to offer unregulated services through separate subsidiaries. But in 1985, the federal agency dropped the requirement for separate subsidiares. The court said the FCC arbitrarily and capriciously reversed itself without showing that cost-shifting between unregulated and regulated services wouldn\'t occur and raise the bills of ``captive telephone customers.\'\' ``The record yields no evidence that the (Bell Operating Companies) power to extract monopoly rents from local telephone customers has diminished,\'\' the court said.\r\n'),(917,2,'Pope John Paul II declared Saturday that the Mexican government should not consider the Roman Catholic church a constitutional enemy, but rather an ally in the fight for a more moral society. ``In a state of law, the full and effective recognition of religious freedom should be the fruit and guarantee of civil liberties,\'\' John Paul told Mexico\'s bishops in his strongest call yet for legal recognition of the church. Despite being overwhelmingly Catholic, Mexico has harsh restrictions on church activity that date to 1859. The church was for many years considered a reactionary force by the governing Institutional Revolutionary Party, but the rules, which include bans on a church role in education and participation in political life, have been winked at in recent years. ``A theme that certainly concerns us, as pastors of the church in Mexico, is the present civil legislation about religious material,\'\' the pope said. ``The church in Mexico wants to be considered and treated not as something strange, nor as an enemy that must be confronted and fought, but as an ally of all that is good, noble and beautiful,\'\' John Paul said. He made his remarks in an address dedicating a new headquarters for the Roman Catholic Episcopal Conference of Mexico in this industrial suburb 15 miles north of Mexico City. The pope said the church could help the Mexican government by strengthening family life and giving young people _ the majority of the population _ deeper moral values. John Paul also expressed ``profound satisfaction for the climate of greater understanding\'\' with the government, illustrated by President Carlos Salinas de Gortari\'s recent naming of a personal envoy to the Vatican. The move was seen as a step toward re-establishing diplomatic relations broken in 1926. John Paul also reviewed for the bishops many of the themes that he had already touched on during his stay in Mexico. He said the bankruptcy of communism showed the futility of building a society without God, but he also criticized capitalism for its materialism. He said family life should be strengthened with faith, attacked artificial birth control and praised the bishops\' work in dealing with workers who migrate to ``El Norte\'\' _ the United States _ ``full of illusions about making progress that corresponds to their own expectations.\'\' Later, the Polish-born pope attacked the mixing of Marxism and Catholicism in so-called ``liberation theology\'\' before both the bishops and in a later address to an audience of 10,000 priests, nuns, seminarians and students at Christopher Columbus College, a Catholic instituion in Mexico City. Referring to the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe, he said it was ``incomprehensible that some sons of the church in these lands (Mexico) persist in presenting as viable models whose disaster is obvious in other parts of the world.\'\' In a final address to a gathering of 1,500 members of Mexico\'s intellectual and cultural community at the National Library, the pontiff took up the theme again, saying that while communism had been discredited, the culture of materialism in the West has not yet ``assured a civilization that dignifies man.\'\' Earlier in the day, during a visit to the central Mexican farming region of Zacatecas, the pope expressed sympathy for the hundreds of thousands of workers who migrate to the United States each year. ``I want to remember also those who, for different circumstances, have had to emigrate from this land, obliged to seek their living elsewhere,\'\' the pontiff told a flag-waving crowd of over 200,000 spread across a rocky, red-clay mountainside. ``The Lord also suffered the injustice of having to abandon his land.\'\' John Paul spoke in a region of north-central Mexico once known for silver mines but now dominated by farms and grinding poverty. In recent years the state of Zacatecas has become one of the centers of illegal migration to the United States. The pope told hundreds of thousands of people gathered for a Mass on a rocky, red-clay mountainside outside Zacatecas that manual work had dignity. He denounced exploitation and said workers needed ``adequate forms of association to defend your rights,\'\' referring to unions. The pope was scheduled to leave Mexico Sunday morning, stopping briefly on the Caribbean island of Curacao before reaching Rome on Monday. It was John Paul\'s 47th trip outside Italy since becoming pope and his 10th pilgrimage to Latin America.\r\n'),(918,2,'ABC only got a silver in the ratings the first week of Winter Olympics coverage, but ABC\'s ``World News Tonight\'\' was golden for the first time since August, snapping CBS\' 20-week win streak. The first two nights of the Olympics, Saturday and Sunday, varied widely in the A.C. Nielsen Co. ratings, but according to ABC averaged higher than the first two nights of the 1984 games. An estimated 25 million viewers saw Sunday night\'s coverage, featuring pairs figure skating, putting it in the top 10 with a 19.7 rating and a 30 share. But Saturday\'s coverage of hockey was in the bottom 10 with a 9.9 rating and 17 share. The rating is a percentage of the 88.6 million households with televisions. The share is a percentage of sets in use that are tuned to that program. The first two nights of the 1984 games were a Tuesday and a Wednesday, and had a combined rating of 13.8 compared to 15.5 for this year, said ABC. ABC\'s highest rated show of the week wasn\'t the Olympics, but the conclusion of the two-part miniseries ``Elvis and Me,\'\' the highest-rated miniseries so far this season. But NBC handily won the week ending Feb. 14, with an average prime-time rating of 16.2. ABC was second with 14.9. CBS was third with 14.2. After winning 19 of the 21 weeks so far in the season, NBC has an average rating of 16.4, and CBS and ABC are tied with 13.6. The 10 top-rated shows of the week were: ``The Cosby Show\'\' NBC, ``A Different World\'\' NBC, ``Elvis and Me, Part 2\'\' ABC, ``Cheers\'\' NBC, ``Golden Girls\'\' NBC, ``Growing Pains\'\' ABC, ``Night Court\'\' NBC, ``Who\'s the Boss?\'\' ABC, ``L.A. Law\'\' NBC and the Winter Olympics Sunday coverage on ABC. NBC\'s new ``Sonny Spoon,\'\' starring Mario Van Peebles as a chameleon private eye, premiered last Friday with so-so numbers, ranking 49th. The lowest rated shows of the week were: ``Our House,\'\' Winter Olympics Saturday coverage, ``West 57th,\'\' ``The Law and Harry McGraw,\'\' ``Decision \'88 _ The Iowa Caucus,\'\' ``Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan,\'\' ``The Thorns,\'\' ``48 Hours in Israel,\'\' ``Sledge Hammer!\'\' and ``The Charmings.\'\' For the week ending Feb. 12, ABC\'s ``World News Tonight\'\' had an average rating of 11.8 and a 20 share. The ``CBS Evening News\'\' had an 11.1 and 19. ``NBC Nightly News\'\' had a 10.9 and 19. Network analysts had no immediate explanation for ABC\'s showing. However, last week\'s ratings could have been affected by coverage of the Iowa caucuses, the first results from the 1988 presidential race. ``We tend to do well with major stories, be it Challenger or coverage of Chernobyl, and with live programming like the Iran hearings and political coverage,\'\' said ABC News spokeswoman Elise Adde. ABC\'s prime-time special on Iowa ranked a respectable 44 out of 68. It followed the conclusion of ``Elvis and Me.\'\' NBC\'s Iowa coverage ranked 63rd. CBS delayed its coverage of Iowa until 11:30 p.m. EST, after prime time. The last time ABC was first in news ratings was the week of Aug. 10, 1987.\r\n'),(919,2,'Nevada Gov. Richard Bryan\'s victory over an incumbent senator caps a political career that began when he was elected president of the student body in high school. ``We\'re ecstatic,\'\' Bryan exulted after he defeated GOP Sen. Chic Hecht. ``This has been a real tough campaign.\'\' Bryan has been a well-regarded governor and has demonstrated considerable media savvy. Hours after a rocket plant exploded in Henderson earlier this year, he appeared at Las Vegas television stations to explain what had gone wrong. He is something of an independent among Democrats. He supports strong defense spending, opposes the Equal Rights Amendment and favors aid to the contras in Nicaragua, all of which put him outside the Democratic mainstream. He has opposed plans to locate a nuclear waste dump in Nevada, and he took a drubbing from Hecht when Gov. Michael Dukakis said he stood by Congress\'s decision to locate the dump there. Neither Bryan nor Hecht were shy about spending money: Bryan\'s victory came after the most expensive race in Nevada history, in which the candidates spent an estimated $6 million. Bryan collected 50 percent of the vote to Hecht\'s 46 percent. Libertarian James Frye received 1.6 percent and 2 percent of the voters selected ``none of the above.\'\' Bryan joins Sen. Harry Reid as Nevada\'s second Democratic senator. His win elevates Lt. Gov. Bob Miller to acting governor to serve out the final two years of Bryan\'s term. Bryan, 51, was elected governor in 1982 to fulfill a dream he had since serving as president of his sophomore and senior classes at Las Vegas High School and student body president his senior year at the University of Nevada-Reno. Despite an image his detractors said was bland, Bryan successfully fought for diversification of Nevada\'s tourism-dependent economy and won significant reforms in the state\'s educational system.\r\n'),(920,2,'Swedish army Maj. Wilbert Algotson was 39 when he packed his wife and two small children into the family car and drove off to the battlefield, to a war not his own. The Algotsons headed for Central Asia, where he helped supervise the India-Pakistan cease-fire as a U.N. observer. Fifteen years later, the 36-man U.N. Observer Group in India and Pakistan is still on duty along the disputed Jammu-Kashmir frontier, and Algotson, along with thousands like him, has a small share of the Nobel Peace Prize for 1988. The prize was awarded Thursday to the United Nations peacekeeping forces. Algotson will never see any of the $390,000 in prize money, but, in a telephone interview, he sounded satisfied all the same. ``I\'m very pleased and also proud of having been part of it,\'\' he said. An army veteran, Algotson, like all other U.N. peacekeepers, volunteered for the job. In neutral countries like Sweden and Finland, which regularly contribute men and money to peacekeeping efforts, such duty is usually the only chance to see action. ``I knew it could be dangerous, too. There were still exchanges of fire over the line of control, in spite of the peace accord after the Bangladesh war,\'\' he said. At that time, in 1973, making the drive was a popular thing to do for the Finns, Danes, Swedes and other Europeans on the force, he said. It was partly for the adventure, partly because of the money involved. Algotson was entitled to an airline ticket for himself, but not his family, so driving was the most economical way to get there. The policy has become more generous in recent years. The plan, he said, was to do his job along the cease-fire line while his family lived in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Getting there was trouble enough. The drive took them through Europe, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan. In Afghanistan, a French family traveling ahead of them was murdered during an overnight stop. During his one-year tour, Algotson served in several field stations along the dividing line between hostile Indian and Pakistani troops. ``We were out for three to four weeks with the Indian or Pakistani units and then had a week or so off,\'\' he said. After a year, he and his family drove back to Sweden. Algotson said he felt that people at home were interested and felt positively about the United Nations and its work. He said there were a few extra allowances, but on the whole financial rewards were few. ``My economy took a slight turn for the better. But at that time the state didn\'t pay for the family, or for home leaves, so all in all it probably was about the same,\'\' he said. ``The (1988 Nobel Peace Prize) choice was well motivated, since everyone enlists to serve peace,\'\' Algotson said. ``It would be very troubling if the U.N. role became so weak that this working process was no longer possible.\'\' Algotson said it was gratifying to know that he helped prevent the spread of a regional war. But of the conflict itself? ``I see no end to it,\'\' he said. At 54, and still on army duty, Algotson said he was considering volunteering again. ``If something comes up in Namibia I might go for it,\'\' he said. U.N. officials are considering sending a peacekeeping force to Namibia, or South-west Africa, pending successful negotiations between South Africa and Angola.\r\n'),(921,2,'Arco paid the state nearly $172.3 million Friday to settle most of the legal battle over the amount the oil company owes in state income taxes for 1978 through 1981, the state Revenue Department announced. Los Angeles-based Arco and the department resolved 14 major issues in the case, department spokesman Royce Weller said in a news release. The issues involve the amount of taxable income from the production of oil and natural gas from Prudhoe Bay and Cook Inlet, allowable tax deductions for exploration, development and operation of the oil and gas fields, and disagreement over the company\'s pipeline income, Weller said. Arco and the state agreed to pursue litigation of two remaining issues involving a potential tax liability of $57.3 million, Weller said. Those issues involve the amount of interest the company can deduct in computing taxable income as an owner of the TransAlaska Pipeline System, and a dispute over how federal entitlement regulations are to be applied under the state\'s oil and gas corporate income tax, Weller said. Arco\'s 1988 profits will not be affected by the settlement because the company\'s financial reserves are sufficient to cover the issues in dispute, the news release said. Gov. Steve Cowper was briefed on terms of the settlement and approved it, Weller said. William E. Wade Jr., president of Arco Alaska Inc., said the settlement avoided a costly and protracted legal fight. ``The agreement reached with the state of Alaska is a reasonable resolution of complex and difficult issues,\'\' Wade said. Alaska Attorney General Grace Berg Schaible said the state decided to pursue litigation on the other issues because they involve legal precedents that will affect the entire petroleum industry. ``To the extent the remaining litigation falls in the test-case category, this settlement today marks the end of a long tax dispute,\'\' she said. ``This settlement reflects a reasonble assessment of what we would have recovered and serves the best interests of the state.\'\' State Revenue Commissioner Hugh Malone termed the settlement ``just and fair.\'\'\r\n'),(922,2,'A city official says transit agency employees are suspected sabotaging safety devices on train doors. ``This appears to be an insider problem, someone who obviously knows enough about cars to disable them,\'\' said Frank Wilson, the Chicago Transit Authority\'s senior deputy executive director in charge of maintenance. Inspectors at a rail yard discovered the vandalism, involving the air-filled rubber edges that prevent doors from closing on passengers, Wilson said. Over the weekend, 25 doors on 18 cars were vandalized, he said. Air hoses either were disconnected or cut cleanly where they connect to a compressor, Wilson said Monday. On Tuesday, crews found 11 new cases of apparent tampering, including five instances of damage to cars that had been repaired since the weekend, he said. There were no passenger injuries linked to the faulty doors. Wilson has been very outspoken about the agency\'s problems since coming to Chicago a month ago from a similar post in Philadelphia. Last fall, the transit authority suspected employee sabotage when fuses necessary for emergency brake systems were missing in 100 cars. An investigation failed to produce any suspects.\r\n'),(923,2,'A Christian Scientist accused of manslaughter for not seeking medical help for his son\'s fatal ailment testified Tuesday that he had believed prayer was helping the boy. Special Prosecutor John Kiernan cross-examined David Twitchell in an effort to uncover inconsistencies in prior testimony about the severity of the five-day illness of Twitchell\'s 2{-year-old son Robyn, who died four years ago of a bowel obstruction. Both Twitchell and his wife, Ginger, both 34, are accused of manslaughter. The Boston-based Christian Science Church teaches that disease, like sin, can be healed by spiritual means alone. Twitchell testified he was concerned over his son\'s health but believed that prayer was working for Robyn, even during the last few hours of his life. Kiernan again questioned Twitchell on whether he made a mistake in not taking his son to doctors when he began vomiting and gesturing at his stomach. ``If they could hawhy you didn\'t call a doctor for Robyn, because you wanted to maintain your spiritual purity?\'\' Kiernan asked Tuesday. ``Absolutely not,\'\' Twitchell replied. Under questioning by defense attorney Rikki Klieman, Twitchell testified about his knowledge of legal obligations for a Christian Scientist. For example, he said, Christian Scientists were not exempt from required prenatal blood tests, such as one given to his wife, but that school children did not have to be immunized. Prosecutors have emphasized they are not putting the Christian Science faith on trial, but that they are seeking to protect children placed at risk by parents who rely solely on spiritual healing.\r\n'),(924,2,'Timbuktu was lucky last year. It rained, the locusts stayed away and, with some help from the outside, farmers produced one of the best harvests in half a century. Farmers in nearly all the countries that hug the southern Sahara Desert\'s harsh border produced similar bumper crops that filled graneries and children\'s bellies from Senegal east to Niger. The good fortune of 1988 and 1989, welcome as it is, also illuminates the profound problems facing these poor nations struggling to feed themselves _ problems that range from a birthrate that outpaces production to a marketplace that stacks the deck against even the hardest-working farmer. Experts note that, even with the bountiful harvest in most countries, sub-Saharan Africa imported nearly 9 million tons of cereal grains in 1988. ``Nonetheless, the 500,000-ton grain surplus is spectacular news,\'\' said U.S. Ambassador Robert Pringle. ``Now everyone is wondering how to export what they have grown.\'\' Abduleh al Kalifa, hip-deep in a field of emerald-green wheat rippling in a desert wind near Timbuktu, doesn\'t worry about exporting. He just wishes he could sell his surplus 30 miles away, in Timbuktu. ``Five years ago there was no rain, nothing to eat,\'\' said Kalifa, 36, already middle-aged in a nation where the average life expectancy is 49. ``Foreigners gave us everything. These last two years, the harvests were good. We have hope and two warehouses are full. ``We have more than we can eat, more than we can store and we can\'t sell the rest,\'\' he said. ``How can we get our grain to town if there are no roads? How can we compete with grain from other countries? How can we earn enough money to buy food when there is another drought?\'\' Mali\'s last drought left its mark on the children. Two-year-olds are solid and round, but children born in the drought of 1984-1985 are spindly, apt to suffer from chronic malnutrition. ``If you are malnourished, a few good meals will make you feel better, but you are still malnourished,\'\' said Leo DeVos, director of the United Nations Children\'s Fund in Mali. ``The whole country is like these children. It will take more than a couple of good harvests to put the country back on its feet. ``Still, it\'s nice to see the green,\'\' he said. ``It is the color of hope.\'\' When UNICEF arrived five years ago with emergency food, the government was in chaos, people were starving and huge numbers of refugees arrived in cities each day from the barren countryside. Enormous need remained when the crisis ended, so UNICEF and others stayed on to help. The United States, which spends about $30 million a year in Mali, now helps entrepreneurs and small farmers. West Germany built warehouses for reserves and a highway that spans a nation as large as Texas and California combined. France, Italy and others fight the advance of the desert, dig wells, organize cooperatives and help in dozens of other ways. UNICEF has concentrated on Timbuktu, a once-mysterious oasis that still evokes romance and adventure. Centuries ago, Timbuktu was a crossroads of caravans, a center of learning and a garden in the desert, where the river ran deep and trees hung heavy with fruit. Now, the advancing desert has tied a noose of dunes around it and many donors have written the city off as a lost cause. With funds donated by Italian labor unions, UNICEF installed pumps to make use of Niger River water and drilled wells to tap ground water for irrigation. ``We wanted to set an example, to show what could be done in even the most precarious situation,\'\' DeVos said. One result of the five-year project was the field where Kalifa and his neighbors grew a 15-ton grain surplus, little of which can be sold. The Malian government used to have price controls, which kept food costs down and made urban voters happy, but discouraged farmers because of the low return on their labor. Controls were abolished at the insistence of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. International donors and lenders also demanded that Mali eliminate protectionist measures and subsidies to farmers. Their message was simple: No open markets, no aid. ``We have a long-term commitment to food aid, in return for which we ask that the entire cereal market be freed,\'\' said Dennis Brennan, director of the U.S. Agency for International Development in Bamako. With the market wide open, rice from Thailand and Louisiana costs less in the Timbuktu bazaar than grain grown down the road. ``The little guy works like crazy to grow something, pulling grain from soil that is poor, in primitive conditions and in a climate that is never favorable, even when there is no drought,\'\' said Giovanni Fiore, director of UNICEF\'s Timbuktu project and an Africa veteran. Then, when the farmer produces a surplus, there are no buyers. No one in the villages has any cash and consumers in Timbuktu buy whatever is cheapest. ``It comes from Europe or the United States where farmers receive subsidies,\'\' Fiore said. ``How can a Malian compete? He has no subsidy. All he has is taxes and the high cost of the pump, gasoline, oil, fertilizer, all of which has to be imported at double, triple, 10 times the cost to an American. ``Meanwhile, the donors tie aid to an open market in which farmers from developed countries can sell their surplus. So our farmers eat what they can, store a little, which will last a year or two, and when there is another extended drought, there will be famine.\'\'\r\n'),(925,2,'Bond prices advanced Friday in quiet dealings as the dollar extended its recent gains in foreign-exchange trading. The Treasury\'s bellwether 30-year bond rose half a point, or $5 per $1,000 in face value, as its yield fell to 8.85 percent from 8.92 percent late Thursday. Analysts said the price increase was due to another rise in the dollar, which has gained ground steadily this week against other major currencies. A higher dollar increases the yields available to foreign investors on dollar-denominated securities, such as U.S. bonds and notes. Most of the gains occurred early in the session, and trading was described as relatively light. In the secondary market for Treasury bonds, prices of short-term government issues rose 5-32 point, intermediate maturities rose by between 7-32 point and 13-32 point and 20-year issues rose ] point, according to figures provided by Telerate Inc., a business-information service. The movement of a point is equivalent to a change of $10 in the price of a bond with a $1,000 face value. The Merrill Lynch Daily Treasury Index, which measures price movements on all outstanding Treasury issues with maturities of a year or longer, rose 0.27 to 110.13. The Shearson Lehman Hutton Daily Treasury Bond Index, which makes a similar measurement, rose 3.01 to 1,153.19. Corporate bonds were little changed. Moody\'s Investment Grade Corporate Bond Index, which measures price movements on 80 corporate bonds with maturities of five years or longer, rose 0.60 to 284.19. In the tax-exempt market, prices edged up 1-16 point, according to the Bond Buyer Municipal Bond Index. Yields on three-month Treasury bills fell 4 basis points to 6.49 percent. A basis point is one-hundredth of a percentage point. Six-month bills were unchanged at 6.76 percent and one-year bills fell 3 basis points to 6.98 percent. The federal funds rate, the interest on overnight loans between banks, was quoted late in the day at 7| percent, down from 7 9-16 percent late Thursday.\r\n'),(926,2,'African National Congress leader Nelson Mandela accused the South African government Tuesday of massacring demonstrators and causing black-on-black violence. Mandela also charged the government with defaming his wife, Winnie, in a murder and assault trial involving one of her former bodyguards, and said the ANC is not satisfied with reforms introduced by President F.W. de Klerk. Mandela, speaking to reporters after returning from an eight-nation African tour, said de Klerk has no control over the police force. He accused police of ``slaughtering\'\' black people involved in political demonstrations. He alleged it was government policy to keep ANC supporters fighting members of the Inkatha political organization in Natal province, where more than 5,000 people have died in the past five years. ``It is quite clear that the government does not want this violence to end,\'\' Mandela said. ``If the government continues to massacre our people while they are talking of negotiations, that we cannot permit. We will have to address that question specifically in relation to whether these negotiations shall continue.\'\' De Klerk is hoping to begin formal talks with black leaders on constitutional changes that would give the black majority a voice in national affairs _ something denied them under the current system of apartheid. Since taking office in August, de Klerk has made a number of reforms, including legalizing the long-banned ANC; freeing Mandela from a life prison term; and ending segregation of beaches and hospitals. Mandela said the ANC is not satisfied. ``We have got basic demands,\'\' he said. ``The most basic of these is the demand for everybody to have the right to determine his own affairs.\'\' Mandela said the government has deliberately besmirched his wife\'s name by linking her to the alleged crimes of one of her former bodyguards, Jerry Richardson, but not charging her. Richardson is charged with murder, kidnapping, attempted murder and assault. Eight other bodyguards are facing lesser charges in separate trials. Three men have testified in court that Winnie Mandela whipped them, beat them allowed her bodyguards to keep them captive in her home and assault them in December 1988 and January 1989. One of the alleged victims, 14-year-old black activist Stompie Seipei Moeketsi, was found dead Jan. 6, 1989. Mrs. Mandela denies wrongdoing and has not been charged with a crime. ``When my wife is not charged and the whole case centers on her, she has no way of defending herself,\'\' Mandela said. But Mandela said he was not calling on the government to prosecute his wife. ``I am saying that the way the case has been conducted is intended to defame my wife without her having the opportunity to defend herself,\'\' he said. It was the first time Mandela had spoken publicly on the matter in South Africa since he was freed Feb. 12 from a life prison term for sabotage and plotting the overthrow of the white-minority government.\r\n'),(927,2,'A federal judge has ruled that United Airlines and American Airlines did not conspire to fix fees on their computerized reservation systems as several other carriers had charged. In handing down his decision Monday, U.S. District Judge Edward Rafeedie held that the airlines had no evidence to support any inference of conspiracy, but were relying solely on speculation. The plaintiffs, including Continental Airlines, USAir Group Inc., Northwest Airlines, had sought more than $1.1 billion in recovery of such fees paid to American and United from 1984 to 1987. Chicago-based United is the nation\'s largest airline, while American, based in Fort Worth, is the second biggest. ``American considers this to be a major victory,\'\' Anne H. McNamara, the airline\'s senior vice president and general counsel said Monday. ``We feel totally vindicated by the decision, because the judge recognized the conspiracy charges for what they are _ absolute speculation.\'\' In their antitrust complaint against American and United, the plaintiffs contended the defendants participated in a conspiracy spanning several years to raise the other carriers\' cost of doing business. Specifically, plaintiffs accused the two airlines of illegally agreeing to fix the price of ``booking fees\'\' charged by SABRE and Apollo _ the American and United computerized reservations systems, respectively, beginning in November 1984. At that time American announced it would charge other airlines $1.75 per booking for the SABRE service. United later established a price of $1.85. The plaintiffs also alleged the two defendants unlawfully forced other carriers to pay what the industry terms ``interline ticketing fees,\'\' which are paid when one airline issues a ticket on its own internal ``ticket stock\'\' for travel on another airline, such as when a passenger\'s itinerary involves two or more carriers for a single trip. The court found American and United had met their ``procedural burden\'\' of showing each had independently decided on the level of booking fees after November 1984 and on establishment of a reimbursement charge for interline ticketing services. On Aug. 12, Rafeedie granted American\'s and United\'s motions for summary judgment on two of three of the plaintiffs\' principal monopolization theories: that SABRE and Apollo are ``essential facilities\'\' and that the defendants engaged in ``monopoly leveraging.\'\'\r\n'),(928,2,'This will be an active week, as every week is, for short-term interpreters of stock market action, the folks who explain to you at the switch of a microphone why the market rose or fell. There is plenty of resource material this week, as there always is, and it will not matter that yesterday\'s reason for the market falling might be put into service again to explain a subsequent improvement. Negatively, losses at the Bank of New England are making that industry look bad, the bankruptcy of Campeau Corp. might depress retailing, the uprising in Baku might fuel speculation about Mikhail Gorbachev\'s future. As usual, the negatives make up an endless list. Relatively new to the list this week are renewed fears of rising interest rates, a spread of pessimism from Tokyo stocks to New York, and maybe a worsening of the budget deficit. Of use in explaining strength in the market would be any sign whatever that the Federal Reserve might consider the White House plea for lower borrowing rates, peace in the Soviet Union, or evidence of a pickup in corporate profits. All these are underlying possibilities, but they are not really immediate causes. Triggering them will be the usual statistical confetti from government and industry. This week\'s list includes an announcement about the federal deficit for December, the weekly money supply figures, and a really big one, an estimate of fourth-quarter gross national product. In addition, there will be the mid-January report of automotive sales, reports on new jobless claims and employment costs, and the level of durable goods orders during December. In action, these triggers can be wonderfully imprecise. Some lend themselves to ambiguity, and that makes them ideal for ambidextrous analysts, the kind with a predisposition to the phrase ``on the other hand.\'\' The same statistics can, and often have been, utilized by different interpreters to support opposite conclusions. It is entirely legal to use the same set of statistics negatively one day and positively the next. Moreover, government statistics often can be employed more than once, because the initial announcement often is revised. While revisions seldom are of major consequence, they are there to serve the interpreters, if necessary. Daily, in fact hourly, explanations are unusually complicated in recent weeks by a dichotomy in the ranks of economists and securities analysts. It is this: Is a strong economy good and a weak one bad, or is it the reverse? Specifically, a gross national product gain of 3 percent to 6 percent on an annual basis usually would be welcomed, because it would suggest economic strength and good corporate profits. But this week it might be bad news for stocks. The explanation lies in the attitude of the Federal Reserve Board, whose primary goal in the past year has been to restrain inflation. Therefore, an unexpectedly large gain might suggest an economy rising too fast, and provide sufficient reason to abandon any immediate plans to let interest rates find a lower level. The fourth-quarter report to be announced this Friday isn\'t likely to show any such gains; the consensus seems to suggest a gain of less than 1 percent. It could be good for the securities markets _ or it could be bad.\r\n'),(929,2,'A defense manufacturer is suing ABC News to regain what the company said were stolen documents used for a story on reputed parts overcharges for a U.S. Army vehicle. ``We don\'t know how they got the documents,\'\' said Pat Brozowski, spokeswomen for FMC Corp., the Chicago-based builder of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle. The ABC World News Tonight segment, which aired Oct. 20 quoting unidentified former FMC employees, accused the company of overcharging the government for spare parts on the vehicle, which resembles a tank. ``We have not seen the lawsuit and cannot comment at this time,\'\' spokeswoman Elise Adde of ABC News said from New York. An in-house investigation of the television story ``turned up the fact that the documents were missing from our files,\'\' Ms. Brozowski said. The lawsuit was filed Wednesday in Cook County Circuit Court. FMC also said it has told the government\'s General Accounting Office it will cooperate with any investigation of prices charged on the Bradley parts, according to the statement.\r\n'),(930,2,'Rebels ambushed a jeep east of Managua on Wednesday, killing four people and wounding one, the government said. The attack occurred at 7:45 a.m. in Comalapa near Juigalpa, the capital of Chontales province, 95 miles east of Managua, according to a statement issued by the Defense Ministry. Armando Montoya, political secretary of the ruling Sandinista National Liberation Front Party in Comalapa, and Danilo Corrales, a municipal governent finance official, were killed in the attack. Two Sandinista police officers also were killed and a third was wounded, the ministry said. In another statement, the ministry said 11 rebels were killed and five wounded in clashes with troops between Aug. 30 and Sept. 6. It said the attacks took place in northern and eastern Nicaragua but did not say if government forces suffered casualties. The ministry said rebel forces killed one civilian and wounded two during that period. It provided no details. The leftist Sandinista government and the U.S.-supported rebels, known as Contras, agreed to a truce in March, but failed to negotiate an end to the 7-year-old civil war. Talks broke off June 9, and each side has accused the other of violating the truce.\r\n'),(931,2,'Barbership quartets are upbeat about a resurgence of interest in their music, and they\'re singing out loud and clear on the 50th anniversary of their international society. More than 10,000 people have registered for this week\'s international convention of the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet Singing in America. ``I think we are gaining some respect again across the country,\'\' said James Warner, a Memphis attorney and international president of the 38,000-member organization. ``We are developing programs for young men in some high schools and it\'s found increasing acceptance,\'\' he said. ``We\'re not using it as a recruitment device, but as an attempt to reach out to young men in that area,\'\' he said. Barbershop quartets, which popped up mainly on the East Coast at the turn of the century and were popular during the vaudeville era, use four-part harmonies to carry tunes. The lead singer carries the melody. A tenor harmonizes and a baritone and a bass carry the lower chords. There is no instrumental accompaniment. Competition begins Thursday with 51 quartets battling for five finalist positions. Sixteen choruses comprised of 50 men also will vie for five finalist positions. The finals are scheduled for Saturday with one gold, one silver and three bronze medals being awarded in each category and the gold medal winner becoming the international champion. ``This is the Olympics of barbershop singing and all of them have had to battle on the local level to get here,\'\' Warner said. ``It will be a tough competition because there is a lot of prestige that goes with the medals.\'\' On Wednesday, crooners warmed up, gathering in hotel rooms and hallways to belt out such barbershop classics as ``Sweet Adeline.\'\' Greg Zinke, 27, a member of the Northeast Extension of Pemberton, N.J., said he began singing in a quartet after being around his father\'s group. Zinke, who works in a tool and die shop in High Bridge, N.J., said he opted for barbershop quartet singing instead of rock \'n roll because of the selection of clean, simple old songs. ``You don\'t have to be a fantastic singer to do this. I think that\'s what makes it so nice for the guy off the street who admires the music. He can come sing it, too,\'\' he said. For a long time, barbershop quartet singing was in a decline, as the vaudeville era came to an end with the advent of motion pictures and other forms of music after World War I. In 1938, Owen C. Cash, a tax attorney in Tulsa, Okla., and Rupert Hall, another Tulsa businessman, formed the society to preserve the old music. Their group helped revive interest, and there are now 2,000 quartets and 800 choruses divided into 16 regions in the United States and Canada and other groups in England, Sweden, West Germany, Holland and New Zealand. Doctors, lawyers, researchers, plumbers, electricians are among the barbershop quartet singers, but ironically, few barbers are members of the organization, Warner said. ``It\' easy to sing and it\'s portable,\'\' said 35-year-old Roger Payne of Manhattan. ``All you have to have is your pitch pipe and three other guys and you don\'t have to call anybody to move your piano. It interacts with the audience in a real entertainment-kind of way.\'\'\r\n'),(932,2,'The official Tass news agency on Wednesday called the founders of a new Soviet political party liars and scandalmongers whose actions hamper Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev\'s reform drive. It the first attack by the state-run media on the new Democratic Union, Tass accused members of ``slanderous, anti-social activity.\'\' The toughly worded dispatch indicated that officials would not tolerate any challenge the new party might mount to the ruling Communists. Past attempts to challenge the Communist Party have been crushed. About 70 people met Monday outside Moscow to create the new party, which seeks multi-party elections, independent trade unions, a new constitution and the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Eastern Europe and areas seized by the Soviet Union in World War II. Members of the Democratic Union expressed the hope that if Gorbachev is serious in his campaign for a more open society, he will allow the party to seek supporters and take part in elections, which are tightly controlled by the Communist Party. Tass said the Democratic Union\'s platform was a ``provocation with a political flavor\'\' that was so anti-constitutional it touched off arguments among group members and exposed its authors to criticism from the group itself. ``The group is nothing more than a bunch of scandalmongers deliberately smearing honest people and hampering perestroika and efforts to foster good relations between people,\'\' the Soviet news agency said. ``Perestroika,\'\' which means ``reconstruction\'\' in Russian, is the name given to Gorbachev\'s ambitious reform program for economic and social restructuring. Tass did not say why the Democratic Union\'s ``Declaration of Principles\'\' was unconstitutional, but the 1977 Soviet Constitution enshrines the Communist Party\'s monopoly on power, calling it the ``leading and guiding force\'\' of the country. Tass also defended the jailing of Sergei Grigoryants, the founder of the independent human rights journal ``Glasnost,\'\' who was arrested Monday. Grigoryants, a former political prisoner, had offered to let the Democratic Union group use a country cottage outside Moscow that he rents for their Monday meeting. But police surrounded the building, arrested Grigoryants in the yard, and broke down the cottage\'s doors to arrest others, associates of Grigoryants told a Moscow news conference Tuesday. The Tass account of Grigoryants\' arrest said: ``On May 9 ... he kicked up a violent row on a trip outside Moscow and has been sentenced to seven days in jail by the People\'s Court of Ramenskoye in the Moscow region.\'\' Grigoryants, a former political prisoner, was convicted on a charge of resisting authorities. Andrei Babitsky, a fellow editor of ``Glasnost\'\' who was also detained at the cottage but later released, said Grigoryants had been falsely accused. Lawyer Valentin Yelisyenko, who also spoke at the dissidents\' Tuesday news conference, said police had no arrest warrant for Grigoryants or any of the others arrested and had search warrant to enter the cottage.\r\n'),(933,2,'As George Bush approaches the high noon of his quest for the Republican presidential nomination, he is striving to move out of the shadow cast by President Reagan while seeking to capitalize on Reagan\'s enormous popularity. Reagan\'s shadow has already shortened for Bush. These days he is seldom dogged with questions about distancing himself from the president. Instead, the questions now center on whether his candidacy is exerting too much influence over the Reagan White House. Both Bush and Reagan in recent days have fended off suggestions that some presidential decisions have been motivated by an effort to help the Bush campaign. And confronted with public opinion polls showing Bush far behind among Democrats who voted for Reagan, Bush advisers have now switched strategy to make sure that the Reagan shadow doesn\'t disappear altogether. After first planning no contact at the Republican National Convention between Reagan and his vice president, a joint rally is now scheduled for Tuesday in New Orleans. It follows an upbeat joint appearance between Reagan and Bush at a rally last Friday for senior administration officials at the Old Executive Office Building, during which Reagan lavished praise on his vice president. If all goes as planned, Bush\'s transformation into his own man will be complete when he accepts the Republican presidential nomination Thursday night at the Republican National Convention, according to aides and GOP consultants. By the end of the convention, ``all the emphasis is going to be on George Bush and his vice presidential nominee,\'\' said his chief of staff, Craig Fuller. Lee Atwater, Bush\'s campaign manager, said that Bush ``has made a conscious decision for seven years to be secondary to the president.\'\' ``And now that he\'s running for the president himself, he\'s talking about how he feels, what he believes in, and where he wants to take the country,\'\' Atwater said. To be sure, there are some areas in which Bush does not want to put much light between himself and Reagan _ largely the current economic expansion, now in a peacetime record of 69 months, and the fact that most of the world is at peace. The vice president has been inching away from his close identification with administration policies since he and aides huddled for a week in late May at his vacation home in Kennebunkport, Maine. The consensus from his advisers was near-unanimous: he had to do more to establish his own agenda. Since then, Bush has hinted that he would be more aggressive in dealing with the Soviets, would enforce civil-rights laws more vigorously, would spend more on education and do more to clean up the environment than the president he has served for the past 7{ years. He has also proposed many of his own initiatives, including a $2.2 billion child care program, a ban on offshore ocean dumping, and a reorganizaton of the anti-drug effort under the office of vice president. He also has proposed a new White House ethics office and a ``flexible freeze\'\' on federal spending. But most of Bush\'s moves away from the administration have been cautious, for fear of appearing disloyal. ``I\'m not going to change just to emerge from a shadow,\'\' he has said. In a recent interview, Bush said he will differ with Reagan when he feels he has a different set of goals. ``I have every intention of saying, here is what we\'ve done and and here are my priorities. ``But I\'m not doing that to quote distance myself, to show my own identity,\'\' he continued. ``I\'m doing it to say, look, here is what we\'ve done. Here are the successes, and here are the shortcomings, and here\'s what George Bush will do.\'\' Still, Bush\'s close identification with the administration continues to pose problems for him as Democrats keep driving home their ``Where is George?\'\' slogan. When the general election campaign heats up after Labor Day, Bush is expected to be hit repeatedly by Democrats for his role _ still vague _ in some of the less popular Reagan administration decisions, including arms-for-hostages dealings with Iran and past support for Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega. Meanwhile, the impact of Bush\'s candidacy has already been seen in a number of recent presidential decisions _ including Reagan\'s selection last week of a Hispanic, Lauro F. Cavazos, to be education secretary _ fulfilling in advance a Bush campaign pledge. Reagan filled two other Cabinet vacancies with people on close terms with Bush, naming former Pennsylvania Gov. Richard Thornburgh to succeed Edwin Meese as attorney general and Wall Street investment banker Nicholas F. Brady to follow James A. Baker III as treasury secretary. Baker resigned to run Bush\'s campaign. The president also yielded to Bush\'s urgings in deciding to allow a plant-closing notification bill to become law and in the president\'s veto of a $299.5 billion defense authorization bill. Reagan also has picked up on some of Bush\'s campaign themes, including advocating the death penalty for ``drug kingpins.\'\' ``I don\'t think it\'s as much a matter of Bush disagreeing or separating himself from Reagan as much as demonstrating that his agenda is a little different,\'\' said GOP consultant Charlie Black, who is a Bush convention adviser. And John Sears, another Republican consultant, said: ``The real moment of truth is when Bush accepts the nomination.\'\' ``He can campaign on the virtues of what eight years of the Reagan administration have brought to the country. And he can prove himself presidential. In his acceptance speech, he can do it all,\'\' Sears said.\r\n'),(934,2,'One of China\'s largest blast furnaces collapsed in an iron and steel mill in a northwest province, killing 19 people and injuring 10, an official daily said today. Officials were investigating Monday\'s disaster at the Jiuquan Iron and Steel Company in Gansu province, the People\'s Daily said. Metallurgical Industry Minister Qi Yuanjing led rescue and fire control operations, the daily said. The furnace, constructed during the Great Leap Forward period of rapid industrialization in 1958, was one of the largest in China, it said. The report gave no further details.\r\n'),(935,2,'A government prosecutor Friday challenged a local judge\'s decision to postpone until February the trial of Winnie Mandela and seven of her former bodyguards on charges of kidnapping and assault. Mrs. Mandela, wife of African National Congress leader Nelson Mandela, has denied any wrongdoing. She and the others are accused of abducting and beating four young men at her house in the Soweto black township. The leader of her bodyguards, Jerry Richardson, earlier was convicted of murdering one of the four and was sentenced to death. The eight defendants appeared Sept. 24 in magistrate\'s court in Soweto, where her attorney argued that the original Oct. 30 trial date left Mrs. Mandela insufficient time to prepare. Magistrate T.F. Veldman postponed the Supreme Court trial until Feb. 4. Transvaal Attorney General Klaus Von Lieres on Friday asked the Supreme Court to rule that a magistrate lacks the power to change the Supreme Court trial date Von Lieres set. The delay in challenging the postponement was not immediately explained. The Supreme Court reserved judgment. The charges stem from a December 1988 incident that killed 14-year-old Stompei Seipei. During Richardson\'s trial, the three other alleged victims testified they were abducted by members of the Mandela United Football Club - Mrs. Mandela\'s bodyguards - and taken to her home. They said Mrs. Mandela whipped them and that the others also assaulted them. If convicted of the charges against them, the defendants could receive punishment ranging from a suspended sentence to the death penalty. Lawyers said the death sentence has never been imposed for kidnapping in South Africa. White and black leaders fear Mrs. Mandela\'s trial could strain relations between the ANC and the government as they try to start talks on ending apartheid. Youths on the soccer club Mrs. Mandela formed played few matches and were accused of terrorizing the Soweto neighborhood where she lived. According to testimony at Richardson\'s trial, the bodyguards accused Seipei of being a police informer and the other three of having homosexual relations with the white minister at their church home. No evidence was presented that Seipei, a well-known anti-apartheid activist, was a police spy. The Methodist Church cleared the minister of any misconduct.\r\n'),(936,2,'All of Honda\'s 1988 model NX650 motorcycles are being voluntarily recalled to repair a defect that could cause loss of front-wheel braking, the company announced. American Honda Motor Co. Inc. said Tuesday that its dealers would replace front wheel hubs free of charge on all 2,032 of the motorcycles sold. This is the first year the model has been produced. Under severe use, one or more of the bolts securing the front brake disc assembly can loosen, the company said, posing a potential danger of front brake failure. The rear brakes are unaffected and Honda hasn\'t had any reports of accidents blamed on the defect, the company said. Owners of the bikes will be notified, or can take the machines back to their dealers.\r\n'),(937,2,'An Army deserter who spent 30 years in East Germany said Friday he was only there a few weeks before he realized he must try to escape that country\'s grim conditions and danger. ``I feel like I threw 30 years of my life away,\'\' Arnold Kephart, 53, said in an interview here at the home of his brother-in-law, Arlo Dunbar. Speaking with a heavy German accent, Kephart said the country he\'s returned to is ``a different world\'\' and he never thought he would see anything like the rapid liberalization of Eastern Europe. ``It was like you were locked up all the time. I never really ever felt at home,\'\' he said. As an Army private in 1959, Kephart wrecked an Army truck and, fearing punishment, fled to East Germany. While there, Kephart said, he had 14 or 15 jobs, married twice and had four children, including a son he brought back with him. When he returned to the United States last month, Kephart was arrested at the airport before upset relatives who had been waiting for the reunion. A week later, the Army granted him an other-than-honorable discharge. A deal for a television movie of Kephart\'s life has just been closed, according to his attorney, James Martin Davis. He wouldn\'t reveal details. Kephart, who earned his living as a truck driver in East Germany, said he regretted his spur-of-the-moment decision to go absent without leave a few weeks after settling in Schmalkalind, the town where he lived for 30 years. Travel restrictions were so tight that only two opportunities to escape come along before East Germany opened its borders last year. The first attempt came in 1973 or 1974, Kephart said. His first marriage _ which produced a daughter, Kitty _ had ended in divorce. Kephart said he met two men ``in a beer joint\'\' who asked him if he wanted to get out. ``Maybe we had too many beers, but this one said he knew where there was a hole in the fence,\'\' Kephart recalled. He and his companions set out. He said he doesn\'t remember where they were headed, except that it was out of town. One of the men was walking near the border about five minutes ahead of Kephart and the other man when Kephart heard a noise. ``We thought maybe he stepped on a mine,\'\' Kephart said. ``We just turned around and headed back to town. ``Two or three days later, I heard that they\'d found a person on the border _ dead,\'\' Kephart said. ``There\'s no way that couldn\'t have been the guy we were with.\'\' Before the second attempt 1975, Kephart drank ``enough beer to get my courage up and so I\'d have an excuse if I got caught,\'\' he said. Kephart said three guards grabbed him as he approached the border, beat him, and sent him back to town. ``After that, I didn\'t think about trying the border again,\'\' he said. He met his second wife, Brigitte, a year after he was beaten. She is the mother of Frankie, now 12 and in the United States with his father, and Kephart\'s 8-year-old twin daughters, Katharina and Kathleen. The family lived in a small house, Kephart said. Their diet was meager: bread with some bologna-like meat for breakfast, soup and potatoes for lunch. Dinner was a reprise of breakfast, he said. ``You could seldom get eggs,\'\' said Kephart, who added that he is enjoying foods he sorely missed in East Germany. ``I always loved chili,\'\' he said. ``And pork and beans. They just don\'t have anything like that over there.\'\'\r\n'),(938,2,'A 24-year-old computer wunderkind was in serious condition along with his mother Wednesday after what may have been a double suicide attempt following the seizure of his company, police said. Tex Zachary Hildreth fled the Braintree, Mass., area just before his 5-year-old computer services company, Massdata Corp., was closed by authorities and its assets seized Tuesday. Hildreth left behind about 30 angry employees and investors. He was arrested as a fugitive from justice in Manchester on Tuesday after an employee at the Holiday Inn called police to report a bloodied man wandering in the lobby. Police said that when they arrived just after 2 p.m., they found Hildreth\'s mother, Rose Hildreth, 50, lying injured in the hotel room the two shared. Police Lt. William Bovaird said both Hildreths were taken to Elliot Hospital, where, according to hospital spokeswoman Ann Williams, they were listed in serious condition Wednesday. Bovaird said both Hildreths were ``incoherent\'\' when police arrived at the hotel. He gave only sketchy details about their injuries but said it appeared that Hildreth may have slashed his wrists. He said a bottle of non-prescription pills were found in the hotel room along with what appeared to be suicide notes. Bovaird declined to elaborate, saying the case was still under investigation. On Monday, Rockland Trust Co., owed more than $400,000, tried to seize the company\'s assets, but the office was closed at the time, according to senior vice president John O\'Connor. County authorities and state police secured the company offices Tuesday night. Mike McGorty, a spokesman for the Norfolk County district attorney\'s office in Massachusetts, said Wednesday that his office began to investigate Hildreth Tuesday after receiving complaints about him from several people who said they did business with him. McGorty said Weymouth police had charged Hildreth with larceny over $250 Tuesday after receiving a complaint from another person. McGorty said the investigation into Hildreth\'s business dealings was expected to be ``lengthy.\'\' Hildreth\'s sudden fall came after a meteoric rags to riches tale. Hildreth was an overweight, unhappy teen-ager who transformed himself into a computer whiz and budding millionaire just a few years out of high school. Hildreth\'s company turned profitable in 1987 and expected sales of about $4 million this year, the Boston Globe reported in April. As recently as last month, Hildreth was profiled in an article that began with a description of him stepping out of a limousine with a beautiful woman to attend the fifth reunion of his Braintree High School class in November. ``This was my revenge for four years of hell,\'\' Hildreth said at the time. After buying his first computer at age 16, Hildreth began writing software programs. The confidence he gained as a computer whiz prompted him to lose 115 pounds in less than two years. With the help of a mentor in the Braintree area, Hildreth rented office space at the age of 20 and went into business as a computer consultant. He gradually built up the business, hiring young computer experts from other companies. He began to rapidly acquire the signs of success: a $220,000 Weymouth condominium, a $32,000 BMW and a 50-inch, $4,000 color TV. His mother, who once worked as a lunch matron at her son\'s school, was made clerk of the company. Last week, employees became suspicious when the president of Massdata told them their paychecks were being withheld because Hildreth had not signed them. Hildreth had collapsed in his office two days earlier, suffering from what was described as an aneurysm, a dangerous weakening of a blood vessel.\r\n'),(939,2,'A Greyhound bus driven by a replacement driver crashed Thursday, injuring eight passengers, authorities said. The driver told investigators a tractor-trailer forced him off the road, but at least three witnesses indicated he may have fallen asleep at the wheel, said patrolman Steve Kelso of the highway patrol. Investigators from the National Transportation and Safety Board went to the scene. Greyhound has reported at least 30 incidents of violence against the company, including shootings of buses, since its drivers began a nationwide strike March 2. Kelso said the Greyhound bus carrying 46 passengers went off Interstate 80 just east of Wamsutter early Thursday when it failed to make a curve. The bus crossed the median and went into a drainage ditch. All 46 passengers were taken to Carbon County Memorial Hospital in Rawlins, and eight were being held for overnight observation and treatment, Hospital Administrator Dick Mills said. All eight were in stable condition, said Mills, who did not know the extent of their injuries. The driver, 50-year-old Bobby Williamson of Chicago, was not hurt. Kelso said Williamson told him a large truck had played ``highway tag,\'\' repeatedly passing the bus, then slowing to make the bus pass until the bus was finally forced off the road. However, the patrolman said, there were reports from at least three witnesses who were awake either during or immediately before the accident that Williamson had been drowsy and was crossing lanes. Greyhound spokesman Bill Kula said the driver had fulfilled the rest quota prescribed by the Department of Transportation before getting behind the wheel in Cheyenne. ``The driver had had a 13-hour rest and break period which more than met DOT requirements,\'\' Kula said. ``He had all the rest he needed. It would not have impaired his driving ability in the least.\'\' George Gravely, another Greyhound spokesman, said the company was investigating whether the bus was forced off the road. ``I don\'t want this to sound like we\'ve lost confidence in the driver or support everything he said. But typically, we will review everything he says.\'\' Williamson is a replacement driver who began driving for Greyhound when members of the Amalgamated Transit Union went on strike, Gravely said.\r\n'),(940,2,'Leftist guerrillas demanded negotiations for the release of two U.S. citizens they kidnapped this week to protest President Bush\'s visit to Colombia, a news report said. One other American was also reported captured by the guerrillas to protest Bush\'s one-day visit Thursday for a regional drug summit. Authorities said they had no word on the third American, a Roman Catholic priest from Rochester, N.Y. Parishioners prayed for his return. The television program 24 Hours said Friday night that relatives of James Donnelly, one of the captives, were contacted by the abductors. It said they demanded a committee be formed to negotiate the terms to release Donnelly and fellow captive David Kent. The abductors did not provide details on the conditions they would put forward during such talks, the report said. It also was not clear who the abductors wanted on the committee. Donnelly, a 65-year-old mechanical engineer from Detroit, and Kent, a 40-year-old school teacher from Indianapolis, were separately kidnapped in the northwestern city of Medellin on Tuesday. The pro-Castro National Liberation Front made public Friday night a communique claiming responsibility for their abductions. Officials also blame the group for kidnapping the priest, the Rev. Francisco Amico Ferrari. He was abducted Thursday in the southwestern city of Cali. The guerrillas said the summit in the Colombian resort city of Cartagena between Bush and the presidents of Colombia, Peru and Bolivia was part of a design for ``the military control of our (Colombian) territory.\'\' The summit approved a joint fight by the four nations against drug trafficking. A police spokesman contacted in Medellin by telephone said the police knew nothing of the guerrillas\' demands. Roman Catholic Church bishops in Cali issued a statement calling for the abductors to release Amico. The bishops also condemned guerrilla bomb attacks Thursday at two Mormon temples run by American pastors. Damages were estimated at $12,000, but no injuries were reported. Medellin and Cali are homes to the drug cartels named after them. The cartels are blamed for more than 80 percent of the cocaine entering the United States.\r\n'),(941,2,'About 2,000 Soviet Jews are arriving in Israel daily, setting a record pace that could push the number of immigrants from all countries to more than 200,000 this year, officials and news reports said Thursday. On Thursday, 2,000 Soviet Jewish immigrants poured into Israel, surpassing last weekend\'s high rate of 1,500 a day, said Yehuda Weinrab, a spokesman for the quasi-governmental Jewish Agency. The organization helps resettle immigrants. Israeli officials have attributed the surge this month to increasing uncertainty about the political climate in the Soviet Union and better Israeli-sponsored transportation arrangements. Israel army radio said the latest surge likely would push the overall December immigration total to 35,000 and the year-end figure to 205,000. The totals include Ethiopians and other nationals, but Soviets make up about 90 percent. About 1 million Soviets are expected by the end of 1992. While Israeli officials encourage the immigration, it is causing major housing shortages and unemployment problems.\r\n'),(942,2,'The bulk of one of the world\'s most important private art collections will hang in Spain for at least 10 years under an agreement signed Thursday. The arrival of 700 to 800 of the $2 billion Thyssen collection\'s most significant paintings will cement the Spanish capital\'s reputation as a leading world art center. The agreement was signed by collector Baron Hans Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza and the Spanish government. The ceremony took place across the street from Prado museum in the 19th-century Villahermosa Palace, which Spanish authorities are refurbishing to devote exclusively to the new works. The collection is expected to open to the public in November. Thyssen said his decision to chose Spain over museums in the United States, Switzerland and West Germany was ``completely objective\'\' but stressed that his ties to Spain played a deciding role. The Baron\'s fifth wife, Spanish-born Carmen Cervera, was an important factor in the final decision, according one of the plan\'s chief architects, the Duke of Badajoz, who also is the brother-in-law of King Juan Carlos. Cervera, a former beauty queen and widow of ``Tarzan\'\' actor Lex Barker, ``has a great influence over her husband,\'\' he said. The duke said Thyssen had not yet completed the choice of which paintings would make up the Madrid collection, but the agreement stipulates they include ``the most significant paintings\'\' of the Thyssen collection. The duke said the 10-year loan agreement paves the way for a second pact to make Spain the collection\'s permanent home. ``It takes away a bit of the tension,\'\' he said. ``Now we can proceed with calm to work out the definitive agreement.\'\' A beaming Culture Minister Javier Solana said the collection ``is going to fundamentally improve the cultural life of our country.\'\' The Swiss-based Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection Trust, headed by the baron, owns 1,600 paintings from the 13th to 20th centuries, including 570 old masters. The collection was started by his father, Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza, a German steel baron who died in 1947. News that Thyssen was looking for a bigger home for the bulk of the paintings currently housed at his Villa Favorita residence in Lugano, Switzerland, elicited offers from Spain, the Getty Museum in Malibu, Calif., and museums in several West German cities. The 10-year loan is to be administered by a private foundation set up by the Spanish government and Thyssen, and chaired by the baron. The agreement stipulates that the pieces on loan to Spain will be able to travel freely to other museums without prior approval from Spanish authorities.\r\n'),(943,2,'Arleen Auger, Anne Sofie von Otter, Michael Chance, Howard Crook, John Tomlinson; The English Concert and Concert Choir, conducted by Trevor Pinnock. (Archiv). Kathleen Battle, Florence Quivar, John Aler, Samuel Ramey; the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, conducted by Andrew Davis. (Angel-EMI). Kiri te Kanawa, Anne Gjevang, Keith Lewis, Gwynne Howell; the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, conducted by Sir Georg Solti. (London). Judith Nelson, Emma Kirkby, Carolyn Watkinson, Paul Elliott, David Thomas; the Choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, the Academy of Ancient Music, conducted by Christopher Hogwood. (L\'Oiseau Lyre). Margaret Marshall, Catherine Robbin, Anthony Rolfe-Johnson, Robert Hale, Charles Brett, Saul Quirke; the English Baroque Soloists and Monteverdi Choir, conducted by John-Eliot Gardiner. (Philips). Kaaren Erickson, Sylvia McNair, Alfreda Hodgson, Jon Humphrey, Richard Stilwell; the Atlanta Symphony and Chorus, conducted by Robert Shaw. (Telarc).\r\n'),(944,2,'The script called for President Fernando Collor de Mello to set fire to a pile of seized cocaine and marijuana to promote his anti-drug campaign, but it didn\'t work out that way. Instead, TV viewers saw the gas-soaked pile of drugs explode in flames as Collor dropped a torch onto it, and the president cover his face and run back. Fortunately, the heat only singed Collor\'s right ear, hair and forearm, and he was not seriously hurt, the government news agency said Wednesday. Federal police chief Romeu Tuma said the explosion occurred at a ranch in remote western Brazil on Tuesday because ``the wind shifted.\'\' The ranch is in the Pantanal region, a transit point for illegal drugs near Brazil\'s border with Bolivia.\r\n'),(945,2,'The prestigious British wine fraternity that honors top-ranking wine connoisseurs is extending its cachet to Americans and other foreigners _ if they can pass a grueling four-day exam. The Institute of Masters of Wine, a staid club of British wine merchants, is actively soliciting foreign winemakers, wine stewards, teachers and others in the fermented grape business who aspire to use the coveted letters ``MW\'\' after their names. Nine out of 10 candidates fail the rigorous written exams and blind tastings. But for the successful few, MW is the wine world\'s equivalent of academia\'s Ph.D. The club has only 131 members and all but 14 of them are men. ``We felt that we were becoming a rather introverted little club,\'\' said executive director David Stevens. We would rather become an ``internationally recognized body with prestige, weight and influence,\'\' he said. ``We took a very dramatic decision, for us, to throw open our doors to anyone in the world who could actually come and sit and pass this exam. \'\' The first step was to open membership to eligible journalists and wine writers. Only one, British wine writer and broadcaster Jancis Robinson, has passed muster. Then, foreigners, including Americans, were allowed to take the exam. So far, no U.S. palate has been admitted, although eight Americans took the annual exam in London last month. Stevens wouldn\'t give their names, but said they included wine teachers, wine wholesalers and retailers, and sommeliers. They will learn on July 17 whether they have joined the tiny group of foreigners in this unique professional body founded in 1953: Olivier Humbrecht from the Alsace region of France, Australian wine consultant Michael Hill-Smith and winemaker Michael Brajkovich from the Kumeu River winery in New Zealand. ``I think the examination is now much tougher than it used to be, for the very simple reason that the wine industry has become far more complicated,\'\' Stevens said. He passed on his first try in 1961, when ``basically, if we knew about the wines of France, Germany, a little bit about sherry, port, that was about it. Now you have to know about the wines of the world.\'\' This year\'s blind taste included wines from California, Australia, New Zealand, Spain and Lebanon, plus the produce of the more traditional wine regions of France, Germany and Italy. Candidates had to identify the grapes from which the wine was made, where they were grown, and the wine\'s vintage. Then they had to comment on how the wine was made and aged. Whenever possible, the judges sneak in a bad wine to test their ability to detect imperfections. Stevens said he feels education standards have declined, and that many potential masters of wine are unaccustomed to writing short essays required to test their knowledge of growing and harvesting grapes and the chemistry of winemaking. ``I think that Americans are not used to an examination where they have to express themselves in the written word,\'\' he said. ``They are much more used to answering multiple-choice-type questions, a tick in the box. To have to produce a very long, reasoned written answer in written form they do find difficult.\'\' The essay questions test knowledge of all aspects of the wine industry, from planting and harvesting to winemaking chemistry, storing and maturing bulk wine, changing consumer tastes and the trend toward mergers and takeovers in the industry. The open-ended questions range from ``Are bubbles worth a premium?\'\' to ``The Chardonnay grape has been described as the perfect artist\'s palette. Discuss and compare methods used in different wine regions to produce the various styles\'\' and ``How much should a wine reflect the personality and aims of the producer as opposed to the character of the vineyard?\'\'\r\n'),(946,2,'President-elect George Bush has been given the glum news that the budget deficit in the next fiscal year will be $21 billion higher than the Reagan administration had previously estimated. That information means that Bush will be facing an even bigger budget headache when he takes office on Jan. 20. The new deficit estimate was presented to Bush and President Reagan during a Cabinet briefing Thursday on the administration\'s final budget submission to Congress. Joseph Wright Jr., director of the Office of Management and Budget, said the OMB now estimates that the deficit for the 1990 fiscal year, which begins next Oct. 1, will be $132 billion, substantially higher than the $111 billion deficit estimate OMB made just three months ago. Officials said the main factors boosting the deficit estimate were the drought, which slowed economic growth this year, and higher-than-expected interest rates, which raised the cost of financing the $2.6 trillion national debt. The Gramm-Rudman balanced budget law\'s deficit target for 1990 is $100 billion, which means that $32 billion in budget cuts will be needed to close the gap between revenues and spending. Achieving such sizable cuts in the face of congressional opposition to further reductions in domestic programs will present Bush with major political problems. During the campaign, Bush sidestepped specifics on how he would deal with the budget deficit by touting a plan for a ``flexible freeze.\'\' Bush said he would allow government spending to grow only enough to match inflation. Within the overall freeze, selected programs could grow while others would be cut. However, Bush avoided providing details on what programs he would cut in order to free funds for increases that he promised to make in education, child care and health care for the poor. The budget document Reagan sends to Congress on Jan. 9 will reflect his decisions, presidential spokesman Marlin Fitzwater said. However, officials said it was likely that Bush would rewrite at least part of the document once he takes office, just as Reagan did in 1981 when he submitted his own budget to Congress in place of the budget left behind by President Carter. Officials refused to comment on reports that the final Reagan budget will call for substantial increases in defense spending and steep cuts in domestic programs as a way of providing Bush with the opportunity to present a ``kinder, gentler\'\' budget blueprint once he takes office. OMB spokeswoman Barbara Clay said that Reagan\'s final budget would not include any tax increases, something the president has consistently opposed, or seek to trim Social Security benefits as a way of meeting the $100 billion Gramm-Rudman deficit target. ``We have some difficult choices ahead\'\' on where to cut spending, she said. With estimates on future deficits rising, many private economists are convinced that Bush will be forced to accept some type of tax increase despite his oft-repeated opposition to new taxes during the campaign. As examples of pressure for increased spending, they point to public demands that the government do more in the fight against drugs, and to estimates topping $50 billion for the cost of bailing out hundreds of insolvent savings and loan institutions. House Speaker Jim Wright on Thursday said that the first signal on whether Bush is serious about reducing the budget deficit is likely to come from his appointment of two members to the National Economic Commission, a bipartisan advisory group created to come up with a blueprint for eliminating the budget deficit. Bush criticized the commission during the campaign as a device for raising taxes, but Wright said if Bush is serious about dealing with the deficit, he will weigh carefully his appointments, which are expected to be made soon. ``Will they be pragmatic people, will they be realistic people, will they be people dedicated to finding a true solution to this enormous budget crisis?\'\' Wright, D-Texas, asked. ``I think that may be his first signal.\'\' Also providing hope to some that a resolution can be reached in the seven-year budget deadlock is the widespread expectation that Bush will name Richard Darman as the new budget director. Darman, a longtime aide to former Treasury Secretary James A. Baker III, is considered a pragmatist who would seek to work with Congress in crafting deficit-cutting solutions. Wright repeatedly refused to offer his own view on how to make the needed budget savings although he said he had many questions about how Bush\'s flexible freeze would work. ``I have an open mind and I\'m willing to listen to the president\'s refinement of exactly how he interprets the meaning of that phrase,\'\' Wright said.\r\n'),(947,2,'House-passed legislation to withdraw all U.S. investment from racially segregated South Africa and impose a near-total trade embargo faces a possible Republican filibuster in the Senate and a likely veto by President Reagan. The House adopted the disinvestment bill Thursday evening on a 244-132 vote. Supporters hailed the dramatic measure as a last-chance opportunity to bring strong economic pressure to bear to help end South Africa\'s apartheid system of racial separation by expanding the less sweeping sanctions adopted in 1986. But Republicans said the bill represents a ``scorched earth\'\' policy that amounts to declaring economic war against South Africa, a war they said would hurt the blacks it is designed to help by causing millions to lose their jobs.\r\n'),(948,2,'NASA\'s poor maintenance practices have caused a fire in a mission control room, falling concrete in a space shuttle building and a steam line explosion, according to a government report issued today. The General Accounting Office report says the National Aeronautics and Space Administration is working to correct the shortcomings. Congress appropriated $141 million for maintenance in 1990 and more has been asked for future years. The GAO recommends that the space agency develop a comprehensive maintenance strategy, spend more money on upkeep and do annual surveys to determine which of its centers most need repairs. ``People and facilities are critical to mission success,\'\' said Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., who released a summary of the report today. ``We can\'t afford breakdowns on the ground if we\'re going to have spectaculars in space.\'\' The report said launch pads and the space shuttle processing facilities are generally well-maintained. But it said that eight NASA centers visited by GAO inspectors all have deteriorating facilities such as leaking roofs, peeling paint and leaking steam lines. Many of NASA\'s buildings are 30 to 50 years old. The report said NASA rated its own facilities as marginal. ``An example of deterioration is concrete falling from the roof of the 52-story building where the shuttle is joined with the external fuel tank and solid rocket boosters. ``NASA installed netting beneath the roof deck to catch the concrete,\'\' the summary said. Other incidents included a cooling tower that partially collapsed under the weight of ice that formed because water valves malfunctioned, the report said. Experts at the National Research Council recommend that agencies spend at least 2 percent to 4 percent of their facilities\' replacement value on maintenance, the report said. The percentage for most of NASA\'s facilities between 1985 and 1989 was between 0.9 percent and 1.5 percent, it said. Mikulski said this year\'s federal budget includes a special $20 million fund to start rehabilitation and major maintenance at NASA\'s field centers. The space agency\'s facilities include 2,700 buildings and 3,200 other major structures encompassing 36 million square feet.\r\n'),(949,2,'Tamil rebels hiding behind bushes opened fire on a bus and its army escort Saturday, killing 10 people and injuring six others, officials said. The military officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said five Sinhalese soldiers and five civilians were killed in the attack in dense jungle near Vavuniya, about 135 miles north of Colombo. More than 50 guerrillas fired from both sides of the road, the officials said. ``The soldiers were escorting the civilian bus, and they died fighting the attackers. We believe the attackers suffered heavy casualties, but we don\'t have details,\'\' one official said. He said the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, the largest Tamil militia, was responsible for the attack. The ambush came a day after President Junius R. Jayewardene\'s United National Party won a majority of seats to four new district councils. The elections were boycotted by major opposition parties. Tamil militants have been fighting the Sinhalese-dominated government for a separate homeland in northern and eastern provinces for five years. In July, India and Sri Lanka signed a peace accord aimed at ending the ethnic war by granting some autonomy to the minority Tamils. The accord has been rejected by the Tamil Tigers, who control major areas of Northern Province. India has sent more than 50,000 troops to its island neighbor to disarm the Tigers and enforce the accord. The predominantly Hindu Tamils, who are 18 percent of Sri Lanka\'s 16 million people, say they are discriminated against by the Buddhist Sinhalese, who form 75 percent of the population and control the government and the military. India, also predominantly Hindu, intervened at the request of its own large Tamil minority.\r\n'),(950,2,'The U.S. dollar weakened in European trading today after a U.S. deficit-reduction accord refocused attention on prospects of lower U.S. interest rates. Gold prices rose. Dealers said doubts over the deficit-reduction accord had eased in recent days but news of the program still raised the probability of an easing of monetary policy by the Federal Reserve. Despite suggestions during Tokyo trading that the Bank of Japan might be prepared to intervene to slow the dollar\'s slide, dealers said they doubted that major central banks would be prepared to coordinate dollar purchases. In Tokyo, the dollar fell 0.10 yen to a closing 129.95 yen. Later in London, it was quoted at 130.30 yen. At midday in New York, the dollar was trading at 130.44 yen. Other late dollar rates in Europe, compared with late Monday\'s rates included: 1.5245 German marks, down from 1.5355; 1.2765 Swiss francs, down from 1.2840; 5.1005 French francs,ddown from 5.1400; 1.7185 Dutch guilders, down from 1.7315; 1,143.25 Italian lire, down from 1,150.75, and 1.1507 Canadian dollars, down from 1.1515. In London, the British pound was quoted at $1.9705, compared with $1.9745 late Monday. In New York the pound was quoted at $1.9729. Selected midday dollar rates in New Yo`Where is the rest of corporate America?\'\' But Hawkes says there are changes blowing in the wind. He said even the big corporations, which do not have a primary agenda of social change, are seeing that such practices sell. ``It\'s a neat example of capitalism,\'\' he said. ``Some of it is going to be shallow, of course, but we ought to welcome even the most greedy enterprise that puts stakes in a service to society.\'\'\r\n'),(951,2,'Families of the 16 people killed in Amtrak\'s deadliest passenger train crash will share a $58 million settlement reached with Conrail, but relatives said they could never be compensated for the loss of loved ones. ``No it\'s not fair, but maybe it\'s as fair as things get. I\'d just as soon see them bankrupt. The fact is, what you want is your kid back. After that, nothing is fair,\'\' said Ann Finkbeiner, whose 17-year-old son, Thomas C. Colley, was killed in the collision Jan. 4, 1987, at Chase. More than 175 people were injured when three linked Conrail engines skidded through a stop signal into the path of a 660-passenger Amtrak train traveling about 120 mph. The tentative settlement of the families\' lawsuits, announced Tuesday, is subject to the approval of Consolidated Rail Corp.\'s board of directors and various courts. The (Baltimore) Sun in today\'s editions quoted an unidentified attorney as saying some families will get more than $1 million based on factors that jurors would have considered had the cases gone to trial. ``Some of the victims had no economic dependents, some were wage earners with families. Some were trapped for 11 hours and some were killed instantly,\'\' the lawyer said. But Roger Horn, whose daughter Ceres, 16, died in the collision, said, ``It could be $580 million and there still would be no satisfaction in it. Would I rather have my daughter back at the dinner table at night? Of course.\'\' Horn said the image of ``lawyers with sharp pencils coming up with some horrible measurement of the worth of a life makes me just want to throw up every time I think about it.\'\' Horn said he hoped attention on the settlement would not distract from the continued effort for improved rail safety. ``I know there will be public interest in this settlement, and that\'s not bad or inappropriate. But what is really important is not the lawsuit, but reform legislation in Washington. And here we are, 16 months after the accident and we don\'t have a single line of reform legislation passed yet,\'\' Horn said. He and other relatives of those killed have pushed unsuccessfully for legislation to require rail, bus and airline workers in critical positions to be randomly tested for drugs. Post-accident tests showed traces of marijuana in the blood and urine of the Conrail engineer and the brakeman. Conrail agreed to settle the cases without conceding liability or the amount of damages incurred. The $58 million is in addition to $7.5 million Conrail agreed to place in an escrow account as a part of a proposed settlement of a class-action suit brought by those injured in the collision. A separate lawsuit is pending in which Conrail is seeking to force Amtrak to cover all amounts paid by Conrail for passenger injuries and deaths arising from the accident. Former Conrail engineer Ricky L. Gates, who missed a track signal and drove three linked Conrail locomotives through the track switch, was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter. Gates still faces federal charges for conspiracy, obstruction of an agency investigation, and lying to investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board about drug use.\r\n'),(952,2,'Reputed mob boss John Gotti was described as ``God\'s gift to the underworld\'\' in tapes secretly recorded by law enforcement agents and played Wednesday to jurors at his assault and conspiracy trial. Prosecutors say Gotti, 49, became boss of the Gambino crime family, largest of New York\'s five Mafia factions, in December 1985 after then-boss Paul Castellano was gunned down in front of a steak house. Transcripts of the tapes, which were released to the news media, show Gotti concerned about keeping underlings, including lifelong friends, in their place. At least once on the tapes, Gotti uses the term ``Cosa Nostra\' when he is apparently telling an unidentified man that mob soldiers should not address him directly on business matters but should go through their ``capos,\'\' or captains. The tapes also indicate a relationship with the Westies, a vicious Irish-American gang that operates on Manhattan\'s West Side. The Westies are a key factor in Gotti\'s trial with associate Anthony Guerrieri, 60, on charges of assault and conspiracy in the 1986 revenge shooting of John F. O\'Connor, former vice president of a Carpenters Union local. Gotti is accused of commissioning the Westies to shoot and wound O\'Connor because the union leader had thugs trash a restaurant owned by Gotti associate Philip ``Philly\'\' Modica. The transcripts show at least one mention by Gotti of the restaurant and several comments on the Westies. At one point Gotti says ``...they\'re doing something for me them Irish guys...,\'\' but does not say what. At another point, Gotti refers to James Coonan as ``my friend\'\' who is ``the leader of the West Side gang, Irish guys.\'\' He also says, ``He\'s on the payroll, and he gets it legitimately ...\'\' The tapes were introduced by Edward Wright, an investigator with the state\'s Organized Crime Task Force. Wright said the alleged mobsters, suspecting they might be under surveillance, turned on hair dryers, flushed toilets, whispered and used other means to try to make conversations inaudible. The tapes were made from listening devices placed in Gotti\'s hangout in the borough of Qeens and monitored by police between June 19, 1985, and Feb. 26, 1986. More than 1,000 cassettes were recorded, prosecutors say. One 1986 tape shows Gotti in a telephone conversation quoting someone who praised him: ``When they say God\'s gift to the underworld, you are it. ``He speaks with his heart,\'\' Gotti said on the telephone. ``He means it. I tell ya something, I love the guy.\'\' On another tape, Gotti expressed annoyance with lifelong friend Angelo Ruggiero for his familiarity during business hours. ``I told Ange, `You gotta forget them liberties you take. Take `em when we\'re alone,\'\'\' Gotti said. Gotti apparently had just made Ruggiero a ``caporegime,\'\' or crew captain, according to the tape transcripts, and was not satisfied that his friend was acting like a leader. Ruggiero, a defendant in the O\'Connor case with Gotti, died of natural causes last month.\r\n'),(953,2,'When Pvt. Michael Durnell began basic Army training, the Persian Gulf was a faraway chapter from geography lessons and Iraq hadn\'t invaded Kuwait. Eight weeks later, Durnell and his buddies say they can handle fighting in the Gulf _ or whatever the Army hands them. ``Nobody looks forward to going into a possible war situation, but I\'m definitely ready to do the job,\'\' said Durnell, 21, of Kansas City, Mo. He was among 560 new soldiers, all in their teens or early 20s, who graduated last Thursday from basic training at Fort Leonard Wood. The 64,000-acre post in the Ozarks has prepared soldiers for a half-century. At seven other Army posts across the nation, Army recruits have the same regimen _ up at 4:30 a.m., in bed by 8 p.m., six days a week. Don Moore of Atlanta watched with other parents during the graduation ceremony as the teen-agers turned young men marched with heads held high and chests puffed out. ``I\'d hate to lose him, but you take an oath to protect your country. We have to protect ourselves. Freedom is not free,\'\' Moore said. The prospect of war in the Middle East was not emphasized during training. All recruits face months of specialized training before getting their first assignment. But Lt. Col. Stephen Rasmussen, commander of the graduating battalion, acknowledged the Persian Gulf crisis in his speech. ``If I could ask an Iraqi general what these men have done, he would say they\'ve worried him a lot,\'\' he said. Army officials here say they won\'t change training to suit the desert. That training includes three weeks of weapons training, 80 miles of marching, and millions of push-ups. Capt. Mike Presnell watched as 150 of his recruits crawled, dodged and ran along a 400-yard tactical training course in 100-degree heat. ``My job is to prepare soldiers to serve in any type of combat, to graduate combat-ready soldiers,\'\' said Presnell. Behind him, recruits in full combat gear trained to stay alive with a sensor device on the helmet and chest. The device is activated by an infrared beam fired by someone in hiding. The beam sets off a beep to denote a kill. ``They love this. They like testing their skills. You provide them exciting training and they\'ll be motivated,\'\' Presnell said. ``It\'s better they learn their lessons here when it\'s only a beep.\'\' Gone are days of filling the ranks with high-school dropouts and those in trouble with the law back home. Now, if you don\'t have a high school diploma, forget it. ``The soldier of today is a hell of a lot better than the soldier of 14 years ago. We\'re getting better men to begin with,\'\' said Maj. Harold Von Fischer-Benzon, a brigade training officer. The failure rate in basic training is about 5 percent, he said. Gone, too, are the screaming, shouting drill sergeants training by fear and intimidation. ``Profanity is out. Harassment is out. It\'s a modern Army. They volunteered to come in. You don\'t need vulgar language anymore,\'\' said Staff Sgt. Gregory Wolf.\r\n'),(954,2,'Stock prices sold off sharply in a convulsive session Friday as the market reacted to Middle East oil worries and mounting recession fears. The Dow Jones average of 30 industrials, down more than 120 points at its midsession low, closed with a 54.95-point loss at 2,809.65. Declining issues outnumbered advances by more than 5 to 1 in nationwide trading of New York Stock Exchange-listed stocks, with 264 up, 1,457 down and 305 unchanged. Volume on the floor of the Big Board reached a 1990 high of 292.36 million shares, against 253.09 million in the previous session. Selling also pounded the over-the-counter market, where technology stocks showed steep losses. The Labor Department reported Friday morning that nonfarm payroll employment fell by 219,000 in July, surprising analysts who had been looking for a modest increase. The civilian unemployment rate jumped three-tenths of a percentage point, to 5.5 percent. Those figures reinforced concern in the financial world that economic activity was weakening more than had been thought just a few weeks ago. Many observers fear the economy\'s problems could be compounded by a jump in oil prices arising from Iraq\'s invasion of Kuwait this week. Selling intensified as reports reached Wall Street that Iraqi forces were near the border of Saudi Arabia. It subsequently let up a bit when a Soviet official said Iraq was expected to withdraw from Kuwait in the near future. After the close in New York, Iraq confirmed that it planned to begin pulling back forces from Kuwait on Sunday. The session marked the second time in the last two weeks that the Dow fell more than 100 points intraday before recovering some of its loss. On July 23 the average plummeted in the first hour, then finished with a net deficit of 56.44 points. Among the blue chips, International Business Machines dropped 1| to 108&lsqb;; Procter & Gamble 2\\ to 80; General Motors { to 43&rsqb;; General Electric ~ to 69}, and American Express \\ to 27}. In the energy sector, by contrast, prominent oil issues climbed in early trading and then turned back. Exxon dropped &lsqb; to 53&lsqb;; Texaco 1\\ to 64|, and Mobil &rsqb; to 66~ even as oil prices kept climbing. In the over-the-counter market, Apple Computer fell 2\\ to 41\\; MCI Communications 1 to 35}, and Intel 1 to 39\\. Nationwide, consolidated volume in NYSE-listed issues, including trades in those stocks on regional exchanges and in the over-the-counter market, totaled 345.20 million shares. As measured by Wilshire Associates\' index of more than 5,000 actively traded stocks, the market lost $66.55 billion, or 1.99 percent, in value. The NYSE\'s composite index of all its listed common stocks dropped 3.54 to 188.82. Standard & Poor\'s industrial index fell 8.23 to 407.06, and S&P\'s 500-stock composite index was down 6.62 at 344.86. The NASDAQ composite index for the over-the-counter market tumbled 11.43 to 417.46. At the American Stock Exchange, the market value index closed at 346.63, down 5.52.\r\n'),(955,2,'China is still holding hundreds of prisoners detained during last year\'s crackdown on the pro-democracy movement, a U.S.-based human rights group says, The group, Asia Watch, on Friday issued the most comprehensive list to date of prisoners of conscience held in Chinese jails. Most of the 1,000 prisoners profiled in the report were arrested after the military crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators on June 4, 1989. Sidney Jones, executive director of the New York-based organization, said the aim of the report was to keep the prisoners from being forgotten. ``We are concerned that human rights in China as an issue is going to fade from public view. ... We want to make sure that these names become very much in the public eye,\'\' she said in a telephone interview. Asia Watch also hopes the report will help gain the release of those listed, she said. The group planned to try to give a copy to Chinese Foreign Minister Qian Qichen when he attends the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The Chinese government did not immediately respond to the report. It generally rejects criticism of its rights record as interference in its internal affairs. Thousands of Chinese nationwide were detained or arrested immediately after last year\'s student-led democracy movement was put down. The Asia Watch report lists the names and backgrounds of those whose cases are known. It also enumerates other arrests and executions reported by the official Chinese media without giving names. Only 226 of the 1,000 prisoners in the report have been tried. Sixty-seven were sentenced to death or executed. Called ``Repression in China Since June 4, 1989,\'\' the report is far more comprehensive than those issued previously by Asia Watch and other international rights groups. It includes people from every segment of society - students, intellectuals, peasants, workers, and government officials - from all 29 of China\'s provinces and regions. ``The focus has been on Beijing when people think about (the crackdown), but it\'s been widespread throughout China,\'\' Jones said. The government has announced the release of 881 people in Beijing and Shanghai the past year, but it has refused to say how many remain in jail nationwide for political offenses. Among those named in the report are such well-known figures as Liu Xiaobo. He is a literary critic who was on a fellowship at Columbia University when the democracy movement began, and he rushed back to China to take part. The report mentions Wang Dan, the bookish student who became one of the main protest leaders. He has been held in solitary confinement in a maximum-security prison outside Beijing. The report also includes hundreds of other people who were caught up in the pro-democracy protests that spread to more than 80 cities throughout China. The report also includes dozens of Tibetans and Moslems imprisoned for separatist activities, and Christians arrested for conducting religious activities outside the state-run churches. Asia Watch plans to present the report to Congress next week during a hearing on a bill that would link future renewal of China\'s most-favored-nation trade status to its rights record, Jones said. President Bush extended China\'s preferential status for one year in June. Some legislators criticized his decision, but it is not expected to be overturned.\r\n'),(956,2,'Here is a list of Irene Dunne\'s films. ``Cimarron\'\' (1930) ``Consolation Marrige\'\' (1931) ``Back Street\'\' (1932) ``Ann Vickers\'\' (1933) ``Roberta\'\' (1935) ``Magnificent Obsession\'\' (1935) ``Theodora Goes Wild\'\' (1936) ``The Awful Truth\'\' (1937) ``Joy of Living\'\' (1938) ``Love Affair\'\' (1939) ``My Favorite Wife\'\' (1940) ``Penny Serenade\'\' (1941) ``A Guy Named Joe\'\' (1943) ``The White Cliffs of Dover\'\' (1944) ``Over 21\'\' (1941) ``Anna and the King of Siam\'\' (1946) ``Life With Father\'\' (1947) ``I Remember Mama\'\' (1948) ``The Mudlark\'\' (1950) ``It Grows on Trees\'\' (1952) ``Show Boat\'\' (1936)\r\n'),(957,2,'USG Corp. urged its stockholders Monday to reject a slate of board candidates recommended by Desert Partners LP and repeated its opposition to the Texas group\'s $1.9 billion hostile takeover attempt. In a letter accompanying its proxy statement for the May 11 annual meeting, USG asked its stockholders to elect the slate of candidates nominated by the USG board to fill six spots on the 15-member panel. Desert Partners, meanwhile, announced it had extended until April 8 its $42-a-share cash tender offer for up to 21.5 million shares of USG stock. The offer was set to expire Monday at 11:59 p.m. EST. Desert Partners, a limited partnership led by Texas oilmen Jack E. Brown and Cyril Wagner Jr., had also offered to buy the remainder of USG\'s outstanding shares with securities valued at $42 a share. Chicago-based USG, a leading producer of gypsum wallboard and other building materials, told its stockholders that Desert Partners had reserved the right to cancel its tender offer unless all of the many conditions set forth in Securities and Exchange Commission regulations were met. If Desert Partners were to win the proxy fight, then drop its tender offer, ``Desert Partners would have obtained control of 40 percent of USG\'s Board without paying anything to USG stockholders or committing to do so in the future,\'\' wrote Robert J. Day, USG\'s chairman and chief executive officer. Day stated that Brown and Wagner had proposed takeovers of at least three other public companies in the past but had not yet acquired any of them. Day\'s letter said Desert Partners\' proxy materials did not disclose whether its board candidates had any experience in overseeing a large public company ``and did not disclose what the Desert candidates would do if elected other than support the Desert Partners takeover campaign.\'\' Desert Partners announced the extension of its cash tender offer in a statement. The Texas group also said it was negotiating for additional financing in hopes of increasing the number of shares in the cash tender offer from 21.5 million to 39 million. Desert Partners owned a 9.9 percent stake in USG when it launched the tender offer, and said a ``nominal number\'\' of shares had been tendered through the end of last week.\r\n'),(958,2,'Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard A. Shevardnadze will meet in Washington with Secretary of State James A. Baker from April 4-6, the State Department announced Friday. The talks are designed to further preparations for the summit meeting President Bush will hold here with Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev sometime in June. Shevardnadze and Baker are expected to concentrate on arms control issues, hoping that a treaty to reduce U.S. and Soviet long-range nuclear missiles would be ready for signing at the summit. They will also discuss regional issues and human rights, among other subjects, Margaret D. Tutwiler, the State Department spokeswoman, said.\r\n'),(959,2,'Poland\'s government-in-exile will hand over its historic symbols of authority to Lech Walesa at a ceremony Saturday after his inauguration as president, a spokesman for Walesa said today. Parliament Speaker Mikolaj Kozakiewicz has called the National Assembly into session on Friday and Saturday. The assembly is to formally approve the election results Friday and witness Walesa\'s inauguration Saturday. Andrzej Drzycimski, a Walesa spokesman, said representatives of the government-in-exile were in Warsaw to discuss a ceremony to be attended by Ryszard Kaczorowski, president of the London-based government that dates to World War II. The transfer of symbols means the government-in-exile will cease to exist. Walesa, who won election Dec. 9, is expected to receive the insignia of power from Kaczorowski at Warsaw\'s Royal Castle, former seat of the presidency, after being sworn into office as president. On Monday, Polish authorities said they are investigating three generals and five colonels in the 1970 shootings of striking workers along the Baltic Coast that left at least 45 people dead. Walesa, then an unknown electrician in Gdansk, was among the leaders of the 1970 strike over food price increases that prompted the crackdown by security forces. The protests helped pave the way for the birth of the Solidarity free trade union movement a decade later. Justice Minister Aleksander Bentkowski did not name the officers under investigation, but said the initial order to shoot the workers was given by the late Wladyslaw Gomulka, then the Communist Party leader. A final decision on whether to put the eight officers on trial will be made by March, Bentkowski said. ``At present we have enough evidence to present charges against eight persons - three generals and five colonels who were directly involved in the events,\'\' Bentkowski told state television Monday night. ``I think that revealing their names is not proper now as the investigation is under way. We plan to end the proceedings by the end of March,\'\' he said. The Gazeta Wyborcza newspaper reported today that the military prosecutor had already presented preliminary criminal accusations against the eight. The newspaper said that unless the accused prove that they were acting in self-defense or out of higher necessity, they could be charged with homicide or abetting homicide. Official Communist accounts say 45 people, including 28 in the cities of Gdansk and Gdynia, were killed by security forces in the December 1970 anti-government protests, which began when workers went on strike to protest food price increases. Many people believe the death toll was higher, and investigations are being conducted to see if names of additional victims can be found. Victims of the 1970 shootings were buried secretly, often without family members being informed. Bentkowski said that so far 160 witnesses have been questioned in the case. He said Gomulka\'s order to shoot the protesters was relayed by the late Prime Minister Jozef Cyrankiewicz to Gen. Grzegorz Korczynski, the army commander in Gdansk. The strikes led to Gomulka\'s replacement as party leader by Edward Gierek, who remained in power until he was toppled after the August 1980 strikes that resulted in the founding of Solidarity. Walesa, who led the 1980 strikes, insisted that those who died in 1970 should not be forgotten. At Solidarity\'s insistence, a monument to the slain workers was unveiled in December 1980. On Sunday, the 20th anniversary of the killings in Gdansk, Walesa returned to the monument to pay homage to the slain workers. ``Solidarity was born from their blood,\'\' said Walesa.\r\n'),(960,2,'Four Soviet gunmen who seized a busload of children in southern Russia and then traded them for a $3.3 million ransom and a plane to Israel were sent home Saturday with the airplane crew they held hostage. The four hijackers left in two planes with the eight-member Aeroflot crew that brought them to Israel and a 19-member Soviet delegation that arrived Saturday to arrange the return, officials said. Preparations for the departure were shown live on Israel television, with soldiers guarding the runway at Ben-Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv. The Soviet Union\'s Tass news agency later reported that the planes landed at Moscow\'s Sheremetyevo-1 airport at about 6 p.m. EST. Tass said the ransom money was returned to the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union had requested extradition of the hijackers, but ultimately Israel deported them as illegal immigrants. Foreign Ministry spokesman Alon Liel said this helped ``shorten the process.\'\' As a condition for returning the hijackers, Israel received assurances the four men would not face the death penalty, Liel said. Israel radio reported that one of the hijackers requested political asylum in Israel, but Liel said he could not confirm that. Originally, there were believed to be five hijackers. However, it was determined that the wife of one of the hijackers was not part of the plot. Tass identified her as a hostage. Lt. Gen. Dan Shomron, Israeli army chief of staff, called the hijackers Friday ``simple criminals with a lot of money who wanted to flee the Soviet Union.\'\' The saga began Thursday, when the four gunmen seized a bus carrying 30 schoolchildren on an excursion in Ordzhonikidze, a city 900 miles southeast of Moscow in the Russian Republic. After hours of negotiations, the gunmen traded the children for an Aeroflot jetliner out of the country, a flight crew of eight and a ransom of $3.3 million. A teacher on the bus, Natalya Efimova, told state-run Soviet television that one of the gunmen announced to the children, ``I will release anyone who will burn his red scarf.\'\' The teacher said the children, who wear the scarves as part of their school uniforms, stuffed them in their pockets to reduce the provocation. The Aeroflot jet landed in Israel Friday evening and the Soviets surrendered soon afterward. They were immediately taken to a prison near Tel Aviv. The released crew spent the night in a Tel Aviv hotel. The deportation Saturday ended two days of unusual diplomatic contacts, during which U.S. officials played a role in getting the hijackers to Israel and Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze thanked the Israelis for returning them. Liel said Shevardnadze met with an Israeli consular delegation in Moscow on Saturday ``to express the thanks and deep appreciation of the Soviet government and Soviet people regarding the noble way the government of Israel has dealt with this barbaric act.\'\' Relations between the two nations have gradually been warming over the past few years. Moscow severed diplomatic ties in 1967 after Israel captured land from its Arab allies during the Middle East war. Israel television quoted Foreign Minister Shimon Peres as saying he hoped Israel\'s handling of the incident would lead to greater understanding between his country and the Soviet Union. Early in the drama, the United States acted as an intermediary to help the two nations compensate for the lack of formal diplomatic ties, Defense Ministry spokesman Eitan Haber said. Two of the Soviets were sent back on the Ilyushin-76 that brought them to Israel. The other three were returned in a Tupolev airliner that brought the Soviet delegation to Tel Aviv on Saturday. Soviet officials also were given the ransom money and the weapons carried by the hostages after signing a receipt for them, Israel television reported. Army radio said the five were taken blindfolded from Abu Kabir jail in Tel Aviv to Ben-Gurion about two hours before their departure. In Moscow, Vitaly A. Ponomarev, deputy KGB chief, identified the ringleader of the group as 38-year-old Pavel L. Yakshiants. Ponomarev said the man was a drug-user who first asked to go to Pakistan.\r\n'),(961,2,'Both races were marked by accusatory campaign commercials on a scope that was unprecedented for a presidential campaign. Dukakis aired a commercial featuring an acrobat doing somersaults as he tried to depict Gephardt as a man who flip-flops on the issues. Dole ran commercials saying Bush had approved arms-for-hostages swaps during the Iran-Contra affair. Thus ended what amounted to a Southern regional primary campaign, an idea hatched by Democratic officials who wanted to give a moderate-to-conservative contender a boost toward the party\'s 1988 nomination. The idea was to help nominate a Democrat who could run strongly across the South in the general election campaign in the fall _ and bolster the prospects of Democratic candidates in local elections. But whatever the theory, the result was a struggle carried out largely through costly television commercials with no particular Southern cast. The candidates, trying to campaign in an impossible number of areas simultaneously, often were reduced to staging appearances at airports so they could leave as quickly as possible for the next stop. But the commercials were eye-catching, particularly on the Democratic side. Voters who didn\'t see the ads would read about them in the paper or see clips on the television news. Gephardt attacked Dukakis for raising taxes while governor of Massachusetts and mocked Dukakis for once suggesting that farmers diversify their crops by growing Belgian endive. He also aired a spot seeking to portray Dukakis\' campaign as guilty of a string of dirty tricks. Dukakis returned fire with ads featuring an acrobat doing somersaults, while the announcer attacked Gephardt as flipflopping on critical issues. Gore retooled his message in mid-campaign with a populist appeal designed to siphon off some of Gephardt\'s support. His final flurry of ads attacked Gephardt and Dukakis. In one commercial he even added a mild jab at Jackson. As much as anything, Super Tuesday was a test of Gore\'s Southern strategy for gaining the nomination. Alone among the contenders, he ignored the Iowa caucuses and spent months collecting endorsements and campaigning in his native region in hopes of jump-starting his campaign at home after others had left the field. However, among the original Democratic candidates, only Bruce Babbitt was gone by Super Tuesday. The Democratic idea for a regional primary suited the Bush forces fine. The vice president\'s aides quickly spread the word that they had erected a ``Southern fire wall\'\' that would contain any damage resulting from defeats in earlier contests. And when Bush finished a poor third in the Feb 8 Iowa caucuses, it looked like the theory would get a test. But then came Bush\'s victory in New Hampshire\'s primary, followed by his convincing triumph in the South Carolina primary on Saturday. And instead of merely hoping to hold his own, the vice president spent the last two days campaigning and advertising heavily in Dole\'s strongest state in Missouri in hopes of pulling off a sweep. Dole suffered through a difficult period as his campaign manager fired two senior aides in an internal struggle for control. Even as the polls opened on Super Tuesday, the contenders were looking ahead to the next round in the nominating wars. Dole had begun airing television commercials in Illinois, a contest his aides said he had to win to sustain his candidacy.\r\n'),(962,2,'The USS Vincennes, the cruiser that mistakenly shot down an Iranian airliner last month, rescued five Iranian fishermen over the weekend who apparently had been drifting in a dinghy for more than a week, defense officials said today. The officials, who asked not to be identified, said the guided-missile cruiser was on a routine patrol in the Gulf of Oman, just below the entrance to the Persian Gulf at the Strait of Hormuz, when it spotted the five fishermen in a small dinghy on Sunday. The men were quickly taken aboard and treated for what was described as minor injuries, primarily dehydration and hypothermia, the officials added. ``The five identified themselves as fishermen whose boat sank while working in the Gulf of Oman,\'\' said one source. ``They had apparently been adrift for several days, possibly up to eight days.\'\' The sources said the men were still aboard the Vincennes today, awaiting arranfements to be made for a return to Iran. The Vincennes took up patrol duties just outside the Persian Gulf not long after it accidently shot down an Iranian Air Bus on July 3, killing all 290 aboard. The guided-missile cruiser had just emerged from a battle with Iranian gunboats when its radar operators detected what crew members thought was an Iranian F-14 fighter. According to a Pentagon report which has not been released publicly, the stress of first-time combat contributed to crew errors in tracking and targeting the ill-fated airliner.\r\n'),(963,2,'PacifiCorp, the Portland, Ore.-based utility giant, today increased to $1.82 billion its offer to acquire Arizona\'s largest utility, Pinnacle West Capital Corp. PacificCorp also agreed to assume all of the debt of Pinnacle West and its subsidiary Arizona Public Service Co. as part of the offer. Steve Carr, a Pinnacle West spokesman, said the company\'s board of directors would ``seriously consider\'\' the offer. Pinnacle West\'s board rejected three previous offers from PacifiCorp.The last offer, worth about $1.7 billion, was rejected in March as inadequate. Under the new offer, Pinnacle West shareholders would received $21 in cash for each share of stock they hold at the time of the acquisition. Pinnacle West stock sold for $12.75 at the close of trading Wednesday. ``We think it is time to bring to a conclusion PacifiCorp\'s expressions of interest to you ...,\'\' PacifiCorp President and Chief Executive Officer A.M. Gleason said in a letter delivered Thursday to Richard Snell, chairman of Pinnacle West. ``Our offer remains the same with regard to customers of Arizona Public Service: Rate increases limited to 2 percent per year for four years. ``This is significantly less than the rate relief requested in APS\'s most recent filing with the Arizona Corporation Commission: Rate increases of 6.5 percent per year for three years.\'\' PacifiCorp has said it wants the Arizona utility so that it could conduct seasonal transfers of excess power between Arizona, where power use peaks in the summer, and the Pacific Northwest, where power use peaks in the winter. Gleason said the deal would delay into the next decade any need for PacifiCorp to build additional power plants to meet peak demands. PacifiCorp has electric utility operations in seven Western states. Prior to receiving the offer Snell was not enthusiastic about a deal. ``If there\'s another offer, we\'ll take a look at it,\'\' Snell said. ``But our position is that this is not a good time to sell, and the company is not for sale. ``On the other hand, we\'ve given serious consideration to the other offers, and we will again if one comes our way.\'\'\r\n'),(964,2,'The first big failure of a leveraged buyout failed to stir the junk-bond market Friday, and analysts predicted the bankruptcy filing by drugstore chain Revco D.S. Inc. would concern few holders of other high-risk corporate bonds. Revco, which announced its filing Thursday, is the only major company to seek protection from its creditors after going private in a junk-bond financed buyout. ``Many people had expected it (the Chapter 11 filing),\'\' said Robert Waill, managing director and junk bond analyst at L.F. Rothschild & Co. in New York. ``There had been a general understanding from investors that this was risky ...\'\' The Twinsburg, Ohio-based company failed to make a June interest payment on about $700 million in outstanding debt that was used to go private 19 months ago. The company sought protection from creditors after talks with bondholders broke down. ``There was no ripple effect,\'\' said Robert Levine, director of high-yield bond research for Kidder, Peabody & Co. in New York. As a result, traders said, prices of most junk bonds remained fairly firm in the secondary market Friday, including some of Revco\'s securities. Junk bonds are high-yield, high-risk notes commonly issued to fund leveraged buyouts and other types of corporate takeovers. In a leveraged buyout, a company is acquired mainly with borrowed funds that are repaid with the company\'s cash flow or sale of its assets. Some traders and analysts even predicted that Revco bonds might rebound after the chain files its reoganization plan with the bankruptcy court and gets back on its feet financially. All of Revco\'s debt had been considered speculative grade, or ``junk,\'\' a category assigned by the big credit-rating services for companies considered more likely to default on their bonds due to a variety of reasons, including tough economic conditions in a particular industry. Junk bond yields are generally three- to four percentage points higher than comparable Treasury bonds to compensate for their low rating, making them attractive to some investors. The majority of junk bond buyers are large sophisticated institutional investors, rather than individuals, who diversify their portfolios enough to compensate for future risks. Revco\'s problem resulted from the heavy debt load incurred as a result of its leveraged buyout in December 1986. The company listed its total debt as $1.5 billion in the bankruptcy filing. Chairman Boake A. Sells said Thursday that the company\'s investment adviser planned to propose a recapitalization that would have swapped equity in Revco for debt, but he said discussions with major bondholders broke down even before the plan was proposed. Sells maintained that most of Revco\'s 2,000 drug stores were profitable but that the company was not generating enough cash to both operate its business and make millions of dollars in annual interset payments. Revco is the only leveraged buyout company that has failed to meet its obligations to bondholders, according to Gail I. Hessol, a managing director of Standard & Poor\'s Corp. In all of 1987 there was a record $9 billion in corporate defaults, she said. As of June 21, there were $2 billion in defaults. Waill said as a result of the Revco filing, ``I don\'t think people would say that this teaches us a lesson (that) we should be more careful of LBOs.\'\' ``Investors tend to look at this as an isolated, separate event which was determined by its own particulars,\'\' he said. ``Unlike high-grade bonds, each of these (junk bond) companies lives its own life.\'\'\r\n'),(965,2,'Word of Sammy Davis Jr.\'s death from throat cancer drew friends and associates to his gated hilltop home Wednesday. Actress Loretta Swit and others who identified themselves as Hollywood producers and executives passed through a crowd of reporters and television crews to pay a visit to Davis\' widow, Altovise. ``You never met anybody who lived life so fully as he,\'\' said actor Roscoe Browne. ``He took the whole thing and went for it.\'\' Early in the day, Davis\' business manager, Shirley Rhodes, came outside the gate to confirm to reporters that Davis had died. By her side was one of Davis\' sons, Mark. Asked how the family was doing, Mark Davis said, ``Pretty good.\'\' ``We\'re just trying to get it all together, trying to get our thoughts and nerves together,\'\' said Ms. Rhodes. She said Davis\' three sons and wife were at his side when he died in his sleep at 5:59 a.m. The death of the entertainment superstar created a commotion on the quiet, twisting street lined with gated mansions. Television news vans and reporters\' cars parked under ``No Parking\'\' signs along the two-lane street. Reporters milled under a ``No Trespassing\'\' sign in front of Davis\' home. Two Star Line Tour vans drove slowly past the home as tourists snapped pictures through the windows. Gardeners and city workers slowed down to ask reporters what was going on and residents drove by in the Mercedes-Benzes, Porsches and Rolls-Royces, shaking their heads in disgust at the crush. A half-dozen curiosity-seekers arrived at the home. Florist trucks arrived throughout the day with deliveries.\r\n'),(966,2,'City officials are trying to shut down an advertising agency that has found a legal loophole allowing it sell babies to adoptive parents. ``For You Too: A Child from the Third World for 12,000 marks ($7,270),\'\' reads an advertising flier from the Frankfurt-based Hamel and Keller agency. Strict laws bar private adoption agencies. ``We are completely legal,\'\' Uwe Hamel, 32, told The Associated Press. ``All we are doing is breaking through the monopoly of state-run offices that put couples wanting to adopt through the torture of long waits and tests before they get a child.\'\' To circumvent the adoption law, Hamel says, a prospective adoptive father declares himself the father of an illegitimate child and signs a contract with the baby\'s mother, who is paid to verify his claim. The adoptive father then applies to a West German court for the child to be declared his legitimate offspring, Hamel said. Hamel said he makes about $3,000 as the go-between, with the rest of the fee going to the mother. ``There is nothing in our law that forbids this,\'\' he said. The agency sends its advertising fliers to prospective adoptive parents and gynecologists. ``I can arrange immediately for a child. The prices: 30,000 marks ($18,000) for a child from the Middle East; 15,000 marks ($9,000) for a child from the Far East; 45,000 marks ($27,000) for a German child,\'\' one flier said. Frankfurt city officials are working to shut down Hamel\'s office ``because it is morally and ethically wrong to profit by selling human beings,\'\' city spokesman Stefan Lauer told the AP. Last year, Frankfurt won a court order to shut down United Families International, an information office for the Infertility Center of Michigan, Inc. The Michigan office is operated by American lawyer Noel P. Keane, who gained fame in the ``Baby M\'\' surrogate motherhood case. ``We closed down the Keane office last year, and in this case we also think it is morally and ethically wrong to make a profit by trading in children,\'\' Lauer said. The case has been getting heavy publicity. The Frankfurter Rundschau published an article about Hamel\'s operation under the headline, ``Businessman Deals in Babies from the Third World.\'\' The Frankfurt Abendpost newspaper wrote: ``Frankfurt Office Takes Advantage of Law\'s Loopholes for Scandalous Baby Trade.\'\' Different prices does not mean the agency considers one baby more valuable than another because of race, Hamel said. ``In West Germany a mother is entitled to as much as 2,000 marks ($1,480) per month to support herself and a child. ``A Third World mother can often support herself and a baby for about 200 marks ($120) per month, depending on which country she\'s from,\'\' he added. Hamel said he has so far arranged the adoption of nine babies. His office has been operating for two months.\r\n'),(967,2,'The Nikkei Stock Average closed at 29,430.12 points, up 145.86 points, on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Tuesday.\r\n'),(968,2,'For the sixth straight year, a British woman has defeated her American counterpart in the Shrove Tuesday international pancake race. Marcia Strieff, who sprinted 415 yards carrying and flipping a pancake in a frying pan, crossed the finish line Tuesday in 67.7 seconds to lead the field of 13 American women here. But it wasn\'t good enough _ Leslie Byrne covered a similar course in Olney, England, in 62.9 seconds. Mrs. Strieff, 30, has won the Liberal leg of the trans-Atlantic race all three times she entered it. The rules prevent her from participating again. ``It\'s time for someone else to take a turn,\'\' Mrs. Strieff said. ``... It would have been nice to have beat them at least once.\'\' According to legend, the race has been run in Olney since 1445, when a forgetful housewife left for church on Shrove Tuesday with her frying pan still in her hand. Liberal made it an international event in 1950 by adding its own race after seeing reports of the English competition. Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday, is the day English women traditionally make pancakes to use up cooking fat before Lent. The teams have 19 victories apiece. They tied once. ``I didn\'t think of the pancake, I just ran,\'\' said Mrs. Byrne, a physical education teacher. ``I haven\'t done any training, though sometimes when I take the dog out for a walk, I have a little trot.\'\' At Olney, about 700 spectators lined the twisting route as Mrs. Byrne outpaced 19 other women in the dash from the market square to the 14th century church in the town of 3,300 about 40 miles northwest of London. A crowd estimated at 3,000, including Gov. Mike Hayden and his wife, Patti, lined the route in Liberal, a community of about 17,000 just north of Oklahoma. Even more spectators turned out later for the Pancake Day Parade, said Rosalee Phillips, the secretary for the annual event. Mrs. Byrne received her prize of 100 pounds, or $175, in cash, various gifts from town merchants, an inscribed silver tray from the town of Liberal and a kiss from Clive Coverley, a ceremonial official known as the town verger. At Liberal, Mrs. Strieff got the kiss of peace from S. Norman Lee, British consul from Chicago, along with roses, a crown, a $500 savings bond and other prizes.\r\n'),(969,2,'The Mexican government promised an ``exhaustive inspection\'\' of a Cuban-owned freighter that drew machine-gun and cannon fire from a Coast Guard cutter after refusing to stop for a drug inspection. The 250-foot Panama-registered freighter, the Hermann, took several hits from the cutter Chincoteague as the vessels steamed across the open Gulf of Mexico, Coast Guard spokesman Joe Gibson said. The ship was hit 50 times by Coast Guard fire, but there were no injuries, a Mexican official said. The vessel escaped into Mexican waters, but two Mexican navy ships seized the Hermann and escorted it to Tampico, about 300 miles south of the U.S. border. ``The situation is not over. There\'s action still being taken,\'\' Coast Guard Lt. Steve Koska said late Wednesday. ``I can\'t go into it, but there are things we can do. We can go through diplomatic channels.\'\' Mexico\'s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that authorities began the ``exhaustive search\'\' of the vessel in Tampico. The inspection, expected to take at least 24 hours, was to include a search for drugs and an examination of the ship\'s navigation diary, said Javier Trevino, a spokesman with Mexico\'s embassy in Washington, D.C. The Cuban government, which had demanded that the United States not attempt to board the ship, has made a formal complaint to the State Department over the incident, said a Cuban diplomatic representative in Washington. The official called the incident a provocation. ``This deed demonstrates once more that the United States intends to behave as owner of the world and with its proverbial barbarism appears willing to obstruct normal commerce between Cuba and Mexico,\'\' said an official quoted by Cuba\'s official news agency, Prensa Latina. Secretary of State James A. Baker III disagreed. ``It was not an attack and a provocation,\'\' Baker said. ``We were engaged in a legal law enforcement activity.\'\' State, Defense Department and National Security Council officials held three meetings before giving permission to use disabling fire against the Hermann, said Jack O\'Dell, a Coast Guard spokesman in Washington. The Coast Guard obtained permission from Panama to fire on the ship, Gibson said. He said it is protocol to request permission to stop a vessel from its country of registry. The Hermann has a Cuban crew, is owned by a Cuban company and originated from a Cuban port, Coast Guard officials said. Koska said the decision to board the ship was made because the vessel fit the profile of a narcotics-smuggling ship, but he declined to elaborate. ``The profile of a vessel that is engaged in illegal activity is when you ask them to stop and they don\'t stop,\'\' he said. ``Wouldn\'t you say that\'s a pretty good indication?\'\' Cuba\'s news agency, monitored in Mexico City, said the ship had a 12-man crew, a cargo of 10 tons of chromium and was operated by the Guamar Shipping Co. of Cuba. The incident lasted from early Tuesday, when the Chincoteague spotted the freighter, until 5 a.m. Wednesday, when the shots were fired about 45 miles east of Tampico. The Coast Guard cutter, a 110-foot patrol boat with a crew of 16, is based in Mobile, Ala. It has two M-60 machine guns and one 20mm cannon.\r\n'),(970,2,'The Soviet Union on Tuesday stopped jamming Radio Liberty broadcasts for the first time in 38 years, officials said today, as thousands of jamming transmitters blocking most Western broadcasts into the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe were silenced. Jane Lester, spokeswoman for Radio Free Europe-Radio Liberty, said the service monitored all of its broadcasts overnight and found no jamming except for Radio Free Europe transmissions to Czechoslovakia and Bulgaria. ``This is really a momentous event,\'\' said Stanley Leinwoll, U.S. engineering director for the services in New York City. He said between 2,000 and 2,500 jamming devices were shut down in the Soviet Union, along with others run by Eastern European governments. The lifting affected most Radio Free Europe, Radio Liberty and Radio Free Afghanistan services of the U.S. government along with most Israeli KOL transmissions and West German Deutsch Velle broadcasts beamed toward the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, said Beth Knisley, a spokeswoman for the Voice of America. Radio Liberty, run by the U.S. government, broadcasts in native languages to the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe from Munich, West Germany. VOA also broadcasts to those areas but operates separately from Radio Liberty. Only the VOA and West German broadcasts into Afghanistan and U.S. broadcasts into Czechoslovakia and Bulgaria remained jammed last night, Ms. Knisley said. She said the Soviets have not said why the jamming was stopped but added, ``It saves them a lot of money, though.\'\' The Soviets stopped jamming nearly all broadcasts by VOA, which transmits in 43 languages throughout the world, in May 1986. Last Jan. 1, Polish jamming of VOA also stopped. The Soviets have been jamming Radio Liberty continuously for more than three decades. Ms. Knisley said one listener who talked to a VOA researcher said Tuesday he had picked up a broadcast for the first time since the 1950s. She said she did not know where the listener lived. VOA is part of the United States Information Agency, but Radio Free Europe-Radio Liberty operates as a separate government radio service. ``The jamming stopped as of last night about 9 p.m. (4 p.m. EST),\'\' Radio Liberty spokesman Bob Redlich said in Munich. Radio Liberty transmits news, music and information programs to the Soviet Union in more than a dozen languages. Radio Free Europe transmits to the other Soviet Bloc countries, including Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria in their own languages. Radio Free Europe began operating in 1950; Radio Liberty started its tranmissions to the Soviet Union in 1951.\r\n'),(971,2,'Mikhail S. Gorbachev has won another political victory, gaining Communist Party approval to restructure the Politburo that once ruled the country. The Politburo now promises to play second fiddle to the separate government structure he also leads. The vote by the 28th Communist Party Congress on Monday also marks a new effort to reduce the ethnic unrest that is tearing the Soviet Union apart by including party leaders from the 15 Soviet republics on the Politburo, the party\'s ruling inner circle. The new body will have up to 23 members, nearly twice the 12 voting members on the old body, and many if not most of the faces should be new. The expansion and restructuring will accelerate the process that Gorbachev began after he was elected to a strengthened presidency in March, transferring power to a newly created Presidential Council _ a development that has angered such hard-line Politburo members as Yegor K. Ligachev and could squeeze them out of their jobs. Unlike the Politburo, whose members are elected by the party, members of the Presidential Council are appointed and dismissed by the president, along the lines of a Western-style cabinet. The Politburo, which formerly met once every Thursday, has been meeting only once a month since March, and has been concentrating on Communist Party rather than government issues. Since most of the Politburo members will reside in their home republics, the Politburo will continue to meet relatively infrequently and will not exercise as tight control over national affairs as the body has traditionally done. The duties of the government council have not been fully defined. The 16-man body consists of six voting members of the Politburo, including the prime minister, defense minister, foreign minister, the KGB chief, and Gorbachev\'s right-hand man, Alexander Yakovlev. Other members are the chief law enforcement official, a reform-minded economist, a crusading environmentalist and a workers\' rights activist. Significantly, whereas nine of 12 men on the old Politburo were members of the ethnic Russian majority, the new Politburo will include a majority of non-Russians. And the Presidential Council contains five non-Russians. The new Politburo will include the heads of the party organizations in the 15 republics, most of whom are clamoring for greater control over political and economic decisions affecting their regions. Shortly after becoming general secretary of the Communist Party five years ago, Gorbachev sought to centralize his authority, but he has been driven to support greater regional autonomy by the independence drives of the three Baltic republics. Moreover, the largest Soviet republic, the Russian Federation, last month proclaimed its intent to seek greater control of its affairs under the leadership of its populist Communist president, Boris N. Yeltsin. Mostly recently, Gorbachev has embraced the idea of reconstituting the Soviet Union as a looser confederation of republics. The Politburo has had its ups and downs since it was created on the eve of the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution that swept the Communists to power. The first two Soviet leaders, Vladimir I. Lenin and Josef V. Stalin, exercised virtual one man rule, appointing aides and allies to the Politburo. Under Leonid Brezhnev, who ruled for 18 years until his death in 1982, the Politburo was a coalition that made all the key decisions. As Brezhnev and the other Politburo members weakened with age, the country lapsed into what Gorbachev has labeled the period of stagnation. The first Politburo consisted of seven Bolsheviks, among them Lenin, the founder of the Red Army Leon Trotsky, and the lesser-known Stalin. Following Lenin\'s death in 1924, Stalin eliminated Trotsky and other rivals from the ruling body. By the height of his power in 1952, he had expanded the membership to 25 voting members, all loyal aides. It also included 11 non-voting members. Nikita S. Khrushchev, who rose to power after Stalin\'s death in 1953, whittled the body to 15 voting and nine non-voting members. Although he instituted reforms, he tried to keep a tight personal grip on power, angering Politburo colleagues who tried unsuccessfully to oust him in 1957 and succeeded in 1964. Brezhnev, Khrushchev\'s successor, used the Politburo to forge a coalition among Soviet interest groups, such as the armed forces, the KGB, other government ministries and major industrial sectors, who held most of the dozen slots. He also included seven heads of republic parties as non-voting Politburo members, allowing them to run their regions in return for loyalty. Gorbachev and his allies argue that Brezhnev\'s system led to widescale corruption and blocked the transformation of the country into a modern industrial society.\r\n'),(972,2,'Frustration over having to draw up an unemotional report on the homeless and then go into streets where people were ``ravaging garbage cans\'\' prompted dissent by most of the report\'s authors, one of them said today. Phyllis Wolfe, executive director of a private health care program for the homeless in the nation\'s capital, said that while gathering information for the report, panel members became outraged at conditions they found. ``It could just not be left in dots and dashes and graphs and figures,\'\' Ms. Wolfe said on ``CBS This Morning.\'\' Ms. Wolfe joined eight other members of the committee formed by the National Academy of Sciences\' Institute of Medicine in issuing a supplementary statement that the institute refused to include in its report published Monday. The published report, ``Homelessness, Health and Human Needs,\'\' calls the growing number of homeless children ``a national disgrace.\'\' It recommends such measures as changing food stamp programs, increasing Medicaid services and expanding programs that help pre-school children. The authors of the supplementary statement said recommendations in the report were too limited. They said the country should supply more low-income housing, raise the minimum wage, offer more support services and guarantee homeless people adequate health care. Nine members of the 13-member panel signed the supplementary statement saying the main study ``fails to capture our sense of shame and anger about homelessness.\'\' The original report estimates that families with a total of 100,000 children are homeless on any given night, in addition to countless children who have run away from home or been kicked out by their parents. It says those under 18 are the fastest growing homeless group, and homelessness is increasing in many rural areas as well as in the nation\'s cities. Ms. Wolfe said the committee\'s work on the report was ``very structured,\'\' but members found themselves ``leaving committee meetings and walking by and seeing people ravaging garbage cans, seeing people suffering on the street.\'\' The supplementary statement itself expresses the same sentiment: ``We have reviewed the demographic and clinical data and then, walking home, passed men asleep on heating grates or displaced people energetically searching in garbage piles for a few cents\' income from aluminum cans,\'\' it says. ``We analyzed mortality data for the homeless but lacked any platform from which to shout that our neighbors are dying needlessly because we are incapable of providing the most basic services.\'\' ``We can no longer sit as spectators to the elderly homeless dying of hypothermia, to the children with blighted futures poisoned by lead in rat-infested dilapidated welfare hotels, to women raped, to old men beaten and robbed of their few possessions, and to pepole dying on the streets with catastrophic illness such as AIDS,\'\' the supplementary report said. It said the committee members who dissented against the report\'s limited nature endorsed its long list of recommendations, but ``felt continuously uneasy because of our inability to state the most basic recommendation: homelessness in the United States is an inexcusable disgrace and must be eliminated.\'\'\r\n'),(973,2,'Wall Street broke free of the doldrums Tuesday, rallying on strength in the dollar and Treasury bonds. The Dow Jones average of 30 industrials rose 20.09 to 2,101.53. Advancing issues outnumbered declines by a margin of about 12-to-7 in nationwide trading of New York Stock Exchange-listed stocks, with 938 issues up, 551 down and 478 unchanged. Volume on the floor of the NYSE came to 127.42 million shares, up from 123.48 million in the previous session. Nationwide, consolidated volume in NYSE-listed issues, including trading at regional exchanges and on the over-the-counter market, totaled 155 million shares. Wall Street began the day where it left off on Monday, drifting aimlessly for several hours, but the market picked up steam in the afternoon. Analysts theorized the market\'s oversold condition made stocks ripe for gains, and improvements in the dollar and Treasury bond prices were reason enough for investors to start buying. ``I think the negatives are all on the table,\'\' said Ralph Acampora, a market analyst with Kidder, Peabody & Co. ``Everyone who wanted to sell, sold.\'\' With those negatives _ such as rising interest rates _ discounted by investors, the market had a better tone, Acampora said. Analysts said program buying also added fuel to the rally, but Tuesday\'s low volume was evidence that traders were still mistrustful. ``No one believes it,\'\' Acampora said. ``They won\'t believe it until it has muscle.\'\' Many investors were on the sidelines, waiting for Friday\'s unemployment figures from the Labor Department that might give some clue as to whether the Federal Reserve Board will tighten or relax credit. Michael Metz, an analyst with Oppenheimer & Co., said the market expected the Fed to raise its discount rate. The Commerce Department reported Tuesday that the economy, as measured by the gross national product, expanded at a moderate 2.6 percent annual rate in the third quarter. That was up from the government\'s preliminary estimate last month of 2.2 percent growth, but analysts said the report had a muted effect on Wall Street. RJR Nabisco, which rose 1~ to 90~, was the most actively traded issue on the NYSE as investors jockeyed for position in advance of Tuesday\'s 5 p.m. EST deadline for takeover bids for the food and tobacco giant. Among blue-chip winners, General Motors was up 1| to 83~, Ford Motor picked up 1] to close at 51\\, Procter & Gamble jumped 1[ to 81| and Coca Cola rose 1 to 43. IBM closed up { at 119] after arbitrators ordered Fujitsu Ltd. to pay the computer giant hundreds of millions of dollars for the use of information about the software that runs IBM mainframe computers. The market, which had bid IBM stock up 2~ on Monday, expected the company to receive a much larger award. Among the decliners, AT&T slipped ] to 29 and Control Data fell { to 17{. As measured by Wilshire Associates\' index of more than 5,000 actively traded stocks, the market rose $19.819 billion, or 0.75 percent, in value. The NYSE composite index of all its listed common stocks rose 1.18 to 152.43. Standard & Poor\'s industrial index rose 2.54 to 311.96, and S&P\'s 500-stock composite index picked up 2.27 to 270.91. The NASDAQ composite index for the over-the-counter market rose 2.06 to 368.15. At the American Stock Exchange, the market value index rose 0.53 to 292.20.\r\n'),(974,2,'The most comprehensive banking bill since the Great Depression cleared a House committee Thursday after 16{ grueling hours of debate, but it faces an uncertain future with little time left in Congress\' legislative year. The bill, approved by the House Banking Committee on a 30-20 vote, grants banks broad new securities powers but restricts their ability to enter real estate and insurance and imposes new obligations on them to serve the poor. The bill now is headed for the House Energy and Commerce Committee, where the chairman, Rep. John D. Dingell, D-Mich., is known to be skeptical of letting banks into the securities business. Depending on how long House Speaker Jim Wright, D-Texas, allows for Dingell\'s review, the powerful Michigan Democrat could kill the bill through delay or exact concessions by threatening delay. Congress is preparing to leave town for its summer recess on Aug. 12 and won\'t be back until Sept. 6. Then, it plans only a month-long session before adjourning for the fall election campaign. ``There\'s a real question whether this bill is going to pass the House. It\'s a very controversial bill and there just isn\'t much time,\'\' said Edward Yingling, chief lobbyist for the American Bankers Association, the industry\'s largest trade group. Aides to Dingell, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Wright has not yet decided on a deadline for the Energy and Commerce Committee, but they indicated that Dingell is not inclined to act quickly. The Banking Committee, after a session that began 10 a.m. Wednesday and ended 2:30 a.m. Thursday with only short breaks, approved the measure with all but three Democrats in favor and all but three Republicans opposed. The hodgepodge of compromises struck to get it through has created some odd political coalitions. The banking industry and the securities industry, normally bitter opponents, are both opposing it for different reasons. Consumer groups are supporting it, along with the real estate and insurance industries. But, the alignment could change _ with banks on one side and all of the other groups on the other _ if Dingell, as expected, tightens the restrictions on how banks are permitted to exercise the new securities activities. ``The likelihood of the bill being improved by the Energy and Commerce Committee is very small,\'\' Yingling said. Rep. Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., whose Energy and Commerce subcommittee on finance gets first crack at the securities provisions, said Thursday his panel needed to make ``major changes\'\' in the bill. ``There simply are not adequate safeguards for the banking system,\'\' he said. The bill would, if enacted, represent the first crack in the barrier between investment and commercial banking that was erected as part of the reforms stemming from the 1929 stock market crash. It allows bank holding companies to underwrite virtually every type of security except corporate stock. The securities industry had unsuccessfully sought to keep underwriting of corporate bonds, mutual funds and corporate debt convertible to stock away from banks. But, the House bill includes those powers as well as the underwriting of commercial paper, municipal revenue bonds and securities backed by mortgages and other consumer debt such as auto loans. Other sections require banks: _To serve poor people by providing low-cost ``lifeline\'\' checking services for accounts between $25 and $1,000. _To offer special accounts for the cashing of government checks such as Social Security and welfare checks, with a cashing charge of no more than $2. _To have a good record of serving poor communities in their lending area before getting permission from the Federal Reserve Board to exercise new powers. _To cease further expansion into the real estate business for two years. _To stay out of insurance underwriting and to limit the number of additional institutions that can sell insurance underwritten by other companies. The chairman of the banking committee, Rep. Fernand J. St Germain, D-R.I., in a statement Thursday, hailed the bill as ``a major step forward in providing a sane restructuring of the financial industry and establishing a solid framework of protections for consumers.\'\' Republican opposition to the consumer sections had threatened committee passage of the bill until an hour-long negotiating session behind closed doors after midnight. Democrats agreed to accept some watering down of the consumer provisions and, in exchange, three Republicans _ Steve Bartlett of Texas, John Hiler of Indiana and Thomas Ridge of Pennsylvania _ voted in favor of the bill. Rep. Chalmers Wylie of Ohio, the ranking Republican on the committee, had argued that the consumer provisions would, in effect, give the federal government the power to allocate credit. Also, because of their expense, they could impair the soundness of the banking system, he said.\r\n'),(975,2,'The Tokyo Stock Exchange\'s key index followed up its worst single-day drop in more than two years with a slightly larger plunge today, while the dollar edged up against the Japanese yen. The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average fell 666.41 points, or 1.8 percent, closing at 36,850.36, its lowest level since the 36,881.53 closing Nov. 27. The market was closed Monday for a national holiday. On Friday, the Nikkei lost 656.36 points, then its worst one-day plunge since 731.91 on Nov. 19, 1987, following a crash on Wall Street. So far this year, the Nikkei has lost nearly 2,000 points, or 6.8 percent. ``The market was marred with sell orders all day long,\'\' said Ichitaro Watanabe, a dealer at Nikko Scurities Co. ``It was the result of a combination of unfavorable factors hitting the market all at once.\'\' With investors dumping issues, the index began its dive as soon as the market opened today, and quickly fell below the 37,000-point level, dealers said. ``Nobody was buying,\'\' said Yoshio Shimoyama of Nikko Securities. ``Everybody was watching and waiting.\'\' Dealers and analysts have said the Nikkei\'s recent fall has resulted largely from falling government bond prices caused by the weakening yen. The yen\'s weakness also has intensified existing pessimism in the stock market, they said. ``But over the weekend, the regional conflict worsened in the Soviet Union and the New York market fared poorly overnight, aggravating the market\'s pessimism,\'\' said Keiichi Nishida, a dealer at Kidder Peabody. Dealers said the fall in bond prices is likely to stop soon because yields are approaching an appropriate level, around 7 percent, but a recovery in stock prices is unlikely before Japan\'s general elections in February. ``Right now, market players see no encouraging sign to buy issues,\'\' said Yoshiro Inoue, an analyst at Nomura Securities. In currency dealings, the dollar closed at 145.75 yen, up 0.40 yen from Friday\'s close of 145.35 yen. It opened at 145.85 yen and ranged between 145.65 yen and 146.07 yen. Traders attributed the U.S. currency\'s strength in Tokyo to its rise against most major foreign currencies Monday, while the New York and Tokyo markets were closed for holidays. The central bank\'s dollar-selling intervention kept the dollar from rising more steeply, said a trader with the Bank of Tokyo, speaking on condition of anonymity. Kyodo News Service said the bank sold more than $400 million. The bank does not comment on its exchange market activities. The Bank of Tokyo trader said the lower stock and bond prices prompted market players to sell yen. Chizuko Satsukawa, a trader with Chemical Bank in Tokyo, said the yen will remain weak for the time being. ``Concerns over the election are prompting market players to get rid of the yen, which helps the dollar become stronger,\'\' she said. But a sharp plunge by the yen is also unlikely while the Bank of Japan is actively selling dollars, Ms. Satsukawa said.\r\n'),(976,2,'President Bush asked Americans Tuesday night to support a $500 billion package of tax increases and spending cuts that demands sacrifice from all. ``Everyone who can should contribute something,\'\' the president said. Claiming rare unity with leaders of the Democratic-controlled Congress, Bush said in a 10-minute televised speech from the Oval Office that the package was written in ``eight months of blood, sweat and fears - fears of the economic chaos that would follow if we fail to reduce the deficit.\'\' ``It is the best agreement that can be legislated now,\'\' Bush said of the compromise. ``This deficit reduction agreement is tough, and so are the times.\'\' Bush\'s address from the Oval Office was nationally televised, but his message was primarily aimed 16 blocks away: at Congress, where an initial vote on the plan may be held as early as Thursday. Although the package generally has support among Democrats, lawmakers from Bush\'s own party - particularly in the House - have balked at its tax provisions. Bush himself had to abandon his ``no new taxes\'\' pledge in the face of the growing deficit. ``I\'m not, and I know you\'re not, a fan of tax increases,\'\' Bush said. ``But if there have to be tax measures, they should allow the economy to grow, they should not turn us back to higher income tax rates and they should be fair. ``Everyone who can should contribute something. And no one should have to contribute beyond their fair share.\'\' Bush pointed out that the agreement had been hammered out by a bipartisan group. ``The Democratic and Republican leadership tonight all speak with once voice,\'\' he said, and he urged people to tell their congressmen they support the package. Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell, D-Maine, joined Bush in urging passage of the fragile package, saying the future of the nation ``is more important than partisan differences.\'\' In a televised response, Mitchell acknowledged that Democrats and Republicans had ``deep differences over values and priorities\'\' that delayed an agreement for months. The Democratic leader called the agreement ``imperfect,\'\' and warned that the compromise budget cuts and tax increases will demand ``sacrifice from all Americans.\'\' ``But, if enacted, it holds the promise of restoring a sound economy, from which all Americans will benefit,\'\' Mitchell said. ``Everybody who can should contribute something,\'\' Bush said. ``Everyone will bear a small burden. But if we succeed, every American will have a large burden lifted.\'\' The alternative, Bush said, is recession. Wavering Republican lawmakers had told Bush earlier in the day that the plan was in trouble, and that a presidential address to the nation endorsing the package might be helpful if he expected GOP support for the package with congressional elections just a month away. Bush also planned to push for the three-day-old package, which the White House negotiated with congressional leaders, in a series of upcoming speeches around the nation. The budget package would raise taxes on gasoline, alcohol, cigarettes, boats and furs while trimming benefits to farmers and Medicare recipients. It also would reduce tax deductions for people who earn more than $100,000. Bush earlier Tuesday had pressed his case with skeptical and wavering House Republicans. He seemed to be making some headway and by late Tuesday, House GOP leaders were beginning to feel more optimistic about their chances of rounding up support from most of their members. ``We\'ve made significant progress,\'\' said House Minority Leader Robert Michel, R-Ill. One opponent, Rep. Vin Weber, R-Minn., agreed, saying, ``I\'d guess right now it would be narrowly defeated. By tomorrow, it would be narrowly passed. ... People are being moved, one-by-one.\'\' Bush said the budget deficit was ``a problem that has lingered and dogged and vexed this country for far too long.\'\' Likening the budget crisis to the Persian Gulf stalemate, Bush said ``our nation is standing together against Saddam Hussein\'s aggression \' while at home ``another threat, a cancer, is gnawing away at our nation\'s health.\'\' The president said that ending deficit spending was simple ``common sense.\'\' ``No nation can continue to do business the way the federal government has been operating and survive,\'\' he said. ``When you get a bill, that bill must be paid,\'\' he said. Bush said that the plan was not ``a magic act\'\' but contained true deficit savings and would put the nation on the path toward lower interest rates and a balanced budget. A congressional study released Tuesday showed that the poor would be hit hardest by the package, the rich would feel its increases the least. The increased taxes and reduced benefits would take an average 2 percent of the earnings of Americans with the lowest incomes, according to the survey by the House Ways and Means Committee.\r\n'),(977,2,'Authorities have banned unauthorized public gatherings in Prague following recent demonstratrations that were broken up by police, it was reported Friday. The Prague National Committee ruled that ``the right to organize public gatherings in the historical center of Prague is limited to the organs of the National Front and organizations associated with it,\'\' according to the daily newspaper Svobodne Slovo. The National Front is a communist-dominated organization comprising officially recognized political and social groups. ``In view of frequent disturbances in this area, the decree includes a ban on unauthorized actions and gatherings,\'\' the Communist Party newspaper Rude Pravo said in a report on the National Committee meeting. The report referred to recent unofficial demonstrations on Wenceslas Square that were broken up by police and resulted in arrests. The largest such rally took place Aug. 21, the 20th anniversary of the Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia. Unauthorized events had been tentatively scheduled Oct.28 to commemorate 70 years of Czechoslovak independence and Oct.29, when a discussion club was to convene. Both events were to take place downtown in Wenceslas Square.\r\n'),(978,2,'Fathers who are on the road a lot have to work extra hard to maintain good relations with their children, say actor-singer Kris Kristofferson and ball player Willie Randolph, two of eight men honored Wednesday by the National Father\'s Day Committee. Kristofferson, who has six children by three wives and three adopted Salvadoran orphans, said he felt ``totally unqualified\'\' to be named one of the 1988 fathers of the year. ``I had the good taste to select mothers who would raise them,\'\' he said, ``all I\'ve done is love them.\'\' Apparently love was enough, because all nine children now live with him and his current wife, Lisa, at their Malibu, Calif., home. ``It\'s a great pleasure for me that all of them have come back and are living with me, even the 26-year-old,\'\' Kristofferson said. Randolph, the New York Yankee second baseman who spends half the baseball season on the road, says he has to work at keeping communication lines open with his four children. ``We have conferences,\'\' Randolph said. ``We dim the lights and just talk. You\'d be amazed at the off-the-wall stuff. They can say whatever they want.\'\' He started the family rap sessions about four years ago to try to bring the family together. Now, if they go more than a week without a chat, one of the kids will say, ``It\'s time for a conference, Dad,\'\' Randolph said. Another honoree, NBC White House correspondent Chris Wallace, who also travels often as part of his job, said the notion of quality time is a myth. ``It\'s also a matter of quantity time; you gotta be with them,\'\' Wallace said. Other fathers honored were FBI Director William Sessions, Fox Television sportscaster Bill Mazer, Tennis Hall of Famer Arthur Ashe, hero cop Steven McDonald, and broadcast personality Larry King. In 1971, Congress resolved that Father\'s Day would be observed on the third Sunday in June, which this year falls on the 19th.\r\n'),(979,2,'President Reagan accused Democrats Saturday of ignoring the accomplishments of his Republican administration and ``singing the same sad song they sang four years ago.\'\' ``To them, it\'s midnight in America,\'\' Reagan said in his first comment on the Democratic National Convention that ended Thursday in Atlanta. ``To listen to the rhetoric, you would never guess the American economy is the strongest it has been in a decade,\'\' he said. Reagan commented in his weekly radio address, delivered from his mountaintop ranch in the Santa Ynez Mountains north of here. The president and first lady Nancy Reagan will return to Washington on Sunday after a week-long vacation. While campaigning in Modesto, Calif., Democratic presidential candidate Michael Dukakis was asked if he had any response to Reagan\'s remarks. ``No,\'\' he said. ``We want to stress a positive message. ... That\'s the idea. ... They know we\'re going to have a chance.\'\' Later, Dukakis told reporters in Minot, N.D., ``If the Republican Party thinks the way to win an election is basically to tear the other guy down day after day, believe me (running mate) Lloyd Bentsen and I can respond and will respond.\'\' Dukakis said he dislikes ``ugly\'\' campaigns, ``but I also know from painful experience that if the other side essentially runs a negative campaign ... you have to respond and, believe me, Senator Bentsen and I will respond. We\'re tough campaigners,\'\' Dukakis said. In his radio address, Reagan said, ``When their party left the White House eight years ago, inflation was at one of the highest levels in American history. Now, it\'s under control. Do they want to turn that around?\'\' Saying that his administration has improved American competitiveness in world markets and improved American-Soviet relations, he repeated, ``Do they want to turn that around, too?\'\' ``They said America can do better,\'\' the president said. ``with that, I wholeheartedly agree. But the people also know that the last time our opponents were in charge, America did a heck of a lot worse.\'\' Reagan also said the Democrats are ``covering their tracks\'\' this year because they have found that the liberal policies they have pursued in the past are unpopular. ``You will never hear that `l\' word `liberal\' from them,\'\' he said. ``They\'ve put on political trench coats and dark glasses and slipped their platform into a plain brown wrapper.\'\' ``While they are saying that government needs to do more of this or more of that, will they also pledge not to raise taxes?\'\' he asked. The president challenged the Democrats also to go forward with the missile defense system known as the strategic defense initiative or ``Star Wars,\'\' which he called ``the one practical way of reducing the threat\'\' of nuclear weapons. ``And while they are talking about the war on drugs, will they also support the death penalty for drug kingpins?\'\' he asked. Rep. Beryl Anthony Jr., of Arkansas, delivering the Democrats\' response to Reagan\'s address, said the party\'s convention enthusiasm was ``spreading like wildfire across the prairie.\'\' ``After eight years of a Republican administration fueled by selfish and sometimes unlawful motives, the American people are looking for a return to the basic values of common respect, compassion and concern for all,\'\' Anthony said. He cited the plight of workers whose plants have been shut down and farmers who have lost their farms and said Democrats in Congress have been ``the safety net for the American people.\'\' Reagan opened his radio address by saying that ``this week there was a certain meeting in Atlanta, and maybe, like me, you just couldn\'t help hearing a few things about it and shaking your head.\'\' ``Some people just don\'t seem to learn,\'\' he said. ``The American people want to hear straight talk about where our leaders plan to take the country, not personal attacks.\'\' ``To hear them talk, you would never have guessed that we are in the longest peacetime economic expansion on record,\'\' the president said. The Reagans have been at their Rancho del Cielo since Sunday, enjoying generally sunny and pleasant weather. The White House said their son, Ron, and his wife, Doria, had dinner with the president and his wife on Friday and spent the night at the ranch.\r\n'),(980,2,'A state judge has blocked Warner Communication Inc.\'s $1.18 billion acquisition of Lorimar Telepictures Corp., ruling that the merger violates terms of a 1984 agreement between Warner and its largest shareholder. Warner said today that it planned to appeal the decision. The ruling handed down Tuesday by New York Supreme Court Judge Walter Schackman was a victory for Chris-Craft Industries Inc., a broadcasting and manufacturing company that controls 23 percent of Warner\'s voting stock. Chris-Craft claimed in a suit filed in July that since Lorimar owned six television stations the acquisition violated a four-year agreement prohibiting Warner from owning any TV station so long as Warner owned 25 percent or more of Chris-Craft\'s BHC Inc. broadcasting subsidiary. Warner acquired a 42.5 percent stake in BHC in exchange for Chris-Craft getting the 23 percent interest in Warner\'s voting stock. In his 13-page decision, Schackman said that ``as a matter of law the pending acquisition of Lorimar by Warner will be a breach of the shareholders agreement.\'\' Schackman said Warner could not acquire any Lorimar stock until the televison stations were sold or it reduced its stake in BHC. Since the Chris-Craft suit three Lorimar television stations have been sold and Warner reportedly is negotiating the sale of one of the remaining three.\r\n'),(981,2,'The 22nd and possibly decisive game of the world chess championship between defender Garry Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov was postponed a second time, the organizers announced Sunday. A technical time-out was called so the game would not be played on Monday, Christmas Eve. Karpov took his third and final time-out on Saturday, pushing the 22nd game to Monday. Kasparov has used all his time-outs. With Christmas approaching, the president of the International Federation of Chess, Florencio Campomanas, reached an agreement with both players to put off the 22nd game until Wednesday. Regulations permit a technical time-out. Kasparov leads the series 11.5 to 9.5 and needs only a draw to gain the 12 points needed to win and retain the title. He will play white in the 22nd game, with Karpov defending with the black pieces. Kasparov has won the last three times he has played white in the nine games in Lyon. Karpov needs to win the final three games to take the title. He has won twice in the 21 previous games of this series. The two have played to a draw five times in the French portion of the championship. They drew 10 times in the 12 games played in New York between Oct. 8 and Nov. 7. Even if Kasparov clinches the title by reaching 12 points in the series, the two Soviet grandmasters will continue playing to see who wins the majority of the $3 million purse. If the overall series ends in a 12-12 draw, the prize money will be split. Kasparov won the title from Karpov in 1985 and defended it in 1986 and 1987. Karpov took the championship in 1975 when American Bobby Fischer refused to defend the title he won in 1972.\r\n'),(982,2,'The following are the most popular videocassettes as they appear in next week\'s issue of Billboard magazine. Copyright 1990, Billboard Publications, Inc. Reprinted with permission.\r\n'),(983,2,'Endangered species pop up in the strangest places. Like flowerbeds. Plant-protection activists say some species of bulbs bought to decorate American and European gardens are being collected by the millions in the wild, threatening to wipe out those flowers in their home turf. ``The world would lose an irreplaceable treasure,\'\' said Marjorie Arundel of Warrenton, Va., an adviser to the Garden Club of America\'s horticulture committee. ``They\'re the ancestors of all of our spring bulbs today.\'\' Mrs. Arundel and other activists are urging American gardeners to buy only commercially propagated plants, which experts say make up at least 99 percent of the flower trade anyway. ``Wild-collected flowers are a small percentage of the trade, but a large percentage of certain kinds of plants,\'\' said Faith Campbell, director of the plant conservation program for the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental group. Working with the World Wildlife Fund and the Garden Club of America, the NRDC has produced leaflets calling on gardeners to avoid most kinds of cyclamen, sternbergia and galanthus, or snowdrops, which they say are collected in the wild in Turkey. Those three species are listed as endangered in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, or CITES. But this treaty _ effective in fighting trade in some endangered animal skins, horns and tusks _ has had little effect on the flower trade, Ms. Campbell said. Snowdrops are greatly depleted in Turkey\'s Mediterranean regions, forcing traders to seek out sources in more remote regions. The popular ``Angel\'s Tears\'\' narcissus are being collected in the wild, but experts are not sure if the source is Portugal or somewhere else. Other wildflowers, such as trillium, are being collected from the wild in the United States and Canada. Japan, China, India and the Soviet Union appear to be the sources for still other rare flowers. Some species of these plants may be produced by growers in the United States or Europe, but buyers are being counseled to check the origins as carefully as they can. This may become easier, as a result of the decision last May by the Dutch Commodity Board for Ornamental Horticultural Products to require exporters to use a ``Bulbs from Wild Sources\'\' label to identify wild-collected plants. Under the negotiated agreement, Dutch exporters will also label their cultivated bulbs, beginning in 1992 for minor species and in 1995 for such major bulb varieties as tulips and hyacinths. Because the Netherlands has long dominated the world flower trade, the action by the Dutch regulatory body should have a major impact, Ms. Campbell said. It is not binding, though, on dealers in the United States or other countries. Also, the agreement was reached too late for most of this fall\'s catalogs. So even if American gardeners order from Dutch dealers covered by the rules, they might not know they were buying wild-collected flowers until the bulbs arrive in the mail, labeled ``wild sources.\'\' ``We can just hope they won\'t order those again,\'\' Ms. Campbell said. ``It is a messy phasing-in.\'\' The long-range solution, she said, could be in helping people in Turkey and elsewhere who make money from collecting wild flowers to start propagating the rare flowers in or near the native habitat, she said. Gardeners shouldn\'t think they\'re aiding nature by keeping alive a species that might be disappearing in its native habitat. ``We don\'t consider that a contribution to conservation in any way,\'\' Ms. Campbell said. ``It\'s not playing its role in the ecosystem in which it evolved.\'\'\r\n'),(984,2,'Janet Elaine Adkins spent 13 years teaching hundreds of immigrants and refugees to become self-sufficient and independent _ the very qualities she knew were being stolen from her by Alzheimer\'s disease. Unwilling to relinquish her self-determination, the 54-year-old Portland woman instead chose to give up her life. On Monday, hooked to an intravenous device in a van at a campground near Detroit, she pressed a button that released a lethal drug into her veins and died within minutes. She told Dr. Jack Kevorkian, the retired pathologist who invented the device and was with her: ``You just make my case known.\'\' ``I have decided for the following reason to take my own life,\'\' Mrs. Adkins wrote in a short statement made public by her husband. ``This is a decision taken in a normal state of mind and is fully considered. I have Alzheimer\'s disease and do not want to let it progress any farther.\'\' People who knew Mrs. Adkins, even briefly, remarked on her enthusiasm and zest for life. She was a strong, decisive woman, family members said. ``She has a real joie de vivre, a real spirit for life,\'\' said her son Neil. Mrs. Adkins, a native of Longview, Wash., was the mother of three grown sons, Neil, Norman and Ronald, and had three grandsons. She was diagnosed as having Alzheimer\'s almost a year ago. ``She was an exciting person. She loved philosophy. She loved reading good literature. She was a good musician, loved playing the piano. And really, she loved life and to the fullest,\'\' said Ron Adkins, her husband of 34 years. ``She was always coming up with ideas of new places to go. ``She was an adventurer. She climbed Mount Hood. She went to the Himalayas and to Nepal and she went up in gliders and in a hot air balloon. And we did travel, we lived in Europe. She spoke French. She taught at the community college ... which she dearly loved. This was a woman that was a very, very special woman.\'\' As a teacher of English as a second language at Portland Community College, Mrs. Adkins helped Southeast Asian refugees and others gain the skills to survive in America, department chairman Joe Ponce said. She graduated in 1972 from Portland State University, where she majored in English and minored in French. She received her teaching certificate in 1979 and joined the English as a second language program in 1980, he said. In addition to her duties at the college, she had taught workers at Tektronix Inc. in Beaverton and did summer work at Wilson High School. She resigned in June 1989 because she wanted to pursue other personal interests, he said. ``She was a very fine teacher. Anyone who works with the refugee or immigrant programs has to have a lot of personal skills and has to care a lot,\'\' Ponce said. ``She was enthusiastic, she had a good sense of humor. She certainly enjoyed her work. I think that\'s a marked sign of a successful teacher, someone who finds the job enjoyable continuously _ certainly for that many years.\'\' Neil Adkins said his mother also had been an accomplished musician on the piano and had played French horn in college. In recent years, however, she had stopped playing the piano and had trouble reading. Alzheimer\'s disease is an irreversible degeneration of the brain cells leading to severe memory loss, dementia and death. ``The bomb, as we called it, was dropped on us in June of last year, and it was really very devastating to Janet,\'\' Ron Adkins said. ``She was very much aware of Alzheimer\'s and what happens.\'\' He said his wife knew exactly what she was doing this week and insisted upon it. ``Right up to the very end when she left me and we said our last goodbye, she was holding me up,\'\' said Adkins. ``And she was very up and very happy with the doctor that she was able to have this way of delivering herself.\'\' Mrs. Adkins had asked that she be cremated after death, with her ashes to be flown home and dispersed in the Pacific off the craggy Oregon coast. A memorial service was scheduled Sunday. Mrs. Adkins was a member of the National Hemlock Society, which advocates death with dignity, before her illness was diagnosed. ``She felt it was unfair that other people could tell you when to die,\'\' her husband said. ``She was a wonderful wife and great inspiration to family and friends ... But she didn\'t want to end up losing her dignity.\'\'\r\n'),(985,2,'Chancellor Helmut Kohl\'s government on Friday offered an eventual treaty guaranteeing Poland\'s western border after German reunification but said Poland must abandon any claims to war reparations. Such a pact also would be linked to Poland\'s pledge to protect the rights of its German minority, according to West German government spokesman Dieter Vogel. Polish Premier Tadeusz Mazowiecki said he was ``especially astonished that the question of the German minority has been brought up. We have settled this matter, and we keep our word.\'\' In his his remarks on West German television, the premier added, ``There are mutual obligations here, which also concern the Polish minority in Germany.\'\' Earlier, Polish government spokeswoman Malgorzata Niezabitowska told Polish television news, ``Poland did not wish to link the problem of treaty regulation of the border on the Oder and the Neisse with any other problems.\'\' ``But if the West German side wishes to broaden these subjects, we will raise the problem of compensations for over a million Polish citizens who were forced to work in the Third Reich during World War II,\'\' she said. Kohl has come under intense criticism abroad and at home for his stance on lands east of the Oder and Neisse rivers ceded to Poland after Nazi Germany\'s 1945 defeat. Poland wants reassurance that a reunited Germany will not seek to reclaim those lands, which make up one-third of present-day Poland. Kohl repeatedly has said Germans have no designs on that property, but has insisted that, legally speaking, final say can only come from a future united German government. Kohl has been reluctant to run the risk of angering arch-conservative voters needed to help his Christian Democrats win re-election in federal elections this December. But at the same time, his statements have drawn negative responses in Poland and a number of other countries, including the United States, the Soviet Union, France and Britain. Kohl for the first time on Friday openly said a treaty would be possible recognizing Poland\'s western border after a united Germany government comes into being. But at the same time he demanded that Poland\'s 1953 decision on war reparations be an element of such agreement, as well as Poland\'s assurance last year that the ethnic rights of its German minority would be guaranteed. In the statement delivered by Vogel, Kohl again carefully avoided stating outright that a united Germany would never lay claim to land ceded to Poland. According to Vogel, Kohl reiterated his support for both German parliaments passing an identical declaration pledging to respect the current borders after East Germany elects its first freely chosen parliament on March 18. Vogel said ``such a declaration must at the same time make clear that the Aug. 23, 1953, declaration of the Polish government, in which reparations against Germany are renounced, continues unchanged.\'\' The Western powers ended reparation collections from West Germany in 1952. The Soviet Union did the same for fellow Communist state East Germany a year later, while Poland said it, too, would not seek reparations. Vogel said that on the basis of such a border resolution by the German parliaments, ``a treaty between an overall German government with the Polish government should be concluded and be ratified by a united German parliament.\'\' In Poland, meanwhile, hundreds of people demonstrated in several cities Thursday and Friday to support Mazowiecki\'s demand that Poland be allowed to take part in international talks on a reunited Germany. Poland says in order to win an ironclad guarantee of its western border, it needs access to the so-called ``two-plus-four\'\' talks involving West Germany and East Germany as well as the United States, Soviet Union, Britain and France. In Madrid, West German Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher reiterated that the borders of a reunified Germany would be those fixed at the end of World War II. ``We have no claims as far as Poland is concerned, not now or in the future,\'\' Genscher said. Genscher, in Madrid to allay Spanish concerns about plans for German unification, also said he and Kohl were in ``total accord\'\' on the issue. In Washington, State Department spokeswoman Margaret Tutwiler said Secretary of State James A. Baker III sent a letter to all NATO foreign ministers inviting their views on German reunification. ``As you know, all of us have agreed that Germany\'s continued membership in NATO, including participation in NATO\'s integrated military structure, and the continued commitment of NATO forces to the security of Germany is of enduring importance to stability and security throughout Europe,\'\' she said.\r\n'),(986,2,'Production at the nation\'s factories, mines and utilities shot up 0.7 percent in April, the biggest gain in six months, the government reported today. The Federal Reserve said the April advance followed increases of 0.4 percent in January and 0.2 percent in March and no change at all in February. It was the largest advance since a 1.1 percent surge last October. The increase was in line with expectations as economists had predicted a strong showing based on a pickup in production at auto factories. Autos were assembled at an annual rate of 7 million units last month, up from a rate of 6.6 million units in March. With the latest improvement, overall industrial production is now 6.4 percent higher than it was a year ago, a further sign of the resurgence of the U.S. manufacturing sector, which has enjoyed booming export sales because of the decline in the value of the dollar. The Reagan administration is counting on further reductions in the U.S. trade deficit to contribute almost half of the expected growth in the overall economy this year. The April advance in industrial output followed a period of generally sluggish activity in the first part of the year as production gains slowed while manufacturers, particularly in the auto industry, tried to work down an overhang of unsold goods. Still, the production slowdown was much less severe than had been feared immediately after the October stock market collapse. At that time, some economists believed that a drop in consumer spending would force such steep cuts in production that the country would be pushed into a recession. Instead, the overall economy expanded at a moderate 2.3 percent annual rate in the first three months of the year, as measured by the gross national product. The April report showed that output in the manufacturing sector climbed 0.7 percent in April, reflecting an increase of 0.9 percent in the production of durable goods, items expected to last three years or more, and a 0.4 percent rise in non-durable production. Output in the mining industry jumped 1.3 percent in April, following a 0.7 percent March increase. The strong gains in both of those months followed a string of declines. This sector, which includes oil and gas drilling, has been depressed because of falling oil prices. Output at the nation\'s utilities fell 0.8 percent in April, following an even larger 1.1 percent drop in March. The various changes left the industrial production index at 135.6 in April, up from 134.7 in March.\r\n'),(987,2,'President Bush faces key decisions in the coming weeks that could signal whether he anticipates a lengthy standoff with Iraq\'s Saddam Hussein or wants American forces prepared to attack. Among the questions facing Bush: -Whether to add more troops and firepower to the U.S. deployment in the Mideast, now at 220,000 and scheduled to peak at 240,000 in three weeks. -Whether to withdraw some units that are not essential to defending Saudi Arabia, a decision which could serve to assuage growing public concern about the prospects of war without diminishing the force\'s defensive capabilities. -Approving a Pentagon troop rotation plan, now in the draft stages, that sources said should be ready for White House review in a week or so. -Whether to use his authority to extend 90-day Reserve call-ups for another 90 days. The U.S. deployment reached a symbolic juncture Wednesday with the arrival in Saudi Arabia of the final elements of the 11th Air Defense Brigade from Fort Bliss in Texas. It was the last combat unit scheduled for deployment in the region, Pentagon sources said. The only remaining troops scheduled to be sent to the area are in support units. They should all arrive in the next three weeks, bringing the total deployment to 240,000, said the sources, speaking on the condition of anonymity. ``As of now we\'re not planning for any additional buildup. We\'re planning to sustain the force that is present,\'\' one of the Pentagon sources said. But Gen. Colin Powell, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has discussed with ground commanders the possibility of changing the force size. He is due back from Saudi Arabia late Thursday. If Powell recommended, and Bush approved, adding to the force, Pentagon sources said the likely additions would be heavy armor units from the United States, Europe or both. Such orders also would necessitate sending several additional support units into the region as well, the sources said. ``That would ratchet up the pressure on Saddam and give the president the option of surprise if he decided to go on the offensive,\'\' one of the sources said. ``If a decision has been made to kick him out, then adding to the force first would make it more efficient in terms of loss of life.\'\' But, barring some development in the crisis that would prompt United Nations support for an offensive, Pentagon sources and military analysts think it far more likely that Bush will tinker with the force - but not dramatically, signaling continued resolve to allow economic sanctions against Iraq to take hold. ``We would have to double the force there to make an offensive palatable from a military standpoint,\'\' said Lawrence J. Korb, a former assistant defense secretary for manpower in the Reagan administration. ``I don\'t think that is very likely at all.\'\' By bringing some non-essential units home, Bush could ``show that we are prepared to stay there for the long haul\'\' as long as he articulated the reasons for the moves, Korb said. ``Saddam is waiting to see how long we can hold both the support of the American Congress and our U.N. coalition together. I\'d set up a rotation plan but basically keep my troop level about where it is.\'\' If Powell recommends withdrawing forces, the sources said the 82nd Airborne Division, the first ground unit to reach Saudi Arabia, likely would be the first unit brought home. Such a move would not affect the defensive capability of the U.S.-led multinational forces, the sources said. But withdrawing the paratroopers ``would signal that we are going to hunker down and wait right along with Saddam,\'\' the source said. The withdrawal of even a few thousand troops from the Mideast could also help Bush, whom Korb said ``is obviously not as popular as he was when he started this.\'\' Said one of the Pentagon sources: ``We\'d look good bringing some people home for Christmas, even if in the big scheme of things it didn\'t amount to much.\'\' At the same time, ``We have to be very careful about what kind of signal we send because perception is as important as reality in that part of the world and it\'s easy for things to get confused in translation,\'\' this Pentagon official said. ``Whether the decision is status quo, reduce or add, the White House is going to have to explain that and ensure that the diplomatic signals that are connected with the decisions are properly read by Saddam Hussein.\'\' The Pentagon sources said draft rotation plans call for six-month rotations for most units, which would mean the first large-scale substitutions beginning in February. Some units that are harder to replace ``may have to spend more time in country than we or they would like,\'\' one of the sources said. The sequence of the rotations is still under discussion, this source said. ``We know the soldiers and families are waiting with bated breath but there are some very complicated questions to be resolved.\'\' When heavy armor units are rotated, the Pentagon would have to decide whether to leave tanks and other equipment in Saudi Arabia or bring them home with the troops. Current thinking is to bring the equipment home, a huge logistical headache, because otherwise the troops would be unable to train at their bases for possible return to Saudi Arabia. Overall cutbacks in the military further complicate rotation planning. For example, the Army alone has to plan for 1.1 million moves in the next 12 months in a force numbering just over 700,000.\r\n'),(988,2,'The Senate, pushing aside objections by Sen. Jesse Helms, is moving toward a vote on a $600-million-a-year bill to help states and cities cope with the costs of AIDS. Passage was assured, both sides said, as more than two-thirds of the Senate\'s members, 67, were cosponsors of the bill. The Senate voted 95-3 on Tuesday to limit debate, a procedural step made necessary to proceed after Helms, R-N.C., erected parliamentary roadblocks. Majority Leader George Mitchell, D-Maine, tentatively scheduled a vote for today as the Senate resumed considering amendments. Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., called the overwhelming vote Tuesday a clear signal the Senate intends to approve the measure. A similar bill was approved by the House Energy and Commerce Committee and awaits floor action. It contains some different provisions and would authorize the spending of more than $800 million a year. The Senate agreed to a series of amendments to the bill, including one dedicating it to Ryan White, who died April 8 at the age of 18. His six-year struggle against the disease and the discrimination it brought won him widespread attention and admiration. ``The spirit of this brave and gallant young person is very much a part of this legislation,\'\' Kennedy said. White\'s mother watched from the Senate gallery as the Senate debated the bill. Jeanne White of Cicero, Ind., later said she was angered by a charge by Helms that homosexuals were cynically exploiting her son\'s death to push their own causes. ``I was very irate about it,\'\' she said. ``Ryan didn\'t feel like that at all. I felt he was putting words in my mouth and in Ryan\'s mouth,\'\' she said. ``Ryan always felt he did not blame anybody, so why should you.\'\' White contracted the disease through a blood transfusion. Homosexual contact and illegal intravenous drug injections are primary methods of transmitting the disease. Helms, acknowledging his objections would be futile, charged that too much money as being spent on AIDS at the expense of other diseases, and that the money would encourage homosexuality. ``What originally began as a measured response to a public health emergency has become a weapon, frankly, for the deterioration if not the destruction of America\'s Judeo-Christian value system,\'\' he said. Kennedy charged Helms with misrepresenting and distorting the bill. The Senate agreed to an amendment requiring states or local governments to receiving money under the measure to carry out what they decide is an appropriate program of notification of partners of people testing positively for the AIDS-causing virus. It rejected on a 65-33 vote an amendment offered by Sen. Malcolm Wallop, R-Wyo., that would let states with fewer than 100 cases of AIDS to spend their share of the money on other diseases. Supporters of the bill criticized Helms\' arguments that AIDS was spread through ``immorality.\'\' ``We don\'t reject the cancer patient who didn\'t try to stop smoking,\'\' said Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah. Helms\' home state of North Carolina is a major producer of tobacco. Only Sens. Gordon Humphrey, R-N.H., and Steven Symms, R-Idaho, joined Helms in voting against the debate limitation. Supporters described the measure as emergency relief for communities and public health systems overburdened by patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome. The bill provides $300 million for metropolitan areas with the largest number of AIDS patients: Atlanta; Boston; Chicago; Dallas; Houston; Los Angeles; Miami; New York; Newark, N.J.; Philadelphia; San Francisco; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Washington, D.C. Those areas have reported 60 percent of the nation\'s AIDS cases, sponsors said. The money would be used to care for AIDS patients and for support programs. Another $300 million would go to states to develop comprehensive AIDS care programs.\r\n'),(989,2,'PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) - The field of presidential candidates stood at 14 today, with a leftist champion of the poor favored, after the Electoral Council barred former President Leslie Manigat and 11 others from running. Among those disqualified from the Dec. 16 elections was Dr. Roger Lafontant, the former chief of the Tonton Macoute militia, the private army of the brutal Duvalier family dictatorship. Lafontant claimed he was wrongfully eliminated and would appeal to the Supreme Court. An outstanding warrant charges Lafontant with conspiring against national security. The army, long the country\'s leading political force, has never served the warrant. The Tonton Macoutes terrorized this impoverished Caribbean nation of 6 million people for 29 years until a popular uprising forced Jean-Claude Duvalier, son of the late Francois Duvalier, into exile in 1986. But the country has been plagued by political turmoil and violence ever since. The caretaker government of President Ertha Pascal-Trouillot, appointed in March, is the fifth since Duvalier\'s ouster. Another former Duvalier official disqualified from running for president was Claude Raymond. The former army chief of staff has been publicly accused of participating in the massacre of voters that thwarted 1987 general elections. In the massacre, armed thugs in collusion with troops killed at least 34 people. Twelve Duvalierists had been barred from running for president in that balloting. A new constitution drafted earlier in 1987 barred criminal supporters of past dictators from running for office until 1997. The Electoral Council said the 10 candidates disqualified Monday, including Lafontant and Raymond, failed to comply with filing procedures. It said Manigat, disqualified Tuesday night, was barred under a constitutional article that specifies the ``president may not be re-elected\'\' unless five years have passed between terms. Manigat, who was widely viewed as a puppet of the military, gained the presidency in a controversial election in January 1988 and was ousted six months later in a coup. The council on Tuesday night also disqualified Duvalierist banker Clemard Joseph Charles, saying he was wanted as a fugitive in the United States but giving no details. The Rev. Jean Bertrand Aristide, a leftist priest, spokesman for the poor and ardent foe of Haiti\'s dictatorships, is given the best chance of winning the Dec. 16 vote - if it is free and fair. Dr. Louis Roy, chief of the Council of State that rules alongside Ms. Pascal-Trouillot, said Aristide\'s campaign may lose momentum with Lafontant\'s disqualification - ``But he remains the leading contender because he enjoys the backing of the impoverished masses.\'\' Also still in the running are major candidates Marc Bazin, a former World Bank official; former preacher Silvio Claude, and businessman Louis Dejoie Jr. The council\'s disqualifications this week were welcomed by many leading Haitians. ``I foresee a relatively normal unfolding of the electoral process now,\'\' said Jean-Claude Bajeux, a human rights activist and leader of the Congress of Democratic Movements, a socialist party. About 800 observers from the United Nations and the Organization of American States will monitor the vote.\r\n'),(990,2,'A series of Irish Republican Army bombings has highlighted the group\'s ability to get around security in England, where fear of terrorism is balanced against a determination to live normally. Police believe the bomb that killed Conservative Party lawmaker Ian Gow Monday was planted by the IRA, which has recently struck against the British army, the Stock Exchange and a London club favored by Conservatives. No group, however, immediately claimed responsibility for the slaying of Gow outside his home in Southeastern Hankham. Metal detectors at the House of Commons and a barrier guarding the prime minister\'s home testify to the threat, but most of London remains a relaxed and open city. Politicians and experts on terrorism argue that intensive security and fear would indicate a victory for the IRA, which has waged a terrorist campaign against British rule in Northern Ireland for two decades. Gow, killed by a bomb stuck beneath his car, had been warned he was on an IRA hit list. But his telephone number was listed and neighbors said his gate was often open. ``Mr. Gow was determined not to live in a castle and be protected,\'\' said Jonathan Graves, parish priest in Gow\'s village. ``He lived an open life.\'\' Peter Bottomley, another Conservative lawmaker, expressed the feeling of many politicians on increased security: ``We need to take obvious and sensible precautions. ... But the idea that each of us can have four bodyguards around us would mean that the IRA had won.\'\' The recent attacks, however, have prompted appeals for a return of the tight security following the death of six people in an IRA bombing at Harrod\'s department store in 1983. For a time, bags and parcels were searched at shop entrances. Scotland Yard recently distributed 13,000 posters advertising a toll-free hotline for reporting suspicious activities. A spokeswoman for Scotland Yard said a surge in notifications of suspicious parcels indicated heightened public concern. Late last year, a gate and a retractable concrete barrier were installed at Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher\'s official residence, No. 10 Downing Street. But terrorism expert Ian Geldard said increasing security for all politicians _ who now rely on mundane precautions such as checking beneath cars _ would not necessarily be the best solution. ``You can never have total security,\'\' Geldard said. ``The terrorists always have the advantage because they can choose the time and the place.\'\' Geldard, editor of Terror Update, a privately circulated newsletter, said the IRA clearly has targeted specific establishments and individuals. ``It would not be particularly sensible to increase security for everyone. The amount of disruption would be a victory for the IRA,\'\' he said. An unidentified IRA leader discussed the group\'s strategy in an interview published in the June 28 edition of Republican News, the weekly newspaper of the IRA and its Sinn Fein political wing. The IRA intends to ``surprise the enemy, give them no rest, continually pressurize them and of course to hit them where it hurts, preferably at the central nervous system,\'\' the leader said. He gave as an example the attack on the Carlton Club, a facility frequented primarily by members of the Conservative Party. There was no warning before that bombing or before Gow was killed. But eight warnings preceded the explosion in the visitor\'s gallery at the Stock Exchange on July 20. Mrs. Thatcher on Monday urged lawmakers to take warnings seriously. ``Many members of Parliament, indeed all of them, will have been given advice to have special regard for safety,\'\' she said. ``I make one plea, that they take that advice very seriously indeed, for themselves and their families and their staffs.\'\' Government security advisers refuse to detail arrangements, but it is widely believed lawmakers are advised to vary their daily routine. Mrs. Thatcher Monday told lawmakers to check under their cars and examine all parcels arriving by mail.\r\n'),(991,2,'A group of prominent scientists, including five Nobel Prize winners, wants the ``super collider\'\' built as originally envisioned even though the cost of the giant particle accelerator could rise by more than $1 billion. The Energy Department\'s High Energy Physics Advisory Panel agreed Friday with a subcommittee\'s findings that significantly reducing the size or power of the collider to contain costs would ``unacceptably increase the risk of missing important new physics.\'\' The panel said it was told that keeping the Texas project as originally envisioned, however, could increase the $5.9 billion pricetag by 20 percent to 30 percent. As designed, the super collider will smash beams of protons into each other in a 53-mile circular tunnel at 20 times the energy possible with the most powerful existing accelerators. It would take a reduction of beam energy of 25 percent to hold costs to the original figure, the advisory panel\'s report said. But it said the project\'s mission to learn more about ``such issues as the origin of mass,\'\' the best efforts of theoretical physicists indicate the original energy ``is about the minimum energy needed to have confidence that these phenomena, in whatever form they may take, will be seen.\'\' A 25 percent reduction in beam energy means ``broad agreement that this confidence would be lost,\'\' the report said. A decision on collider spending recommendations is expected from Energy Secretary James Watkins later this month, officials said. The collider is expected to be completed by 1998. Congress last year approved $225 million to begin initial construction and President Bush is expected to request about $393 million for the next fiscal year. The department is reviewing cost estimates by SSC Laboratory in DeSoto, Texas, on how various design changes would affect the price. Officials of the SSC Lab, which contracted to build the accelerator at a site south of Dallas, recommend an increase of about $1 billion to keep the project essentially as it was envisioned in 1986. Sen. Phil Gramm, R-Texas, said he believes a compromise would be reached but would not speculate on the new cost estimate. ``It\'s important that we try not to build a Cadillac,\'\' Gramm said. ``We don\'t have the money, and to attempt to do that would put us in a position where we would have no machine at all.\'\' The subpanel said the cost increases would give new ammunition to Capitol Hill opponents of the giant machine, which if completed will be the largest, most complicated scientific instrument ever built. Congressional opponents of the collider fear it will draw resources from other scientific projects that would deliver more immediate payouts benefitting the nation\'s economy and international competitive position. The additional costs would have to be absorbed by U.S. taxpayers or could come from foreign sources. While some members of Congress favor letting foreign sources provide in-kind equipment and services, others fear those countries would gain immediate technological benefits for their industries, at U.S. expense. James F. Decker, acting director of the department\'s office of energy research, said the collider should ``provide a substantial new physics capability when it comes on line. ``The United States should not spend this large amount of money for a facility that would be only marginally better than some other existing facility,\'\' Decker said.\r\n'),(992,2,'A junk dealer questioned in the mail bomb deaths of a civil rights lawyer and a federal judge who ruled against him insisted Wednesday the FBI has found nothing linking him to the slayings. A law enforcement source in Washington, speaking on condition of anonymity, said earlier in the day that Robert Wayne O\'Ferrell is considered a suspect and had failed a series of lie detector tests administered by the FBI. O\'Ferrell, who has seen his home, junk business and other properties pored over since the FBI converged on southeast Alabama Monday, once complained in a legal brief that America\'s court system ``is corrupt.\'\' O\'Ferrell, who has denied any part in the mail bomb deaths, said agents have not found a typewriter that reportedly links typewritten court correspondence he filed in 1988 with typed material sent by the mail bomber. ``You can\'t keep looking when you don\'t find nothing,\'\' he told reporters as he fed dogs and horses at his rural home. O\'Ferrell confirmed he took several polygraph tests this week, but said, ``I have not been told I am a suspect and have not been told I failed a lie detector.\'\' No charges have been filed against O\'Ferrell, and FBI agent Chuck Archer, who has declined to use the term ``suspect\'\' in referring to O\'Ferrell, said no suspects have been taken into custody. Agents are searching for clues in the package bomb deaths of Judge Robert Vance of Birmingham, who died Dec. 16, and black lawyer Robert Robinson, of Savannah, Ga., who was killed two days later. Vance was a member of a three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta that ruled last year against O\'Ferrell, who was sueing his former employer, Gulf Life Insurance Co. An Atlanta TV station received a letter signed ``Americans for a Competent Federal Judicial System\'\' that claimed responsibility for the mail bombings and included racist comments. The legal brief O\'Ferrell filed in 1988 against Gulf Life included a typwritten document that says in part: ``The law and court system in these UNITED STATES is corrupt, that I have had anything to do with. But I know you can help clean it up.... If anyone has been mistreated by Gulf Life ... the Courts, and two Attorneys, I really believe that I have.\'\' The capitalization and grammar is as it appears in the document. But the court documents O\'Ferrell filed do not mention racial topics, considered by many the motivation for the two killings. According to the law enforcement source, O\'Ferrell gave answers considered deceptive by a polygraph expert when he failed the lie detector tests. Results of polygraph tests are not always reliable and are inadmissable in criminal trials. It could not be determined what questions the FBI asked O\'Ferrell. Agents have searched O\'Ferrell\'s home, junk warehouse, abandoned downtown store and two septic tanks, and more locales were on a list to be searched. ``They are obtaining more (warrants) and will be searching further,\'\' said Charles Steinmetz, a spokesman at FBI headquarters in Washington. At O\'Ferrell\'s salvage business Wednesday, agents pumped out a septic tank and removed items from the tin-covered building onto a rented truck. Men wearing FBI jackets hung green tarpaulins on the front of the structure, and stacked up boxes to block the view of dozens of reporters and news cameras. The contents of the warehouse\'s septic tank, located in an adjoining shed, was pumped out after firefighters clad in bright yellow containment-suits tested for any build-up of flammable methane gas in the underground tank. The FBI also has canvassed town businesses asking for information on O\'Ferrell\'s buying habits. O\'Ferrell\'s father, J.C. O\'Ferrell, said the FBI questioned him about the activities of both his sons, Wayne and James ``Buddy\'\' O\'Ferrell. ``They were trying to say my two sons had something to do with that bombing up in Birmingham,\'\' the father told the Birmingham Post-Herald. ``They asked had I ever heard either one talk bad about colored folks, or if my sons ever made threats on any judges. I said, `No, my children weren\'t raised that way.\'\'\'\r\n'),(993,2,'Catherine Comet, music director of the Grand Rapids Symphony in Michigan, has been named music director of the American Symphony Orchestra. Ms. Comet, who studied with the late Nadia Boulanger and Pierre Boulez, will assume her new job for the fall season. The New York-based orchestra was founded in 1962 by Leopold Stokowski. Its previous music director, John Mauceri, left in 1986. ``We\'ve used the last couple of seasons to try out people,\'\' said General Manager Raymond T. Grant.\r\n'),(994,2,'Secretary of Commerce Robert Mosbacher indicated the United States may soon lift the trade embargo against Vietnam. He made his remarks Friday before U.S. businessmen, who urged him to renew the trade ties that were cut when the Communists won the Vietnam War in 1975. Mosbacher said lifting of the embargo was ``still over the horizon but, depending on the talks, it could appear shortly.\'\' In a letter addressed to him, the American Chamber of Commerce in Thailand said U.S. companies are ``losing out on the potential Vietnam offers on many economic fronts.\'\' Washington has said a settlement of the Cambodian war must be reached before relations are normalized with Vietnam, which backs Cambodia\'s Communist government. However, the United States reversed a longstanding policy last month, announcing it would enter into direct negotiations with Vietnam on Cambodia.\r\n'),(995,2,'Military commanders say their troops around this strategic southern garrison town have repelled three major offensives since December by combined South African and UNITA rebel forces. The officers also told reporters visiting the front that they were confident of holding the region despite daily long-range shelling by South African artillery. The officers said Wednesday that they expect more than 7,000 enemy troops to mount another major offensive soon from positions about 15 miles south of Cuito Cuanavale. The town is 190 miles north of the border of South Africa-ruled South-West Africa, also known as Namibia. Enemy troops include guerrillas of the National Union for the Total Independence on Angola, or UNITA, black soldiers from South-West Africa and South African soldiers. Angolan commanders said fighting has died down since their forces pushed back the South African-led army early this month. Angolan troops now respond with artillery fire to regular barrages of South African shells. A group of foreign reporters was caught in one such barrage on Wednesday when it visited a badly damaged steel and wooden bridge over the Cuito River, a mile south of town. ``Fighting picked up around Cuito Cuanavale in December,\'\' said Lt. Col. Ngueto, the town\'s military commander. ``Then the South Africans brought in mechanized units for their most recent offensive from Feb. 25 to March 1.\'\' ``The enemy has not given up the idea of taking Cuito Cuanavale,\'\' he said. ``The same units are still here.\'\' Government forces were everywhere in the former farming community, manning anti-aircraft batteries, tank positions, defensive trenches and sophisticated radar and communications equipment. Ngueto said the main objective of the South African and UNITA forces was to capture Cuito Cuanavale\'s military airport, a key facility for ferrying government troops and heavy equipment to the southern front from Luanda. The Angolan capital is 590 miles to the northwest on the Atlantic coast. UNITA, backed by South Africa and the United States, has been fighting an increasingly effective bush war since 1975 against Angola\'s Cuban- and Soviet-backed government. ``This airfield can handle an awful lot of traffic and they want to control it to launch attacks further north in Cuando-Cubango province and up to central Angola,\'\' Ngueto said. He said South African and UNITA patrols already had traveled north along narrow corridors through the bush to launch attacks in the Cuemba region of central Bie province. Cuemba, 190 miles north of Cuito, is the farthest South African troops are thought to have penetrated into Angola since 1976, when they fought alongside UNITA in the civil war that broke out after independence from Portugal the previous year. Pock marks on the walls of buildings in Cuito indicated they had been sprayed by small arms fire, but the town has not been taken by South African or rebel forces, despite long months of siege. In December, South African forces blew up two sections of the Cuito River bridge, which is made of heavy timbers and reinforced concrete pilings. The Angolans have replaced them with makeshift ropes and planks that sag down to water level. After speaking to government sentries on the east bank of the river Wednesday, reporters were heading back across the bridge when the first shell hit about 40 yards away, sending up spray from the marshy bank. Seven more shells exploded as the party scrambled back to an armored vehicle and drove back through the town. ``The South Africans shoot here off and on every day,\'\' Maj. Armindo Moreira said as the shells went off. He added that some residents have had to move away from the river. Angolan soldiers and Cuban support troops were seen on the road out of town for about 15 miles, supporting government statements that Cuban troops are in the area at the rear of Angolan lines, about five miles from the front. About 40,000 Cuban soldiers are based in Angola, supporting the government of President Jose Eduardo dos Santos.\r\n'),(996,2,'Ford Motor Co.\'s new president acknowledged Wednesday that improvements in the auto industry have followed government regulations which were not always received gracefully by the industry. Philip E. Benton, who became Ford president and chief operating officer March 1, also said he expects the world auto industry in 10 years to include only about a half dozen dominant companies, down from about a dozen today. ``Critics of the U.S. auto industry viewed us as fighting just about every regulatory initiative that Washington and the state capitals could come up with\'\' in the 1960s and 1970s, Benton said in a speech. ``We clearly gained a reputation for intransigence.\'\' He said the industry often sought only to alter timetables or the stringency of particular standards, and did not oppose the principles behind government initiatives. Automakers now have gone through a tough transition from focusing on consumers and competition to ``worrying about regulatory complexity and compliance,\'\' he said, ``And, in some instances, we didn\'t make it very gracefully.\'\' But Benton said Ford is pleased with its progress in installing airbags, manufacturing full-sized cars that get as much as 25 miles per gallon, reducing auto exhaust emissions and beginning to phase out chlorofluorocarbons _ all the result of government regulation. ``We\'ve invested heavily and aggressively in the technology and human resources that have allowed us to come this far toward resolving environmental and safety concerns, and we\'re prepared to do our part in the future in cooperation with government,\'\' Benton said. He said changes are creating a new world which will no longer be defined by military strength but by the ``economic strengths and interrelationships\'\' of North America, Europe and Asia. Benton said he did not believe in ``Japan bashing\'\' or in ``the habit of some to bash the home team.\'\' But he said the U.S. auto industry has been shaken up by the entry of Japanese companies. ``As a result, the stability of the North American market (once dominated by Ford, Chrysler Corp. and General Motors Corp.,) for the time being, is gone, and North America is up for grabs,\'\' he said. Worldwide consolidation will likely occur with more partnerships, purchases and absorptions, he said. He noted that Chrysler bought American Motors in 1987, General Motors bought about half of Saab\'s car business last year and this year Ford bought Jaguar while Renault and Volvo announced a far-reaching alliance. Ford will be one of the surviving strong half-dozen companies, Benton said, declining to predict who the others might be.\r\n'),(997,2,'Demand for higher-priced California premium wines surged as the four-year boom in wine coolers deflated in 1987, dragging down the overall U.S. wine market, an industry observer says. Some California wineries even had to go to Washington State for their chardonnays because the growing demand for premium table wines coincided with a short crop, according to a year-end industry report by Jon Fredrikson of Gomberg, Fredrikson & Associates, the nation\'s leading wine business consultants. The report was released this week. The premium segment of the industry was worth $740 million in sales last year, up 21 percent from 1986. Fredrikson pointed out that the premiums represented only 20 percent of all California table wine gallonage but 45 percent of table wine revenues. Burdened by a weak dollar that forced importers to raise prices, sales of foreign wines plummeted 21 percent last year, on top of a 25 percent decline the year before. Ironically, one of the few bright spots in the import picture was Italy\'s Riunite, scoring a 110 percent improvement on its cooler-type peach drink. At the same time, California\'s jug wines _ a $4 billion-plus segment with more than 80 percent of California wine sales _ continued downward for the fifth straight year as the U.S. trend toward better wines continued to rise. Fredrikson, who a couple of years ago could see no halt to the cooler phenomenon, described last year as a ``meltdown.\'\' From a few gallons in 1981, shipments of the fizzy blends of white wine, watgger and fruit juices rose to 8 million gallons in 1983, 34 million in 1984, 88 million in 1985, and 120 million in 1986, but then added only 2 million more last year. But for all their fiscal flatness, coolers accounted for more than 21 percent of the 423.8 million gallons California vintners sold last year. The ``cooler wars,\'\' as Fredrikson put it, saw the lead change from the originator, California Cooler, to Gallo\'s Bartles & Jaymes, and now to Seagrams with 31 percent of the market. There were two major growth areas in the champagne category, despite a 6 percent overall dip in sales. After its 48 percent surge in 1986, Guild\'s Cook\'s Champagne posted a 17 percent improvement last year with 1.3 million cases. Korbel continued the market leader with another record year, up 16 percent on shipments of more than 1.3 million cases. The showing also reflected the increasing popularity of the expensive ``methode champenoise\'\' way of making champagne _ fermentation in the individual bottles rather than bulk in stainless steel vats. The top five California wine companies start with Gallo, the world\'s largest wine producer with 39.9 percent of California\'s total wine sales, followed by Heublein, 10.2 percent; Vintners International, 9.1 percent; California Cooler, 5 percent, and Guild, 4 percent. Prices were mostly up last year in the heavily consumed chablis category. The top average price paid for the popular 1.5-liter case was $14.27, while the favorite bar item _ the 18-liter box _ went for $15.25 each. At $1.50 to $2.50 a glass, the bar makes up to 1,400 percent profit on each box.\r\n'),(998,2,'A minister pleaded with mourners at a funeral Wednesday for one of three teen-age suicides to put aside questions about what led to their deaths, and focus instead on avoiding the same path. Thomas Smith, 17, was the first of three suicides among Sheridan High School students in two days, and counselors for their classmates were on 24-hour call. About 80 students missed classes Wednesday, about 30 more than usual, school officials said. Some of the absentees were among about 250 people packed into the Buie Funeral Home chapel to hear the Rev. Dennis Moon urge them to cling to God as they grieved over Smith\'s death. ``Bringing back Tommy is beyond our control, but going with him ... is still our choice,\'\' said Moon during the 20-minute service. ``We don\'t need to ask God why he would let this happen,\'\' said Moon, of the Landmark Baptist Chruch. ``We need to ask God what would he want us to do.\'\' A graveside service followed at a cemetery in Grapevine, some 23 miles from Sheridan. Five members of the school\'s ROTC, of which Smith was a member, stood at attention about five feet from the casket. A man walked up to each youth, removed a white flower from his uniform lapel and set it in the youths\' white gloves. As the gathering broke up, four young men approached a reporter and three photographers and demanded their film. The photographers refused; two of the youths threw rocks at the car as it left. On Monday, Smith stood in front of his American history class, told a female classmate, ``I love you,\'\' pulled a gun out of his pants and shot himself. Later that day, Chidester, 19, of the Grapevine community, a friend of Smith\'s, died of a gunshot wound. He left a note that said ``I can\'t go on any longer,\'\' according to police. On Tuesday, the body of Jerry Paul McCool, a 17-year-old sophomore, was discovered in his home by his father. McCool, who also had been shot, knew Smith and Chidester, but wasn\'t close with them, officials said. All three deaths were ruled suicides, said Grant County Sheriff Cary Clark. In addition to those deaths, a 17-year-old classmate shot himself to death March 28. And three other county residents _ ages 22, 40, and 82 _ have killed themselves since Jan. 23. Hours after the latest shooting, parents and students packed the school\'s 1,000-seat auditorium to discuss the suicides. Some held hands. Some cried. About 60 counselors and clergymen from around the state had arrived at the normally quiet bedroom community 30 miles south of Little Rock. School Superintendent David Robinson said students met with counselors in group sessions and one-on-one Wednesday. ``Obviously school, as such, is not occurring at the moment,\'\' Robinson said. ``Actually, it\'s more like a massive counseling session.\'\' Later Wednesday, he said the mood had improved. ``The bottom line is we feel pretty good about how people are recovering. The kids have told us they\'re ready to try to get back to normal.\'\' Some said the atmosphere was less somber at the school Wednesday than earlier in the week. Lisa Deal, 18, a senior and president of the student council, said even though the mood had improved, the community had a long way to go to get over the series of deaths. ``It\'s scary knowing your friends ... would go to these extremes,\'\' she said. Ms. Deal said she was an acquaintance of Smith and Chidester. ``The students really opened up here today,\'\' she said of the counseling sessions. ``Yesterday was bad for us because it was newer. Everybody had just heard about it.\'\' Robinson, who held a news conference Wednesday morning, said he also felt the situation was getting better. ``I think the fact that our students were involved in a kind of organized session this morning and were able to express their feelings helped,\'\' he said.\r\n'),(999,2,'Subway gunman Bernhard Goetz and his girlfriend attended the opening of a murder trial of a woman who claims she stabbed her abusive boyfriend to death in self-defense. ``This trial should not be happening,\'\' Goetz said after opening arguments in state Supreme Court, the state\'s trial-level court, in Manhattan on Thursday. Damian Pizarro is accused of killing her boyfriend, Emerson Gaylor, on Aug. 19, 1986. Her attorney, Peter Neufeld, said Gaylor began abusing Ms. Pizarro after she became pregnant with his child in 1984. Goetz\' girlfriend, Lisbeth Theisen, said the couple decided to attend ``to show support\'\' for Ms. Pizarro. Goetz is free on bail while appealing his conviction in the shooting of four teen-agers on a subway train in December 1986. Goetz, who maintained he fired because he felt threatened, was convicted last June on a weapons charge.\r\n'),(1000,2,'A year after a military coup ended democratic government in Fiji, the South Pacific nation is still reeling in the aftermath of a conflict that arose over Fijian fears of domination by the Indian population. The economy is shaky, and skilled professionals and civil servants, mostly Indians, are leaving for Canada, Australia and New Zealand at a rate of 500 a month, double the precoup figure. Sugar production, the country\'s major cash crop is down 20.3 percent; tourism has dropped 26.9 percent, the currency has been devalued 33 percent, inflation has tripled to 6 percent, unemployment has reached 7.5 percent and the gross domestic product is down 11 percent. The coup of May 14, 1987, was led by Lt. Col. Sitiveni Rabuka who claimed that a newly elected coalition government dominated by the decendants of immigrants from India threatened the future of ethnic Fijians. The Indians outnumbered Fijians 348,704 to 329,305 at the time and controlled trade and commerce. The election of an Indian-controlled government led to the army coup. Prime Minister Timoci Bavadra, a Fijian, and his Cabinet were arrested. The Constitution was suspended and rule by decree was put in force. Since then ethnic Fijian fears of Indian political supremacy have eased. But the coup virtually ended organized political activities, but the country is now seeing factional and clan rivalries among Fijian chiefs in a feud over a Fijian king. It was to solve just such rivalries that King Seru Cakobau handed over the islands, then known as the Cannibal Isles, to Queen Victoria of Britain in 1874, after first having tried to interest the United States. Ratu Sir George Cakobau, grndson of the king and a former prime minister, now claims the royal title, which had been vacant since the British took control. But other chiefs and clans are disputing Cakobau\'s claim to the title. Bavadra, the ousted prime minister, said he feared squabbling among the chiefs could provoke a violent reaction from Fijians feeling the effects of the economic downturn since the coup. Watching the tribal feuds with interest is the 39-year-old Rabuka, who is a commoner. He has become a cult figure to many ethnic Fijians who regard him as the savior of their culture. He is the minister for home affairs in the interim government he appointed to run the country until a new constitution is drafted and elections held. A new book, ``Rabuka _ No Other Way,\'\' giving Rabuka\'s account of the coup, became an instant best seller. Also in demand is an autographed color poster of Rabuka in an army T-shirt and bearing the slogan, ``Fiji. In God\'s Hands.\'\' A documentary film titled ``Operation Surprise,\'\' the code name for the coup, has been showing to packed houses. Fiji has has no television. One of the first acts by Rabuka, a Methodist lay preacher, former rugby star and veteran of the United Nations Middle East peace force was to make the religious observance of Sundays compulsory. No shops are allowed to open, no sports can be played, public transport halts and the populace is expected, but not yet compelled, to go to church. But the Sunday observance law has become so unpopular that even the Fiji Council of Churches has called for its repeal. In the best-selling book, written by a Fijian and an Australian, Rabuka says the majority of Fiji\'s Indians are heathens and should be converted to Christianity. Most of the Indians are Hindus. ``I don\'t think they will resent it,\'\' Rabuka is quoted as saying, ``because all we are trying to do is the same thing that missionaries did here in Fiji when we were cannibals and heathens.\'\' In the year since the coup, Indian leaders have fled or taken a low profile. But one Indian who remains prominent is Irene Narayan, 56, Rabuka\'s minister for Indian affairs. She said in an interview the Indian community is now without a political leader, but added she saw little likelihood of communal violence between Fijians and Indians,. She expressed the view that while some Indians have left, the majority will remain and probably accept their loss of political rights. ``If Fijians want dominance and they are happy with it, perhaps that\'s not high a price for Indians to pay,\'\' Mrs. Narayan said. Meanwhile, Fiji\'s relations with traditonal friends and neighbors are taking time to mend. Australia, New Zealand and the United States condemned Rabuka\'s coup. They called their ambassadors home and suspended aid, but the envoys of all three have since returned. Australia and New Zealand have resumed non-military aid, but relations remain chilly.\r\n'),(1001,2,'Here is a chronology of the Iran-Contra affair from the kidnapping of the first American hostage in Beirut to the conviction Saturday of former National Security Adviser John Poindexter: 1984 March 7 _ Cable News Network correspondent Jeremy Levin is kidnapped in Beirut. Levin, freed 11 months later, is the first of 16 Americans to be taken hostage. Five were either freed or escaped. University librarian Peter Kilburn and CIA Beirut station chief William Buckley were murdered. Among the eight still held is Terry Anderson, chief Middle East correspondent for The Associated Press. Summer _ Iranian purchasing agents put out a call for weapons, including TOW anti-tank missiles. 1985 July _ An Israeli official suggests a deal with Iran to then-National Security Adviser Robert McFarlane, saying the transfer of arms could lead to release of the hostages in Lebanon. McFarlane takes the message to President Reagan. Aug. 30 _ The first plane load of U.S.-made weapons is sent from Israel to Tehran. McFarlane and Donald Regan, White House chief of staff, later disagree on whether Reagan approved the shipment. Reagan says he doesn\'t remember. Sept. 14 _ A second arms shipment is sent to Tehran. Sept. 15 _ An American hostage, the Rev. Benjamin Weir, is released. Dec. 4 _ McFarlane resigns as national security adviser and is succeeded by Rear Adm. John Poindexter. Dec. 5 _ Reagan signs a presidential ``finding\'\' describing the operation with Iran as an arms-for-hostages deal. Poindexter later testifies that on Nov. 21, 1986, he tore up the only copy of the finding. Dec. 5 _ In discussions with Israeli officials about Iran arms shipments, North mentions plans to use the profits to support the Contras. 1986 Jan. 17 _ Reagan signs a secret intelligence finding authorizing CIA participation in the sales and ordering the process kept secret from Congress. February _ The first direct shipment of arms from Pentagon stocks is sent to Iran. April _ North writes a memo outlining plans to use $12 million in profits from Iran arms sales for Contra aid. May 25 _ North and McFarlane fly to Tehran with shipment of spare parts, expecting hostages to be freed. Negotiations break down. Sept. 26 _ Iranian middlemen deposit $7 million into a Swiss bank account. More spare parts and TOWs are prepared for shipment. Oct. 5 _ North flies to West Germany to meet with an Iranian contact who says he can obtain release of one hostage for 500 TOWs. Nov. 2 _ American hostage David Jacobsen, held since June 1985, is freed. Nov. 4 _ A pro-Syrian news magazine in Beirut breaks the news that McFarlane had flown to Iran to meet and negotiate with officials there. Nov. 13 _ The White House admits selling arms to Iran, despite a public policy of supporting an international arms boycott of the nation, which it has branded a terrorist state. Reagan denies the administration has bargained with terrorists or sold arms for hostages. Nov. 21 _ CIA Director William Casey briefs the Senate Intelligence Committee on the arms deal, but makes no mention of the diversion of funds. North and his secretary, Fawn Hall, shred, alter and remove documents from his office. Nov. 25 _ Reagan announces North has been fired and Poindexter has resigned. Attorney General Edwin Meese discloses that $10 million to $30 million in arms-sale profits were diverted to Contras. Nov. 26 _ Reagan sets up the Tower Commission to review the role of National Security Council. Dec. 1-3 _ The Senate Intelligence Committee begins an inquiry by questioning McFarlane. North and Poindexter, meanwhile, invoke the Fifth Amendment. Dec. 19 _ Lawrence Walsh is appointed independent counsel to investigate the deal. Both houses of Congress select investigating committees. 1987 Feb. 18 _ The Tower Commission rebukes Reagan for failing to control the national security staff. March 4 _ Reagan acknowledges in a televised speech his Iranian initiative deteriorated into an arms-for-hostages deal. ``It was a mistake,\'\' he says. April 29 _ Carl ``Spitz\'\' Channell pleads guilty to illegally raising funds for the Contras. He was sentenced to two years probation. May 5 _ Congressional Iran-Contra hearings begin with testimony from retired Air Force Gen. Richard Secord, who describes how $3.5 million in proceeds from arms sales to Iran were diverted to Contras. May 6 _ Casey dies. May 11 _ McFarlane begins four days of testimony, during which he says Reagan instructed his staff in 1984 to find ways around the congressional ban on U.S. military aid to Contras. July 7 _ North testifies that he had authorization from his superiors to divert arms-sale money to the Contras, and that Casey knew of it all along. North says he always assumed Reagan knew about it. But he says he never discussed the plan with the president or received written presidential authorization for it. July 15 _ Poindexter testifies he never told Reagan that the arms sale proceeds were being diverted to the Contras. Poindexter says Reagan authorized a straight arms-for-hostages swap in December 1985. Nov. 18 _ The final report of House and Senate investigating committees concludes Reagan bears ultimate responsibility for the Iran-Contra affair because he allowed a ``cabal of the zealots\'\' to seize control of policy and bypass the law. Committee Republicans dissent, saying the mistakes amounted only to errors of judgment.\r\n'),(1002,2,'The Court of Appeals upheld a lower court ruling Monday to extradite to Argentina a former major and his wife accused of kidnapping two children born to mothers held during the ``dirty war.\'\' The couple\'s lawyer, Fatima de Bustaller, told reporters he will appeal to the Supreme Court. The Roman Catholic radio station Caritas said former Maj. Atilio Bianco and his wife Nilda Susana Wehrli face charges filed by the Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo group of abducting a boy and girl and falsifying their birth papers during Argentina\'s ``dirty war\'\' of 1976-83. The children, Carolina, 12, and Pablo, 10, were quoted this month in the independent daily newspaper Hoy as saying they don\'t want to be separated from the major and his wife. ``We don\'t know anything about those supposed parents we have in Argentina,\'\' the children were quoted as saying. The Grandmothers group says Bianco, a bone doctor at a military hospital in Buenos Aires, abducted the children shortly after their birth and falsified the attending physician\'s signature to make them appear to be his and his wife\'s offspring. Neighbors say Ms. Wehrli was not pregnant at those times. At least 9,000 people suspected of being leftist subversives were abducted by military and paramilitary agents and vanished without a trace during what became known as the ``dirty war\'\' under military rule in Argentina, officials say. Human rights group say the number is closer to 30,000. The Grandmothers group, an offshoot of the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo group that includes relatives who lost loved ones in the ``dirty war,\'\' says 72 of the 182 children taken from their parents were recovered. According to local reports, Bianco submitted to a blood test in Asuncion last month to determine if he was the father of the two children. Results were never announced. The cases of two other couples also accused of having fled to Paraguay with children suspected of having been born to mothers held in captivity in Argentina are pending, authorities say. Raul Alfonsin was elected Argentina\'s president in 1983, ending nearly eight years of military rule.\r\n'),(1003,2,'The Supreme Court today reinstated a $6.1 million award against the Arthur Young & Co. accounting firm won by investors in the Farmer\'s Cooperative of Arkansas and Oklahoma. The justices, by a 5-4 vote, ruled that the promissory notes held by the co-op\'s investors are ``securities\'\' as defined by federal law. A federal appeals court had thrown out the award after ruling that the notes were not securities. Sold for many years by the co-op to thousands of farmers, the notes were uninsured, payable on demand and yielded only interest. When the co-op filed for bankruptcy protection in 1984, about 1,600 of its 23,000 members held notes they had purchased for more than $10 million. Among other legal actions, investors filed a ``class action\'\' lawsuit against Arthur Young & Co., which had audited the co-op\'s 1981 and 1982 financial statements and issued reports on those statements. The suit alleged that the accounting firm fraudulently had misled investors about the co-op\'s financial strength, in violation of a federal security law\'s anti-fraud provisions. A federal jury awarded the investors about $6.1 million in compensatory damages, but the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals threw out the award when ruling that the notes were not securities. In disagreeing with the 8th Circuit court, Justice Thurgood Marshall noted ``Congress\' broader purpose ... of ensuring that investments of all descriptions be regulated to prevent fraud and abuse.\'\' He was joined by Justices William J. Brennan, Harry A. Blackmun, John Paul Stevens and Anthony M. Kennedy. Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist and Justices Byron R. White, Sandra Day O\'Connor and Antonin Scalia dissented. The case is Reves vs. Ernst and Young, 88-1480.\r\n'),(1004,2,'Share prices soared today on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, pushing its main price index to a new high while the U.S. dollar lost ground against the Japanese yen. The Nikkei Stock Average of 225 selected issues, the most widely followed price index of the exchange, gained 323.15 points, or 1.15 percent, to close at 28,489.57. The dollar closed at 123.70 yen, after opening at 123.80 yen and moving in a range of 123.63-123.88 yen. Thursday\'s close was 124.10 yen. Securities dealers said the Nikkei index\'s strong showing was a reflection of bullish sentiment prevailing in the market. ``There is no outstanding factor which is pushing share prices up,\'\' said Keiichi Nishida, a dealer at Kidder Peabody\'s Tokyo office. ``Most investors are feeling it is about time share prices should start picking up. I think we can say the market is turning bullish.\'\' Nishida said the strong performance of financial and food shares ignited the market bullishness across the board. In the currency market, dealers said general sentiment toward the dollar remained bearish, but investor anxiety about intervention by the Bank of Japan was holding up the currency. ``It is unlikely that the dollar will go below 123.50 today because the Bank of Japan is likely to intervene,\'\' said an exchange dealer at a U.S. bank in Tokyo. The Bank of Japan reportedly has been buying dollars intermittently in recent sessions to help keep the currency from falling further.\r\n'),(1005,2,'William E. Ahearn, managing editor of The Associated Press, was appointed executive editor Tuesday, to succeed Walter R. Mears, who will become Washington vice president and a political columnist for the news cooperative. President Louis D. Boccardi announced the appointments, effective Jan. 1, 1989. Ahearn\'s successor as managing editor will be Martin C. Thompson, who has been AP chief of bureau in Los Angeles. Mears, whose Washington career spanned 23 years before he became executive editor, asked to return to the capital and to the political writing that was his specialty. Boccardi said the change was in line with a plan established when Mears came to New York five years ago. ``He has been a great help to me and an asset to the AP in his time here, and he will continue those contributions from the city that has been his professional home,\'\' the AP president said. Mears, who won a Pulitzer Prize in 1977 for his political reporting, will write three analytical columns a week for the AP in the new assignment. Charles J. Lewis remains in his post as Washington bureau chief. Boccardi also announced that Charles J. Hanley, who has been assistant managing editor, will become deputy managing editor. Julie Dunlap was named assistant managing editor@features, and Mike Silverman was appointed assistant managing editor@national news. Mears, 53, became executive editor in January 1984, after serving as Washington bureau chief for seven years. He has been an AP special correspondent since 1975 and a vice president since 1978. He first joined the AP in Boston in 1955 while still a Middlebury College student, returned in 1956 and became Montpelier, Vt., correspondent later that year. Mears was reassigned to Boston in 1960 and transferred to Washington in 1961. Ahearn, 45, has been managing editor since 1985. He joined the AP in 1971 in New York as a broadcast news writer after serving with the Army as an infantry officer in Vietnam. Ahearn moved to the New York General Desk, the AP\'s main news desk, in 1972. He was named enterprise editor in 1979 and assistant managing editor in 1981. He was graduated from the University of Bridgeport in 1965, worked as a copy editor on the Bridgeport Post-Telegram, then attended graduate school at Boston University. Thompson, 50, has been chief of bureau in Los Angeles since 1986. He was chief of bureau in San Francisco for 11 years prior to that. He joined the AP in Seattle in 1966; was named correspondent in Reno, Nev., in 1968; and then transferred to the AP\'s San Francisco bureau in 1970 where he served as news editor. Thompson joined the AP after serving as a newsman for radio station KEDO in Longview, Wash., and then was news director of radio station KREW in Sunnyside, Wash. Thompson is a 1960 graduate of the University of Washington. Hanley, 41, joined the AP in Albany following graduation from St. Bonaventure University. He transferred to the Foreign Desk in New York in 1976 where he was an editor and a special writer who traveled extensively on foreign assignments. He was named assistant managing editor in 1987. Dunlap, 40, has been the AP\'s senior feature editor for six years. She joined the AP in Philadelphia in 1974 and transferred to the General Desk two years later. Following a year as an editor at The New York Times, she returned to the AP and became enterprise-special assignments editor with responsibility for AP\'s six-member regional reporting team and five-member national writing team. She is a graduate of Penn State University. Silverman, 44, joined the AP in San Francisco in 1971 and transferred to the General Desk five years later. In 1985 he was named AP\'s senior national editor, responsible for coordinating daily coverage of national news. Silverman is a graduate of the University of Chicago and Stanford University.\r\n'),(1006,2,'The owner of two Indian elephants says he\'ll agree to sell the 3{-ton animals if their former owner, who apparently has been hiding the pachyderms for four years, will return them. Richard Drake, owner of a now-closed Tehachapi, Calif., animal farm, said Sunday he wants to get fair market value for the 27-year-old female elephants, appraised at $70,000 apiece. Drake said he has spent ``thousands and thousands of dollars\'\' crisscrossing the country searching for Arlan Seidon, the man who fled with the elephants, Tory and Duchess. Seidon, who raised the elphants from infancy, contacted The Star Ledger of Newark several weeks ago from an undisclosed location and said he would return to face charges of third-degree theft if the elephants were not given to Drake. Seidon sold the elephants to the Drakes for $80,000 in 1981 but said he repossessed the animals for non-payment. The Drakes successfully fought the action and in May 1984 Superior Court Judge Peter Thomas awarded them $107,000 in damages. Seidon also charged that Drake, 50, and his son, Edward, 30, abused the animals. The Drakes deny that charge. Seidon, 58, fled with the elephants from a farm in Colts Neck Township while the animals were with a circus in New Jersey. He has been on the lam ever since. ``It\'s been at a standstill for four years,\'\' Drake said from his sister\'s Far Hills home. ``We have to do something.\'\' Drake said Sunday he had contacted Seidon\'s attorney, Isabelle Strauss of East Orange, and was awaiting an answer to his proposal. Ms. Strauss, an animal activist, was not in her office today for additional comment, a secretary said. She told The Star Ledger on Saturday that Seidon, who phones her periodically, would not allow the elephants to go to animal brokers who would sell them to other people. Ms. Strauss said a Vermont businessman is interested in the animals and that she is trying to work out a deal. Ms. Strauss has said she does not know where or how Seidon has been concealing the elephants. Seidon has said he left his farm at Fordland, Mo., and his career preparing animals for circus and television appearances to care for the elephants, which eat about 200 pounds off hay a day. He said he hasn\'t seen his four children or met his only grandson since he took off with the animals.\r\n'),(1007,2,'The NASDAQ Composite Index at 11am was 464.44 down 3.11 from the previous day\'s close.\r\n'),(1008,2,'A judge reversed himself Tuesday and released a 77-year-old woman from prison, conceding that her eight days behind bars failed to force her to reveal the whereabouts of her daughter and granddaughters. ``I can\'t imagine what will be more coercive than what the court has done in the past few days,\'\' Superior Court Judge Mark A. Pfeiffer said. ``I hope somehow you can look into your heart and your conscience and understand what is being done here.\'\' Mary Pigeon has insisted she does not know where to find her daughter. Her daughter, Elaine Yates, disappeared after a dispute with her husband five years ago. ``I feel much better,\'\' Mrs. Pigeon said after Pfeiffer\'s decision. ``I would win everything if my daughter and grandchildren would come home.\'\' She then went to her Warwick home. Mrs. Pigeon returned to court Tuesday on a request by the Corrections Department to confine her to home rather than keep her in prison. The request became moot with her release. Pfeiffer did not revoke his earlier order requiring Mrs. Pigeon to provide information about her daughter and granddaughters Kimberly, 8, and Kelly, 5. Mrs. Pigeon\'s son-in-law, Russell M. Yates Jr., believes Mrs. Pigeon knows where Mrs. Yates took the children when she disappeared from their Warwick home. Mrs. Yates left in 1985 after she found her husband with another woman aboard the family\'s boat. Yates, who did not attend Tuesday\'s hearing, has acknowledged hitting his wife and cutting her forehead with a ring, and that he had an affair with another woman. He won custody of the children when Mrs. Yates failed to show up to contest it. He sued Mrs. Pigeon after the custody hearing in an effort to find his daughters. After Pfeiffer concluded Mrs. Pigeon knew where her daughter is, he ordered her to pay a $23,000 fine. She has yet to pay it, but did comply with a later order to do 150 hours of community service. The judge\'s decision last week to send Mrs. Pigeon to prison provoked widespread criticism from women\'s groups, Gov. Edward D. DiPrete and others. Neil Philbin, Yates\' lawyer, said he disagreed with the judge\'s latest decision but added, ``I\'m confident Judge Pfeiffer ruled as his conscience guided him.\'\' Pfeiffer said he would listen to any ideas from Philbin about further penalties, but added he didn\'t know what else could be done.\r\n'),(1009,2,'Farm lawmakers drafting a compromise trade bill agreed Tuesday to expand by more than $1 billion an export subsidy program designed to spur worldwide sales of U.S. agricultural commodities. ``With this action, Congress has demonstrated that it will continue to fight European Economic Community subsidization and give American farmers a fair chance to compete in world trade,\'\' Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Patrick J. Leahy, D-Vt., said in a statement. The decision to expand to $2.5 billion the Export Enhancement Program came at a subcommittee session of the House-Senate conference committee that is seeking a compromise version of 1,000-page trade bills passed by both houses. Under the program, which was first established by the 1985 farm law, grain exporters are provided with government bonuses in the form of surplus commodities in return for shipping American farm goods. Proponents say the bonuses offset the difference between U.S. prices and lower price tags abroad. But the panel put off action on the most controversial issue it faces, a Senate plan to prod the European Community to drop export subsidies with the threat of a so-called marketing loan program for wheat, corn and soybeans. Marketing loans represent a form of subsidy that provides producers with the U.S. price while selling the commodities abroad at world prices. The government makes up the difference. Marketing loans established by the 1985 farm law sent exports of American cotton and rice skyrocketing while stemming a surge in honey imports. Being weighed by the panel is a so-called ``triggered marketing loan\'\' that would be put into effect only if current negotiations under the 92-nation General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade failed to produce an agreement on eliminating agricultural export subsidies by the 1990 wheat marketing year. Supporters of the concept said a congressional visit to the GATT talks in Geneva last week found European negotiators dug in over the subsidy issue and added that American negotiators want the ``club\'\' of a triggered marketing loan to hold over the heads of their counterparts. ``If you were talking to some of the people we have to negotiate with, then you might think we need it, too,\'\' said Leahy. He said the attitude of some of the Europeans has become ``arrogant.\'\' Critics said however that such a plan would strain the budget. ``This is potentially a huge amount of money we\'re talking about in agricultural programs,\'\' said Rep. Sam Gibbons, D-Fla., whose export-minded home-district citrus producers have traditionally been as wary of import curbs as they have of barriers to their products overseas. Gibbons distributed a letter signed by Agriculture Secretary Richard Lyng, U.S. Trade Representative Clayton K. Yeutter, White House Council of Economic Advisers Chairman Beryl Sprinkel and James Miller, director of the Office of Management and Budget. It described the triggered marketing loan as a concept that could bring about a presidential veto of the trade bill. It was designed to counter claims that American negotiators in Geneva are encouraging the proposal. Rep. Leon Panetta, D-Calif., whose home district includes numerous fruit and vegetable producers, described the concept as one that could boomerang on the lawmakers politically. ``I can see us passing a $600 million marketing loan and the administration saying on the record that they don\'t want it,\'\' Panetta said. ``We get attacked on that point and there\'s no mention that this was a bargaining chip for the GATT negotiations. I sense that coming.\'\' Wheat Belt lawmakers countered that the proposal would cost the treasury nothing because it would merely serve as ammunition to hasten agreement on subsidy reductions. ``We\'re not asking you to take her home,\'\' said Rep. Pat Roberts, R-Kan. ``We\'re just asking you to dance with her. Then when it\'s closing time, you can go out the back door.\'\'\r\n'),(1010,2,'Five American airlines have been authorized to open passenger and cargo service to Tokyo and other cities in Japan, the Department of Transportation announced on Monday. Three air carriers - United Air Lines, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines - were authorized to serve Tokyo. Delta, America West Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines were authorized to serve two other Japanese cities, Nagoya and Fukuoka. The route awards were granted under a November 1989 agreement which laid the foundation for a major expansion of air service between the United States and Japan. In making the announcement the department noted that the U.S.-Japanese market currently generates more than $6 billion in revenue for both countries. Last year the Japan market ranked third in numbers of passengers, after Canada and Great Britain, and was first in passenger revenue. Monday\'s announcement is the last of several awards authorizing new flights to Japan. In July, Federal Express, which had been providing all-cargo service to Tokyo, was permitted to serve Nagoya as well. In August, United Cargo Service was selected to operate a new all-cargo service to Tokyo. And in September the department allotted the 450 charter flights authorized by the agreement. Patrick V. Murphy, deputy assistant secretary for international affairs, made the following new selections: -Chicago-Tokyo authority to United with backup authority to American if United does not choose to fly the new route. -Los Angeles-Tokyo authority to Delta with backup authority to American. San Jose-Tokyo authority to American with backup authority to Continental Airlines for Houston-Tokyo service. -Honolulu-Nagoya authority to America West with backup authority to Continental. -Honolulu-Fukuoka authority to Hawaiian Airlines with backup authority to Continental for Los Angeles-Nagoya service. -Portland-Nagoya authority to Delta with backup authority to Continental for Seattle-Nagoya service. Nine air carriers submitted 23 proposals for the new routes, the department said.\r\n'),(1011,2,'A bank robber turned jailhouse journalist was released Thursday from solitary confinement, where he was put after reporting the federal prison where he is an inmate had become a ``caldron of fear, hatred and violence.\'\' Dannie M. Martin, 48, was released from the isolation unit at Lompoc federal penitentiary in Southern California where he was placed Wednesday ``for his own protection,\'\' said Warden R. H. Rison. Rison said the article in Sunday\'s edition of the San Francisco Chronicle-Examiner, which accused him of a ``gulag mentality,\'\' created ``a degree of tension in the prison\'s inmate population\'\' and required segregating the inmate-writer until an investigation was completed. ``I could care less about criticism of this administration,\'\' said Rison. ``But I have had inmates say that Martin is not their spokesman, and I\'m obligated to make sure he doesn\'t get himself hurt. He walks around here rather freely.\'\' The article had the potential to set off a riot, Rison said. Associate Warden Paul Hofer said an investigation found no threat to Martin. ``There was some grumbling about the article, but it was not significant enough to keep Dannie in confinement,\'\' said Hofer. While he still was held in the 120-man isolation ward at the maximum-security prison, Martin said in a telephone interview arranged by Rison that he was confined in retaliation for his article. ``There is really no threat to my safety,\'\' said Martin, who has written 20 articles for the San Francisco newspaper\'s Sunday Punch section in the last two years. ``I haven\'t encouraged any group demonstration. I just depict things as they are ... As long as my articles have veracity, I should be allowed to depict people. The public is entitled to a viewpoint other than the stereotype put out by the Bureau of Prisons.\'\' Rison said that unless the newspaper allows him to tell his side in print, he will transfer Martin to another federal prison rather than risk anger among the inmates. ``It is obvious from the prison officials\' comments that they are angry about the content of an article in the Chronicle,\'\' said Peter Sussman, editor of the Sunday Punch section. ``If Dannie Martin is being punished for that reason, it is a serious violation of the First Amendment.\'\' The Sunday Punch section publishes feature stories and opinion columns, such as Martin\'s, Sussman said. Rison has never called the newspaper asking to comment, but the newspaper would be willing to grant him space, Sussman said. In his articles, Martin ``has never attempted to glamorize or apologize for the criminal,\'\' said Sussman. ``In the 20 or so articles Dannie has contributed to this section, I have found him to be a sensitive observer and a fresh, powerful writer with a deep commitment to justice,\'\' he said.\r\n'),(1012,2,'Presidential rivals George Bush and Michael Dukakis encountered loud, hostile demonstrators Tuesday as Oregon shipyard workers shouted ``union buster\'\' at the Republican candidate and anti-abortion activists called the Democratic nominee ``baby killer.\'\' ``Do not gamble on another liberal Democrat coming out of nowhere,\'\' Bush said, shouting to be heard over the boos of workers at Northwest Marine Iron Works in Portland, Ore. In the Chicago suburb of Niles, Ill., Dukakis was interrupted for several minutes by the anti-abortion protesters early in a speech on economic policy. ``I just hope as the campaign goes on we can address the real issues that face the campaign and that face the country and do so in a way that\'s respectful of each other,\'\' he said afterward.\r\n'),(1013,2,'PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat said in a letter released today that he has approved the participation of Palestinians from the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip in peace talks with Israel. It was the first formal statement by the PLO leader that he has approved terms for Israeli-Palestinian talks, although there have been hints from Cairo that he was moving in that direction. Arafat said in the letter that the PLO would prefer an international peace conference and ``guarantees that can only be provided by the great powers and the United Nations.\'\' But he added: ``The PLO once more leaned over backward and approved the idea of a dialogue between representatives of the Israeli government and representatives of the Palestinian people in the occupied territories and the diaspora.\'\' He said that such talks would have to be part of a process ``aimed at a comprehensive and final settlement\'\' and that its agenda ``could cover all the conceptual ingredients of that process, including the elections and the 10 Egyptian points.\'\' The ``10 Egyptian points\'\' were recommendations put forward by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to try to get a concensus with Israel on preliminary peace talks. Mubarak, backed by U.S. Secretary of State James A. Baker III, has offered to host an initial Israeli-Palestinian dialogue aimed at reviving stalled Middle East peace efforts. Those talks are expected to help clear the way for Israeli-proposed elections in the occupied territories leading to limited autonomy of the areas\' 1.7 million Palestinian residents. Hundreds of Palestinians and more than 40 Israelis have been killed in the Palestinian uprising in the territories. Efforts to get the talks under way have been stalled by Israeli concerns over the composition of the Palestinian delegation and the agenda. Israeli, which refuses to deal with the PLO as a ``terrorist group,\'\' has not yet agreed to participate in the prelimintary talks urged by Mubarak. Arafat\'s letter was sent to a meeting in Jerusalem by Jewish peace activists called the Special Emergency World Jewish Leadership Peace Conference, which concluded Thursday. Rita Hauser, a New York peace activist who attended the conference, told reporters that the letter was received ``through a circuitious manner, via fax\'\' on Thursday but that conference leaders had been unable to ``get it fitted in\'\' amid the conference\'s heavy schedule. It was presented at a board meeting today of the Tel Aviv-based International Center for Peace in the Middle East, which sponsored the conference. Ms. Hauser, an attorney and head of the center\'s American branch, met with Arafat in Stockholm in December 1988. Hauser said she had been in fax contact with the PLO since that meeting. Shortly after their meeting, Arafat made a series of historic announcements recognizing Israel\'s right to exist and renouncing terrorism. Those statements led, in turn, to the United States resuming contacts with the PLO for the first time since 1975. Arafat\'s letter to the Jerusalem meeting of Jewish peace advocates was dated Feb. 17 and came from Tunis, where the PLO is headquartered. There was no explanation for the delay in its transmittal to Jerusalem. In the letter, Arafat repeated the PLO\'s call for creation of an independent Palestinian state in the occupied territories, which were captured by Israel from Jordan and Egypt in the 1967 Middle East war. ``We remain deeply convinced that the only real security guarantee for Israel lives in a peaceful settlement based on the termination of the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian and Arab territories and the acceptance of the two-state principle,\'\' he wrote. Arafat noted that Israel has been fearful of dealing with the PLO, and said that Palestinians had similar concerns about dealing with the Jewish state. ``Watching the convoluted maneuvers the Israeli government has engaged in and the massive obstacles with which it has littered the path to peace, the Palestinian people are not filled with confidence in the good intentions of the Israeli leaders,\'\' Arafat wrote. He continued: ``To them, the only guarantee of their own security and their political future lies in the full participation of the PLO in all stages of the peace process.\'\' Such a role has been ruled out by Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir. In an interview published today in The Jerusalem Post, Shamir was asked what the PLO could do to make itself an acceptable negotiating partner. ``The only thing it should do is dismantle itself,\'\' Shamir replied. ``Because its minimal demand is a Palestinian state, and a Palestinian state cannot co-exist with Israel.\'\'\r\n'),(1014,2,'President Bush said Tuesday he will nominate James S. Halpern, a partner in a Washington law firm, as a judge on the U.S. Tax Court. If confirmed by the Senate, Halpern would succeed Meade Whitaker. In other personnel decisions, Bush: _Said he will nominate Ming Hsu to be a federal maritime commissioner for the remainder of a term expiring June 30, 1991, succeeding Elaine L. Chao. She is director of the New Jersey Commerce Department\'s division of international trade, and is the governor\'s special trade representative. _Reappointed Andrew Camp Barrett to the Federal Communications Commission. _Accorded the rank of ambassador to Robert L. Barry of the State Department during his service as special advisor for East European assistance. _Said he will nominate Steven E. Steiner, onetime director of defense and arms control for the National Security Council, as ambassador during his service as the U.S. representative on a commission dealing with arms verification.\r\n'),(1015,2,'At least 100 people, some armed with guns or baseball bats, converged on a low-income neighborhood Tuesday night, apparently to protest police handling of a teen-ager\'s death, authorities said. Shots were fired, and bottles and bricks were thrown, but no serious injuries were reported in this city of nearly 40,000 people on Lake Michigan, police said. ``We\'ve had shots going off all night,\'\' said policeman Mike Elkins. `No shots have been fired by us. We\'re in full riot gear.\'\' About 20 people had been arrested by 10:30 p.m., three hours after the disturbance by at least 100 people began in a four-block section of the neighborhood. State and county police and state prison officers were dispatched to help city police control the crowd, Elkins said. ``I know there were problems up there last night,\'\' said LaPorte County sheriff\'s Sgt. Mark Ludlow. ``I don\'t think its fair to call it a riot, maybe a civil disturbance.\'\' There were minor injuries, but it was not immediately known how many people had been hurt, Ludlow said. The disturbance was apparently a protest of the death late Monday of Chris Crawford, 16, and the wounding of his cousin Michael Cain, 17. Cain, who was shot in the left side, said he and Crawford were standing near a video arcade when they were approached by an unknown man who fought with them. Cain said his cousin was forced into the street, then hit by a car and killed. Cain said he was shot as the vehicle passed. He was taken to Memorial Hospital, where he was treated and released. Residents of the neighborhood, which is near a housing project, said police were less responsive to crimes in their area than in more affluent neighborhoods. Police took more than an hour to reach the scene of Monday night\'s violence, said resident Vince Woodard. ``We called them on 911 and they didn\'t come,\'\' Woodard said. Elkins disputed allegations that police were slow to respond Monday. ``I\'m sure in a case like that we were there right away,\'\' he said. The officer said police dispatchers received the call at 11:39 p.m. and arrived at the scene within a minute. ``We\'re only a couple of blocks away,\'\' Elkins said.\r\n'),(1016,2,'Poverty, illiteracy, malnutrition and forced labor have robbed many of the boys and girls in India\'s capital of their childhood, according to a United Nations report issued today. ``Why should we call them children?\'\' asked the UNICEF report, titled ``The Invisible Child.\'\' ``These children are grown-ups. These children are old.\'\' Citing statistics on child labor, health care, infant mortality and education, the report describes a life of grinding work and abuse for a child in New Delhi\'s slums. It also highlights the plight of India\'s urban poor, often forgotten in this largely agricultural nation of 880 million people. More than half of New Delhi\'s 8 million people inhabit the shantytowns, squatters huts and slums of this sprawling metropolis. While the average per capita income in the city is about $410, in the slums the people make one-tenth that amount, the report said. According to the report, more than 500,000 children, 80 percent of them illiterate and many underfed, are forced to work in New Delhi. About 40,000 work as laborers, 20,000 in car repair shops, 30,000 in restaurants and 30,000 as shop assistants, the report said. Tens of thousands more work in one-room factories where labor safety regulations are not enforced. Others scratch by as rag pickers, shoe shine boys, newspaper sellers and porters. Child labor is only outlawed in India for certain hazardous jobs. Many of the children are bonded labor, latter-day slaves, the report said. The pervasiveness of such servitude makes it difficult to wipe out. ``The children have to put up with long working hours, eight to 12 hours a day,\'\' the UNICEF report said. ``They face verbal, physical and sexual abuse from most people who deal with them.\'\' The necessity of work makes going to school impossible. The report said a survey of parents in the slums indicated that less than 5 percent wanted their children to stop working. They just wanted labor conditions to improve. Girls usually face the worst treatment, the study said, citing long-standing beliefs that girls are less valuable and provide less income to the family than boys. Girls are yanked from school faster than boys, fed less and forced into wedlock early, the report said. ``I work like a machine,\'\' says Parvati, a 13-year-old girl interviewed by UNICEF. Her parents leave her at home every day to look after her three siblings _ an 11-year-old brother and two sisters, 8 and 3. The family, economic refugees from Bihar, India\'s poorest state, lives in a hut near a construction site where their father was recently employed. Parvati has to prepare food, care for her siblings when they get sick and help her mother as a maid. At dinnertime, Parvati is allowed to eat only half the food of her brother. ``The only thing that makes me sad is when someone beats me,\'\' she says. The environment surrounding New Delhi\'s slums is also miserable. In many such areas, there is only one toilet for every 150 people and just one household in every 156 has access to potable water, the report said. ``The very notion of childhood is eroded by a hostile environment of poverty,\'\' the report said. The report urged the Indian government to recognize the rights to literacy, health care, play and vocational training of New Delhi\'s children.\r\n'),(1017,2,'Hog farmers are continuing to expand production in the face of rising feed costs prompted by the drought, an Agriculture Department report showed Thursday. As of June 1, the U.S. inventory of hogs and pigs was estimated at 56.2 million head, up 8 percent from a year ago and 15 percent more than two years ago. Industry analysts had expected a smaller increase. The number of breeding hogs, at 7.53 million head, was up 7 percent and 17 percent from June 1 of 1987 and 1986, respectively. That indicated further production increases in the months ahead. Officials said the June 1 inventory of market hogs _ animals headed for slaughter and the consumer market _ totaled 48.7 million head, up 8 percent and 15 percent from the previous two years. The pig crop during the first half of the hog marketing year that began last Dec. 1 was estimated at 46.6 million head, a gain of 8 percent from a year ago and 15 percent from two years ago. Looking at future prospects, the report said hog farmers surveyed intend to have 6.2 million sows give birth in the June-November period, a 7 percent increase from the same six months of last year and 14 percent more than two years ago. But the report cautioned that the farrowing intentions ``do not reflect conditions after the June 1 survey date.\'\' Leland Southard of the department\'s Economic Research Service said in a telephone interview the industry had expected the total inventory to be up only about 4 percent as of June 1. But Southard said ``a spike in feed costs\'\' has raised doubts about further expansion, however. ``I think there is a question whether producers will carry through with these farrowing intentions to the extent that they\'ve indicated (in the June 1 survey),\'\' he said. ``We can blame that on higher feed costs ... costs of production.\'\' The following list shows the June 1 inventory in the 10 leading hog states, which account for about 79 percent of the nation\'s pork. The first number, in thousands, is the total number of hogs in the state, the second is the June 1 figure\'s percentage of a year earlier.\r\n'),(1018,2,'Here are the unemployment rates in November for 11 major industrial states as reported Friday by the Labor Department: -California, 6.7 percent, up from 6.0 percent in October. -Florida, 6.3 percent, up from 6.2 percent. -Illinois, 6.0 percent, up from 5.9 percent. -Massachusetts, 7.0 percent, up from 6.3 percent. -Michigan, 7.7 percent, up from 7.4 percent. -New Jersey, 5.5 percent, unchanged from October. -New York, 5.4 percent, down from 5.6 percent. -North Carolina, 5.1 percent, up from 4.6 percent. -Ohio, 5.5 percent, down from 5.9 percent. -Pennsylvania, 6.0 percent, down from 6.1 percent. -Texas, 7.0 percent, up from 5.7 percent.\r\n'),(1019,2,'Republican gubernatorial candidate Pierre Rinfret claims his report of a 1977 trip to the Middle East prompted Egyptian President Anwar Sadat\'s historic peace mission to Israel. Cyrus Vance, U.S. Secretary of State at the time, on Wednesday called Rinfret\'s claim ``rubbish.\'\' Rinfret is challenging Democratic Gov. Mario Cuomo\'s bid for a third four-year term. A recent independent poll found Cuomo had a 45-point lead. Rinfret\'s August 1977 report, titled ``The Geopolitics of Israel and Surrounding Arab States,\'\' discussed Israel\'s military preparedness in case of war The report said Israel would try to destroy the economic base of each enemy country and would target the Suez Canal, electric power stations, factories and dams. Rinfret, an international economic consultant, said Israeli secret service officials told him that the disclosure of Israel\'s military intent convinced Sadat to visit Israel, according to campaign spokesman Ted Kavanau. Sadat\'s surprise visit to Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin in November 1977 led to the historic Camp David peace accord between Egypt and Israel two years later. ``The Israeli secret service took the report and gave it to Sadat,\'\' Kavanau said. ``When he got it - this is Pierre Rinfret talking - he made the decision instantly to go to Israel. ``The Israelis were using Rinfret to deliver a message to the Egyptians that they would fight,\'\' Kavanau said. Vance said Sadat decided to visit Israel on his own. ``I was in very close touch with Sadat all along and Rinfret was never mentioned,\'\' said Vance, a New York City attorney who served during the Carter administration. Sadat and Begin shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 1978. Sadat was assassinated by Moslem extremists in 1981. Begin, 77, resigned as Israeli prime minister in 1983.\r\n'),(1020,2,'In South Africa, feminism is viewed with suspicion as a foreign philosophy, even among many women. With racial discrimination the overriding social issue, sexist practices go unchecked in both white and black communities. There are few protests, for a variety of reasons.\r\n'),(1021,2,'Republicans are trying to turn veteran Rep. Frank Annunzio into a casualty of the nation\'s savings and loan crisis. The 75-year-old Illinois Democrat has rolled over his competition in 12 re-election bids. But now he faces a tough challenge from a former Chicago cop who is hitting hard at Annunzio\'s dealing with the S&L crisis. Republican state Sen. Walter Dudycz contends Annunzio, who heads a House subcommittee that oversees thrifts, looked the other way while the crisis was brewing. Annunzio, meanwhile, points his finger at the GOP. He blames the Republican policies of the White House for the nation\'s S&L problems. He was among those who raised questions about the role of President Bush\'s son Neil as a director of the failed Silverado Banking, Savings & Loan Association in Denver. Annunzio proudly displays banners and buttons declaring, ``Jail the S&L Crooks.\'\' Dudycz has responded in kind. His buttons say, ``Jail Annunzio\'s S&L Friends.\'\' Analysts are predicting a close race and see the contest as a test case for voter reaction to the S&L disaster. ``People are looking to see if politicians will be blamed for the S&L scandal,\'\' said political analyst Don Rose. ``It\'s an issue that\'s at a low simmer in some places in the country, waiting to boil over.\'\' Dudycz questioned Annunzio\'s ethics when it was revealed that the congressman over the past decade had accepted more than $50,000 in campaign contributions tied to S&Ls. Annunzio contends there was no conflict of interest. ``This is truly a David vs. Goliath race - Frank Annunzio and the good-old-boy Democratic Party vs. Walter Dudycz and the taxpayers,\'\' said Dudycz. Annunzio insists it\'s the other way around. He said Republicans are exploiting Democratic crossover voting patterns to try to oust him from the 11th District, which includes part of northwest Chicago and suburban communities. ``The National Republican Party has earmarked me for defeat,\'\' Annunzio says. ``They thought I would play dead because of my age, but I\'m not going to roll over.\'\' The National Republican Congressional Committee filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission claiming that Annunzio filed to provide employment information about 20 contributors who were associated with a Maryland thrift. Annunzio\'s camp maintained the complaint was GOP retribution for an S&L-related ethics complaint the Democrats filed against Republican Rep. Denny Smith of Oregon. Annunzio also has been criticized for reports that two of his sons-in-law once worked for the savings and loan industry\'s chief lobbying group, the U.S. League of Savings Institutions. And he admits he once tried to get one of them a position with the Federal Home Loan Bank Board in Chicago. He contends there ws nothing improper about the request and stresses that the position was non-paying. Annunzio has attacked Dudycz for being on the Cook County sheriff\'s payroll as a deputy while he was a state senator working primarily in downstate Springfield. Both men say their ties to the community will make the difference. Each uses ethnic working-class roots to seek support from a constituency composed of police officers, firefighters and other blue-collar residents who are first-generation Americans born of Eastern European parents. Annunzio - a senior citizen in a community with the highest median age of any Illinois district - casts himself as a champion of the elderly. He voted against recent federal budget bills because they contained cuts in Medicare. Dudycz, 40, is a relative newcomer to the political scene who calls himself an ``American\'s American.\'\' He attracted attention in 1989 when he led daily rallies at the Art Institute of Chicago to protest an exhibit displaying the U.S. flag on the floor. The self-styled populist has railed against increases in state income taxes and property taxes. He\'s counting on radio advertising and door-to-door canvassing to increase his name recognition. Annunzio, who has spent most of his recent time in Washington, is trying to make up for his absence with advertising bought from an $800,000 campaign war chest. ``We\'ve basically had to change from a \'60s type of campaign to a sophisticated marketing strategy - go from zero to 60 in 6.3 seconds,\'\' said Kevin Tynan, one of Annunzio\'s sons-in-law and his campaign manager.\r\n'),(1022,2,'Pope John Paul II stepped off a raised, fenced-off platform and plunged into a jammed prison yard today in an unscheduled display of compassion as a convict chorus sang Beethoven\'s ``Ode to Joy.\'\' The pontiff then told about a thousand prisoners that ``the worst prison is a closed heart,\'\' and urged them to keep up their hope for a better life because ``Christ never loses hope in his creatures.\'\' The pope had been scheduled to greet only one prisoner _ a man who had killed his wife _ before his brief speech, but John Paul conferred with several assistants when he reached a platform that had been set up in the prison yard. The prisoners were confined behind a high Cyclone fence, but the pope descended from the platform, ordered that a gate be opened, and strolled into the yard, greeting and blessing prisoners for 20 minutes. One prisoner showed off an injured foot, and others appeared to be shaking with nervousness or joy as the pope approached. A prison band played Mexican tunes, then broke into the ``Ode to Joy\'\' in Spanish as the pope toured the yard. The ``Ode\'\' is the choral finale to Beethoven\'s Ninth Symphony. The state prison in Durango holds about 1,200 prisoners, authorities said, including convicted murderers and drug traffickers. The pontiff was scheduled to address a crowd of businessmen on their social responsibility during the afternoon. On Tuesday night, in a speech to diplomats in Mexico City, 450 miles to the southeast, the pope called for a moral as well as an economic approach to the ``imprisoning\'\' foreign debt crisis. ``Technical measures are not enough to resolve the great problems that menace international equilibrium,\'\' the pope told the diplomats. ``I feel the obligation to underline ... the ethical dimension of this imprisoning crisis,\'\' which, the pontiff said, was hindering development in many poor nations of the world. John Paul met the diplomats after celebrating a Mass for young people near a shrine at San Juan de los Lagos, 250 miles northwest of Mexico City. There, he encouraged Mexico\'s young people not to be disheartened by injustice and inequality and to use Christ as a defense against despair. He said loss of hope in today\'s world was symbolized by ``evasion, abandon, hedonism, discotheques, drugs, indifference, pessimism, the artificial paradises in which so many find refuge.\'\' ``Young people, don\'t lose hope! You are the pilgrims of hope,\'\' the pontiff cried. More than 200,000 people packed the slopes of a hill outside San Juan for the Mass on Tuesday. Many waved flags in papal white and yellow or in green, the town\'s colors, and interrupted the pope frequently with cheers and chants. Priests wore white robes and yellow baseball caps to ward off the harsh sun. The town was one of the centers of a guerrilla war waged in the 1920s by Catholic conservatives opposed to the government\'s tight religious restrictions, and memories of the conflict are still strong. A large banner on a building facing the altar read ``Viva Cristo Rey\'\' _ Long Live Christ the King _ the battle cry of the Cristero rebels. In a morning address to teachers, the pope issued a veiled call for a lifting of constitutional prohibitions on religious schools, a prohibition that is ignored by many schools and even universities. ``Open the world of teaching to Christ!\'\' the pope said in a speech at the airport in Aguascalientes, about 50 miles north of San Juan de Los Lagos. Church-state relations are now at their best in 50 years, and President Carlos Salinas de Gortari recently sent a personal representative to the pope. The move was seen as a step toward possible re-establishment of the diplomatic ties severed in 1926. ``I have observed with great satisfaction the significant and important gesture of the president,\'\' the pope told the diplomats on Tuesday evening. John Paul\'s eight-day trip is his 47th outside Italy since becoming pope. He first visited Mexico in 1979.\r\n'),(1023,2,'A teen-ager told his mother, ``I\'m a Crip and nobody messes with me,\'\' just before she stabbed him to death during an argument over less than $100, police said Monday. The killing was one of five gang-linked deaths over the weekend despite 125 arrests by a 200-officer anti-gang task force. The deaths pushed last week\'s countywide gang-related death toll to 10, and increased the 1988 total to 123. Sammie McGee, 37, told police she stabbed her son, Bluefus Davis, 18, in the heart with a steak knife Saturday night after an argument over money loaned him on Mother\'s Day, said police Sgt. Jon Rygh. Ms. McGee remained in custody on Monday, booked for investigation of murder, said Detective Steven Hooks. He confirmed her son\'s statement about being a member of the Crips, a notorious Los Angeles street gang. The amount of money the two were arguing over ``is varying back and forth, depending on who we talk to,\'\' Hooks said. ``It was probably under $100 and over $50. There is no exact amount.\'\' Hooks said Davis did not live with his mother. ``From the indications we have, he just pretty much came over and started arguing,\'\' said Hooks. Detectives were still trying Monday to find out what the loan was about. ``We\'re still trying to sort through it. It\'s not a clear cut case,\'\' he said. Prosecutors ave until Wednesday to decide whether to file charges. ``You get mad enough to think you want to kill your kids, but to actually do it _ that\'s something else,\'\' said police Sgt. Alfonso Rodriguez. ``She nailed him,\'\' Rodrugues said. ``It wasn\'t just to scare him _ somebody will do that when they\'re mad, scratch his arm or something. But this was once right in the vital area.\'\'\r\n'),(1024,2,'The Reagan administration, contending that many Contra rebels inside Nicaragua are desperately short of food, will begin sending them cash at the rate of about $1 a day per rebel for food purchases, it was announced Friday. State Department spokeswoman Phyllis Oakley brushed aside complaints from House Speaker Jim Wright, D-Texas, that the rebels might use the money illegally to buy weapons. ``They already have weapons. What they need at this moment desperately is food, and we\'re confident that they will naturally use these small funds to provide for their basic survival,\'\' she said. An agreement signed between the Contras and Nicaragua\'s leftist Sandinista government on March 23 permits humanitarian aid for the rebels, but no shipments have been made thus far because of a dispute over how the assistance should be delivered, among other reasons. Meanwhile, many Contras inside Nicaragua were said to be suffering from an inadequate diet. As an interim measure, the administration about three weeks ago began arranging deliveries by truck and air drop of food to rebel camps in Honduras near the Nicaraguan border. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Contras have fled Nicaragua for Honduras in search of food in recent weeks. Officials from the Agency for International Development, in a preliminary discussion with reporters of the plan announced Friday, had said Monday that most of the aid will be in the form of Nicaraguan currency delivered by Contra couriers based in Honduras. Some food also will be delivered, but the emphasis will be on cash transfers because of limits on the amount of food that can be carried. AID was designated to manage the $48 million humanitarian aid program approved by Congress in late March, a week after the Contras and the Sandinistas reached a truce agreement that allows for such aid to the rebels. The secretary general of the Organization of American States, Joao Baena Soares, has criticized both deliveries of food to Contra camps in Honduras and the cash-for-food plan. Baena Soares, a member of a verification commission assigned to ensure compliance with the Contra-Sandinista agreement, has said that neither plan falls within the limits of what the two sides have approved. But an administration official said Wednesday that the other member of the commission, Nicaraguan Cardinal Miguel Obando y Bravo, has raised no objections to the cash-for-food plan. The administration has accused the Sandinista government of using delaying tactics during negotiations in a bid to starve the Contras into submission. But Nicaraguan Vice President Sergio Ramirez said Thursday his government is willing to allow immediate delivery of humanitarian supplies to rebels in Nicaragua. He denied that the government is trying to starve the Contras. ``We are in full disposition to accept that the Contra forces could receive humanitarian aid inside Nicaragua tomorrow, if possible,\'\' Ramirez told reporters after a 1{-hour meeting with Wright and other Democratic congressional leaders. Ramirez did not discuss his views on the cash-for-food plan. Wright has described the plan as a ``last resort\'\' because there are no guarantees the money won\'t be used to buy weapons. He also expressed concern that the cash might be used to buy weapons in violation of both the Contra-Sandinista agreement and the terms of the $48 million aid package. The package provides for food, clothing, shelter and medical supplies as well as treatment for children who are war victims. Money also was set aside to finance the work of the verification commission.\r\n'),(1025,2,'Union pilots who struck Eastern Airlines are entitled to replace trainees hired to help the carrier rebuild, a federal judge said. Thursday\'s ruling by U.S. District Judge Edward Davis apparently affects only those who were in training when time the pilots ended their walkout, said E.J. Breen, spokesman for the Air Line Pilots Association. Still, Breen said, ``It\'s clearly a major victory.\'\' All but 200 of the 3,600 union pilots walked off the job in sympathy with Machinists who struck the Miami-based airline in March 1989. Pilots ended their sympathy walkout in November, but fewer than 50 have been called back to Eastern, pilots association officials say. The Machinists are still striking. At least 404 pilots were in training when the pilots returned to work, the pilots association says. The airline estimates only 180 jobs are affected by the ruling, Eastern spokeswoman Karen Ceremsak said. Further hearings likely will be determine the exact number of affected jobs, Breen said. Eastern said in a statement it would appeal the decision. The airline predicted the ruling wouldn\'t immediately affect current employees or operations. Many pilots took jobs with other airlines after the strike began March 4, 1989, but about 1,400 former Eastern pilots may still be interested in returning, pilots\' association spokesman Lou Baldwin said. Davis\' ruling stems from the association\'s challenge of Eastern\'s claim that the formerly striking pilots were not needed. Davis agreed that the federal Railway Labor Act guarantees returning strikers job rights ahead of newly hired trainees. Davis said Eastern violated the Railway Labor Act by hiring pilot trainees not already qualified to fly regular flights. The act was devised to provide ``uninterrupted transportation service,\'\' the ruling said. Eastern sought bankruptcy protection five days after the strike began. It presently operates about 800 flights, down from its pre-strike service of 1,040. Ms. Ceremsak said she does not believe Davis\' ruling must receive bankruptcy court approval. If the ruling is upheld on appeal, all returning pilots would need to go through several weeks of recertification training under the Federal Aviation Administration, Eastern officials said. Eastern currently has about 1,900 pilots, including those trained before the strike was settled, pilots hired from other airlines and union pilots who later crossed picket lines. Baldwin said the Eastern pilots trainees\' annual pay is about $27,000. The average pre-strike pay at Eastern for fully accredited pilots was about $65,000, he said.\r\n'),(1026,2,'Marlon Brando\'s eldest son, Christian, may have killed his half-sister\'s boyfriend in self-defense, says lawyer William Kunstler, who will defend the younger Brando. ``I understand there may have been a struggle over the gun, and some beating going on of Marlon\'s daughter,\'\' the radical attorney said Thursday. Kunstler, a friend of Brando\'s from civil rights struggles, said he received a call from him at 2 a.m. Thursday just after the shooting. Christian Brando, 32, was scheduled to be arraigned today in the slaying of Dag Drollet, 26, of Tahiti, who had been staying at the Brando estate. Kunstler was reportedly flying to Los Angeles from New York for the arraignment. Police said the shooting was sparked by an argument over Drollet\'s treatment of 20-year-old Tarita Cheyenne Brando, Christian\'s pregnant half-sister. ``There were allegations that there was physical abuse, a beating,\'\' Lt. Ron Hall said. ``There was no indication there had been a physical altercation prior to the shooting,\'\' said police Detective Steve Osti. The actor\'s son was arrested Wednesday night and booked for investigation of murder, said Hall. He was held without bail pending arraignment. ``He admitted to the shooting,\'\' the lieutenant said. Drollet was a family friend who had been a guest in the home for 10 days, police said. He died instantly from a .45-caliber bullet to the head, police said. Coroner\'s office spokesman Bob Dambacher said an autopsy was planned today. Marlon Brando, 66, placed the 911 emergency call to report a shooting inside his Mulholland Drive estate Wednesday night, police said. Christian Brando was alone with Drollet when the shooting occurred and the Oscar-winning actor, his wife and daughter were in another wing of the sprawling mansion and didn\'t witness the shooting, Hall said. Tarita Cheyenne is the daughter of Brando and his current wife, Tarita Teriipia, a Tahitian actress who played his love in the 1962 remake of ``Mutiny on the Bounty.\'\' Brando\'s two other sons, Miko and Simon, were not at the estate at the time. Officers recovered the pistol used in the killing and confiscated other weapons, including an M14 carbine, a shotgun and an Uzi assault rifle. ``I don\'t want these guns here. Take these guns out of here,\'\' Marlon Brando was quoted as telling police. Christian is the son of the actor and his first wife, Anna Kashfi. The couple was divorced in 1960, and their troubled son was the subject of a bitter custody battle. The 32-year-old high school dropout struggled to find a role of his own in life. He learned artistic welding, attempted to start a tree trimming service and tried acting. In October 1987, the younger Brando worked on his first _ and apparently only _ movie. He played a hit man in an Italian film produced under the Italian title ``La Posta in Gioco\'\' that was called both ``Up for Grabs\'\' and ``The Stakes\'\' in English. Except for traffic tickets, Christian Brando has no police record. Marlon Brando won best actor Oscars in 1954 for ``On the Waterfront\'\' and in 1972 for ``The Godfather.\'\' He was nominated for Best Support Actor for his 1989 role in ``A Dry White Season.\'\'\r\n'),(1027,2,'A judge sentenced a former state highway patrolman to 25 years to life in prison for strangling a motorist and throwing her body off a 65-foot-high bridge while on duty. In handing Craid Peyer, 38, the maximum sentence Wednesday, Superior Court Judge Richard Huffman said the former patrolman violated society\'s trust, but added the California Highway Patrol ``bears some blame for this tragedy.\'\' Huffman noted that the agency received a complaint about a month before the Dec. 27, 1986, death of Cara Knott, 20, that could have tipped them off to Peyer\'s habit of pulling young women over at a dark, isolated Interstate 15 exit ramp. ``Whether or not Mr. Peyer would have remained a highway patrolman after that is another issue. But what is true is that Cara Knott would be alive and Craig Peyer would not be on his way to state prison,\'\' the judge said. Peyer\'s conviction is being appealed, defense attorneys said. The 13-year patrol member was the second officer in the agency\'s 58-year history to be convicted in the on-duty slaying of a motorist. Peyer was convicted June 22 of first-degree murder in his second trial. His first trial ended in February when the jury deadlocked 7-5 in favor of conviction. Huffman issued the sentence, which included a $1,000 fine, after hearing impassioned pleas from the families of the victim and the defendant. ``My husband was a friendly, vibrant, well-loved person ... and in my heart and in my family\'s heart we all know that you have the wrong man,\'\' Peyer\'s wife, Karen, told the court as her husband sobbed. Samuel Knott, the victim\'s father, was unmoved. ``It is our fervent hope that this predator will never walk the streets again ... the punishment must be the maximum the law will allow,\'\' he said. Huffman denied a defense request for bail pending an appeal, saying he was a threat to the community. Peyer was remanded to the custody of sheriff\'s deputies for eventual transfer to state prison. He could be eligible for parole in 17 years, 8 months, Deputy District Attorney Paul Pfingst said.\r\n'),(1028,2,'The Defense Department should not have to cannibalize existing nuclear weapons for their tritium, but the next administration faces unspecified ``hard choices,\'\' Energy Secretary John Herrington said Thursday. And cannibalization of some warheads to build or upgrade others is something ``that we must look at to keep our options open,\'\' Herrington said in a speech at the National Press Club. But as things now stand, ``I do not anticipate the need\'\' to resort to such methods. Tritium, used in thermonuclear weapons and as a booster in some plutonium-powered weapons, decays rapidly and must be replenished from time to time in bombs or warheads. Half of any amount of tritium becomes inert helium in 12.6 years. Tritium has been made in three nuclear reactors at the department\'s Savannah River plant in South Carolina _ reactors that have been closed for safety upgrading since last summer or earlier. Herrington has said it will be spring or summer before the reactors can be restarted, and there have been some estimates that production could not be resumed until the end of the year. An advisory committee has refused to approve the department\'s restart plans, and Herrington disclosed that he had accepted the panel\'s recommendation in one principal area of concern. Piping at the three reactors will be subjected to ultrasonic tests for cracks, he said. Asked after his speech how much time those examinations might add to preparations for restarting the reactors, Herrington said: ``I don\'t know. It depends on what we find.\'\' The recommendation, he said, ``is reasonable, and I had pretty much concluded myself that we ought to do it.\'\' In recent weeks, cracks have been discovered on piping of two of the reactors. A headquarters team has been in Savannah River this week assessing the significance of those findings. Herrington has been granted an additional $900 million for nuclear waste cleanup activities in the budget being submitted to Congress next month, but the White House turned him down for $360 million more, ordering him to use unspent departmental funds to bridge the gap. ``We are still working inside the department\'\' to figure out how that will be done,\'\' he said. ``The amount of money being given to us is reasonable and a good start,\'\' he said. ``I do not say that without saying this: There are going to be some hard choices,\'\' and the Bush administration will have to review Reagan\'s budget decisions. Herrington has estimated that $110 billion will be necessary to clean up weapons plant waste over the next 40 years, and some other estimates range up to $170 billion. Asked if the press had fallen down in not spotlighting environmental and safety concerns before, Herrington said, ``On the local level, the press has been extremely diligent\'\' in following congressional developments, hearing testimony and congressional reports for almost four years. But it probably took an unexplained power surge at one of the Savannah River reactors last August to draw national attention, he said. On civilian subjects, Herrington said it was ``an outrage\'\' that the nation had two completed but unused nuclear power plants in an area vulnerable to electricity brownouts, the Seabrook plant in New Hampshire and the Shoreham plant on New York\'s Long Island. ``I speak as a citizen concerned about energy independence, as a taxpayer concerned that New York is going to issue tax-free bonds to buy the plant and tear it down. The plants would replace oil-burning plants, help counter the ``greenhouse effect\'\' global warming that results from fossil fuel use and help reduce emissions of pollutants that cause acid rain, he said. ``I think it\'s an outrage. I want to see those plants operate. ... I guarantee you, if we don\'t turn this around we will be importing Japanese reactors.\'\' The two plants have been unable to win federal approval of emergency evacuation plans because of opposition from state governments _ the Massachusetts government in the case of the New Hampshire plant. But the staff of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has recommended approval of a 25 percent power license for Shoreham, and may grant a testing license to Seabrook in the next several weeks.\r\n'),(1029,2,'Battling Southern Baptists headed toward a showdown decision that would either curb rule of their 14.6-million member denomination by fundamentalists, or perpetuate it for the next generation. More than at any time since the fundamentalist tide began rolling nine years ago, moderates seemed to feel they had an even chance of breaking it at this year\'s convention, which meets today. ``They have a chance because they have a good candidate,\'\' said Toby A. Druin, of Dallas, assistant editor of the weekly Baptist Standard, referring to the prospective moderate nominee for the denominational presidency. The Rev. Richard Jackson, the moderate from Phoenix, Ariz., is expected to be pitted against fundamentalist candidate Jerry Vines, a minister from Jacksonville, Fla. The nominations and voting for president of the denomination, the nation\'s largest Protestant body, come this afternoon. ``It\'s going to be neck and neck,\'\' said the Rev. Albert McClellan of Nashville, Tenn., retired long-time denominational executive. Through successive presidencies, whose appointments gradually determine ruling trustees of the denomination\'s far-flung operational network, fundamentalists nearly have completed their takeover. Their timetable says one more year would seal the process. But moderates see signs that many who have supported fundamentalists before think they have gone to excess in newly restrictive measures on institutions and agencies, driving out some widely respected personnel. Indications also have arisen of links between fundamentalist strategists and the religious right on social-political issues. That gives the conflict a broad political tinge rather than it being an intramural difference over Bible interpretation, as it often has been pictured. ``People are becoming alarmed,\'\' McClellan said. ``There\'s a definite swing against these extremes.\'\' However, some peculiar back-stage maneuvering has gone on that possibly could scuttle the expected contest between Jackson and Vines. The Rev. John Bisagno of Houston suggested that to dampen the head-on conflict, only one of the two be nominated as a consensus candidate this year, the other two years hence. That seemed unlikely, but the possibility was discussed that Bisagno himself might be nominated, which probably would reduce chances of the moderate-backed Jackson. A hint of fundamentalist strength also came in a preconvention pastors conference Monday afternoon when a fundamentalist, the Rev. Ralph Smith of Austin, was elected president. He defeated a moderate, the Rev. Paul Powell of Tyler. The presidency of the pastor\'s conference has been a stepping stone to the convention presidency for the last decade. Among the fundamentalist engineered steps that have intensified controversy during the last year: _ Endorsement of Judge Robert Bork for the U.S. Supreme Court, contrary to long-time denominational policy against siding for or against specific candidates. The conservative Bork later withdrew from the nomination. _ Adopting mission board policies against women clergy and divorced ministers in most cases, and instituting screening of personnel to assure that they took a literalist view of the Bible. _ Moves that drove from office the Rev. Randall Lolley as president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C., and the Rev. Larry Baker as head of the denomination\'s ethics agency, the Christian Life Commission. _ Ouster of the Rev. George Sheridan as head of a regional New Jersey interfaith unit because he contended that God\'s covenant with Jews remained valid. _ Pushing right-wing causes for capital punishment, prayer in public schools, aid to religious schools, and against all abortions except to save the mother\'s life.\r\n'),(1030,2,'Authorities have recovered 39 bodies from an avalanche that buried a northern mountain village earlier this week, it was reported Friday. Another 11 people were still missing in the Arundu village high in the remote Korakoram mountain range, according to the government-run news agency, the Associated Press of Pakistan. Seven people were rescued after the snow slide destroyed the village, the agency said.\r\n'),(1031,2,'An attorney for 13 Cuban detainees argued Tuesday they have a constitutional right to petition for political asylum before being sent back to the homeland they fled in the 1980 Mariel boatlift. Lee Ochoa of Miami, an attorney for 13 of 15 Cubans convicted of crimes ranging from burglary to first-degree murder, told U.S. District Judge U.W. Clemon that some of the Cubans were afraid to go home because they did not know how they would be treated by Fidel Castro\'s government. Clemon said he will rule Monday on whether to allow the Immigration and Naturalization Service to fly the 13 back to Cuba. Clemon said he wanted to give attorneys for the Cubans time to support their request for a preliminary order blocking the deportation. The INS on Nov. 17 notified 15 Cubans at at the Federal Correctional Institution at Talladega that they would be deported within 72 hours. However, the next day the government promised Clemon it would not send them home until their attorneys had a chance to study their files. Leo Ochoa of Miami, attorney for 13 of the 15, told Clemon that they have a constitutional right to petition for political asylym and to due process. ``In this country we want to do things fairly and properly,\'\' Ochoa said. But Lauri Fillppu of the INS said that the Cubans\' only claim for asylum is that they might be harmed in Cuba. He said the 11th U.S. Circuit Court in Atlanta already had rejected that argument. Fillppu questioned what he called ``a last-minute tactic\'\' by the Cubans, claiming there was no new evidence.\r\n'),(1032,2,'``Hydrogen Jukebox,\'\' 21 poems by ``beat\'\' poet Allen Ginsberg set to music by Philip Glass, was splendidly sung but difficult to understand in its staged premiere at the Spoleto Festival. It\'s presented as an ``acted\'\' song cycle, with much arm moving, walking and rolling around the stage by six splendid singers. Few words are understandable, far fewer than in most new operas in English. In an opera, when words aren\'t understood, the audience can get the gist of what\'s going on from the plot. But in Ginsberg\'s poems of free association, symbolism, fanciful happenings, inside allusions and non sequiturs abound, and one line of poetry often has no relation to the line before. The work desperately needs surtitles. We saw Monday night\'s performance, the third, in the Sottile Theater. We were able to realize there are anti-war poems, many references to India, nature, politics and industry, with appropriate back-wall projections. Glass\' music was usually a melody, which the singers _ James Butler, Richard Fracker, Suzan Hanson, Thomas N. Potter, Linda Thompson and Darynn Zimmer _ sang over repetitive figures instead of chords. Each singer has a fine, distinctive voice, and they blended beautifully. Following the Spoleto Festival U.S.A., ``Hydrogen Jukebox\'\' will be performed at the Festival of Two Worlds in Spoleto, Italy June 27 through July 15. A year from this fall, there are plans to tour ``Hydrogen Jukebox\'\' to 40 or 50 American cities. In great contrast was Mozart\'s ``The Marriage of Figaro\'\' from 1786, in the Dock Street Theater. Gian Carlo Menotti, artistic director of Spoleto Festival U.S.A., staged it. It became the hit of last year\'s festival and was repeated eight times this year, quickly selling out. The production is warm and friendly. Spiros Argiris conducted so briskly that some singers, especially Hilda Harris as Cherubino, had difficulty. Renee Fleming from Indiana, Pa., is probably the best Countess we\'ve ever heard. Also fine were Erich Parce, Figaro; Young Ok Shin, Susanna, and Christopher Trakas, the Count. Menotti\'s grandson, Claudio, nearly 3, made his stage debut Saturday night as the son of the Count and Countess, with notable stage presence. Our biggest surprise at the festival was the sold-out ``Birth of an American Avant Garde\'\' concert at the College of Charleston. Host, composer John Kennedy, said that no piece on the program had been played more than a handful of times. The hit was William Russell\'s ``Four Dance Movements,\'\' three written in 1933 and one in 1990, and his 1936 ``Made in America,\'\' first performed in 1990. The concert, which included playing a suitcase, was at its most fun when Kennedy donned goggles and one glove and hammered a bottle to bits over a metal garbage can. Peter Garland was inspired by Indians and Johanna M. Beyer by a one-string instrument called a lion\'s roar, both at too much length. A 1971 James Tenney early minimalist piece completed the program. Old festival hands were saying there was the most experimentation ever this year. A sold-out chamber music concert at the Dock Street Theater, hosted in laid-back, knowledgeable, amusing style by Charles Wadsworth, sandwiched the premiere of Frazelle\'s ``String Trio\'\' between Bach and Vivaldi. The Memorial Day weekend streets of Charleston were crowded with people walking among 11 theaters, some going to concerts morning, afternoon and evening. Menotti said Tuesday that his greatest joy is introducing the arts to people who\'ve never experienced them before.\r\n'),(1033,2,'Michael Dukakis rallied supporters at a church today with a declaration that ``11 days is an eternity\'\' and time enough to catch George Bush before Election Day. Bush suggested Americans would wake up to a gloomy morning if Dukakis should be elected. Bush celebrated like the front-runner he is Thursday night at a party at Bob Hope\'s house. But Dukakis also was upbeat at a rally early today at a Baptist church in Kansas City, Mo.. ``In politics, as you all know, 11 days is an eternity,\'\' Dukakis said. ``There is time to do it.\'\' He was introduced by the Rev. Wallace S. Hartsfield, who said that during the Reagan administration there have been ``a few at the head of the table who refuse to pass the bread.\'\' Dukakis, who opened his remarks by saying ``I\'ve got a little preaching to do,\'\' promised Hartsfield things would change in a Dukakis White House. ``We\'re not only going to pass the bread, but you\'re going to be at the table,\'\' he told the predominantly black audience. Dukakis, who hosted a town meeting Thursday night in nearby Independence, Harry Truman\'s hometown, said he was inspired by the visit and confident he could, like Truman, pull off an upset. To win he will have to defy the polls much as Truman did in 1948. The newest batch of surveys _ including one Thursday showing a nine-point Bush lead _ range from eight to 15 points. Bush said Thursday night that he would not be ``talking on the negative side\'\' in the closing days of the race, but that didn\'t seem to last long. He told a business group in Los Angeles today that Dukakis ``wants to torpedo the prosperity we\'ve worked so hard to achieve.\'\' Bush said, ``Peace means you can sleep at night knowing the world will still be there in the morning; prosperity means you can sleep at night knowing that opportunity will still be there in the morning. ``You know about our mornings,\'\' Bush said. ``But I ask you to consider: What kind of morning would electing the liberal governor of Massachusetts bring? Will it be gloomy? Will the dark clouds of pessimism and limited possibility obscure our vision?\' Thursday night, at a stop in Kansas City, Dukakis sat for a 14-minute interview with Dan Rather on the CBS ``Evening News\'\' where he conceded that GOP advertising had hurt his candidacy. ``There\'s no mystery about why they put those ads on. They have done damage. There\'s no question about that,\'\' he said. Dukakis suggested that Bush resorted to the commercials ``to divert public attention from the fact that this administration has probably had more corruption and malfeasance than any in recent memory, if not in history.\'\' The Democratic nominee was continuing his campaign in Missouri today before heading to Michigan and later Boston. Dukakis\' running mate, Lloyd Bentsen, was focusing on California _ and its electoral prize of 47 votes _ before returning to his home state of Texas. Bush was also targeting California before traveling to Nebraska where he planned a joint appearance with Sen. David Karnes. The Republican candidate faces an uphill battle with former Nebraska Gov. Bob Kerrey for the Senate seat. Republican vice presidential candidate Dan Quayle was touring the ``Pennsylvania Dutch\'\' region and scheduled a series of appearances at the state\'s high schools. The Republican ticket, according to an NBC News-Wall Street Journal poll released Thursday, leads Dukakis-Bentsen 51 percent to 42 percent, considerably closer than the 17 points in a similar poll done just after the Oct. 13 debate. The survey, conducted among 1,285 likely voters, had a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points. As he campaigned in the West, Bush said the Pacific nations represent ``huge and growing markets\'\' for American goods, ``if we don\'t turn and run away.\'\' ``I will make sure that our trading partners continue to understand that our markets are vital to their growth as well,\'\' Bush said. ``Free trade must be fair trade. A Bush administration will keep the heat on.\'\' But Bentsen, in a speech to the World Affairs Council in Los Angeles, said that under the leadership of the Reagan administration, the United States had become an international debtor, dependent on foreign investors as it battles huge trade and budget deficits. ``The United States must be able to compete not only militarily but economically,\'\' Bentsen said. Dukakis, in the CBS interview, reiterated his populist view that the Democratic ticket favors average Americans while Bush is the candidate of the privileged class. ``I want the government of this country to be on the side of average Americans and I think that\'s a fundamental difference between me and George Bush,\'\' the Democratic nominee said. Meanwhile, the Dukakis campaign announced that it is doubling its budget for Hispanic ads, targeting seven states with large Hispanic voter populations. The campaign also is spending about $3 million _ 10 percent of its media budget _ on black-oriented television and radio ads which began three weeks ago. In five of the radio ads, former Democratic candidate Jesse Jackson tells listeners, ``We have the power to make Mike Dukakis president. Let\'s use it.\'\'\r\n'),(1034,2,'BUSINESS EDITORS COMPOSING ROOMS The Associated Press will conduct another test transmission from its new market computer system on Sunday beginning at noon Eastern time. The test will be conducted on both Digital and Dataspeed circuits. This is only a test. We ask those receiving the transmission to respond Monday by calling the AP in New York at 212-621-1568.\r\n'),(1035,2,'U.S. and Soviet diplomats met to talk about efforts to end Angola\'s 13-year civil war and lead South-West Africa to independence. Chester Crocker, assistant secretary of state for African affairs, met on Wednesday with Anatoly Adamishin, deputy foreign minister, at the U.S. Embassy. U.S.-sponsored mediation seeking peace in Angola and neighboring South-West Africa, also known as Namibia, was stalled for years over demands by each side that the other withdraw its forces from Angola first. However, talks progressed in recent weeks after a joint Angolan-Cuban proposal in March for phased withdrawal of Cuban troops. Angola\'s Marxist government and its Cuban supporters are fighting rebels for control of the former Portuguese colony. The rebels are backed by South Africa and the United States. South Africa rules Namibia in defiance of a U.N. resolution. Referring to Wednesday\'s talks, U.S. Embassy spokeswoman Susan Clyde said in Lisbon: ``They\'re here to discuss the (southern African) regional issues _ certainly the Angolan and Namibian points.\'\' Reporters were not allowed into the embassy complex, and Ms. Clyde said neither Crocker nor Adamishin would make any public statements. The discussions followed a meeting of delegations from Angola, Cuba and the United States on May 2-3 in London. South Africa held a second meeting with the Angolans in Brazzaville, Congo, last week. Both envoys to Wednesday\'s session were to leave today to report to their governments before the Moscow summit beginning May 29 between President Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev.\r\n'),(1036,2,'Lithuania\'s Roman Catholic cardinal has called for independence for the Soviet republic and said the church there is still not free, it was reported Wednesday. Cardinal Vincentas Sladkevicius told the weekly Roman Catholic magazine Il Sabato that he did not want to create problems for Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev, but Lithuanians would not accept the Soviet occupation of the Baltic land. ``We say this only: let perestroika go its way, and let us go ours,\'\' the cardinal said. ``The church has promoted for more than 50 years the cause of national independence, and it will continue to do so. The annexation of 1939 is based on a villanous pact between the Soviets and Nazis, it cannot be defended in any way on the legal plane. Even Moscow has recognized this. We want to separate from the Soviet Union,\'\' Sladkevicius said, according to the excerpts of the interview released in advance by the magazine. The cardinal said a law on conscience being prepared by Soviet officials was new ``only in name\'\' and that ``the church in Lithuania is not yet free,\'\' the magazine reported. Lithuania, an independent country before World War II, was occupied by the Soviet Union in 1940 and has been considered a stronghold of nationalism. An estimated 2.5 million people, or 80 percent of Lithuania\'s population, are Roman Catholics.\r\n'),(1037,2,'An offer of free potatoes for anyone who helps gather them has enticed thousands of city dwellers into the fields and reduced the chances of hunger this winter, Soviet officials said Thursday. Two weeks ago, newspapers and television broadcasts warned that the harvest was proceeding very slowly and Moscow had stockpiled only 7 percent of the potatoes it would need to get through the winter. Fear of hunger spread through the capital, and consumers emptied grocery shelves, stashing sacks of potatoes in closets and basements. Since then, emergency measures - including ordering soldiers into the fields and offering to let volunteers keep half the potatoes they dig up - has doubled and even tripled the rate of the harvest in many areas, according to official reports. ``True, the weather has brightened up a bit, but the main thing is the massive turnout of (voluntary) helpers,\'\' Gennady Kulik, deputy prime minister of the Russian republic, said on the main television news program, Vremya. Vremya reported 160,000 Moscow residents, including 40,000 soldiers, were working in the fields. It showed city dwellers pulling potatoes from the soil and placing them in buckets - one for the state, then one for themselves. The TV report appeared aimed at reducing the crisis atmosphere as the country heads into winter amid economic confusion and shortages of many essential goods, ranging from gasoline to sausage, tobacco and paper. After weeks of debate, the national legislature is still trying to reach consensus on a plan to switch from central planning to a market-based system. President Mikhail S. Gorbachev initially endorsed a radical 500-day plan, then hesitated on whether to allow private ownership of farms, which he said should be decided by a national referendum. Thursday\'s upbeat TV broadcast said 75 percent of the Soviet Union\'s potato plantations have been harvested, and 40-50 percent of the planned allocation has been sent to industrial centers. Kulik said several cities, including Chelyabinsk, Sverdlovsk and Perm, already have filled their vegetable storage facilities and are fully provisioned for winter. He said Moscow has nearly finished stockpiling beets and is likely to get more carrots than planned. The city also has received 50,000 of the 165,000 tons of cabbage it is expected to use during the winter, and the cabbage harvest ``is going well,\'\' he said. The TV report did not say what percentage of Moscow\'s potato allocation was in hand. But Kulik said deliveries were arriving from across Russia, the largest of the Soviet Union\'s 15 republics, and ``measures are being taken to fully provide the capital\'\' with potatoes. A bumper crop of wheat also is being harvested, but much of it is expected to rot or go to waste because of poor transportation and inefficient bakeries. Last month, bread was in short supply in Moscow for the first time since the early 1960s. A crash program to raise bakers\' wages and put bakeries back in operation eliminated the bread lines within weeks.\r\n'),(1038,2,'Eastern Airlines said Wednesday it has canceled its contract with Orion Air Inc. to provide strike-replacement pilots, but pledged to remain flying in the event of labor troubles. Eastern, preparing for tough negotiations with the Machinists union on its expiring labor pact, had contracted with Orion in case its own pilots refused to cross picket lines, Eastern spokeswoman Karen Ceremsak said. But U.S. District Judge Barrington Parker in Washington ruled in March that the deal with Orion violated the existing contract between Eastern and its pilots union. Replacements cannot be trained until a strike begins, the judge said. Orion, based in Raleigh, N.C., is one of the largest U.S. operators of aircraft for the small package industry. Miami-based Eastern, the nation\'s sixth-largest airline, is a subsidiary of giant Texas Air Corp. The Transport Workers Union filed a similar suit in April, accusing Eastern of using its planes to train Orion flight attendants to break a strike. Ms. Ceremsak refused to attribute the cancellation of the Orion contract to Eastern\'s legal setbacks, however. The contract was terminated ``for sound business reasons,\'\' said Ms. Ceremsak. ``Beyond that I can\'t elaborate.\'\' The decision to end the contract does not mean that financially troubled Eastern will shut down if the Machinists walk out, the spokeswoman said. ``We do have plans to operate in case of a strike,\'\' she said. ``But our first priority is still reaching a settlement\'\' with the Machinists. J.B. Stokes, a spokesman for the pilots union at Eastern, said the federal court decisions against Eastern left the carrier with no choice. ``This is just the inevitable recognition that you have to obey court orders,\'\' said Stokes. ``The judge said you cannot train (replacement) pilots in any capacity until such time as there is a strike.\'\' The cancellation will cost Eastern about $5.5 million under a provision of the Orion contract, Stokes said. Ms. Ceremsak refused to comment on any provisions of the contract or its cancellation.\r\n'),(1039,2,'cicomment\r\n'),(1040,2,'Following is the text of Nicholas Ridley\'s letter of resignation, released by the prime minister\'s office.\r\n'),(1041,2,'The deal between French and English Canada to recognize Quebec as a ``distinct society\'\' and bring it back into the Constitution has bogged down in arguments over minority and women\'s rights and the future of the nation\'s political system. Former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and other critics want last year\'s agreement scrapped. Trudeau, a leader in creating the nation\'s new Constitution in 1982, says the pact could lead to the breakup of Canada\'s federation of provinces. Others want the accord renegotiated. Women\'s groups, the country\'s 500,000 Indians and Eskimos, and language minorities in several provinces want their rights enshrined in the Constitution. The Northwest Territories and Yukon claim the deal makes it virtually impossible for them to become provinces. The accord\'s importance stems from Quebec\'s refusal to sign the 1982 Constitution because it failed specifically to protect the province\'s French culture. Despite all the critics, Quebec Premier Robert Bourassa thinks he can persuade the country to ratify the agreement, which was signed by the federal government and the 10 Canadian provinces a year ago at Meech Lake, Quebec. But his chief provincial ally, Ontario Premier David Peterson, says there\'s only a 50-50 chance. ``I wouldn\'t bet the family farm on it,\'\' he said recently. However, Peterson warned that ``the political consequences of not signing this could be very severe. ``It will be an enormous political risk for the country to refuse it. We don\'t need it to survive, but we do for political stability,\'\' he said. The risk of unrest isn\'t always apparent in Quebec. The mainly French-speaking province has evolved in the past decade from a bastion of French separatism into a prosperous society of 6.6 million people. The turning point was the rejection, by a 6-to-4 margin, of a 1980 referendum to open talks on a limited form of independence. Robert Maule, the U.S. consul general in Montreal, describes today\'s sprawling city of 2.9 million as one of entrepreneurs and yuppies, not political extremists. He said the 81-percent French-speaking majority feels more secure about its fate on an English-speaking continent. First posted here in 1976, Maule said: ``In those days, if you went into a store and said ``hello\'\' to someone, they\'d glare at you. Now, if they greet you first in French, they apologize and say `hello\' right back.\'\' Yet it doesn\'t take much to revive the old Anglo-French antagonisms. About 25,000 French Quebecers marched through the streets last month to proclaim the inviolability of the province\'s French-only language law. The protesters reacted after Bourassa wavered over an election promise to permit bilingual business signs and after two Western provinces diluted French minority rights. Today\'s French-speaking Quebecers, who number about 5 million, descend from settlers who followed on the heels of 16th and 17th century French explorers. Once called New France, Quebec came under British control after a defeat of French soldiers on the bank of the St. Lawrence River in 1759. All parties initially hailed Conservative Prime Minister Brian Mulroney\'s skillful negotiation of the Meech Lake accord, and the deal was ratified Oct. 26 by the House of Commons. The pact has been approved by four of 10 provinces: Quebec, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Prince Edward Island. But with a June 1990 deadline for unanimous assent, New Brunswick Premier Frank McKenna opposes the pact, a minority government in Manitoba lacks the votes to pass it, and four other provinces have delayed ratification. Meanwhile, the country\'s main opposition Liberal Party is sharply divided over Meech Lake and seeks amendments. In addition to the ``distinct society\'\' clause for Quebec, Meech Lake gives provinces new powers in the appointment of Supreme Court judges and senators and the right to opt out of national shared-cost programs. Trudeau says such a scenario could shatter the Canadian federation. Other critics say the phrase ``distinct society\'\' is ill-defined and will cause endless litigation over the division of federal and provincial powers. Mulroney says objections can be taken up at later constitutional talks. ``Meech Lake will pass the way it is. This is an undertaking we gave to the people of Canada and the people of Quebec,\'\' he said. But Peterson did not close the door to changes. ``I\'m prepared to look at anything,\'\' he told reporters. This pledge upset Bourassa, who argued that unanimous consent for change is now impossible. He said native rights and other matters can be dealt with separately and that a constitutional provision requires consent from only seven provinces or those representing 50 percent of the population. ``In reopening the deal, they will kill the deal and keep Quebec outside the Constitution,\'\' he said.\r\n'),(1042,2,'President Bush is prodding Mikhail S. Gorbachev to show the same restraint in Lithuania as he did in Eastern Europe, praising the Soviet leader as an apostle of ``peaceful change and the evolution of democracy.\'\' Bush said Tuesday that Gorbachev\'s tolerance of democratic freedoms in Warsaw Pact nations had demonstrated ``a commitment to reform and openness that\'s remarkable. ``So give him credit and deal openly\'\' with him on problems such as Lithuania, the president said. ``But when you have difficulties like we have today, talk frankly with him about it.\'\' Today, Bush planned to talk about Lithuania with a group of leaders of Baltic-American groups.\r\n'),(1043,2,'The owner of The Miami News has reached an agreement in principle to sell the 93-year-old daily newspaper, which is scheduled to shut down Dec. 31, the paper reported Saturday. Cox Enterprises has ``conceptually agreed\'\' to an amended offer from an out-of-state investor group. Cox hopes to close the deal before its self-imposed Dec. 31 deadline for selling the paper or folding it, a Cox official said. Cox might consider keeping the paper open for a short time after Dec. 31 if a deal appears imminent, said David Easterly, president of the Atlanta-based Cox Newspapers division. ``We have conceptually agreed to what was submitted _ we did that (Friday) _ and the next move is up to the bidder,\'\' Easterly said. ``There has been no contract signed and no earnest money put forward. ... There is a lot still to be done. We are trying to get this bidder to come in and make a deal.\'\' Easterly would not discuss details of the amended offer. Friday\'s developments came a day after the U.S. Department of Justice said it is investigating whether the planned closing of The News violates antitrust laws. Easterly said the impending probe had no effect on the negotiations. Easterly confirmed that a different offer was received late Wednesday from the sole active bidder. Easterly declined to identify the bidder, but Chicago newspaper consultant John R. Malone said recently that it\'s an investor group he represents. On Oct. 14, Cox officials announced that The News would be closed by next Saturday if it were not sold. They cited financial and circulation losses. Under a joint operating agreement signed in 1966 with The Miami Herald Publishing Co., The News\' printing, circulation, advertising and promotion services are provided by The Herald. The Justice Department probe centers on whether an amendment to the agreement, which would allow Cox to close or sell The News now _ nine years before the original pact was to expire _ and continue collecting a share of Herald profits for the next 33 years, violates antitrust laws. Facilities being offered for sale by Cox include the newspaper\'s name, subscription list and some newsroom equipment. Since the agreement with The Herald went into effect, The News\' circulation has declined from 112,000 to 48,000, Cox officials said.\r\n'),(1044,2,'The dollar was mixed in dull European trading today as dealers waited for new factors to get the market out of the doldrums. Gold prices fell in London following a large sell order from the Middle East, which had a big impact because the market was so thin, dealers said. Traders said last Friday\'s remark by Swiss National Bank President Pierre Languetin that the dollar was poised to move lower again had put a very tight lid on any upward movement of the U.S. currency. Dealers said Tuesday\'s congressional testimony in Washington by U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan failed to give the market new directions and they didn\'t expect his repeat performance for the Senate Banking Committee today to have much more impact. The release later today of fourth-quarter U.S. trade figures isn\'t likely to have a major impact on the market either because the figures are already known, dealers said. ``I honestly don\'t know what could help the dollar move,\'\' said one senior trader in Milan. But another dealer said Thursday\'s report of the first revision of U.S. fourth-quarter gross domestic product growth could possibly have an effect on the dollar. In Tokyo, where the business day ends as Europe\'s begins, the dollar rose 0.25 yen to a closing 128.75. Later, in London, it was quoted slightly higher at 128.85 yen. Other dollar rates at midmorning, compared with late Tuesday\'s rates: _1.69225 West German marks, down from 1.6945 _1.3905 Swiss francs, up from 1.3895 _5.72675 French francs, up from 5.7240 _1.89775 Dutch guilders, down from 1.9000 _1,247.00 Italian lire, up from 1.246.60 _1.2673 Canadian dollars, down from 1.2712 In London, the dollar fell against the British pound. It cost $1.7665 to buy one pound, more expensive than $1.7655 late Tuesday. Gold opened in London at a bid price of $441.70 a troy ounce and at midmorning, the city\'s five major bullion dealers fixed a lower recommended price of $438. Both were down from late Tuesday\'s bid of $442.50. In Zurich, the bid price was $438.50, down from $442 late Tuesday. Earlier, in Hong Kong, gold fell $2.60 to close at a bid $444.20. Silver also fell in London where the bid price was $6.28 a troy ounce at midmorning today compared with late Tuesday\'s $6.33.\r\n'),