Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.news From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: news Wed, Aug 19 1992 Date: Wed, 19 Aug 92 04:20:00 EDT Message-ID: DECISIONLINE: News USA TODAY Update Aug. 19, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network GOP KNOCKS DEMOCRATS: The Republican National Convention continued Tuesday night in the Houston Astrodome. Housing Secretary Jack Kemp charted a course for the GOP's future and chimed in on the convention's trash-Congress theme. Texas Sen. Phil Gramm, in the keynote speech, called Democratic candidate Bill Clinton a "used car salesman" peddling a Jimmy Carter-like "lemon" in his calls for change. BAKER OFFERS TROOPS TO ISRAEL: Secretary of State James Baker offered to put U.S. troops on patrol in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights if it helps Israel and Syria reach a peace treaty, an Israeli newspaper said Tuesday. The report drew no comment from the State Department. On a July trip, Baker carried a message from Israel to Syria that the Israelis were willing to negotiate Golan Heights for a peace treaty. CLINTON ATTACKS GOP SPEECHES: Democratic presidential nominee Bill Clinton called GOP convention attacks on him and wife Hillary predictable but "pathetic" Tuesday. Clinton's campaign has pledged to bash Republican policies, not personalities. The campaign also released new figures showing Arkansas led the nation in job growth in 1991 and was the only state in the nation to have job growth of over 3%. ALLEN DENIES ALLEGATIONS: Filmmaker Woody Allen made a rare public appearance Tuesday to deny allegations of child abuse. Allen also accused former love Mia Farrow and her lawyers of demanding $7 million from him in exchange for dropping their charges. Farrow's lawyer, Alan Dershowitz, later said the abuse investigation had started before Allen filed his custody suit and denying any "demand" for the $7 million. CALIFORNIA BUDGET DELAYED: California legislative consideration of Gov. Pete Wilson's plan to close an $11 billion budget shortfall was delayed until Tuesday. Meanwhile, State Controller Gray Davis cited legal and moral reasons in urging Wilson to continue paying low-income workers who provide in-home care to the elderly and disabled. A federal judge said without a budget, the state doesn't have to pay. N.Y. TO TRY CLIFFORD FIRST: U.S. prosecutors asked a federal judge Tuesday to postpone the trial of former Defense secretary Clark Clifford. The state of New York will try him first on charges he accepted bribes and lied to banking regulators. The request ended a feud between federal and state prosecutors over which jurisdiction would first try Clifford and his law partner Robert Altman. RACIAL BEATING INVESTIGATED: Five men were held without bail on murder charges in the death of University of Miami student Luyen Phan Nguyen, beaten at a weekend party in Coral Springs, Fla. Police say Nguyen, 19, was chased down trying to leave after ethnic insults were directed at him. Repeatedly kicked and punched in the head, Nguyen died Monday. Police will investigate others who may have joined in the beating. U.S. WON'T ASK FOR EXTRADITION: U.S. authorities said Tuesday they won't ask Sweden to arrest or extradite ex-CIA agent Edward Lee Howard, Howard defected to the Soviet Union in 1985 and is wanted by the FBI on espionage charges. U.S. Justice Department spokesman Dean St. Dennis said the department "remains firm in its determination to bring Edward Lee Howard to trial," but espionage is not an extraditable offense. HEAT WAVE STIFLES SOUTHWEST: The 10-day heat wave that has baked southern California and other parts of the West is wreaking havoc with wildlife, disrupting school schedules and keeping firefighters busy. Temperatures soared to 100-plus degrees again Tuesday in parts of southern California, Nevada and Arizona. A high-pressure system over the region has stifled the sea breeze which usually keeps the heat down. HEART RISK FACTOR ESTABLISHED: An important new risk factor for heart attack has been identified, and it may be lowered simply by taking a vitamin, a major study released Tuesday suggests. The risk factor is a substance called homocysteine in the blood, a natural product of protein metabolism, the study suggests. Folic acid, either alone or combined with vitamin B6, can reduce levels to the normal range. TEXAS JUROR, FAMILY KILLED: Six people were killed and their house set on fire Tuesday, authorities in Somerville, Texas said. Bobbie Davis, 45, her daughter, Nicole, 16, and four grandchildren, ages 4 to 9 were killed. Authorities said the deaths occurred before the fire. Bobbie Davis, a supervisor at a school for the mentally retarded, was a juror in an attempted murder trial that began Monday. CRUISE SHIP EVACUATED: For the second time in 11 days, a cruise ship was evacuated off New England. The 840-passenger Regent Sun lost power Tuesday while anchored off Goat Island, R.I.; the passengers were ferried to Newport. A ruptured water pipe in the engine room was blamed. The New York to Montreal cruise was aborted, and Sunday's return cruise canceled. The Queen Elizabeth 2 ran aground Aug. 7 off Cape Cod. DOW JONES OPENS SLIGHTLY UP: The Dow Jones average of 30 industrials opens Wednesday at 3329.48 after closing up 4.59 points Tuesday. The New York Stock Exchange composite opens at 231.90, up 0.30. The American Stock Exchange market value opens at 386.81, up 0.13. The NASDAQ OTC composite opens at 570.87, down 1.60. MIDWEST ENJOYS IDEAL WEATHER: Sunshine and low humidity will produce a splendid day for the Midwest through the northern Plains Wednesday. The mid-Atlantic will see partly sunny skies, with thunderstorms possible. Cooler weather is on tap for the Northwest. Hot conditions are expected for the Rockies. The Southeast and Texas can expect cool weathers and showers. Sunshine will reign in much of the Northeast. News Editor: Martin Baucom. (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