News Currents

UNITED STATES

The House has voted overwhelmingly to honor a sweeping Justice Department subpoena for records of the House bank. Democratic leaders had wanted a court test of the subpoena's validity (Page 3).... Robert Strauss, US ambassador to Russia, said he believes Russia could have "a positive economy" by the year 2000.... Chrysler Corporation yesterday announced a $13 million loss in the first quarter.... The government's main economic forecasting gauge - the Index of Leading Indicators - rose 0.2 percent in Mar ch, the third straight monthly gain. EUROPE

The French government has proposed a wide-ranging law that would for the first time punish bosses who demand sexual favors of their employees in return for receiving promotions, being hired, or keeping their jobs.... With a public workers' strike gripping the country and the ruling coalition airing its differences in public, Germany's Social Democratic opposition yesterday called for Chancellor Helmut Kohl to hold elections. AFRICA AND ASIA

A judge in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, yesterday sentenced to death a white police captain convicted of murdering 11 blacks in an attack aimed at African National Congress sympathizers. Four black constables were each sentenced to 15 years in prison.... Foreign Minister Roelof Botha said yesterday he would welcome an Organization of African Unity mission to study violence in South African townships, but would not accept active foreign intervention.... Vietnam yesterday cautiously welcomed a US move t o relax its 28-year economic embargo.