| OCR Text |
Show A4 THURSDAY. THE DAILY HERALD (www HarkTheHerald.com) JANU ARY 4. 2001 Starting Again GLOBAL BRIEFING v k Russia moves weapons lyslfl! - Russia nuclear weapons onto one of its military bases in the Baltics, senior Clinton administration officials said Wednesday. Some. in the administration believe the Russians may be seeking to step up pressure on NATO to withdraw similar weapons from Europe. The movement of Russian nuclear weapons, first reported in . WASHINGTON has moved ( AP) A short-rang- e rate Wednesday's Washington Times, also may reflect Moscow's response to NATO's eastern expansion in 1999 when Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic joined the alliance. The Baltic states of By SCOTT LINDLAW Associated Press Writer PresidentAUSTIN, Texas elect Bush praised a reduction in interest rates Wednesday as one of the steps necessary to "make sure that our economy does not go into a tailspin." But he said it will not do the job alone, and his tax cut plan remains vital. Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia want to be the next new members. Iraq: Stroke report 'silly' BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) Iraq has dismissed a report that President Saddam Hussein suffered a stroke. "The report is a nonsensical rication that is not even worth Bush received the surprise news of the Fed's interest rate cut while meeting about three dozen business leaders to talk about the fab- economy. responding to," government , spokesman Salam Khatab said. An Iraqi dissident group based in Syria claimed that the Iraqi leader was hospitalized late Sunday after suffering a He said he interprets the Fed's surprise move as an indication bold action is needed "to make sure this economy stays vibrant." To that end, he said, his $1.3 trillion tax cut plan, far larger than many Democrats in the divided Congress want, remains an "integral part of eco10-yea- r, ''severe stroke." Spill forces evacuations Train hits immigrants' van A comLORCA, Spain ( AP) muter train slammed into a van carrying Ecuadorean farm workers and dragged it 200 yards Wednesday, killing at least 12 of the immigrants, authorities said. Another two Ecuadoreans were hospitalized in critical condition after the accident at a rail crossing outside the town of Lorca, in Spain's southeast Murcia early-mornin- g province. The van driver was hospitalized in critical condition with a frac- tured skull, and a girl suffered a head injury. 11 killed in house fire OAK ORCHARD, Del. (AP) A kitchen fire spread thick smoke through a small rural home early Wednesday, killing 11 family members, seven of them children. Someone inside the burning house called 911 about 3 a.m. By the time firefighters arrived, heavy smoke was billowing from the eaves of the home, said Patrick Miller, of the Indian River Fire Company. The fire was small and was put out quickly, he said. one-stor- ils y net pair 2 years LOS ANGELES (AP) Two men received prison terms for sending a blizzard of 50 million as part of a scam that overwhelmed the nation's largest Internet providers. Steve Shklovskiy and Yan Shtok, both 23, also must pay more than $100,000 in restitution for their role in the September 1999 scheme, authorities said Tuesday. Authorities said Shklovskiy and Shtok devised a way to use personal computers equipped with commercially available software to ""harvest" electronic mail addresses. ar They then sent a mass asking recipients for a $35 "processing fee" in exchange for a chance to work at home stuffing envelopes. More ple were duped. than 12,000 peo- nomic recovery." Bush felt compelled to explain why he was speaking of a recovery when the economy is not in recession. Surrounded by executives of companies hit by the slowing stock market or slumping sales, he said he used the term because "a lot of folks in this room have brought some pretty bad news." Bush named Larry Lindsey, ..L- - .... RICK BOWMERThe Thanks: Richard Gephardt, gives a Speaker of the House J. Dennis Hastert, Wednesday in Washington. Border clashes flare In the JAMMU, India (AP) first fighting since a cease-fir- e began five weeks ago, four Indian soldiers and two civilians died Wednesday in clashes on India's border with Pakistan. Since India declared its ceasefire in Kashmir beginning Nov. 28, the 1972 control line dividing Kashmir between Pakistan and India had been quiet. But on Wednesday two soldiers and two civilians were killed in heavy firing line at a boracross the cease-fir- e der post in Arhayee Mandi, 120 miles northwest of Jammu. '4 ; A SAHUARITA, Ariz. (AP) Union Pacific train derailed on the outskirts of a southern Arizona town, spilling about 10,000 gallons of sulfuric acid and forcing 96 residents to evacuate overnight. Hazardous materials cleanup crews were ready to begin work Wednesday once they received a shipment of lime to neutralize the highly corrosive acid. The 107-ca- r train was northbound from Nogales to Tucson when 19 cars derailed Tuesday evening in Sahuarita, about 20 miles south of Tucson. '! Associated Press sign after receiving praise from during the 107th Congress opening day ceremony thumbs-u- p 107th Congress convenes the first presidential spouse By ALAN FRAM N.Y., Associated Press Writer President Clinton, along with to enter Congress. Her husband, The 107th Congress convened Wednesday with a noontime rap of gavels in the House and Senate, finding the two parties more evenly divided than in decades and, for the first time, the first lady among its WASHINGTON members. In a day filled with history, celebratory receptions and pledges of bipartisan cooperation, the new Congress offered a Senate divided between Republicans and Democrats for the first time. Among them were 13 women, the most ever. The House was barely dominated by the GOP. But it was enough for Republicans to to Speaker Dennis Hastert, his second stint in that chamber's top job. "May this Congress, Lord God, be a sign of unity and confidence to this nation, good news to the poor and an instrument of peace to the world," said House Chaplain Daniel Coughlin in an opening prayer that spotlighted the emphasis both parties voiced about cooperation. Taking her oath of office was Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D- 50-5- 0 re-ele- ct R-Il- l., two-ye- ar of four. After Mrs. Clinton's group was sworn in, she received kisses from Gore and Sen. Strom Thurmond, the Senate's senior member. "Ecstatic," the president, sporting a "Hillary" campaign button on his lapel, said afterward of his ld feelings. Just 17 days from now, he will cede the White House to Republican George W. Bush, and Congress .will begin focusing on Bush's, agenda of cutting taxes, loosening federal strings on education and other issues. But until that day, Democrats be the Senate majority because Gore will still be vice president. Under the Constitution, the vice president can preside over the Senate which he did on Wednesday and vote to break ties in the chamber. Relishing the moment, Gore recognized the Senate Democratic will minority leader prompting loud applause from both sides. In brief remarks, both lawmaksomeers stressed cooperation to which the Senate's thing tight numbers leave them little practical alternative. "Let us resolve we will work with each other to do the people's business," said Daschle. "That is our pledge on this side of the aisle." "I hope we will show today ... that we will always find ways to work together," Lott said. Across the Capitol, the floor of the House always less formal was packed than the Senate with members hugging each other, many with children in tow. But bitterness lurked just below the surface as House Democrats prepared to oppose GOP likely without success rules changes that Democrats complained would limit their ability to debate bills and would shortchange their membership on committees. In a written statement, top Democrats called the GOP rules "blatantly partisan" and an effort to "silence a fair debate." make sure that our economy grows," he said. "And tax relief, meaningful, fair tax relief, will be a stimulus." As well, "We need to make sure our nation is a nation of free trade and less regulation." Andrew Card, Bush's incoming chief of staff, said Lindsey will oversee what is now called the National Economic Council, led in the Clinton administration by Gene Sperling. Most of the executives who sat down with Bush were political or financial backers of his campaign, and they were supportive of his economic plans as well. "It really has been a significant slowdown in the fourth quarter said General Electric CEO Jack Welch. "We are going to need the bold action that you're proposing to get this economy back on track," A little earlier, Lindsey had bolted from the closed economic meeting at a hotel to catch a TV report on the interest rate cut news. "Great! The Fed is always right," Lindsey said after asking reporters the size of the cut and before returning to the meeting to inform Bush. "I think the cut was needed," Bush said. "It was a strong state- ment that measures must be taken to make sure that our economy does not go into a tailspin." round of KlSdeasft negotiations set up Mew By BARRY SCHWEID AP Diplomatic Writer WASHINGTON President Clintons drive for an accord gained new life Wednesday with word from Yasser Arafat that he was willing to negotiate with Israel based on his interpretation of Clinton's formula for a settlement. Israel responded by agreeing to send negotiator Gilead Sher to Washington ta confer Thursday with U.S. mediators Dennis Ross and Aaron Miller on whether a basis exists for new talks with the Israeli-Palestinia- daughter Chelsea and the senator's mother, Dorothy Rodham, beamed from the visitors' gallery as Vice President Al Gore, the vanquished Democratic presidential candidate, read the oath to her and other senators in clusters leader, Sen. Tom Daschle of South Dakota, as "the majority leader" and Sen. Trent Lott of Mississippi, the top Republican, as "the chief economic adviser in his presidential campaign, to lead the economic team in the White House. The president-elec- t is using the slowdown to soften ground for his wider economic agenda, with tax cuts at the core. Liberalized trade and regulatory relief are also part of his platform. "It's going to be important for the president to work with the Congress to do what's right to n Paletinians. In the meantime, Israel intends to measure whether Arafat's promise to Clinton to curb attacks is being implemented. "We're not going to resume negotiations, we're not going to have a summit; unless we are confident of success," P.J. CrowHouse ley, a White spokesman, said after Clinton's second telephone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak. Another senior official, speaking on' condition of anonymity, said the Palestinians also would send an official in the next few days to talk to the American mediators. Writh only 17 days left to pursue his goal, Clinton tl took to the telephone to try to bridge differences between Arafat and Barak. "They both have reservations, and we're going to work with both parties to try to" reconcile their interpretation of it," White House spokesman Jake Siewert said. At the State Department, spokesman Richard; Boucher said the development was "definitely a step forward" and "we still have grounds to work on this." In Stockholm, Sweden, visiting Israeli Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben-Asaid an agreement remains unlikely before Clinton turns over the presidency to George W. Bush. "It may be an act of providential miracle that can produce a full deal between us and the Palestinians in the remaining days (of Clinton's presidensaid at a cy)," Ben-Anews conference. The fresh impetus surfaced after two WTiite House meetings Tuesday in which Arafat promised , again to try to curb the violence that has plagued the region. PLO , representative Hassan Abdel Rahman told The Associated Press that Arafat notified Clinton he "accepted with his interpretations and principles" the president's outline for concluding a Barak scheduled a conference in Jerusalem with his "peace team" after hearing from Clinton and they planned to talk again on the telephone later. On a discordant note, Hussein a militia leader in the Fatah faction of the PLO, said, The Palestinian leadership will never accept the American ideas." "I think what the presi- dent (Arafat) wants to show is a positive position in his abilities to reach a said. peace deal," In fact, even if serious resumed; negotiations "that absolutely did not mean stopping the intifada (uprising)," he told the ik AP. |
