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Show ·~ THE NATION Clinton aims to save Social Security U.S. DIGEST WASHINGTON (AP} - Shaken by scandal, beaming and applauding. Earlier in the day she President Clinton sought to reassert his vigorously defended her husband against "right leadership in a crucial State of the Union address wing opponents" she said were out to destroy last night, urging Congress to "save Social him. Security first" before cut ting taxes or increasing Amid fresh tensions with Saddam Hussein, spending. Clinton issued a veiled threat of force against With the end Iraq: "You of big budget cannot defy the deficits, Clinton will of t he said "every world .... You penny of any have used weapons of surplus" should be devoted to mass destruction shoring up Social before. We are Security, which faces bankruptcy determined to deny you the next century as capacity to use baby boorners retire. ~ them again." In an expectant f In his annual g report to the atmosphere, Clinton faced ~ nation, Clinton probably the ~ said America is largest television ~ enjoying good j! times enhanced audience of his 1-- by the lowest life as be stood President Clinton acknowledges applause from the members unemployment before a joint of Congress prior to his State of the Union address last night. and inflation in session of decades. He Congress. The urged Congress to raise the minimum wage embattled president did not mention the furor now $5.15 an hour - but did not specify how over allegations he had sex with a young intern. much. He has denied the charges. Democrats applauded Clinton warmly when he Social Security faces bankruptcy next century under a tidal wave of payoffs for the baby boom suode into the chamber. The president appeared generation. On this politically charged issue, upbeat and spoke with conviction during the 72Clinton challenged Congress to join in a minute speech. bipartisan search for a fix. Hillary Rodham Clinton bad a front-row seat, MIR'S NEW ASTRONAUT ISN'T FINISHED MENDING: Mir's new astronaut, Andrew Thomas, found himself with another mending job yesterday, this one involving U.S.-Russian relations. In a TV interview, Thomas insisted be was not trying to be difficult over the weekend when he reported that his emergency spacesuit didn't fit. It now fits "like a glove," he said. The problem -which was solved Monday with a little tailoring - irritated Viktor Blagov, deputy chief of Russia's Mission Control. He wondered aloud whether this is how the astronaut would behave throughout his 4 l/2-month mission. UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT GETS TO KEEP JOB AFTER 'OREO' REMARK: After nearly being fired for referring to his new boss as an "Oreo," the president of the University of Florida got to keep his jobyesterday by apologizing and agreeing to six months of "probation." During his probation, John Lombardi will be closely watched by the Board of Regents. During a Christmas pany at John Lombardi's house in Gainesville, he described Lombardi incoming university system Chancellor Adam Herben, who is black, as an "Oreo." Lombardi, who is white, said Herbert was effective in dealing with whites because he was "black on the outside and white on the inside." PRESIDENT CLINTON NOMINATED FOR NOBEL PEACE PRIZE: President Clinton has been nominated for the 1998 Nobel Peace Prize foI his efforts to protect world peace and promote democracy, three Norwegian legislators announced yesterday. Clinton, embroiled in a sex scandal in the United States, was nominated by members of the rightwing Party of Progress, one of the largest blocs in Norway's Parliament. They praised Clinton for helping end the war in former Yugoslavia THE WORLD Iraq says U.S. opposes political resolutions BAGHDAD, lraq (AP) - The United States is intent on a military strike against Iraq and does not want a diplomatic solution to the crisis over U.N. weapons inspections, an Iraqi government spokesman contended yesterday. The official's remarks, carried by the Iraqi News Agency, came hours before Russian envoy Viktor Posuvalyuk arrived in Baghdad to try to negotiate an end to the standoff. Crossing the Iraqi border by road from Jordan, Posuvalyuk said he was on an "urgent mission ... to find a way out of such a situation through political and diplomatic means." "President Yeltsin and the Russian government firmly believe that the use of force is not constructive," the news agency quoted him as saying. Meanwhile, in Washington, a senior U.S. official said Secretary of State Madeleine Albright would travel to Europe today to confer with the British, French and Russian foreign ministers. At the same time, military planners were working to ensure there was enough firepower in the Persian Gull for a sustained air attack against Iraq, if needed. Albright was to meet with French Foreign Minister Huben Vedrine in Paris, Foreign Secretary Robin Cook in London and Russian Foreign Minister Yevgeny Primakov, probably in Madrid, Spain, said the U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. WORLD DIGEST BLAIR URGES NORTHERN IRELAND PARTIES NOT T O 'GIVE UP: British Prime Minister Tony Blair made a personal visit to Northern Ireland's peace negotiators yesterday, exhorting them to "never, ever give up" despite recent killings and one party's expulsion from the talks. That effort took a tentative s tep forward yesterday when the Tony Blair British and Irish governments, co-sponsors of - - - - - the talks, offered a joint proposal on forming a council of lawmakers from Nonhem lreland and the neighboring Irish Republic FIGHTING BREAKS OUT BETWEEN JUNTA, PEACEKEEPERS IN SIERRA LEONE: Nigerian-led ... ~ Egyptian workers who live m Iraq protest in front of the U.N. offices in Baghdad,yesterday to show supprot for Iraqi leadership. The Iraqi spokesman from the Culture and Information Ministry said the United States has little hope for Posuvalyuk's mission. About 1,000 Egyptian workers living in Iraq demonstrated outside a U.N . office in Baghdad today, carrying posters of President Saddam Hussein, beating drums and chanting antiAmerican slogans. "The aggressors will ... Ieap nothing but frustration, humiliation and shame," an iraqi official said on condition of anonymity. peacekeeping forces battled soldiers loyal to the junta in Sierra Leone yesterday,with each side blaming the other for starting the fight.A peacekeeping force is enforcing a blockade trying to restore the government of President Ahmed Tejan Kabbab. Peacekeepers, however, said forces loyal to the junta attacked their positions near Jui with rocket-propelled grenades and machines guns. While there reportedly were casualties in the fighting, neither side immediately released figures. PRINCESS ANNE, PRINCESS MARGARET VISIT QUEEN MOTHER AT THE HOSPITAL: Princess Anne and Princess Margaret each spent 20 minutes today at the bedside of the Queen Mother, two days after she broke her left hip in a fall. Buckingham Palace said earlier today that the Queen Mother passed a second comfortable night and was malting good progress. The Princess Daily Mail quoted doctors as saying she would Anne be hospitalized for the next two or three weeks - -- -but that the next few days would be critical for her health. |