News Currents

EUROPE

Unemployment in former West Germany rose to 6.3 percent in June, adding to concern that the region's economy had declined in the second quarter of 1992. In former East Germany, the labor office said, unemployment fell to 14.2 percent. But it said the actual number of people out of work could be higher as job cuts planned for the end of the second quarter were not included in its data. UNITED STATES

A former IBM executive who says he was denied a promotion because he is black, then was put under surveillance and fired after he complained, reached an undisclosed settlement with the computer giant July 6, according to both parties. IBM confirms placing him under surveillance - citing threats he had made to managers - but admits no liability.... The assistant secretary of state for international organizations July 6 called for the sweeping reform of UN economic and social agencies. Citing successful ag encies such as the World Bank and IMF, John Bolton said the UN is perceived as performing poorly in the area of development assistance. He did not cite specific problems, and said the US would submit a reform package later. The call was joined by UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali and Britain's minister for overseas development, speaking for the European Community. ASIA AND THE PACIFIC

Taiwan, in a major democratic reform, July 7 lifted a ban on the return of more than 270 exiled dissidents.... Japan's trade surplus for the first three months of this year was $28.2 billion, nearly twice its surplus of a year ago. It was the only one of five major trading countries to show a surplus, the IMF reported July 6.