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 Fri, Jun 5 1992 Date: Fri, 5 Jun 92 05:20:08 EDT Message-ID: DECISIONLINE: News USA TODAY Update June 5-7, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network DEADLINE RUNS OUT AT MIDNIGHT: The rush for half-price airfares is ending, but the dust won't settle immediately. The deadline is midnight Friday to book flights for travel to be completed by Sept. 13. But American, United and Delta will give travelers until Sunday to pay for the tickets. Travel agents say the extension will bring little relief. American has made 3 million new bookings, says spokeswoman Laura Hurd. BUSH FOCUSES ON HIMSELF: President Bush Thursday said probable independent presidential candidate Ross Perot will need to offer more than the appeal of an outsider. In a prime-time news conference ignored by networks, Bush avoided most questions about partisan politics and tried to focus on his accomplishments. He hasn't yet proposed a balanced budget, but used the term "balanced-budget amendment" more than 20 times. KIDS STARTING SCHOOL LATER: A new Census report says that 22% of 6- to 8-year-olds in 1990 were older than they should have been for Qheir grade level, compared to 15% in 1980. The report attributes the rise partly to parents who start their children in school at an older age to ensure success. The Census report also reveals that the nation's annual dropout rate during the 1980s fell from 6% to 4%. TACO BELL MOVES SOUTH: Mexican fast-food restaurant Taco Bell Thursday opened its first outlet in Mexico with a stand in Mexico City. The move could backfire, says consultant Allen McCusker. "But it may be a great market for cheap belly-filling food," he says. The venture will allow Taco Bell to test free-standing kiosks and food carts. Also a win: Parent PepsiCo will be able to push soft drinks. GROUPS URGE DRUG FOCUS SHIFT: In a multipartisan challenge to the drug war, 58 mainstream groups are calling for the spending focus to shift to drug education, prevention and treatment and away from drug arrests. Group members included National PTA, Catholic Charities, and World Women's Christian Temperance Union. The groups plan to support Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., and others in changing policy balance. NATO TO EXPAND USE OF TROOPS: NATO voted for the first time Thursday to authorize deployment of its forces outside member countries. The defense alliance, though, was displeased with U.S. efforts to immediately send NATO forces to put down Yugoslavia's civil war. German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel said, "I do not have the impression that American public opinion would support the deployment of ground troops." DELEGATES SIGN WARMING TREATY: Delegates to the United Nations Earth Summit Thursday tried to salvage another agreement criticized by the United States by putting their signatures on a global warming treaty. President Bush has linked opposition to the biodiversity treaty because U.S. pharmaceutical companies faced the loss of some patent rights if the treaty was ratified. BILL WILL HALT ARMS TESTING: The House Thursday approved 237-167 a total halt to nuclear arms testing and is working on the $274 billion military bill for 1993. Also Thursday, the House voted to authorize $650 million to help former Soviet republics Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan dismantle their nuclear weapons. The arms-testing bill next faces a vote in the Senate. SCREENWRITER ART THEFT SUSPECT: Aspiring Hollywood screenwriter Brian McDevitt has surfaced as a suspect in the biggest art theft in history, the 1990 taking of Vermeer and Rembrandt masterpieces from Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. McDevitt, 31, a former Boston resident, is not commenting. But his lawyer says McDevitt is not involved. McDevitt served several months in prison in 1980 for an attempted art theft. BUCHANAN FACES HEART SURGERY: Pat Buchanan has elective heart surgery in Washington Friday. The commentator who challenged President Bush for the GOP presidential nomination will have a defective valve replaced, according to his sister and campaign manager, Angela. Buchanan did not reveal the condition during his campaign. A heart murmur from a long-past bout with rheumatoid arthritis caused the damaged valve. CLEARCUTTING COULD BE HELD BACK: Clearcutting of federal timber would be restricted under an "ecosystem-based" policy announced Thursday. The Forest Service also plans to reduce clearcutting by 70%. But although the Bureau of Land Management called it "another example of the administration's commitment to the environment," environmentalists said it was merely cosmetic rhetoric. DOW JONES OPENS ON DOWNSWING: The Dow Jones average of 30 industrials opens Friday at 3399.73 after closing down 7.26 Thursday. The New York Stock Exchange composite opens at 227.90, down 0.75. The American Stock Exchange market value opens at 397.18, up 1.53. The NASDAQ OTC composite opens at 588.26, down 1.67. WETTER DAYS AHEAD FOR NORTHEAST: Chilly winds will keep much of coastal New England in the 50s. Showers wet the mid-Atlantic Friday. But partly sunny skies are expected Saturday and Sunday. The Southeast will be in the 80s with partly sunny skies and isolated storms. Severe weather hits parts of the south-central USA Friday. Weather will stay warm and dry for Saturday and Sunday. The West will enjoy a delightful weekend. CORRECTION: An item in Thursday's News Decisionline should have attributed remarks about Ross Perot's anticipated campaign to analyst Bob Beckel, not Bert Lance. 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