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 Tue, Apr 21 1992 Date: Tue, 21 Apr 92 05:41:43 EDT Message-ID: DECISIONLINE: News USA TODAY Update April 21, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network CAR RENTAL RATES CUT: Alamo Rent A Car Monday dropped nationwide rates to $15 a day for economy cars, $19 for mid-size cars and $29 for Cadillac Sedan De Villes in an attempt to lure summer vacationers. Hertz responded late in the day with a $14.99 subcompact, down from $18.99, at most of its locations. But it did not match Alamo's prices for larger cars. No other auto rental companies joined the fray immediately. HARRIS EXECUTION STAYED: A federal appeals court Monday night stayed Robert Alton Harris' scheduled execution six hours before he was to become the first to die in California gas chamber in 25 years. An appeals court had ordered the stay when one judge requested a full-court vote on a claim that Harris' brother might have shot one of two boys. Harris was on parole for a 1975 killing when he kidnapped the two teens. SUITS OVER FLOODING BEGIN: With the flood waters receding, the lawsuits are starting to pour in over damage claims from last week's flooding in Chicago. By Monday, at least three suits had been filed. The latest estimate of the cost: $1.5 billion - $500 million in lost revenues to business and $1 billion in property damage, says the University of Illinois and the Federal Reserve Bank. A HOME OF ONE'S OWN: The mobile home is the fastest-growing type of housing nationwide, up 59% in the past decade compared with a 13% increase for all other home types, according to the 1990 Census. Almost 1 in 5 new homes built in the 1980s was a mobile home. Behind the growth: Housing costs. And growing numbers see mobile homes as their only hope of owning a detached home on its own plot of land. COURT TO HEAR MIRANDA CASE: The Supreme Court agreed Monday to consider a case that could weaken the individual "right to remain silent" when questioned by police. The Michigan case involves the Miranda warning recited by police during arrest. Last year a federal appeals court overturned a murder conviction because the suspect was not given the warning until 30 minutes after police began to question him. PROTESTS LIKELY OVER VERDICT: Protesters are expected in Columbia, S.C., Tuesday, furious that a jury acquitted a man charged with raping his wife. His defense: "How can a man rape his own wife?" The husband's videotape shows the couple having sex, her hands and legs tied with rope, her mouth and eyes shut with duct tape. Her muffled screams are audible. SAUDIS TRANSFERRED EQUIPMENT: Saudi Arabia transferred U.S. military equipment to Iraq in 1986 and to Syria and Bangladesh last year after the gulf war without the required U.S. permission, the State Department said Monday. The Saudis told U.S. officials the transfers were inadvertant, a department spokesman said. The Los Angeles Times said the transfers had "wink and nod approval" of Reagan and Bush administrations. DIPLOMATIC BREAK PONDERED: The USA and the European Community are considering breaking diplomatic relations with Yugoslavia to protest Serbian aggression against the breakaway republic of Bosnia-Hercegovina, Reuters reported Monday. U.S. estimates last week had the Serbian-led military campaign leaving more than 160,000 homeless in Bosnia. Monday, up to 18,000 refugees reached Gorazde in eastern Bosnia. CATERPILLAR WORKERS COME BACK: The first of 12,600 United Auto Workers began returning to work at Caterpillar Inc. plants Tuesday, knowing the company wants to eliminate 1,350 of their jobs. During the five-month strike that ended last week, the company said, officials noticed excess slots they'll trim by voluntary early retirement and attrition. THESIS IS TIMELY: Charles Allen last year submitted his thesis to the University of Mississippi - on Gov. Bill Clinton. Now it's been turned into a biography called "The Comeback Kid: The Life and Career of Bill Clinton," due out this summer. When Clinton announced he was running for president, Allen joined forces with Jonathan Portis, who covered Clinton for the defunct Arkansas Gazette. PRISON SYSTEM HAS NEW LEADER: Catherine Abate Monday took over leadership of the New York City prison system, the USA's largest. It took just 22 controversial months for her predecessor as New York City corrections commissioner, Allyn Sielaff, to throw in the towel. Experts say Abate must humanize a system at capacital limits with 22,028 inmates on a $765 million budget under pressure to be cut. DOW JONES OPENS ON DOWNSWING: The Dow Jones average of 30 industrials opens Tuesday at 3336.31 after closing down 30.19 points Monday. The New York Stock Exchange composite opens at 225.77, down 3.13. The American Stock Exchange market value opens at 387.08, down 5.56. The NASDAQ OTC composite opens at 577.20, down 14.61. STORMS HIT THE EAST: The eastern half of the USA could see two outbreaks of severe weather Tuesday. Heavy thunderstorms and possibly tornadoes are forecast for the Ohio Valley. Thunderstorms with strong winds and hail could hit South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. The desert Southwest will be hot and dry. Some showers will sprinkle the Rockies. The California coastline will be cool and breezy. 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