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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.