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, Apr 3 1992 Date: Fri, 3 Apr 92 05:43:48 EST Message-ID: DECISIONLINE: News USA TODAY Update April 3-5, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network GOTTI GUILTY ON 45 COUNTS: Gangster John Gotti was convicted Thursday of all 45 charges - including the Christmas-season, rush-hour rub-out of predecessor Paul Castellano in 1985 - after just 13 hours of jury deliberation. Experts say testimony from former underboss Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano and Gotti's boastings on tapes made from FBI bugs swayed the jury. Sentencing is set for June 23. TWO MORE LAWMAKERS TO LEAVE: Two more lawmakers announced their exodus from Washington Thursday. So far 37 have announced retirement and 12 are seeking higher office. Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., had pledged to serve just one term if the deficit was not controlled. Three-term Rep. Claude Harris, D-Ala., also announced his retirement. Among reasons for the exodus: Ethics scandals, frustration over legislative inertia. MIAMIANS HAVE LANGUAGE BARRIER: Half of Miami's 359,000 residents say they have trouble communicating in English, new numbers from the 1990 Census show. That's up sharply from the 30% who said that 10 years ago. It shows the influx of Hispanic and Creole-speaking Haitian immigrants. In the last 10 years, Miami's population grew 3.4%. At the same time its Hispanic population grew by 15%, making it 62% Hispanic. ABORTION MARCH PLANNED: Hundreds of thousands of abortion rights supporters are expected to parade past the White House Sunday in what could be among the largest marches on Washington. The march comes just three weeks before the Supreme Court hears arguments on a case that could restrict - or possibly overturn - legalized abortion. Abortion opponents also plan protests, including a rally at the Capitol. SHRIMP BOATS FIRED UPON: At least four U.S. shrimp boats have been fired upon by a Mexican naval gunboat in U.S. waters off the Gulf of Mexico, Sen. Lloyd Bentsen said Thursday. Bentsen, D-Texas, urged Secretary of State James Baker to "take steps to bring an end to this gunplay in the Gulf." A State Department spokesman said the issue has been raised with Mexico. UNITED WAY TO RELEASE REPORT: United Way's 2,100 local organizations get their first look Friday at a report on the questionable practices at its national office. Revelations of the practices led to the ouster of United Way's longtime leader, William Aramony, on Feb. 27. The report is expected to recommend policy changes to enhance accountability at the national office in Alexandria, Va. NO TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER FOUND: A State Department inspection team Thursday found no evidence that Israel sold Patriot missiles or missile technology to China. "Israel has a clean bill of health on the Patriot issue," State Department spokesman Margaret Tutwiler said Thursday. Defense Secretary Dick Cheney told CNN last weekend there is "good reason" to suspect a Patriot missile transfer. CLINTON NEEDS WIN IN N.Y.: The outcomes of presidential primaries Tuesday in New York, Wisconsin and Kansas could keep the Democratic contest hot - or cool it off. Front-runner Bill Clinton needs a respectable win; a loss would step up news stories that he's fatally wounded. Latest polls show Clinton narrowly leading in New York, with a large bloc of undecided voters on the sidelines. FIREARMS TOP CARS IN TWO STATES: Texas and Louisiana had more die by firearms than motor vehicles in 1990, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. In 1988, there were 49,078 motor vehicle deaths in the USA and 11,084 firearms deaths. But by 1990, Texas had 3,443 firearms-related deaths and 3,309 motor vehicle-related deaths; Louisiana, 1,042 firearms-related deaths and 952 motor vehicle-related. MIAMI OFFICER'S TRIAL MOVED: William Lozano, the white Hispanic Miami police officer whose shooting of a black youth prompted riots in 1989, still can't get a fair trial in Miami, a judge ruled Thursday. The judge moved Lozano's manslaughter trial to Orlando, saying Miami race relations remain too explosive. An appeals court had overturned the 1989 conviction, finding jurors had feared acquittal would spark riots. MIDEAST PEACE TALKS TO RESUME: Mideast peace talks resume April 27 in Washington, with the round after that in a location closer to the region. State Department spokeswoman Margaret Tutwiler said Thursday that Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and the Palestinians have submitted lists of cities acceptable to them, and that there is at least one city agreeable to all parties on all the lists. NORTHEAST TO BE CHILLY: Chilly weather will nip at the Northeast this weekend, while light snow pushes across Pennsylvania, southern New York and New England. The mid-Atlantic states will see showers on Saturday, but fair weather will prevail Sunday. Much of the Plains and Southeast will have sunshine. Cooler air will move into the Northwest. The Southwest and southern California will be dry and seasonable. DOW JONES OPENS ON DOWNSWING: The Dow Jones average of 30 industrials opens Friday at 3234.12, after closing down 15.21 Thursday. The New York Stock Exchange composite opens at 221.51, down 1.91. The American Stock Exchange market value opens at 390.48, down 2.67. The NASDAQ OTC composite opens at 593.82, down 8.27. News Editor: (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. 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