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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 3, 1988)
News uigest Seeks* ... ■ . , — i ■.i. ■ miini i ~inn~fnmi -T'-ra—m--~r——-n ..~~~ i — Dropped word permits changes in Contra aid WASHINGTON — The Reagan administration expects to take advan tage of a minor change in the new humanitarian aid package for the Contra tebcls to institute a series of non-military training programs de signed to make the insurgents more self-sufficient. The aid program that expired Fri day said the administration could use the SI7.7 million package “only” for food, clothing, medical services and shelter. The new $27 million six-month package signed into law by President Reagan Saturday calls for assistance in the same four areas but the word “only” has been deleted, permitting the administration greater flexibility in how the money is spent. In signing the $14.3 billion foreign aid bill, Reagan criticized what he said was a minimal amount of hu manitarian aid for the Contras. U.S. officials, insisting on ano nym ity, said they envision U.S.-spon sored “skills training” in areas rang ing from radio maintenance to record keeping, human rights and health care. The officials said such programs should boost the morale of the thou sands of rebels who are camped along the Honduran-Nicaraguan border with little to keep them occupied. Many of the rebels flocked to these camps from inside Nicaragua over the past six months to take advantage of the assistance programs being carried out in the border area by the Agency for International Development. No deliveries were made inside Nicaragua because agreement could not be reached with the Sandinisla government on an acceptable deliv ery system. The officials said they expect opposition to the proposed training programs from members of Congress hostile to the Contras who don ’ t want them to survive as a viable organiza tion. The prospects for a renewal of military aid for the rebels arc not good. The aid package, initially ap proved by the Senate in August, au thorized the release of $16.5 million in stockpiled military equipment under certain conditions. But the funds would require con gressional approval before adjourn ment of the current session, and there is only about a week left before members go home until the next ses sion starts in January. There has been no attempt by the administration to trigger a vote on release of the funds. Both the Repub lican and Democratic campaigns for president seem willing to ignore the Contra aid issue, sensing there is little political profit in raising it. Congress rejected an administra tion military aid request on Feb. 3 and the formal cutoff of weapons deliver ies to the Contras occurred on Feb. 29. The majority of the Contras have since resettled along the border area, faced w i th the prospect that theirprin cipal benefactor, the United States, can no longer be relied on to aid in their quest to topple the Sandinista government. According toofficials, the Contras have some ammunition left butarc no match for the Sandinistas, who re ceived an estimated $400 million in military equipment from the Soviet Union during the first eight months of I he year. Space shuttle landing also very risky but dry lakebed leaves more room for safety EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. — The Challenger tragedy highlighted the danger of space shuttle launches, but astronauts also face risks when their orbiter rips through Earth’s atmosphere and plunges toward landing “like a streamlined brick,” experts say. “The landing is not as dramatic and exciting as die launch and doesn’t involve extremely powerful rockets, but there’s no question landing is a very critical operation and requires a great deal of attention,” said B. John Garrick, president of a Newport Beach engineering consulting firm. Discovery is to conclude its four day mission with a landing Monday morning at 9:33 a m. PDT. It will sw'oop across California’s coast at 4.37 limes the speed of sound, slow to subsonic speeds, then drop at a steep angle before leveling out without any power and glide toward touchdown on the unpaved surface of Rogers Dry Lake. “It comes down like a streamlined brick,” said Mill Thompson, chief engineer for NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Facility at this Mojave Desert military base, where 18 of 24 previous shuttle missions landed. Five flights landed at Cape Canav eral, Fla., and one at White Sands Missile Range, N.M. Thompson said that while shuttle landings are less dangerous than launches, “there is still an element of risk on whether or not you make this landing properly because a lot ol it does rely on the pilot’s judgment and you are approaching the ground at an extremely high rate of descent.” The Jan. 28, l()86, explosion that destroyed Challenger and killed seven crew members 73 seconds after liftoff from Florida prompted rede sign of faulty shuttle booster rockets and many other changes, including installation of an emergency escape system so astronauts can bail out while approaching the landing site. The braking and steering systems also were modified to try to avoid the brake and lire damage that had oc curred during earlier landings. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration said the changes were meant to eliminate mechanical and heat-caused brake damage, improve steering to provide better control in crosswinds or if tires blow out, and prevent bending of main landing gear axles caused b\ brake overheating. At the urging of astronauts and the Rogers Commission, which investi gated the Challenger disaster, shuttles will land here for the foresee able future, frustrating NASA s ini tial plans to save lime and mone> b\ landing the spacecraft regularly back at the Cape Canaveral launch site. The44-square-milc dry lakcbcd at Edwards leaves plenty of room for safety if brakes fail or tires blow, while a similar mishap at the Cape could pul the shuttle in the water. I _I John Bruce Daily Nebraskan Civic readies for ‘Dashing Dan’ and ‘Lordly Lloyd’ OMAHA — Workers mopped up the last of Andre the Giant’s sweat Sunday and began to trans form the Civic Auditorium into a political debate hall for th if week’s clash between “Dashing” Dan Quayle and “Lordly” Lloyd Benisen. The names of Brutus the Barber Beefcake, ‘‘Macho Man” Randy Savage and Outlaw Ron Bass graced the auditorium’s marquee for Sunday’s pro wrestling exhibi tion. But arena laborers — who cleared the stage for a Christian rock band Saturday and soon must arrange for a “monster truck" mud race—switched gears late Sunday in preparation for Wednesday’s vice presidential debate between Sens. Quayle of Indiana and Bcntscn of Texas. Ed Fouhy, executive producer of the debate, said all was going smoothly and he expected the debate stage to be set by Monday night. “We're on schedule, just wait ing for the wrestlers to leave,” he said. City Public Events Manager Terry Forsberg said one of the biggest tasks ahead will be deco rating the candidates’ dressing rooms with carpeting and drapes. Fluorescent lights will be re placed with lamps, smudged mir rors with pictures and benches with tables, he said. “They’ll look like your living room - or belter yet, theirs,” he said. The only tickets available to the Kblic for Wednesday night’s de le were being distributed in a raffle through the state’s newspa pers, butcity officials said they still have been hit with countless re quests. “I don’t think there is an official in to>yn—county, state, local level — who hasn’t had a friend call him and ask for a ticket,” said Kevin Collison, media aide to Mayor Walt Calinger. Nebraskan Editor Curt Wegner Asst Photo Chief David Failles on 472-178* Night Nows Editor Amy Edwards Managing Editor Diana Johnaon Asst. Nigh. News Assoc. News Editors Jana Hbt cditorfljbrarian Anno Mohn Las Rood Art Directors John Bruce Editorial Andy Manhort Page Editor Mike Reilley General Manager Dan ShattB Wire Editor Bob Nsloon Production Manager Katherine Policky Copy Desk Editor Chuck Oreen Advertising Manager Robert Bates Sports Editor Steve Sipple Saies Manager David Thiemann Arts 4 Entertain- Circuiation M& >ager Ertc Shanks ' man* Editor MickJ Haller Publications Board Diversions Editor Joeth Zucco Chairman Tom Macy Sower Editor Andy PoNocfc 475-9*e* Graphics Editor Darryl Mattox Professional Advisor Don Walton Photo Chlof Ertc Qregory The Daily NetoraskanfUSPS 144-080) is published by tne UNL Publications Board, Ne braska Union 34,1400 R St.. Lincoln. NE (except holidays); weekly during the summer session. Readers art encouraged to submit story ideas and comments to the Daily Nebraskan bv phoning 472-1703 between 9a.m. and 5 p.m Monday through Friday. The public also has access to the Putobcabons Board. For Information, contact Tom Macy, 4759068. Poebnaswr e Jdrl sschanQesto the Daily Nebraskan, Nettfarka Umcn 34,1400 * um ssassf iiis&ss Foes call Botha move ‘sheer hypocrisy JOHANNESBURG, Soulh Africa — Government officials arc elated by the success of their diplomatic offen sive into black Africa, but foes of apartheid said Sunday the campaign docs nothing to resolve domestic racial problems. “Africa is talking to South Africa,” President P.W. Botha said after meet ing Saturday with President Mobutu Scse Seko of Zaire. It was Botha’s third summit with a black African leader in three weeks. City Press, Soulh Africa’s largest selling black newspaper, described the visit to Zaire as“shccr hypocrisy.” An official of the African National Congress guerrilla movement con demned Mobutu for agreeing to meet Botha. Foreign Minister Pik Botha and the president said on the (light from Zaire that the increasingly open con tacts between Soulh Africa and its black neighbors discredited the sane ' lions campaign waged against Soulh Africa by Western countries opposed I lo apartheid. Apartheid establishes a racially segregated society in which the 26 million blacks have no vote in na tional affairs. The 5 million whiles control the economy and maintain separate districts, schools and health services. “I have often stated that South Africa has something lo convey to Africa, and especially to southern Africa,” President Botha said. “Now, suddenly, it seems they are coming to grips with this truth.” City Press, in an editorial Sunday, asked: “What is the point of achieving peace and stability win neighbors when your own country is engulfed in flames?” Apartheid must be abolished and negotiations held with legitimate black leaders. City Press said. “Until these minimum dcmandsarc met, Mr. Botha can tour the rest of Africa as much as he likes — peace will not come to this country.” Stanley Mabizcla, the ANC’s chief representative in Zimbabwe, said African leaders should shun Botha because he “executes people who are victims of an inhuman sex;i ely, as well as political prisoners." The summit also drew criticism in Zaire, where troops fired warning shots to disperse university students protesting Botha’s visit. But Botha said he planned more trips in Africa soon. He also invited Mobutu to visit South Africa. Last month, Botha traveled to Mozambique and invited its presi dent, Joaquim Chissano, to visit South Africa. Both Chissano and Mobutu accepted the invitations, al though no dates for their visits were set. No black African leader has made a state visit to South Africa since Botha look power in 1978. One of Botha’s chief foreign pol icy goals has been to expand tics with black Africa without having to prom ise concessions to the disenfranchised black majority in his own country. ---, Estonians cheer plans for autonomy, object to Kremlin's “colonialist” policy TALLINN, U.S.S.R. — Mem bers of an Estonian nationalist group accused ?he Kremlin on Sunday of sapping their republic’s resources and demanded that Moscow give them greater control over their land and economy. Thousands of supporters cheered the speakers at the first congress of the fledgling People’s Front. “We have been reduced to the level of slaves in a manor,” farmer Enno Peels told more than 3,000 delegates. Some speakers objected to what they called the Kremlin’s “coloni alist” policy, which they said syphons off Estonia’s agricultural output and manufactured goods. “These people are to blame for our suffering here, the lack of food here,” delegate Albert Danielson told the audience at the Town Hall in Tallinn, the picturesque capital of this republic on the Baltic Sea. The two-day conference opened Saturday with an address by Estonia’s Communist Party chief, Vajno Vyalyas, who greeted the group in the name of Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev. Official sanction for the meet ing was an indication of the chang ing altitudes of authorities, who recently would have thrown in jail anyone espousing nationalist sen timents. The issue of ethnic relations is key for Gorbachev, who is beset by unrest among the Soviet Union’s more than 100 ethnic groups. The stirrings have been particularly troublesome in the Baltic republics of Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia, and in the southern republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan. The Soviet Union took over the Baltic republics under a 1939 agreement with Nazi Germany.