EVENTS
CLINTON PUTS FORWARD 1994 AGENDA President Clinton laid out New Year's resolutions for the US that parallel his 1994 domestic agenda, urging Americans to push for health-care reform, safer streets, and better job security. (An analysis of the Clinton presidency as he begins his second year, Page 1.) The rested president, winding down a week-long Christmas vacation, used his Saturday radio address to take stock of progress the country made in 1993 and challenges for the new year. Mr. Clinton said the US had begun to reverse a trend in which ``for too long we've been coming apart instead of coming together.'' He pointed to signs that the economy is gaining strength but added that much remains to be done. In the Republican Party response, Senate minority leader Bob Dole promised the opposition party would work with Clinton where possible. But he cited differences over health-care reform, crime legislation, and economic policy. Afghanistan battle
Feuding Islamic factions fought each other with air strikes, rockets, and machine guns yesterday in a major battle that reportedly left dozens dead and hundreds wounded in Afghanistan's capital, Kabul. The fighting was the most intense in months. President Burhanuddin Rabbani's forces, which control much of the city, were trying to withstand a combined onslaught by the factions of Prime Minister Gulbuddin Hekmatyar and Rashid Dostum, a general of the former communist army. At least six separate Islamic groups hold parts of Kabul, and most or all were involved in the violence, seen as a power struggle. Another Castro flees Cuba
Fidel Castro's granddaughter followed her mother out of Cuba to a new home in the US. ``I'm thankful to be with my mom,'' Alina-Maria Salgado-Fernandez, said Friday at a press conference. Her mother fled out of Cuba more than a week ago. Eritrean fighting
Eritrea's president said foreign Muslim extremists have declared war on the new Red Sea nation, Eritrean radio reported Saturday. The broadcast said an Eritrean military commander and 20 invaders from Sudan were killed in a Dec. 16 shootout. Eritrea became independent from Ethiopia in May 1993 following a 30-year war for independence. During it, Sudan aided the Eritreans. But that was before Muslim fundamentalists gained control of Sudan's government. Western countries have accused Sudan of giving haven to Muslim fundamentalists waging war against secular governments in Africa. Saudi budget slashed
Saudi Arabia is slashing its budget by 20 percent to compensate for losses due to the decline in world oil prices, King Fahd said Saturday. The king did not specify where the cuts would be made. ``The world economic conditions and surplus oil supplies have affected prices and imports from our country... '' he said. Oil prices have in recent weeks hovered around $13 a barrel, about $8 below OPEC's target price. New Microsoft team
``The Private Island'' stayed that way New Year's Day for Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates' Hawaii wedding to Melinda French. Mr. Gates, one of the nation's richest men, hired his own security force to keep reporters and photographers away while he and Ms. French exchanged vows on the 17th hole of The Challenge golf course. Irving `Swifty' Lazar
Irving ``Swifty'' Lazar, a legendary talent agent in the entertainment community known for his lavish parties the night of the Academy Awards, died Thursday. Irving Paul Lazar received his nickname from Humphrey Bogart after he obtained five screen roles for Mr. Bogart in just one day. Thomas Watson Jr.
Thomas Watson Jr., son of the founder of International Business Machines Corporation and the man who decided IBM should build computers, died Friday. Mr. Watson became IBM president in 1952, and was chief executive officer from 1956 to 1971, leading the company through the longest and most spectacular growth in modern business history.
