News In Brief

The US

The White House braced for release of potentially damaging new evidence as House Republicans pushed to make public a videotape of the president's grand jury testimony. Meanwhile, a CBS News poll found 70 percent of respondents saying the tape should not be released, compared with 28 percent who said it should.

President Clinton was to hold his first news conference since independent counsel Kenneth Starr delivered his report to Congress. Clinton was to be joined by the president of the Czech Republic, Vaclav Havel, who is beginning a five-day US visit. Nonetheless, questions related to Starr's report were expected to dominate the event.

Clinton added three officials to a team that will seek to avert his impeachment. The White House said senior State Department official Greg Craig, as an assistant to the president and a special counsel, would steer the group representing Clinton before Congress. Also named were Steve Ricchetti, former executive director of the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee, and Susan Brophy, former director of legislative affairs at the White House.

In Senate primaries, New York Rep. Charles Schumer (D) dominated a four-way race that included former vice-presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro. He will face incumbent GOP Sen. Alfonse D'Amato, who ran unopposed. In Washington, conservative Republican Linda Smith easily defeated moderate Chris Bayley. Smith will challenge incumbent Sen. Patty Murray (D).

In gubernatorial primaries, Minnesota Attorney General Hubert Humphrey III had a wide lead in a five-way Democratic race with 78 percent of precincts reporting. He will face a former Democrat, St. Paul Mayor Norm Coleman, who easily won the GOP primary. In Massachusetts, acting GOP Gov. Paul Cellucci defeated State Treasurer Joe Malone after a bitter campaign. With 92 percent of precincts reporting, Cellucci had 58 percent of the vote. Attorney General Scott Harshbarger won a three-way race for the Democratic nomination. In New York, Democrats nominated Peter Vallone to run against incumbent George Pataki (R). In Maryland, Democratic Gov. Parris Glendening and Republican Ellen Sauerbrey, who almost beat Glendening four years ago, won their respective races easily. In Rhode Island, GOP Gov. Lincoln Almond had no primary opposition and Democrat Myrth York easily won her primary, setting up another rematch.

Democrats in Washington, D.C., nominated mayoral candidate Anthony Williams, a professional business manager with Ivy League credentials, to replace outgoing Mayor Marion Berry - a nomination that virtually assures Williams of election in the heavily Democratic district.

A US appeals court declined to review an earlier ruling striking down affirmative action rules for radio and TV stations, clearing the way for a Supreme Court review. The Federal Communications Commission had asked for a review of an April 14 three-judge decision that threw out rules requiring broadcasters to seek to hire women and minorities. Only four of the court's 11 members said they supported rehearing the case, which arose out of a lawsuit by the Missouri Synod of the Lutheran Church, which owned two radio stations.

Nearly 80 percent of California's grape vineyards violate farm-worker protections, a study released by the Labor Department said. It also found that many labor contractors used by grape growers fail to meet minimum wage and other workplace guidelines. On a more positive note, investigators reported a relatively high rate of compliance with child-labor rules.

Production at US factories soared 1.7 percent in August, the biggest gain in 14 years, but that mainly reflected increased auto output following the end of the General Motors strike, the Federal Reserve reported. Aside from autos and auto parts, production was up a modest 0.1 percent.

The World

Expectations that world leaders would take effective action to combat the spreading economic crisis caused financial markets to extend their gains. Stock markets across Latin America - notably in Brazil (18.7 percent), Mexico (13 percent), and Argentina (9 percent) - surged in overnight trading amid speculation that the International Monetary Fund would attempt a rescue package for the region despite its claim of dwindling funds. But in Moscow the ruble fell to as low as 12 to the US dollar in street trading, and there was no word on whether the IMF was ready to release a new $4.3 billion installment of its $22.6 billion bailout package to Russia.

A national day of protest was called for tomorrow in Albania by opposition leader Sali Berisha. The ex-head of state ridiculed government plans to prosecute him for plotting a coup in the wake of political violence that has killed seven people this week. His Democratic Party accuses Prime Minister Fatos Nano of ordering the murder of its president last Saturday.

Cambodia's King Sihanouk persuaded his son, opposition leader Norodom Ranariddh, to drop a planned boycott of parliament when it meets for the first time next week. In talks at Siem Reap, the king's home, Ranariddh agreed his followers would join the new assembly. But he said he'd continue to demand "reconciliation" of spoiled ballots in the July 26 election won by Premier Hun Sen's party. Ranariddh and opposition ally Sam Rainsy, claim the election was rigged.

A probe of former President Suharto's personal wealth "and of those linked to him" was announced by Indonesia's attorney general. One of Suharto's sons also was forbidden to leave the country to avoid questioning. By some estimates, the Suharto family amassed $30 billion - much of it now in foreign banks - during his 32-year rule, which ended in resignation in May. Meanwhile, the country avoided economic collapse only via a $38 billion international bailout, as inflation rose to 70 percent and the rupiah fell by 80 percent against the US dollar.

Although only 10 of its members were available to take their seats, the democracy movement in Burma (Myanmar) fulfilled its pledge to convene a "people's parliament" by the end of the month. The group claimed power to enact legislation on behalf of 194 colleagues currently in police custody. Another 181 lawmakers from Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy have died, been exiled, stripped of their offices, or are serving jail terms imposed by the military government, which refuses to recognize their 1990 election.

Angola's UNITA rebels held urgent internal meetings to discuss a move by several African heads of state to recognize a dissident faction seeking to oust chief Jonas Savimbi. The group, led by South African President Nelson Mandela, accused Savimbi of preparing to renew civil war against the Angolan government.

Reports that the Basque separatist group, ETA, is preparing to declare an unconditional truce were rejected by Spain's prime minister. Jos Maria Aznar said such a move would be a "mockery" aimed at sowing false hopes as the Basque region nears legislative elections Oct. 25. ETA, which is blamed for more than 800 deaths in its 30-year fight for an independent state, has not commented on the reports. Aznar's government insists on disarmament and a renunciation of violence before it will discuss peace with the group.

Etceteras

"People are desperate. We need help if the American farmer, and the town in which he lives, is going to survive." - South Dakota farmer John Kippley, testifying in the House on the need for emergency aid.

Police in Middletown, Conn., are looking for a bold, energetic thief who may have a very large appetite. It seems someone stole a cereal bowl from Main Street Market, a food store. What's so bold about that, you ask? Only the fact that the bowl, which is inflatable, is 32 feet high and was anchored to the roof. It was meant to help promote a health program. Whoever took it apparently used a ladder and got away without being seen. Said the amazed market owner: "It's like stealing the Goodyear blimp." But since the thing is valued at $10,000 he wants it back.

Then there's the thief in Davenport, Iowa, who ran out of patience and threatened bodily harm when a convenvience store clerk couldn't read his holdup note. Reason: lousy handwriting. But police think he must have worked on his penmanship because in three identical robberies in the following days other clerks had no trouble understanding what the notes demanded.

The Day's List

Budget Office Projects Decade of Plenty for US

The federal budget has been in surplus only eight times since 1930. The last time:1969. But then budget deficits grew steadily until peaking in 1992, at $290.4 billion. After that, the pendulum swung the other way. Deficits since 1992 and updated projections from the Congressional Budget Office for fiscal years 1998 through 2008:

1993 minus $255.0 billion

1994 minus $203.1 billion

1995 minus $163.9 billion

1996 minus $107.5 billion

1997 minus $21.9 billion

1998 plus $63 billion

1999 plus $80 billion

2000 plus $79 billion

2001 plus $86 billion

2002 plus $139 billion

2003 plus $136 billion

2004 plus $154 billion

2005 plus $170 billion

2006 plus $217 billion

2007 plus $236 billion

2008 plus $251 billion

- Associated Press

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