Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.inter From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: inter Wed, Mar 18 1992 Date: Wed, 18 Mar 92 05:44:27 EST Message-ID: 03-18 0000 DECISIONLINE: International News USA TODAY Update March 18, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network U.N. MOVES INTO CROATIA: United Nations peacekeepers Tuesday began to establish a presence in Croatian towns that saw vicious battles, but new deaths reminded them the war in Yugoslavia is not over. Two people were reported killed and seven wounded in renewed violence. About 400 U.N. officers have been sent to pave the way for the arrival of 14,000 peacekeeping troops by late April. LIBYA EMBARGO VOTE COMING: The United States, Britain and France are circulating a draft resolution at the United Nations that would impose a Security Council-ordered worldwide air traffic embargo against Libya. They seek to punish Libya for refusing to hand over suspects in aircraft bombings that claimed 441 lives, including 189 American deaths in the 1988 Pan Am bombing over Lockerbie, Scotland. U.N. TO ENTER IRAQ AGAIN: A special U.N. arms destruction commission will require Iraq to destroy ballistic missile facilities after U.N. inspectors arrive this weekend. The move could spark a new U.N.-Iraq confrontation, since Iraq last week argued that it should keep the equipment for civilian purposes. BUSH ASSESSES SAUDI REQUEST: The Bush administration is assessing a Saudi request for F-15 Eagle fighters but hasn't made any decisions, Assistant Secretary of State Edward Djerejian told a House Foreign Affairs panel Tuesday. Press reports have said the Saudis want 74 F-15s, but any administration decision to go ahead with a sale would meet fierce opposition in Congress. CHINA TRADE DEBATED: Congressional critics take another swipe at President Bush's China policy Wednesday in a vote to override Bush's veto of a bill putting conditions on trade benefits for China. On March 2, Bush vetoed a bill that slapped demands on China to improve its trade, human rights and weapons proliferation practices or lose most-favored-nation trade status. BRITISH ELECTION UPDATE: The ruling Conservative Party suffered twin blows to its campaign for Britain's April 9 general election Tuesday with opinion polls showing it trailing the Labor Party by five points. And there was gloomy news on the recession. New figures showed a fall in industrial output of 1.3% in January - the lowest level in four years. VANCE ON NAGORNO MISSION : United Nations special envoy Cyrus Vance flew to the former Soviet republic of Azerbaijan, hoping to end the republic's bloody conflict with Armenia over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. Also Tuesday: The Moldovan government and Russian-speaking separatists declared a cease-fire in the former Soviet republic after six people, including four Cossacks, were killed. NORIEGA TRIAL UPDATE: Lawyers for Manuel Noriega want to reopen their case to address new areas presented by federal prosecutors. The Miami federal judge presiding at the drug and racketeering trial of the former Panamanian dictator has not ruled on the defense request. MEXICO POLLUTION CLEARS UP: The mayor of Mexico City lifted an anti-pollution alert Tuesday that closed schools for the first time ever and took almost half the private cars off the road in an effort to bring down ozone levels. Ozone levels in the Mexican capital dropped to over twice the maximum level considered safe, down from nearly four times the safe limit. WOMAN FOUND DEAD ON BALCONY: An 84-year-old woman sat for two months on her balcony in the Stockholm suburb of Traneberg before a neighbor discovered she was dead, Swedish police said. The woman may have died while watching fireworks from her apartment on New Year's Eve. The woman was found sitting on a chair on her balcony, dressed in a coat and hat. Her forehead was leaning against the railing. DOW JONES OPENS ON UPSWING: The Dow Jones average of 30 industrials opens Wednesday at 3256.04, after closing up 19.68 Tuesday. The New York Stock Exchange composite opens at 226.01, up 1.57. The American Stock Exchange market value opens at 405.64, up 2.76. The NASDAQ OTC composite opens at 623.27, up 5.33. DOLLAR OPENS DOWN: The dollar opens down on foreign markets Wednesday. It opens at 0.5757 British pounds, down from 0.5807; 5.6390 French francs, down from 5.6610; 132.85 Japanese yen, down from 133.84; and 1.6455 German marks, down from 1.6617. (As of 3 p.m. Tuesday. Source: First American Bank of New York.) International News Editor: Michele Coleman. (1-919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution violates federal law. This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM