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 Thu, Jun 11 1992 Date: Thu, 11 Jun 92 05:20:27 EDT Message-ID: DECISIONLINE: News USA TODAY Update June 11, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network RIOT CONSPIRACY PROPOSED: The FBI confirmed Wednesday that it's investigating the possibility that the riots in Los Angeles could have been masterminded by gangs or other organizations. Nothing coming out of the largest arson investigation in U.S. history supports the theory yet. But the FBI's Charlie Parsons said, for example, that certain business were targeted - such as liquor stores and gun stores. BUSH TO LAY DOWN CHALLENGE: President Bush, who leaves Thursday for the United Nations Earth Summit, is planning a "fairly aggressive" statement to combat criticism of the United States. He'll challenge others to match specific United States environmental actions. En route to Brazil, Bush will stop in Panama less than a day after a U.S. soldier was killed and another wounded in an attack on a military vehicle. SMOKE LINKED TO HEART DISEASE: The American Heart Association, declaring passive tobacco smoke a major risk factor for heart disease, said Wednesday it should be classified an environmental toxin. The AHA review of studies on the effects of secondhand smoke suggests exposure raises the risk of dying from heart disease 30% and causes 40,000 deaths a year. Some experts say the AHA has overstated the effects of passive smoke. BUDGET AMENDMENT VOTE THURSDAY: The House votes Thursday on the most crucial issue it's faced since backing the gulf war 17 months ago: A constitutional amendment requiring a balanced budget. President Bush and Democratic leaders lobbied Wednesday for votes on a constitutional amendment requiring a balanced budget. "It is right on the margin. It could go either way," said House Speaker Thomas Foley, D-Wash. IMMIGRANTS WILL HAVE RIGHTS: Suspected illegal immigrants will get written notice of their rights and be able to talk with a lawyer under a landmark settlement of a class-action lawsuit. The deal was announced Wednesday. Among the rights of the 1.5 million arrested yearly: They may talk with a lawyer and make a phone call, contact a diplomatic officer of their country, and seek a hearing. GAY OFFICER TO BE OUSTED: Army National Guard Col. Margarethe Cammermeyer, 50 - winner of a Bronze Star - Thursday becomes the highest-ranking female to be ousted from the military for being gay. She'll join other gays in a federal court in Tacoma, Wash., Thursday to challenge the military ban on homosexuals. Their argument: Under separation of powers, only Congress can set the rules for military eligibility. BAKER MAY VISIT MOSCOW: Secretary of State James Baker may fly to Moscow this weekend to pin down details for a nuclear arms pact with the Russians, it was reported Wednesday. There's a summit next week. The two sides hope to sign an agreement cutting nuclear strategic weapons to 4,700 warheads each. But Russian President Boris Yeltsin has told his military that U.S. proposals would leave the USA with an advantage. SOLDIERS ASSAULTED IN GULF: Both female U.S. soldiers captured during the Persian Gulf war were sexually assaulted while held prisoner by Iraq, but their mistreatment was kept secret for more than a year, the Pentagon acknowledged Wednesday. A public affairs officer said the abuse was not disclosed out of concern for the privacy of Maj. Rhonda Cornum and Spec. Melissa Coleman, then Melissa Rathbun-Nealy. PHOTOGRAPHER SEEKS ASYLUM: An official photographer for the Vietnamese government is seeking political asylum in the United States after smuggling out photographs of U.S. servicemen captured and killed during the Vietnam War. Some show for the first time the bodies of servicemen at plane crash sites. A spokeswoman for Sen. Robert Smith, R-N.H., said Wednesday that Trung Hieu had contacted the lawmaker Tuesday. NORIEGA'S WIFE MAY PLEA BARGAIN: Felicidad Noriega, wife of former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega, is considering taking a plea bargain to avoid possible prison time on charges she stole $305 worth of buttons from a Miami department store. A videotape shows Noriega clipping 27 buttons from garments March 20 while in Miami for her husband's drug and racketeering trial. HOT SUN HITS THE SOUTHWEST: Clouds, showers and unseasonably low temperatures will whip through the Pacific Northwest coast Thursday. Low clouds and fog along the California coast will keep ocean front locations cool. Scattered showers and thundershowers are expected to douse the central and southern Plains. Bright sun will keep the northern Plains in the 80s and 90s. DOW JONES OPENS ON DOWNSWING: The Dow Jones average of 30 industrials opens Thursday at 3343.22 after closing down 26.70 Wednesday. The New York Stock Exchange composite opens at 224.36, down 1.59. The American Stock Exchange market value opens at 390.13, down 2.93. The NASDAQ OTC composite opens at 569.71, down 4.09. 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