2 -- The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, October 13, 1998 NATION/WORLD Deal will keep agencic WASHINGTON (AP) - The White House and congressional leaders are near a budget deal, Republicans said yester- day as lawmakers voted to keep the gov- ernment open through tomorrow while the agreement is completed. After more than five hours of negotiating between White House chief of staff Erskine Bowles and GOP leaders, Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott and House Speaker Newt Gingrich said that while differences remain, a deal could be completed by evening. Lott said a package could be on the Senate floor as early as tonight, while Gingrich predicted House action for tomorrow. "The mood is such that everybody would like to reach agreement," Lott told reporters. While the bargaining proceeded, the House and Senate both agreed by voice vote to keep agencies operating through tomorrow night. A prior stopgap mea- sure was expiring last night, and both sides hoped the latest short-term bill - the third - would be the last. President Clinton planned to sign the bill upon his return to the White House from a political fund-raising trip to New York. Twelve days into fiscal 1999, spend- ing bills controlling about $500 billion worth of spending - nearly one-third of the federal budget - were still in play. The Clinton administration has ,s open been demanding about $3 billion more, including $1.1 billion for hir- ing elementary school teachers plus money for dealing with climate change, aid to Russia and other pro- posals. Republicans had been offering near- ly $2.5 billion, but with some different priorities. The GOP proposed $1.1 bil- lion that states could use to hire teach- ers or take any other steps they wanted to reduce class size. The Republicans were offering half the $46 million Clinton wanted for food safety and none of the $100 million he wanted for toxic waste cleanups. Lott said that on the highest-profile issue is Clinton's call for $1.1 billion for hiring 100,000 new teachers - he believed an agreement would be reached for local control on how the money would be spent. But he said differences remained over a number of needles distribution for drug users in the District of Columbia; a Republican push for anti- drug programs, and overseas family planning aid. Lott also said "a couple of words" stand in the agreement on Clinton's call for $18 billion for the International Monetary Fund. The two sides have gen- erally agreed on conditions calling the IMF to make proceedings more open and end its practice of low-market interest rate loans. AROUND THE NATION F- '-Y PACs enjoying fundraising success WASHINGTON - With campaign finance reformers at bay, political action committees are enjoying a banner election cycle, raising $359.4 million from Jan. 1, 1997, through June 30, 1998, according to figures compiled by the Federal Election Commission. The number represents a 10.6-percent increase over the same period in 1995-9 It will likely climb significantly higher when figures for the last quarter, whi* ended Sept. 30, are tabulated later this month. PACs are also spending at a rapid clip, distributing $292.6 million over the 18- month period; S 134.3 million of it went directly to House and Senate candidates. The rest was spent on a variety of activities from voter education drives to candi- date training efforts. As usual, Democrats are getting the bulk of labor money, while Republicans arc exercising their traditional dominance in largess from corporate PACs. One party, however, enjoys a distinct edge: the incumbent party. Current office holders received $113.6 million of the PAC cash, compared with $8 million for challengers and $12.6 million for candidates seeking open House and Senate seats, the FEC reported. PAC activity continues to grow even as the contributions that the groups A legally allowed to make become smaller pieces of candidate spending plans. AP PHOTO louse Majority Whip Tom DeLay (R-Texas) speaks to reporters after negotians on 11999 budget produced limited success. Blood work wins 3 Nobel Prize Tjrain kills six sleeping on tracks NORIAS, Texas - Six men believed to be illegal aliens from Mexico were killed by a freight train early yesterday while sleeping on the tracks, possibly in the mistaken belief that they would be safe from snakes there. "The train crew saw some debris on the tracks," said Letty Garza, a spokesperson for the Border Patrol. "That next split-second, they saw heads raise up and then six people were killed instantly." The accident happened about 60 miles north of the Mexico border. The train was going about 45 mph. Union Pacific spokesperson Mark Davis said the freight railroad is working with the Border Patrol and Mexican authorities to discourage people from sleeping on tracks. Some illegal aliens, as well as tran- sients, sleep on the tracks because they think snakes won't get them there. "Unfortunately, trains will," Davis said. The area, sparsely populated ranchland and desert, is where nine illegal aliens died in searing heat this summer as they made their way from Mexico. Firecrackers cause panic at dome ATLANTA - i ecrackers that sounded like gunshots touched off a stampede among the 40,000 people attending a concert in the Georgia Dome, and about 20 were injured , The crowd Sunday was watching show featuring 16 high school and co - lege marching bands from Georgia and Florida. Someone with firecrackers "dc0idcd to do something knuckle-headed," sai Dome spokesman Larry Stevens. "People mistook it for gunshots and panic ensued." About 200 people began running, Stevens said. The Associated Press Three Americans won the Nobel Prize in medicine yesterday for discov- -ring that the body uses nitric oxide gas to make blood vessels relax and widen - a finding that helped lead to Viagra ind could also pay off in treatments for heart disease. In addition, it has triggered research that could lead to new treatments for cancer and septic shock. The prize, announced in Sweden, went to Robert Furchgott, Louis Ignarro and Ferid Murad. Furchgott is a pharmacologist at the State University of New York Health Science Center at Brooklyn; Ignarro is at the University of California at Los Angeles; and Murad is at the University of Texas Medical School in Houston. They will split the $978,000 prize. Cells in the body make nitric oxide, which, paradoxically, is also an air pol- lutant in auto exhaust. It is different from nitrous oxide, better known as laughing gas. The researchers discov- ered that the body's own nitric oxide acts as a signal, telling blood vessels to dilate. That, in turn, lowers blood pres- sure. The work already has inspired a treatment for dangerously high blood pressure in the lungs of infants. "Now, finally this discovery can be put to use in treatment of numerous pathologies," said Ignarro, who was reached in Naples, Italy. "The future of pharmacology is in the creation of a super aspirin that will be fundamental in the prevention of heart attacks, of cardiovascular disease, of arteriosclero- sis." KOSOVO Continued from Page 1. "We think we've had some move- ment from Belgrade in recent days and hours and we're going to return there to see if we can build on that," Holbrooke said 4s he left for Belgrade. "We're going right now ... directly to the air- port. Russian news agencies quoted Russian Defense Minister Igor Sergeyev as saying that Milosevic offered to allow 1,500 observers into Kosovo, and that Russia, a traditional friend and ally of Yugoslavia, intended to participate. Diplomatic sources in Brussels said Milosevic also was reportedly ready to a make "unilateral declaration" about the status of Kosovo. A senior White House official said Holbrooke had achieved some impor- tant progress during his meeting with Milosevic, but that sticking points remained. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the United States still wanted NATO to tighten the squeeze on the Yugoslav leader by for- mally transferring command of the air i x l t a c 1 t f t t i c f r J f ". liV flotilla assembled over the past days to the ranking U.S. general in Europe. Such an "acquisition order," one NATO official explained, would effec- tively allow Wesley Clark, a four-star American general who is supreme allied commander in Europe, to com- mence air raids when and where he chose without needing any further blessing from politicians. After hearing Holbrooke, the ambas- sadors from the NATO member coun- tries took a brief recess, then recon- vened early this morning to approve the acquisition order, which could lead to the first airstrikes in 96 hours, or four days. Sources in NATO said Holbrooke himself asked for the four-day delay, apparently to give himself and Milosevic time to negotiate further - but also to force the pace. To bring Milosevic to heel, the United States has contributed 260 air- craft, two-thirds of the force earmarked for the strikes. A dozen other NATO members have allocated' another 170 aircraft, ranging from around 40 French Jaguars and Mirages to three F-16s from Portugal. East Quad evacuated LEAK Continued from Page 1. room to make sure that no one was there," Assistant Director of Resident Education Jeanine Bessette said. Some student concerns and responses to the leak and its ensuing evacuation were not favorable to the process. "Did they relock all the doors when they were going from room to room?" LSA sophomore Meredith Naidorf asked. Other students said the evacuation consumed valuable time. "It's making me angry. I have a huge paper due tomorrow, and I can't get to my computer," LSA sophomore Rachel Rosenthal said. Although exodus occurred on one side of Willard Street, the other side was unaffected. "I didn't even know what was going on," said Erica Brown, an LSA junior and resident of East University Avenue near Willard Street. Prior to the time that Tyler and Greene houses were reopened, staff members were warned repairs may take some time. "They told us that it could be done within one hour or 12 hours. Some classes were relocated while others were cancelled," said Tom Weisskopf, director of the Residential College. Residents, students and staff returned to Tyler and Greene houses at 11:45 a.m., and it was contained by 1:30 p.m. "This is your garden variety kind of gas leak. It's the kind of leak that is rou- tine," said Paul Ganz, manager of Corporate Relations for Michigan Consolidated Gas Company. "The evacuation was really not necessary because we quickly made the situation safe." The gas did not leak directly into East Quad. "It could have been sucked into the building through an air handling sys- tem," Ganz said. "With highly insulated AROUND THE WORLD Yeltsin ends trip due to health problems ALMATY, Kazakstan - Russian President Boris Yeltsin cut short a trip to Central Asia yesterday due to a res- piratory infection, reviving questions about his health and ability to lead a country faced with economic crisis and NATO threats against its Yugoslav allies. Russia has been leading a campaign to forestall airstrikes in Kosovo. Moscow's NTV station said it was a crucial time for Russia, when "presi- dential decisions" are needed. There was no indication thatYeltsin's illness would sideline him for any length of time, and aides said the pres- ident would maintain his schedule for the rest of the week. But after a series of health problems in recent years, including heart bypass surgery in 1996, every new ailment unleashes a flurry of speculation about the 67-year-old president's ability to function. The president insists he has no major health problems and will serve out the remaining two years of his term, Yeltsin's aides said the president was taking antibiotics to ward off a bout of bronchitis and a mild 99.3-degree fever. There were no plans to hospit& ize Yeltsin, who was expected back iW. Moscow late yesterday night from Almaty, Kazakstan, a day earlier than planned. Indian armyV ans exercises on order NEW DELHI -The Indian arria said yesterday it is planning exerciiW es on the border with Pakistan, a move certain to strain relations only months after the two nations plunged into a still-unresolved nuclear race. A spokesperson said the army would conduct maneuvers with tanks and artillery on the westerp plains of Punjab and Rajasthan - the site of many confrontations between the Indian and Pakistani armies. - Compiledfrom Daily wire repts The Lutz Compan ies THE LUTZ COMPANIES CORDIALLY INVITES 1999 GRADUATES TO ATTEND A COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE EMPLOYMENT SEMINAR AT THE MICHIGAN UNION: TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1998 FROM 7:00 PM TO 8:30 PM IN ROOM 2105-A The Lutz Companies is recruiting innovative individuals who wish to gain experience and employment in the commercial real estate industry. The Lutz Companies is a real estate investment banking and service organization The Michigan Daily (ISSN 0745-967) is published Monday through Friday during the fall and winter terms by students at the University of Michigan. Subscriptions for fail term, starting in september, via U.S. mail are' $85. Winter term (January through April) is $95, yearlong (September through April) is $165. Oncampus sub- scriptions for fall term are $35. Subscriptions must be prepaid. The Michigan Daily is a member of the Associated Press and the Associated Collegiate Press. ADDRESS: The Michigan Daily, 420 Maynard St., Ann Arbor, Michigan 48134327. PHONE NUMBERS (All area code 734): News 76-DAILY; Arts 763-0379; Sports 647-3338; Opinion 7640552; . Circulation 764-0558; Classified advertising 764-0557; Display advertising 764-0554; Billing 7640550. E-mail letters to the editor to daily.letters@umich.edu. World Wide Web: http://www.michigandaily.com. EDITORIAL STAFF Laurie Mayk, Editor in Chief NEWS Janet Adamy, Managing Ei EDITORS: Maria Hackett, Heather Kamins, Jeffrey Kosseff, Chris Metinko. STAFF: Melissa Andrzejak, Paul Berg, Adam Cohen, Gerard Cohen-Vngnaud, Nikita EasIey, Michael Grass, Katherine Herbuck, Erin Holmeft Josh Kroot, Kelly O'Connor, Katie Plona, Susan T. Port, Nika Schulte, Mike Spahn, Jason Stoffer, Jamie Winkler, Jennifer Yachnin, Adam Z uwerink. CALENDAR: Katie Plona. EDITORIAL. Jack Schilaci, Edita ASSOCIATE EDITORS: Sarah Lockyer, David Wallace STAFF: Emily Achenbaum, Jeff Eldridge. Jason Fink, Lea Frost, Kaamran Hafeez, Eric Hochstadt, Scott Hunter, Thomas Kultjurgis, Sarhh Lemire, James Miller, Abby Moses, Peter Romer-Friedman, Kiily Scheer, Megan Schimpf, John Targowski. SPORTS JIM Rose, Managing Ed i' r EDITORS: Josh Kleinbaum, Sharat Raju, Pranay Reddy, Mark Snyder. STAFF: T.J. Berka, Josh, Sorkin, Evan Braunstein, Dave DenHerder, Chris Duprey, Jordan Field. Mark Francescutti, Rick Freeman, Rick Harpster, Vaughn R. Kug, Andy Latack, Stephanie Often, Kevin Rosenfield, Tracy Sandier Nita Srivastava, uma.Subramanian, Jacob Wheeler. ARTS Knistin Lonb, Christopher fmczyl Editors WEEKEND, ETC. EDITORS: Jessica Eaton, Will Weissert SUBEDITORS: Brian Cohen (Music), Michael Galloway (TV/Newmedia), Anna Kovalszki (Fine/Peforming Arts), Joshua Pederson (Film), Corinne Schneider (Books) STAFF: Joanne Alnajiar, Matthew Barrett, Chris Cousino, Jeff Druchniak, Gabe Fajuri, Laura Flyer, Geordy Gantsoudes, Steve Gertz. Jewel Gopwani, Cait Hall, Gina Hamadey, Sara Heilman, Elizabeth Holdern, Bryan Lark, Jie Lin, James Miller, Rob Mitchum, Kern Murphy, Joshua Pederson, Erin Podolsky, Aaron Rich, Adlin Rosli, Deveron Q. Sanders, Ed Sholinsky, Gabriel Smith, Ted Watts, Curtis Zimmerman. PHOTO Margaret Myers, Wanton Zin, Editor Arts Editor:Adrana -ugovich STAFF: Louis Brown, Allison Canter, Darby Friedlis, Jessica Johnson, Dana Linnane, And, Maio, Rory Michaels, Kelly MCKinnell, David Rochknd, Nathan Ruffer, Sara Schenk. ON,NE Satad,,Pra,.akEd.r STAFF: Mark Francescutti. GRAPHICS STAFF: AlexHogg, Vicky Lasky, Michelle McCombs, Jordan Young. BUSINESS STAFF Adam Smith, Business Manager DISPLAY SALES Nathan Rozof, Manager ASSOCIATE MANAGER: Lindsay Bleier. STAFF: Nate Heisler, Ryan Hopker, Craig Isakow, Melissa Kane, Sonya Kleerekooer, Meredith Luck, Sunitha Mani, Jennie Mudrey, Angie Nelson, Kanako On, Divya Ramakrishnan, Susan Rosenberg, Deborah Skolnili. Michael Solomon, Dawn Spechier. Megan Spillane, Nandita Subbhedar.