News In Brief

Israeli helicopters pounded bases of the radical Palestinian Fatah Revolutionary Council (FRC) east of Sidon yesterday, killing a child, police said. They said the four helicopters blasted positions in the Bkousta area of the FRC, which is led by Abu Nidal, one of the world's most wanted guerrillas.

Police said a child was killed and a man wounded in the 10-minute raid on the FRC stronghold.

South Koreans demand ex-President's arrest

Tens of thousands of screaming protesters clashed with police throughout South Korea Saturday, demanding the arrest of former President Chun Doo Hwan on corruption charges. Tear gas filled the streets of Soeul, Wonju, Chunchon, Cheju, Kwangju, Taegu, Taejon, and Pusan, as police fought students at anti-Chun rallies, authorities reported.

The governing party proposed Saturday that Mr. Chun apologize or respond to allegations of corruption and misrule, but opposition leaders rejected the offer and demanded an investigation.

Walesa readies for strike against shipyard closure

Lech Walesa threatened yesterday to call a nationwide strike alert - ready to strike at a signal - if the Polish government did not suspend moves to close the shipyard where his banned Solidarity union was born, Solidarity sources said. Mr. Walesa told a rally of 2,000 people in Gdansk he would seek a strike alert tomorrow if the government did not suspend its decision to shut down the port's Lenin shipyard Dec. 1. He suggested he might call for walkouts the following Tuesday.

Philippines gives warning as Typhoon Skip nears

Typhoon Skip headed toward the central Philippines yesterday packing winds of 102 m.p.h. in the wake of a tropical depression. The government weather service issued storm warnings yesterday for the eastern Visayas islands and northeastern Mindanao.

A tropical depression moved into the South China Sea Saturday after flooding parts of the central Philippines.

US reports earthquake on Burma-China border

A major earthquake registering 7.4 on the Richter scale struck the Burma-Chinese border yesterday monitors at the US Geological Survey said in Golden, Colorado. Its center appeared to be about 240 miles southwest of Kunming, China.

At press time, there were no reports of casualties.

New Caledonians support peace plan

Sixty percent of New Caledonian voters supported a peace plan which could lead to independence, yesterday's referendum showed. The plan calls for a local referendum in 10 years to decide whether the territory should become independent or remain French. Meanwhile, the new law would divide New Caledonia into three autonomous provinces.

In France, only 10.6 percent of the electorate had voted by press time. A low turnout was feared.

Reagan pocket vetoes bill limiting ads on kids' TV

President Reagan exercised a pocket veto Saturday of legislation that would have limited advertising during children's TV shows and required stations to provide informative programming for youngsters. The President explained that while he does support efforts to improve the quality of children's programs, ``this bill simply cannot be reconciled with the freedom of expression secured by our Constitution.''

The bill passed the Senate on a voice vote in October and the House by a 328-78 margin in June.

Soviets say US ruining Afghan pullout accord

The Soviet ambassador to Afghanistan, Yuli Vorontsov, said Saturday the agreement on Soviet withdrawal is near ruin because of US and Pakistani arms supplies to the insurgents. The statement followed an announcement Friday that the Soviet Union had stopped removing its soldiers from Afghanistan because of attacks by Islamic guerrillas.

In making the announcement, First Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Bessmertnykh insisted the Soviet Union still planned to remove its remaining troops from the country by Feb. 15, the deadline set by the Geneva accords.

Wales' Steve Jones wins New York City marathon

Steve Jones of Wales won the New York City Marathon yesterday, and Grete Waitz of Norway led all the way in becoming the first women's finisher for a record ninth time. Mr. Jones, in his New York marathon debut, completed the 26-mile 385-yard course in 2 hours, 7 minutes, 20 seconds.

Ms. Waitz was clocked in 2 hours 28 minutes and six seconds, beating 1984 Olympic gold medalist Joan Benoit Samuelson.

For the record

US unemployment fell to 5.3 percent last month, matching the 14-year low set in June, the government said Friday. Harvard University agreed Friday to recognize a 3,500-member union of clerical workers, ending an organizing drive that lasted 13 years.

A federal appeals court rejected Friday a legal challenge aimed at blocking a Florida referendum on whether to declare English the state's official language.

CorrectionCorrection for 11/4/88

Due to an editing error, the map accompanying a Nov. 4 article on legalized gambling incorrectly showed North Dakota as voting tomorrow on whether to legalize a state lottery. As the story noted, that state earlier turned down lottery referenda.

A Christmas scrapbook. INVITATION TO READERS

Yuletide, we suspect, is not universally drawn from a Norman Rockwell painting or from an episode of ``The Cosby Show.'' It is the Christmas of large, extended families and splintered families; of people in nursing homes, of gas-station attendants who work that day, of hostages in Lebanon. It's about store-bought gifts, homemade gifts, or no gifts at all. It's about symbols - like a candle in the window. And acts - like serving in a soup kitchen. What special celebrations are a part of your Christmas? What events or traditions are unique to your family, your town, your way of life? Please write in and tell us, as briefly as possible. (We will return any materials if you enclose a self-addressed envelope with adequate postage, but we cannot acknowledge each submission individually. Letters are subject to editing.) A sampling of your responses will be published in December.

Deadline for submissions is Dec. 5. Offerings from adults and children, in writing or in pictures, are welcome. Please send to: Christmas Scrapbook, The Christian Science Monitor, One Norway Street, Boston, MA 02115.