-NATION/WORLD I STARTS FRIDAY, JANUARY 31ST AT THEATRES EVERYWHERE! Bush fails to garner support from U.N. UNITED NATIONS (AP) - Key members on the U.N. Security Council said yesterday that the United States had so far failed to convince them that time had run out for a peaceful resolu- tion to the crisis with Iraq. At a crucial council meeting a day after President Bush's State of the Union speech, 11 of the 15 members supported giving more time to weapons inspectors to pursue Iraq's peaceful disarmament - France, Rus- sia and China who all have veto power as well as Germany, Mexico, Chile, Guinea, Cameroon, Syria, Angola and Pakistan, council diplomats told The Associated Press. Only Bulgaria and Spain backed the United States and Britain in focusing on Iraq's failures rather than continued inspections. In Washington, White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said diplo- macy was in its "final phase," and Secretary of State Colin Powell said the United States would try to help find a haven for Saddam Hussein, his family and close aides if he would agree to go into exile. "That would be one way to try to avoid war," Powell, who will address the Security Council next Wednesday, said at a news conference. However, State Department officials said an exile scenario was not under serious consideration. At the daylong Security Council meeting, which was held behind closed doors, Britain remained squarely in Washington's camp. "There are members of the council who are asking for time, but it isn't a matter of time. It's a matter of whether Iraq realizes that the game is up, or whether it is trying to keep the inspectors at bay," British Ambas- sador Jeremy Greenstock said during a break in the meeting. U.S. diplomats had hoped yester- day's council meeting would signal increased international support for military action in Iraq. But neither the largely negative reports from weapons inspectors this week nor Bush's address altrpd the psitions of so*, of America's key allies, including France. "The majority of the council thinks we should continue inspections," said lrencli mbassador Jean-I'4arc deta Sabliere. "This is what they think today, and I think it is important to say so." Still, U.S. Ambassador John Negro- ponte warned that the "diplomatic window is closing," for the council and ''the time for decision-making is fast approaching." He said the United States would conduct intense negotiations, both at the United Nations and between capi- tals, ahead of the special Feb. 5 council meeting where Powell is expected to present evidence of Iraq's secret weapons programs and links to terror- ist groups. N. Korea reacts to 'serpent' strategy SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - North Korea accused the United States yesterday of adopting a "ser- pent" strategy to strangle the com- munist country after President Bush warned it would suffer isolation and economic hardship unless it aban- dons its nuclear ambitions. Meanwhile, a South Korean presi- dential envoy returned from Pyongyang and said North Korean negotiators reaffirmed the dispute over their country's nuclear activity can only be solved through direct dialogue with the United States. The envoy, Lim Dong-won, returned to Seoul after waiting in vain to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Il. Lim ruled out any quick solution to the nuclear dispute, saying it will be "a very long and gradual process." In Washington, Bush said in his State of the Union speech, heard in Asia early yesterday that the United. States and other countries would not be "blackmailed" into granting conces- sions to North Korea by its nuclear weapons development. North Korea did not respond NEWS IN BRIEF i Sharon refuses peace talks with Arafat A day after his election victory, Ariel Sharon yesterday rebuffed an offer by Yasser Arafat to resume peace talks - an indication the Israeli prime minister will stick to his tough policies in his second term. In Tuesday's yote, Sharon won a ringing endorsement for his military crack- down on the Palestinians, and his right-wing supporters want to see him take an even tougher line. However, an Israeli government dominated by hawks could lead to, friction with the United States. The composition of Sharon's coalition will shape the next round of the Mideast confrontation. If he builds a right-wing coalition with his natural allies, he'll find himself sur- rounded by Cabinet ministers advocating explosive measures such as sending Arafat into exile. If he persuades moderate and centrist parties to join him, the debate could shift to a US.-backed peace proposal that calls on Israel to make such concessions as freezing the growth of Jewish settlements in the West Bank and Gaza and agree- ing to an eventual Palestinian state in those areas. Commenting for the first time on the Israeli vote, Arafat said yesterday that he was ready to resume peace talks. WASHINGTON Budget office predicts $199 billion deficit This year's federal deficit will soar to $199 billion even without President Bush's new tax cut plan or war against Iraq, the Congressional Budget Office said yester- day in a report that cast doubt on chances for balancing the budget anytime soon. The nonpartisan budget office projected that without action on any tax or spending initiatives - which no one considers realistic - small annual surpluses would not return until 2007, a year later than the office predicted in August. In perhaps the starkest depiction of how rapidly the government's long-range outlook has eroded, the budget office said yesterday that it envisioned a cumula- tive $20 billion surplus over the decade that began last year. In May 2001, the office projected an unprecedented $5.6 trillion surplus for that same period. The bleak forecast further inflamed this year's budget fight between Bush and congressional Democrats, who accuse each other of speeding the downward spiral of the government's books. Bush wants more tax cuts and spending restraint, while Democrats prefer high- er spending and smaller tax reductions. KINSTON, N.C. 2 killed, 37 injured in plant explosion An explosion followed by a raging fire demolished a plastics factory yes- terday, killing at least two people and injuring at least 27. As many as six oth- ers were feared trapped in the burning ruins, which sent black, acrid smoke billowing over the countryside. Six hours after the thunderous blast, Gov. Mike Easley said two deaths had been confirmed and six people were still missing. Earlier, a hospital spokes- woman had said as many as eight were feared dead. The cause of the blast at the West Pharmaceutical plant was not immedi- ately known. ~< The factory, which made syringe plungers and IV supplies, had been cited for numerous safety violations last fall. Sampson Heath said the explosion on' the other side of the factory sent a plume of fire toward his work station and knocked him off his feet. commercial capital of Abidjan, demand- ing that Washington press President Lau- rent Gbagbo to back out of the deal. The accord, brokered by France dur- ing two weeks of talks that ended Fri- day, seeks to end four months of fighting that.saw rebels seize the north- ern half of the nation, the world's lead- ing cocoa producer and a vital economic hub in West Africa. Ivory Coast's security forces are unhappy with unconfirmed provisions that would give the rebels control of the military and paramilitary police. PHILADELPHIA Schools hire parents to fight truancy Jennifer Jones doesn'ttake;-any guff. Not from her own kids, not from the ones in the neighborhood, and especially not from the ones she sees goofing off on the subway or at the 'mall when they should be in school. Jones, 42, is one of 250 truant offi- cers hired by the Philadelphia school district this year to get thousands of - ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast truants back to class. - a rIt is no accident that Jones is Loyalists angered parent of two school-age childre over peace deal The district is specifically recruitin parents. Ivory Coast's army said Tuesday it "Parents know the terrain, kno opposed a new peace deal with rebel the environment, understand the cu forces while ethnic clashes reportedly ture and may even know some of tI killed 10 people, new signs that loyalist individual parents and kids," sai anger over the accord was spinning out Paul Vallas, chief executive of th of the government's control. 200,000-student school system. Thousands of government loyalists surrounded the U.S. Embassy in the - Compiled from Daily wire report The Michigan Daily (ISSN 0745-967) is published Monday through Friday during the fall and winter terms by students at the University of Michigan. One copy is available free of charge to all readers. Additional copies may be picked up at the Daily's office for $2. Subscriptions for fall term, starting in September, via U.S. mail are $105. Winter term (January through April) is $110, yearlong (September through April) is $190. 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