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, May 20 1992 Date: Wed, 20 May 92 05:20:57 EDT Message-ID: DECISIONLINE: News USA TODAY Update May 20, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network QUAYLE BLASTS BROWN BIRTH: Television character Murphy Brown gave birth to a son as 38 million watched Monday night, but Vice President Quayle isn't among those sending flowers. Campaigning in San Francisco Tuesday, Quayle criticized Brown "mocking the importance of fathers by having a child alone." Show producer Dianne English responded that Quayle "better make sure abortion remains safe and legal." APRIL HOUSING STARTS FALL: Seasonally adjusted home starts fell 17% in April to an annual rate of 1.1 million, down from 1.3 million in March, the Commerce Department says. That follows two months of declining new home sales, and a March rise in unsold new houses - the first increase since 1989. Building permit applications fell 3.3% after a 4.5% drop in March, possibly signaling slower building in coming months. HE'S IN THE MONEY: No one knows just how much money Ross Perot has in his pocket, but a statement of his personal finances released Tuesday confirms one thing: He's very rich. He was required to file a report with the Federal Election Commission last week. The forms show assets of at least $227 million. But the top range in each category was "more than $1 million," which for Perot is often way too low. MINIVANS DUMPED IN USA: The Commerce Department ruled Tuesday that minivans made by Toyota and Mazda are being sold at prices that are too low or "dumped," in the USA. The ruling said that - compared to similar models sold in Japan - Toyota has been unfairly pricing Previas 6.8% too low and Mazda has been pricing its MPV 12.7% too low. The case now goes to the International Trade Commission. AUTOPSY BACKS WARREN REPORT: President Kennedy was killed by two bullets from a rifle fired from behind, say the pathologists who did the autopsy. In their only interviews since JFK died, the pathologists and four doctors who treated him have no doubts Warren Commission conclusions are correct. In the May 27 Journal of the American Medical Association, they say they wanted to put to rest conspiracy theories. QUAYLE BLAMES LACK OF VALUES: Vice President Quayle denounced Tuesday those offering excuses for the Los Angeles riots, and placed blame squarely on a "poverty of values" among a large segment of the poor and minorities. "The lawless social anarchy which we saw is directly related to a breakdown of family structure," he said. Quayle said that he rejected the idea of "tolerating" causes of the unrest. BUSH BACKS MILITARY'S GAY BAN: President Bush supports the Pentagon practice of barring gays from the armed forces, his spokesman Marlin Fitzwater said Tuesday. A bill was introduced in Congress Tuesday to force the Pentagon to change that policy. Likely opponent Bill Clinton Monday night spoke in Hollywood, openly courting the gay community with promises of support on such issues as AIDS research and discrimination. IRAQ KEPT PREWAR DEATH LEDGER: Iraqi secret police kept very detailed records of killings of up to 300,000 Kurds before the Persian Gulf war, including a ledger listing victims, a Senate report shows. Captured documents "provide a basis for prosecuting" Iraqi officials, possibly including President Saddam Hussein, the Senate Foreign Relations committee report said. MILITARY NOT ANSWER FOR SERBIA: The USA is considering "concrete measures" to pressure Serbia to stop slaughtering Bosnia-Herzegovina. But the State Department, accused of sitting on the sidelines while 1,300 were killed, made clear Tuesday military actions aren't contemplated. "Where is it written that the U.S. government is the military policeman of the world?" said the State Department's Margaret Tutwiler. NAZARBAYEV WILL SIGN START: Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev Tuesday promised President Bush he'd sign the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty slashing long-range nuclear weapons. At a Rose Garden ceremony, Nazarbayev said he will adhere to a treaty prohibiting export of nuclear technology. ONLY CHILL IS IN THE OCEAN: An outstanding stretch of weather will hug the Great Lakes, Northeast and mid-Atlantic regions Wednesday. Sunny and warm weather will sweep the Southeast, Gulf Coast and Florida. Sunny, windy and hot conditions will scorch the northern Plains. Record high temperatures may bake the region. Scattered thunderstorms will roll through the Rockies. DOW JONES OPENS ON UPSWING: The Dow Jones average of 30 industrials opens Wednesday at 3397.99, after closing up 21.96 Tuesday. The New York Stock Exchange composite opens at 229.32, up 1.73. The American Stock Exchange market value opens at 392.37, up 0.85. The NASDAQ OTC composite opens at 578.05, up 1.52. News Editor: Beth Mann. (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