News Currents

UNITED STATES

In the largest such transfer in US history, Puerto Rico has turned over its 58,000 public housing units to private managers after decades of problems with the government-run system. The Saturday move has been hailed as a pioneering effort by federal officials and will be closely watched by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development.... A lawyer for the International Association of Machinists said Monday the union has a tentative agreement with Trans World Airlines Inc. owner Carl Icahn, where Ic ahn will step down and leave emloyees with a 45 percent stake in the carrier. AFRICA

In Johannesburg, millions of blacks began a general strike yesterday called for by the ANC. Protesters demanded President Frederik de Klerk's removal and a swift end to white rule. Police killed three.... A general strike hit the Central African Republic yesterday after police beat a leading anti-government activist to death at a demonstration in Bangui. The opposition said three people were killed during the march .... Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has left for Rome for the first-ever direct talks

between Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano and his rebel opponent Afonso Dhlakama, Zimbabwe Radio said.... The European Community's executive commission yesterday approved 10,000 tons of emergency food aid to drought-stricken Somalia. ENVIRONMENT AND SCIENCE

A $213 million European satellite released by shuttle Atlantis's astronauts Sunday got stuck in a low orbit. German ground controllers struggled to solve the problem yesterday. Unless controllers can raise Eureca, it could plunge into the atmosphere and burn up.