The Michigan Daily - Thursday,_October 27, 1994 - 11 ,Hubble sets sights on astrononical questions NEW YORK (AP) - The Hubble Space Telescope has yielded observa- tions that show it can achieve two of astronomy's biggest goals: establish- ing a cosmic yardstick and determining how fast the universe is expanding, scientists say. The results also renew along-stand- ing paradox in which the universe ap- pears to be younger than some of its stars. That impossibility suggests sci- entists will have to revise their theories of the cosmos. One goal of the Hubble telescope is to make observations that would let scientists accurately measure the dis- tances to faraway objects in the uni- verse. The cosmic map now is like a roadmap without a distance scale; sci- entists know how various distances compare but don't knowjustwhatthose distances are. With an accurate distance scale, scientists could determine how fast the universe is expanding. And that rate could be combined with some scien- tific assumptions to estimate the age of the universe. A team of scientists led by astrono- mer Wendy Freedman of the Carnegie Observatories in Pasadena trained the Hubble telescope on a distant galaxy *called M 100. They hoped the telescope would get sharp images of a particular kind of star used to estimate distance. To their delight, the Hubble suc- ceeded easily, said Barry Madore,a member of Freedman's team. IF I ONLY HAD A BRAIN (AND WENT TO MICHIGAN) U.N. vote condemns U.S. trade embargo of Cuba Los Angeles Times UNITED NATIONS - Abandoned by close allies such as Canada and Denmark, the United States found itself more isolated than ever yester- day as the U.N. General Assembly voted over- whelmingly to condemn the continuing American trade embargo against Cuba. The vote was 101-2 with 48 abstentions, the most lopsided vote against the United States since the General Assembly began voting on the issue two years ago. Only Israel voted with the United States this time. In 1993, the vote against the embargo was 88- 4 with 57 abstentions; in 1992, it was 59-3 with 71 abstentions. Although the resolution calls for an end to the embargo "as soon as possible," General Assem- bly resolutions are not binding on U.N. members, and no one expects the Clinton administration to comply. Victor Marrero, one of the deputy American ambassadors to the United Nations, insisted the embargo was a bilateral matter between the United States and Cuba. "We have made it clear, on many occasions, that reviewing our embargo depends upon whether the Cuban regime moves toward democracy and observes international norms regarding human rights," he said. "The human rights situation in Cuba remains grim. It has not improved." Marrero cited the recent exodus of "boat people" as evidence of the lack of hope in Cuba, and he denied the embargo is the cause of Cuba's economic troubles. He said the real economic problem of Cuba "lies with the failed economic policies of the regime." The American diplomat contended a vote in favor of the resolution was an endorsement of Cuban repression. But this argument was clearly rejected by the vast majority of members. The most astounding shift in voting came from American allies who abstained under U.S. pres- sure last year but decided to vote for the Cuban resolution this year. Those included Canada, Denmark, Panama, Luxembourg and Thailand. Russia, which had abstained last year, changed its vote to "yes" this time, accompanied by Ukraine and Belarus. Other countries that shifted from an abstention to a vote in favor of the resolution included Antigua, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Finland, Malawi, Niger, Rwanda, Samoa and Sri Lanka. Court stops U S. from E'':: Y ;. . <. 1: sending Cuban refugees back The Washington Post A federal judge in Miami cut short an effort yesterday by the United States to return Cuban refugees to their communist- ruled country from the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay. The decision forced U.S. officials to cancel a flight of 23 refugees just a minute before it was to take off for Havana from Guantanamo, which is located in eastern Cuba. An official from the Immigration and Naturalization Service used a pay phone to halt the takeoff right after U.S. District Judge C. Clyde Atkins issued his order to stop the flights, Associated Press reported from Miami. Another hearing on the issue is scheduled today. Cuban American lawyers sued Mon- day to force the U.S. government to free more than 30,000 Cuban boat people being held indefinitely at Guantanamo and in Panama. President Clinton barred them . from the United States, saying the only way they can win entry is to return home and apply through newly created U.S. immi- gration procedures. The United States has guaranteed Cuba that it will grant entry visas to at least, 20,000 Cuban citizens annually. The,- stranded boat people are being urged to return to Cuba and use the new channel tor get into the United States. The United States promised to provide the visas in return for a pledge from Cubana'd President Fidel Castro to stop Cuban boat people from taking to the sea, using force if necessary. Human rights groups criticized the deal with Castro on the grounds that it encourages Cuban authorities to restrict the freedom to travel. A scarecrow peers over a field on the outskirts of Ann Arbor. ' '. i l 1 1 Government troops seize strategic plateau SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) a mortar shell. through as much as 40 square miles of Serb- - Government troops captured a strategic Hospital officials said the wounded chil- held territory on the plateau east of the gov- plateau yesterday as their Serb foes fled, aban- dren had been sitting outside a high-rise apart- ernment-held town of Bihac. doning weapons and equipment, U.N. peace- ment building. A 14-year-old girl was under- "The Bosnian Serb army crumbled," said keepers reported. going emergency surgery for serious head and a U.N. spokesman, Lt. Col. Tim Spicer, citing Any government cheer at the news was stomach injuries. reports from U.N. observers. "Their com- tempered by injuries to seven people, five of In northwestern Bosnia, Muslim-led gov- mand and control system is gone. They're them children, when a shell exploded in ernment forces followed up the capture of a abandoning a lot of equipment." Sarajevo. Government television said it was Serb barracks late Tuesday by sweeping ..................... . .......................................... ....... . .... .................................... Goble' C rObble9 [I Food Gatherers is the food rescue program serving Washtenaw county since 1988. It distributes roughly a ton of food every day to 70 different community agencies serving people experiencing hunger. Show your support and help make this holiday season a happy one for all! Non-perishable food items are being collected now through November 21, 1994, at the Daily (2nd floor of the Student Publications Bldg., 420 Maynard) from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. For every 5 items brought in, The Michigan Daily Classified Dept. is giving a coupon good for a free 3-line ad. (No limit. All ads must be placed by 11:30 a.m. December 12, 1994.) RUSSIAN ITELEVISION via Associated P-ress A hijacked Russian Yak-40 aircraft sits on the runway at the Makhachkala airport, about 960 miles southeast of Moscow, yesterday. Two hijackers armed with a grenade and a knife seized the Russian passenger jet with 27 people aboard and demanded $2 million in ransom. Grenade-armed hijackers seize Russian passenger jet MOSCOW (AP) -- One of two men who commandeered a Russian passengerjet surrendered yesterday and 24 hostages were freed, but the other hijacker held the crew members even after negotiators handed over $500,000. The Yak-40 jet was parked at the end of a runway in Makhachkala in southernRussia, andcommandos stood by "ready to storm the plane," the lTAR- Tass news agency said. Officials in Moscow said three crew members were still held hostage; the ITAR-Tass and Interfax news agen- cies said just two pilots were being held. Armed with a grenade and a knife, the hijackers seized the plane Tuesday night just afterit left Makhachkala, 960 miles southeast of Moscow. The hijackers ordered the plane to return to Makhachkala, where they demanded $2 million, said Vladimir Tomarovsky of the Federal Counterin- low the plane to land. Azerbaijan re- fused but Georgia agreed, Tomarovsky said. Iran said it would not allow the hijackers to enter the country, Iranian radio reported Wednesday night. Makhachkala is capital of the au- tonomous republic of Dagestan and is located on the shore of the Caspian Sea. Dagestan is close to many Caucasus areas now torn by civil and ethnic conflicts, such as Chechnya, Georgia and Azerbaijan. THURSDAY NO COVER AT RESTAURANT V VSPORTS EAR "I._Also featuring: 2O* a wing $3.25 pitchers Coors Light Scoo Hitchers LongIsland Ice Tea Rollin: Rock Keg Spedci a .: