News In Brief
President Clinton vetoed a $12.7 billion foreign-aid bill and called on Republican lawmakers to join him in seeking a budget compromise. Clinton has signed only five of 13 spending bills needed to fund government in fiscal 2000, which began Oct. 1. Republicans have shown little interest in another budget summit with the president, after being politically out-maneuvered last year. A temporary measure that has kept the government running expires Thursday.
Flood-weary North Carolina ducked most of hurricane Irene, but still absorbed nearly a foot of rain in some coastal areas. A state official said the worst flooding was expected around Fayetteville and along the Cape Fear River, expected to crest 20 feet above flood stage later this week - more than 10 feet higher than it climbed after hurricane Floyd. In South Carolina, more than 6 inches of rain fell on Horry County, which was trying to dry out from 20 inches of rain left by Floyd.
Vice President Gore may overwhelm former Sen. Bill Bradley in gathering support among 799 "superdelegates" to the Democratic Party convention in 2000, The Washington Post reported. It said superdelegates - members of Congress, Democratic National Committee members, and other leaders - are the linchpin of the Gore campaign strategy. His aides say Gore is positioned to defeat Bradley by more than 10 to 1 among superdelegates, who will exceed the combined delegate totals of California (434) and New York (294).
Black and Hispanic students lag behind white and Asian students even when they're from similarly privileged backgrounds, the College Board said. In trying to explain the findings - based on surveys going back to the 1960s - the report noted that some experts blame racism and peer pressures that disparage academic achievement. It called for more tutoring and mentoring of minority students.
A northern California wildfire that forced thousands of people to evacuate was about 50 percent contained, forestry officials said. The fire, which was fed by high winds over the weekend, had scorched 25,900 acres in Shasta County and had engulfed dozens of homes. Fire officials said some 2,000 people were fighting the blaze - and should control it by tomorrow.
A presidential panel was set to propose a compromise solution to Puerto Rico's standoff with the Navy over the tiny island of Vieques. The (Baltimore) Sun said a panel led by Assistant Defense Secretary Francis Rush would probably recommend the Navy abandon the island off Puerto Rico in five years but meanwhile use bombing ranges there about 130 days a year, rather than the current 180. Puerto Rican officials were expected to reject the proposal.
Unionized Canadian auto workers gave General Motors a strike deadline of midnight tonight for dropping a proposal to outsource hundreds of jobs at five plants. Union leader Buzz Hargrove said GM had reduced from more than 1,000 to about 700 the number of jobs it wants to eliminate, but even that was unacceptable at a time when more than 1,500 workers are on layoff. A strike could eventually affect US plants that provide GM parts to - or that use GM parts from - Canada.
(c) Copyright 1999. The Christian Science Publishing Society
