EVENTS

U.S. TARGETS TRADE OPPONENTS Despite widespread foreign condemnation, the Clinton administration is forging ahead to produce a ``hit list'' of countries it deems to have erected the most damaging barriers to American products. The administration was set to release yesterday a thick study titled ``The National Trade Estimates Report on Foreign Trade Barriers.'' While this report has been issued annually, this version will be viewed as a much bigger threat by the countries being named. That is because President Clinton on March 3 decided to reinstitute an expired provision of US trade law known as Super 301. It allows the administration to establish a target list of countries with barriers to US goods, set strict deadlines for dismantling the barriers, and enact punishing tariffs if they are not ended. Hosokawa won't resign

Japanese Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa yesterday flatly rejected demands that he step down or agree to summon key witnesses to parliament to testify on his links to two controversial loan deals. The opposition, led by the once-ruling Liberal Democratic Party, launched a blistering attack on Mr. Hosokawa after he refused. Church-state case

The Supreme Court heard arguments in a key church-state separation case Wednesday. At issue is the creation of a New York public school district to accommodate an insular Hasidic Jewish community's beliefs. A ruling is expected in June. US stock market

A slide in the stock market has investors wondering whether it's the start of a bear market or just a case of prices falling back to a more realistic level. In a fifth day of decline, the market fell more than 72 points Wednesday, reaching its lowest level since early November. Stocks were down significantly at mid-day. Brady bill anniversary

Federal officials say preliminary statistics show that at least 1,605 people were kept from purchasing guns during the first month the Brady gun-control law was in effect. That included 44 fugitives or people facing outstanding warrants. James Brady declared victory Wednesday on the 13th anniversary of the day he was shot during an assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan. Chernobyl report

A new safety review found many flaws at Ukraine's Chernobyl nuclear plant, including deterioration of the shell that seals the unit responsible eight years ago for the world's worst nuclear accident, the International Atomic Energy Agency said yesterday. A meeting to discuss the problem and its solutions is likely in Vienna next month, the agency said. Daylight saving time

Sunday marks a return to daylight saving time. Clocks should be moved forward one hour.