CORY RROW HOUSTON • AUSTIN • COLLEGE STATION • DALLAS LIVE 1 s 1 I SPECIAL GUEST RECORDING OWEN TEMPLE THIS THURS. WE PLAY TEXAS! l»lA3S video s«o»t Hey Agsl... Represent Aggie land on one of { ^ckson 1 Product ion s Texas 'favorite musicians ’ CDs - Whoop! Supporting Texas’ Finest Music WORLD Page 14 THK BATTALION Chechens maintain resistance in Grozny ALKHAN-YURT, Russia (AP) - About 2,000 Chechen fighters broke through the Russian blockade of Grozny and tried to head south to join up with fel low rebels Tuesday, battling federal forces attempting to prevent their escape with tanks and artillery. Other rebels stayed in the battered Chechen capital to keep up the fierce re- sistance they have mounted to months of air and artillery attacks and a five-week Russian push to take the city center. At least two prominent rebel com manders remained in Grozny with their forces, rebels said. It was unclear how many rebels re mained under their command; Russian reports estimated there were about 3,000 fighters in the capital hist week. A large group of rebels got caught in a minefield on the outskirts of Grozny on Monday, and several prominenfChechen commanders were killed or badly wounded, witnesses said. Russian ar tillery then opened fire on the field, killing and wounding scores more fight ers, they said. Notorious Chechen field commander Shamil Basayev reportedly had his leg tom off*when his car w as blown up by a mine as he escaped Grozny; he w as spir ited away, rebels said, and his w here abouts was unknown. Among the Cheehen commanders re portedly killed w ere Aslanbek Ismailov, who had headed Grozny's defenses, Khunkar-Pasha Israpilov, and Grozny Mayor Lecha Dudayev. Russian commanders denied that the rebels escaped; a main goal of the Russ ian offensive had been to wipe out the fighters in Grozny. The rebels who left Grozny are ex pected to join thousands of comrades in the south to go on fighting. Russian Defense Minister Igor Sergeyev insisted Tuesday that federal forces were successfully blocking rebels trying to flee Grozny. “Nobody will ever allow the rebels to leave the city other than under a white Hag and after laying down their weapons," he said. The rebels did not announce that they had given up the fight for the cap ital. Their strategy in Grozny was to in flict as many losses as possible on the Russians while avoiding heavy casual- Pt3UOp&vtO visk Staraya Sunzha * Comrnumiy O Grozny 7 . Alkhan- Kala RUSSIA CHECHNYA lngu»hatta Grozny Argun • v»ck>no al tics that would harm their ability to continue the war. In the last Chechen war. the rebels lost Grozny in 1995. but kept fighting until they retook the city in 1996. Yeltsin celebrates 69th birthday MOSCOW (AP) — A month after shocking Russia by abruptly resigning, former President Boris Yeltsin cele brated his 69th birthday Tuesday amid reports that he i s happier and healthier than dur ing his final years in office. Spending the day quietly with family, Yeltsin received a morning visit from acting President Vladimir Putin, offering birthday congratulations. Yeltsin still lives News in Brief in the government home near Moscow. Yeltsin's wife. Naina, treated guests and her family to Siberian dumplings and pancakes. While Yeltsin issued no com ment Tuesday, his wife said he is making plans, including foreign trips and working on a book, and that he has not been traumatized by retirement. Ambassador calls for talks with Chi- BEIJING (AP) — The new U.S. ambassador to China said Tues day that the United States wants to open wide-ranging talks with the Chinese government on hu man rights issues. Joseph Prueher. speaking to U.S. business executives in Bei jing, said Washington welcomed the release last week of Song Yongyi, a librarian at Dickinson Col lege in Pennsylvania who had been detained in China since August. But Prueher said a meaningful dialogue on human rights would have to go further. “I think it's important that hu man rights discussions with Chi na not be a series of spikes, of in dividuals. but rather a broader dialogue where we get more philo sophically in tune." he said to the American Chamber of Commerce China. "A secure, stable and prosper ous China is what's in the inter ests of the United States," Prue her said. WaJiwsdaiJ Austrii accord reachei B VII NN A, Austria (A? I luidcr and his consent at mg partners annoua.;, fuesday that — if appro ., tria's president — not. rightist party a share tor; country. The prospect of sue, ment has led the 14cor sh.irc membershipmtK I n ton w ith Austria k sanctions. The United States jk lions have said the) wr relations with Austria!i party joins in power-ser The vehement opp based on Haider’s PIS', praising Nazi polidOMO; | party’s anti-foi critical \ icw of I arlicr Tucsday gium. the Euro the LI "s executive would continue to lair, relationship withthesr ment as long as it it I l s treaty. Defense Minister te labend, a People’s Pr said foreigners hadaeg Austrians how tonal: ment and the tounttyjfe way bend to pressurefe The EU action wisia small alpine country^' people, which is onhs mg from the diplontf brought about when * Secretarx-General Kip was elected prcsidem try ing to conceal his re* ligcncc officer in the A Mali ing < Austria has been v government since me: liamcntary elections(T Haider's party into g ahead pf the People’s Ps Un Wt We want ALL seniors to be part of the 2000 Aggieland yearbook. Unfortunately, only 1,585 of you have had your picture taken and we're running out of time. We're giving you three extra days to claim your place in your senior yearbook — so have your picture taken next Monday-Wednesday (Feb. 7-9, 2000.) THERE WILL BE NO OTHER EXTENSIONS. Visit AR Photography at 1410 Texas Ave. Open M-F 9-12; 1:30-4. No appointment needed. / ' Feb. 9, 2000 is the ABSOLUTELY LAST DAYto HAVE YOUR PICTURE TAKEN FOR THE 2000 AGGIELAND YEARBOOK The mo college aa the inailbo: I The nur applying o versifies tli since last y of Student University Texas-Ausi said. Stones 42,600 or applicatior have been Ijxered year, c pared to 17,000 at t I He saic line get th weeks earl ply on pap The Tex a common ing student tent methoi to public t|exas. This application I Stones s online appl Forum of dec The Just sent “Beyor public forur the death p pose of the tivists and u ty movemer a panel of: tions advoc; ital punishn One spe; der Victims tion, is the I a Faye Tuck n early 19t -ame frienc and was pn Jon on her I The torn ‘a.m. at Ft Jhurch in 'option wil "A discussi t 1