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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (June 9, 1997)
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THE JBR PRINCETON REVIEW 409.696.9099 The Princeton Review is the only MCAT prep endorsed by • I American Medical Student Association email: info.cs@review.com The Princeton Review is not affiliated with AAMC or Princeton University Register now! Call 845-1631 Classes are Filling Fast! CVni‘4 C lasses Woodworking Sec. A: Mon June 9-30 • 6-9pm Sec. B: Mon July 14-Aug 4 • 6-9pm $53/student • $58/nonstudent Decoy Carving Tues June 10-July 1 • 7-9 pm $38/student • $43/nonstudent Stained Glass I Sec. A: Mon June 9-July 7 # .6-9pm Sec. B: Tbes June lOJuly 8 • 6-9pm Sec. 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"Ik "T" The Battalion "X A T" Nation & World Monday ‘June 9,199 Train wreck leaves town ailing SCARY, W.Va. (AP) — People who ran from a fiery crash of a train carrying hazardous chemi cals have returned home and some have com plained of headaches, dizziness and chest pains. Hundreds of people hid in their homes and others ran for safety when the train rear-ended a coal train and burst into flames late Saturday. An engineer on the train carrying chemicals was killed and two workers received minor injuries. Thirteen cars and two engines derailed be cause of either human error or a broken signal, investigators said. The collision created a huge fireball and cloud of chemical smoke, causing some in Vintroux Hollow to flee. “We were just sitting there watching TV and there was a big boom, like thunder,” said 18-year- old Lisa Cash. “We were waiting for a ball of fire to come in and get us,” Beverly Post said. A third train coming from the opposite direc tion on an adjacent track nearly smashed into the derailed cars, stopping 500 feet shy of the wreck. Hundreds were asked to leave their homes be cause the tank that exploded contained roughly 20,000 gallons of acetaldehyde, which is used in the manufacture of acetic acid and perfumes. The chemical can substantially weaken the cen tral nervous system when inhaled, according to reference books. Residents were allowed to return home — or emerge from their houses—by Sunday afternoon. Some residents crawled through thick smoke and under rail cars to escape. People who fled were told to discard their clothes because they might have been contami nated. Some complained of headaches and dizziness more than 12 hours after the wreck. OHIO W. VA. ~ N Charleston..^ V KY V PA. VA TENN. Scary y . Trains collide N.C. 150 miles 150 km S.C. Atlanti Oceanl Irish Prime Minister Bruton loses electioi DUBLIN, Ireland (AP) — Prime Minister John Bruton, who led Ireland through a period of un precedented economic prosperity, conceded narrow defeat Sunday in national elections. His loss means that opposition leader Bertie Ahern, a 45-year-old pop ulist Dubliner who has vowed to bring peace to Northern Ireland, will likely be tapped to head a new |g|| ^ ^ coalition government. The election result is a bit- tersweet end for Bruton, though hardly an unexpected one. Ahern was more success ful at connecting with the vot- Bruton ers and ran a more aggressive campaign. Bruton was the underdog throughout. Though they have different styles, Bruton and Ahern concur on the big issues of the day—cut ting crime, taxes and unemployment — and the country’s course is not expected to change markedly under the new leadership. With all but one seat decided from Friday’s election, Ahern’s Fianna Fail, traditionally the largest party, won at least 77 seats in the 166-seat Dail, the lawmaking chamber of parliament. That gave him four seats more than Bruton’s three-party coalition, which has governed since December 1994. The reversal fit a trend dating to 1969 in Ireland: No administration, regardless of record, has been re-elected. Fianna Fail, however, will not on its own be able to reach the 84-seat plateau needed to govern. It will require support from its cam paign partners, the small Progressive Democ rats, who fared badly with just four seats, and a few loose-cannon independents with Fianna Fail sympathies. Bruton’s conservative Fine Gael party wi more than 50 seats, but support for his prind] ally, the Labor Party, collapsed. He wished Ahei “the best of luck.” “It looks as if the Fianna Fail-Progressive mocrat combination has a better chance ofgi ting the majority when the Dail meets,” Bruti said on national radio. Even when Bruton became prime minister 1994, he was considered an improbable choii given that his party had fared worse than e: pected in 1992 elections. He found himself into the job when a Fianna Fail-Labor coalitii collapsed in acrimony His administration wasn’t around long enoug . to get any real credit for the booming economy dubbed the “Celtic Tiger,” which in the pastyei grew by 5.5 percent—tops in the European Unioi EU finance ministers downplay latest currem LUXEMBOURG (AP) — Euro pean Union finance ministers in sisted Sunday that the EU’s com mon currency will start as scheduled on Jan. 1, 1999, despite fresh doubts about the ability and willingness of France and Germany to stick to the monetary union plan. Election promises by France’s new leftist government and Ger many’s failure to plug a $11.8 bil lion budget shortfall are fueling speculation that the EU will have to postpone the launch of the euro, as the currency is called, or risk having its new currency emerge as a financial weakling. Ministers arriving for a specially arranged dinner on the eve of their IVe received not the slightest indi cation that a postponement is being contemplated, absolutely not. ” Ruairi Quinn Irish European Finance Minister regular monthly meeting Monday moved swiftly to dispel those doubts. “The euro will be launched on Jan. 1, 1999 and France and Ger many will be members,” said Lux embourg’s Prime Minister Jean- Claude Juncker, who also serves as finance minister. “I’ve received not the slightest indication that a postponement is being contemplated, absolutely not,” added Ireland’s Ruairi Quinn. The ministers were looking to their new French colleague Do minique Strauss-Kahn to use his Eij ropean debut to confirm Paris’com-: : mitment to the single currency. 3 Strauss-Kahn declined to answer journalists questions. His Socialist-led governme says it still wants the euro to sti on time. But it won elections lai week on pledges not to impose uni popular tax hikes and spending cuts considered essential for France to cut its budget deficit to levels required for entry into the EU currency bloc. L Instead, Socialist Prime Minis- ; ter Lionel Jospin has called for a “flexible” interpretation oftheerk. teria for joining European Mone ; tary Union. Private militia makes advances in Congo capital; foreigners flee chaos as anarchy overcomes city BRAZZAVILLE, Republic of Congo (AP) — For eigners fleeing fighting in the Republic of the Congo said Sunday that a private militia had gained the up per hand after four days of street clashes with gov ernment forces. What began Thursday as an attempt by govern ment forces to disarm members of a 5,000-strong pri vate militia has evolved into anarchy and a full-scale battle for control of the capital, Brazzaville, the wit nesses said. Fighting and looting raged Sunday, as the militia loy al to former leader Gen. Denis Sassou-Nguesso seized radio and television stations in the capital and ex panded their control to the city center from their strongholds in the northern districts of the capital. At least one French soldier and two government sol diers have died in the violence. The clashes also forced the U.S. Embassy early Sun day to suspend attempts to rescue American citizens. In Washington, the State Department on Sunday or dered the departure from Brazzaville of all non-essential embassy employees and dependents of U.S. Embassy personnel, adding that it “strongly urges” all U.S. citizens in the Congo to depart. Americans who took the five-minute shuttle to nearby Kinshasa aboard private planes hired by the U.S. Embassy described artillery exchanges in the streets of Brazzaville and its residents cowering in their homes. Jennifer Rikert, a Peace Corps volunteer, re mained holed up in her bedroom above an elec tronics shop in the suburb of Poto-Poto after fight ing broke out Thursday. From her window, she said she watched tanks roll by and saw an unarmed man shot dead in cross-fire. At one point, fearing that soldiers would find her, she hid in a closet in her bathroom. “The combination of not eating, not sleeping and being the scaredest I’ve ever been in my life means I’m very glad to be out,” said Rikert, 24. Since Friday, soldiers loyal to President Pascal Lis- soubax have been arming citizens and looting homes, witnesses said. Joseph Harvey, an American missionary, watched from a window as a stream of people ran past his home with television sets, furniture, “even kitchen sinks” bal anced on their heads. “It seemed everybody had a gun.” Harvey said. TTAG Continued from Page 1 Obenhaus said students spoke at finance committee hearings and with individual|ed senators. “ Wlien they (legislators) get to see the students’ faces and see ,-4 they are affected,” she said, “it makes a big difference.” Reed said A&M students had more of a presence in Austin this year than in previous years which helped the process of getting more funding move more quickly. “The legislature could actual ly put a face with the program,’ Reed said. There currently are 13 A&M students on the tuition-assis tance grant program. Although more students will benefit from the program, it is not known how many eligible students will attend A&M. WHAT’S IT LIKE AT THE PLASMA CENTER? To the staff of the Plasma Center, I would like to start by saying thank you to each and every employee for making the past three years enjoyable in a professional, efficient and courteous environment. As a donor since 1993, I have been more than satis fied with every aspect of your operation, which allows myself and others to contribute what we can to community service, all the while being serviced by diligent, but relaxed, workers. Everyone at the Plasma Center, from those behind the front counter to the phlebotomists to the supervisors, have made great efforts to insure that each donor feels hygienically safe, as well as keeping the atmosphere light. Like most, I started coming to the Plasma Center for monetary reasons, but I soon developed acquaintances that appealed to me almost as much as the original need for money, enabling me to look forward to each donation, not only for my wallet’s sake but also to see my friends. Like I commented to some one recently, talking to people at the Plasma Center was like getting mail from a far-off friend that you don’t get to do much with, but who you can talk to as often as you write. Lor those acquaintances and for your • continual services. I would like to thank all of those I’ve come to know and appreciate over the past three years - Emily, and Tracy, Heath, and Marty, Ada and Josie, etc... more I can’t remember or those who have gone on to better things. So, as I graduate from this great University, I bid you all a fond farewell and strong commendations on such a successful blend of quality medical practice and friendly service. Thank you all and have a great sum mer. Thanks, C.L BiologicalS THE PLASMA CENTER 700 E. University Dr. 268-6050 4223 Wellborn Rd. 846-8855 Police investigate death of cow forced to drink whiskey MADRID (AP) — A cow died ter it was forced drink four bottles! ^ whiskey at a village festival, prompt ing a police investigation and threatened lawsuit by animal rigto activists, newspapers reported. Police are questioning a group men witnesses say physically strained the cow and forced alcohltfg down its throat in the village 125 milt northwest of Madrid, El Pais reports Villardefrados Mayor Mate Perez said the men didn’t intend t< cause the cow’s death, and tW when they saw it was in pain the tried to revive it with penicillin, P New York Times reported. Animal rights activists an nounced plans to file a lawsid against those responsible under Spanish law protecting animals. Critics complain that some Sp ish village festivals are brutal to £ mals, such as town where geese hung upside-down so passing horse back riders can tear their heads off 1 ! another event where a live goat thrown from a church bell tower.