Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.news From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: news Fri, Mar 20 1992 Date: Fri, 20 Mar 92 05:44:41 EST Message-ID: DECISIONLINE: News USA TODAY Update March 20-22, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network TSONGAS SUSPENDS CAMPAIGN: The departure of Paul Tsongas from the Democratic presidential race all but confirms Bill Clinton as the party's nominee in November. Tsongas' suspension of his campaign Thursday keeps his delegates as a bloc at the Democratic convention in July. But Clinton, facing competition only from Jerry Brown, is likely to be the Democratic opponent to President Bush. CITIZENS TOLD TO LEAVE LIBYA: U.S. citizens have been warned by the State Department to leave Libya now. The government fears that 500 to 1,000 U.S. citizens there could be endangered and stranded if the U. N. Security Council imposes penalties including an air blockade on Libya. The USA, England and France want Libya to extradite two suspects in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am 103 and the 1989 bombing of French UTA 772. WHAT BECOMES OF BROKEN-HEARTED: Being depressed may raise chances of a heart attack or stroke in those who already have risk factors such as smoking or high cholesterol, research suggests. Thus, treating chronic depression may help prevent and treat heart disease. Among findings reported by the American Heart Association Thursday: Depressed smokers' carotid arteries averaged are thicker than non-depressed smokers'. BUSH TO CUT PROGRAMS: President Bush is expected to order unilateral cuts of billions of dollars in government programs. Bush's speech Friday comes on the deadline he gave Congress for pushing a tax-cut bill. Cuts will be "across the board" in "obsolete and ludicrous projects like research on far-out programs," spokesman Marlin Fitzwater told Reuters Thursday. It would effectively implement a line-item veto. CHECK SCANDAL CLAIMS ANOTHER: House Postmaster Robert Rota resigned Thursday amid allegations that lawmakers illegally cashed personal and campaign checks at the post office. Sergeant-at-Arms Jack Russ last week resigned after reports of widespread check-kiting at the House bank, which he supervised. Nearly 300 current House members and several of President Bush's cabinet have been exposed as check-bouncers. CLOSING ARGUMENTS TO BEGIN: Closing arguments begin Monday in Farmville, N.C., site of the USA's largest trial for child sexual abuse. The case involves Robert Kelly Jr. of the now-closed Little Rascals Day Care Center in Edenton and six other defendants and has seen eight months of testimony. Perhaps the most damaging testimony against Kelly came when his first wife told the jury he was addicted to pornography. IRAQ DRAMA CONTINUES: Another military showdown looms with Iraq, with U.N. missile inspectors arriving this weekend to destroy ballistic missile facilities. Iraq agreed to the demolition as part of its cease-fire pact at the Gulf War's end. But Iraqi President Saddam Hussein has so far refused to comply. The Pentagon has reportedly prepared a set of military options for President Bush to choose from. HELMSLEY HOSPITALIZED: Hotelier Leona Helmsley is too ill to go to federal prison for income tax evasion because she probably has "substantial coronary disease," her personal physician said Thursday. Helmsley, 71, was in stable condition at New York Hospital, officials said. She was admitted there Wednesday, with palpitations and chest discomfort after a judge sentenced her to four years in prison. WORKERS CAN BE PAID FOR TALK: Federal workers' First Amendment rights to speak or write cannot be infringed upon by a sweeping 1991 ethics law, a judge ruled Thursday. Federal Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson threw out a portion of the law banning federal employees from accepting payment for articles and speeches. His ruling covers 2 million executive branch employees, 750,000 postal workers and military officers. STATE DEPT. DEFENDS RECORD: The State Department, two days after reports surfaced that it muffled reports in the early 1980s of Pakistan's nuclear weapons development, defended its record Thursday. A formerly secret 1983 State Department document states that "Pakistan is actively pursuing a nuclear weapons development program." The State Department said it had reported the fact to Congress at least once. SOUTHWEST TO GET RAIN: A Pacific storm system will dump showers and thunderstorms on the Southwest this weekend. Gradual clearing is expected by Sunday. Severe thunderstorms will wallop the southern Plains by Saturday. Partly to mostly sunny skies will return to the Northwest with temperatures hovering in the 30s and 40s. The mid-Atlantic states will enjoy partly sunny skies, with possible shower by Sunday. DOW JONES OPENS ON UPSWING: The Dow Jones average of 30 industrials opens Friday at 3261.40, after closing up 7.15 Thursday. The New York Stock Exchange composite opens at 226.25, up 0.31. The American Stock Exchange market value opens at 402.17, up 1.20. The NASDAQ OTC composite opens at 625.96, up 1.02. News Editor: Beth Mann. (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