News Currents

UNITED STATES

The US Supreme Court yesterday refused to revive an invasion-of-privacy lawsuit against an auto parts plant in Michigan that required all its employees to undergo drug testing. The court also refused to hear a discrimination suit involving a worker with AIDS whose company drastically cut its insurance coverage for treatment of the disease.... President-elect Clinton, returning to the task of building his administration after a weekend break, stayed out of President Bush's way by refusing to comment on a looming trade war with Europe or a proposal to pardon the remaining defendants in the Iran-contra scandal. EUROPE

Explosions ripped through a major oil refinery near the southern French port of Marseille early yesterday, killing four people and seriously injuring one .... President Boris Yeltsin of Russia arrived in London yesterday to sign the first Russo-British friendship treaty since 1766 and to seek help in obtaining debt relief and investment. Today, Yeltsin is to have lunch with Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace and to address Parliament. ASIA

A special constitutional panel in Thailand yesterday upheld an amnesty for generals who ordered a bloody army crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in May. The panel said the new government of Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai had no authority to order trials of those involved in the crackdown.... A day after multilateral talks failed to push the Khmer Rouge guerrillas back into Cambodia's peace process, Cambodian Premier Hun Sen said yesterday the United Nations should impose economic sanctions against the g roup.