MonitoRadio Early Program; [1990-08-15]

From Boston, this is Monitor Radio's early edition, a broadcast service of the Christian Science Monitor on American Public Radio. Good morning, I'm Mike Cahill filling in for Pat Baudner. In the news this Thursday, August 16th, King Hussein meets with President Bush today in Maine in an effort to mediate the Gulf crisis, while the Pentagon sends stealth fighters to the Gulf and considers calling up the reserves. Plus, a look at recycling, what works and what doesn't, and update on the nation's green movement. We'll have those stories and more coming up. Good morning, I'm Ned Colt. The Middle East leader viewed by many as a potential mediator in the continuing crisis in the Gulf meets with President George Bush today. King Hussein of Jordan will

fly to the President's summer retreat in Kennybunk port Maine later this morning. Hussein considered to be a close friend of the President's is likely to seek a compromise in an effort to lessen the tension in the Middle East, growing out of Iraq's occupation of oil rich Kuwait. Last night, Iraq's foreign minister told ABC News that Baghdad is ready to start direct talks with the United States, but yesterday in Washington, the President appeared to be in no mood for a compromise. It is Saddam Hussein who lied to his Arab neighbors. It is Saddam who invaded an Arab state, and it is he who now threatens the Arab nation. And we, by contrast, seek to assist our Arab friends in their hour of need. There are conflicting reports this morning as to whether King Hussein is carrying a message from Iraq's President. President Bush is expected to press Hussein to sign up for the International Sanctions Campaign against Iraq. Jordan has so far refused to block Iraqi trucks and ships. As American forces continue to

pour into Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf, President Bush is expected today to send a message to the naval fleet instructing commanders to use the minimum force necessary to stop ships carrying cargo to and from Iraq. Under the directive, ships would be asked to stop before the Navy would take more aggressive steps. Mr. Bush is also reportedly calling up America's thinking of calling up America's reserves to assist in the deployment of troops in the Middle East. If the President orders that call up, it would be the first time in more than 20 years that reservists have been activated. Two Europeans have been charged in the U .S. with trying to purchase missiles and other arms for sale to countries in the Middle East, including Iraq. Two men, one from Germany, the other from Spain, were indicted yesterday in Orlando, Florida, on charges of conspiring to export arms to Iraq, Iran, Libya, and other countries in the Middle East. U .S. Customs Commissioner Carol Hallett says the pair's interest in purchasing weapons appeared to be heightened by the growing tension in the Middle East. Several weeks had passed since our last contact with these individuals. This is also identified in the

indictment when we contacted them last week and said that we wanted to discuss with them the final shipment. They came immediately to Orlando, Florida to work out the details. The two were arrested Monday after meeting with undercover agents in alleged attempt purchase of tow anti -tank missiles. The commissioner says the pair had attempted as well to purchase artillery shells capable of releasing toxic gas. The government of the Philippines plans to auction off a major collection of old master paintings to help its people, especially victims of last month's earthquake. Christie's gallery in New York is not saying if the collection belonged to the late Ferdinand Marcos and his wife, but World Art sources say many of the works were purchased when Marcos was president of the Philippines. This is news from the Christian science monitor. It's four minutes past the hour. Fighting between black factions in South Africa has spread to the country's largest township Soweto, where two deaths have been reported today. Clashes in townships east of Johannesburg this week have so far left

over 143 people dead. From Johannesburg, Paddy Clay reports. The mob in Soweto are armed with machete, spears and guns. Once again, the fighting involves migrant workers from the hostels in the poorest areas. Police are trying to keep the warring factions apart and have been using tear gas to break up the fighting. In the townships to the east, where battles have been raging for the past three days, ANC supporting residents are enforcing a stay away strike. They're also planning a march to protest police tactics. Both sides are accusing the police of being part of them. The ANC says the conflict is not an ethnic one. It's an attempt by Tsinkata opponents to take over the townships outside Natal province. But the people caught up in the violence say it's a war between Zulu and Causes. For the Christian science monitor, this is Paddy Clay in Johannesburg. Radical students attack a US Army building in Korea today throwing fire bombs and shouting at American slogans. Some 60 leftist students clashed with police as they attacked an Army Corps of Engineers building in downtown Seoul. The students called for

withdrawal of US troops from the country and the unification of North and South Korea. On Wednesday, some 10 ,000 protesters battled with police when they were halted from attending a pro -unification rally at the border. A two -day strike and anti -government violence that left at least 11 people dead in the Dominican Republic has cast a shadow over today's scheduled inauguration of President Joaquin Balaguer. An austerity program announced last week by the 83 -year -old president prompted violent protests. Including strikes and rioting on Monday and Tuesday. Balaguer's election last May to a sixth term was marred by allegations of fraud. It's six minutes past the hour. This is monitor radio in Boston. A respected newspaper in Beirut Lebanon reports today that all 14 western hostages held in Lebanon will be freed by years end. That number includes six Americans. The newspaper, Assafeer, quotes diplomatic sources, is saying there have been secret contacts involving Iran and other countries. East Germany's fragile coalition government is facing another crisis. His conservative prime minister, Lothar

Demazier, fired two ministers and accepted resignations from two more. Michael Colenbach has the story from Berlin. Even though there are only a few short months before German unification takes place, the East German prime minister, Lothar Demazier, still wants to show that he's in charge. In an unexpected move on Wednesday night, he sacked his finance and agriculture ministers. After much criticism of their performance, the sacking of the agriculture minister, Peter Pollock, comes after East German farm workers protested for two days, calling for government intervention to protect their jobs. At the same time, Mr. Demazier has accepted the resignation of the economics and justice ministers. But the prime minister says he doesn't want to waste money and has no plans to replace any of the fall. For the Christian times monitor, I'm Michael Colenbach in Berlin. Firefighters are reportedly making progress this morning in controlling wildfire, still burning in the western United States. At California's Yosemite National Park, three large fires are expected to be contained by tomorrow. The park was closed to visitors a week ago because of the fire danger, more than 20

,000 acres have already burned. National Park spokesman Bob Klopein says the park will probably reopen in phases. In certain areas, there's still a danger from rock slides and falling trees. A lot of trees, tree roots that were holding up rocks before have been burned out. The biggest danger we have right now would be trees that may fall along roadways. And we want to be sure to get our falling crews out there to cut those trees down so that they don't represent a threat or anything to the public. While firefighters appear to be gaining control of many of the fires now burning in the west, there is fear that forecasts of lightning east of the Cascades could start more blazes. Forest and range fires are still burning in eight western states. In business news, prices on the Tokyo Stock Exchange closed lower Thursday. The Nikkei average was down 562 .68 points from the previous session, closing at 27 ,549 .44. And the dollar closed

higher at 147 .90 yen on the Tokyo Foreign Exchange Market today, a .05 yen from Wednesday's finish of 147 .85 yen. The price of gold opened in London Thursday at $402 .25 an ounce. That's a gain of $1 from Wednesday's close. In sports, baseball results from the American League, Oakland beat Boston in 10 innings, Cleveland edged Minnesota by one. It was Milwaukee over Detroit, Chicago by one over Toronto. Texas slipped by Kansas by one as well and California top New York. In the National League, Terry Mulholland of Philadelphia pitched baseball's record setting eighth no hitter of the season last night as the Philly shut out San Francisco six to nothing. In other games, Cincinnati beat St. Louis, Houston top Chicago in a game that went to 10 innings, Los Angeles edged New York, Atlanta beat Pittsburgh, and Montreal beat San Diego in a game that went to 17 long innings. For Marta Radio, I'm Ned Colt.

This is Early Edition, I'm Mike Cahill. The Pentagon announced last night the Air Force will send highly sophisticated stealth fighters to the Middle East as part of a major buildup of U .S. forces in the Persian Gulf crisis. The brief announcement did not say how many of the $106 million dollar radar avoiding aircraft would be sent to the region or where they would be based. This is probably not the type of news that Jordan's King Hussein wants to hear as he tries to mediate the Gulf dispute. The King will meet with President Bush and Kenna Bunkport main today. Reportedly, King Hussein is carrying a message from Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. It's the latest step in what has become an Iraqi

diplomatic initiative toward its enemies. Yesterday, Iraq extended and all the branch to Iran, but as corresponded Michael Richards reports from Washington, Saddam's initiative, at least as far as the U .S. is concerned, may well yield few results at this point. President Bush says he doesn't know what's in the message from Iraq that King Hussein is bringing with him. But CBS reports that its sources in Jordan say that Saddam is offering to convene an international conference to discuss an Iraqi withdrawal from Kuwait. There's plenty actually to talk about him. William Quant of the Brookings Institution served as a national security aid in both the Nixon and Carter White Houses. Let's assume that part of the message that King Hussein is carrying says that there are conditions under which Iraq will withdraw from Kuwait. That's already a significant improvement in the Iraqi position compared to four or five days ago when Iraq was saying that Kuwait had been wiped off the map and would never exist again. But while President Bush says he's eager to hear what message of any King Hussein is carrying, the American side remains skeptical. And it's not clear how long it will take, or if it's even possible to find a common

ground at this point. President Bush previously indicated that he wouldn't mind a bid if Saddam was overthrown. And in a speech yesterday at the Pentagon, the President continued with his tough rhetoric once again comparing Saddam to Hitler. A half a century ago, our nation and the world paid dearly for appeasing and aggressor who should and could have been stopped. And we're not about to make that same mistake twice. So there remains a vast gap. And while any diplomatic opening can be seen as a hopeful sign, many analysts say progress is likely to be slow. That is, if there's any progress at all. And that means President Bush is expected to press King Hussein today to join the international trade embargo against Iraq. Jordan has declared itself an intermediary in the Gulf dispute, and its lucrative trade links with Iraq remain open. So much so, the Jordan is now Iraq's main conduit for food and other supplies. The Jordanian port of Aqaba is Iraq's main

connection now to the sea. During a news conference in Washington two days ago, President Bush said that Jordan risk getting its most important harbor barricaded if Iraqi trade continues to flourish there in violation of the UN -sponsored embargo against Iraq. If it's a hole through which commerce flows and another wide tight net, I would certainly think that Aqaba should be closed to Iraqi commerce. But Iraqi trade accounts for about 40 percent of Jordan's exports, and joining the embargo would undoubtedly harm Jordan's already weak economy. President Bush has acknowledged as much, and two days ago said that the U .S. would be willing to help make up for any lost Iraqi revenues if Jordan would only join the embargo against Iraq. We've always been a friend of Jordan. We've helped them in the past. We've helped them in the future if they fulfill their obligations here. King Hussein has long been one of the most pro -western leaders in the Arab world and might naturally be expected to take the president up on his offer.

But William Quant of the Brookings Institution suggests that the Jordanian monarch has more to be concerned about than money. Iraq's Saddam Hussein has many supporters in Jordan, and Quant says that Jordan's King Hussein has to worry how Saddam might respond. If he could be guaranteed that this would all be over with in a few weeks, and Saddam Hussein would be cut down to size, and the Americans would in the aftermath of this shower him with economic and military assistance, I think you'd find a pretty resolute King Hussein in our corner. But Quant and many other analysts say there's no assurance of anything quick happening to resolve this crisis. In fact, yesterday Saddam made peace overtures to Iran, announcing that Iraq would free Iranian prisoners of war and return the land Iraq captured as a result of the eight -year -long war between the two countries. This could effectively remove one belligerent from Iraq's borders. Depending on what is in the letter King Hussein is carrying, it could become clearer later today what Iraq's strategy is and how much closer or further away a diplomatic solution to the crisis might be. For

the Christian science monitor, this is Michael Richards in Washington. With Saddam Hussein's Iraqi army reportedly a million men strong, the Pentagon is considering activating some of the nearly 1 .2 million men and women in the armed forces reserves and national guard. The president has the authority to call up 200 ,000 reservists for 90 days and can extend that for another 90 days without seeking congressional approval. They are the weekend warriors, but over those weekends they've learned a lot of lessons and they've learned to be quite good warriors. Professor George Friedman teaches political science at Dickinson College in Pennsylvania. He says over the years the Pentagon has built in a very heavy reliance on reserve units. Well, it's going to be necessary. A lot of the logistical functions that the regular army expects to be carried out have been transferred over the past years to the national guard.

The Persian Gulf conflict is a tremendously logistical enterprise and therefore we're going to need large numbers of national guards to carry it out. Reservus usually work one weekend a month and two weeks during the summer, which is why they are often called weekend warriors. Professor Friedman says the Persian Gulf crisis could be a test to see if the reserveus can make the grade. Well, we're going to find out a lot of money has been spent on the guard in the past few years trying to bring them up to grade and a lot of them have been training with regular army units. A lot of people think that national guard units because they train together and work together so much are actually superior to some regular army units. A Pentagon spokesman says if the reserveus are called up, many would stay in the US to handle support functions rather than combat related duties. Already, many have volunteered for active duty, including some of Colonel Joseph Riley's division of the New Hampshire National Guard. We have 40 men and women from the 157th air refueling group New Hampshire and National Guard who have volunteered the four active duty to support the movement of troops to the Persian Gulf. But calling up the reserveus presents some political risks for President

Bush, according to Professor Friedman. Well, it's certainly the facts in the fire. Americans have been thinking about this conflict very much in terms of Panama and Grenada. A short, relatively antiseptic war where the United States emerges with a overwhelming victory. That's not what any conflict in the Persian Gulf is going to look like. It's going to be extremely costly, especially to the American economy because if you pull a lot of these national guard troops and reserve troops out of the economy, we're going to start hurting who are going to have serious labor shortages in key sectors. And so the American public is now going to have to consider the question how much is Kuwait worth. But those questions aren't being asked just yet. And for now, at least, President Bush has garnered widespread popular support for his handling of the situation. The president remains convinced he is doing the right thing. Yesterday, in fact, he upped the ante considerably and remarks before Pentagon workers. He told them the American way of life is at stake in the Gulf and that Operation Desert Shield, as the Pentagon has codenamed the mission, will preserve the ideals that America stands for. General Powell told me today

that it's a great honor during these dangerous times to serve as an American soldier. I know it's a great honor for me to serve as your commander -in -chief. And I thank you and I join people everywhere in praying for you for those in the field and for the United States of America. God bless you all. And thank you for what you're doing for your country. It's 19 minutes past the hour. This is Monitor Radio's early edition, I'm Mike K. Hill. Looking at the national weather, the summer monsoon is in full swing

across the southwest today. Heavy rains that have been occurring for the past couple of days in parts of Arizona and to Mexico will continue through this evening. A very moist air mass, coupled with an upper level low pressure system is spinning northward out of Arizona into Utah. To the north, hot and dry, high pressure dominates the northern Rockies, record heat is spreading into central and eastern Montana in northern Wyoming, but some readings likely over 100 degrees today. Cooler cloudy weather with scattered showers will cover the northwest. Some predicted conditions in highs, Boston sunny in 82, Chicago, partly cloudy in 87, Denver partly cloudy in 83 degrees, Los Angeles hazy in 77, and Seattle mostly cloudy in 74. The Bush administration decision to use force to stop all goods from entering or leaving Iraq has come under fire by many members of the United Nations Security Council. Diplomats complain that the vote at the U .N. to ban trade with Iraq

did not include permission for anyone to enforce that ban. As it stands now, President Bush defends the policy by saying Kuwait's request for help is the only authority he needs. However, behind the scenes, the U .S. policy is becoming increasingly sensitive to international public opinion. The monitors Danny Larica has more on the story from the United Nations in New York. The United States, apparently reacting to criticism of its enforcement of the embargo against Iraq, is suddenly showing interest in flying the United Nations flag to protect warships in the Gulf. The U .S. has previously been cool to the idea of taking military orders from United Nations officers. However, as a sign of sensitivity to international concerns, the U .S. State Department met Tuesday with representatives of China, Great Britain, France, and the Soviet Union to discuss how best to use and protect the global naval power now in the region. The session

was promoted by State Department spokeswoman Margaret Tutwiler as a prime example of post -cold war cooperation. This is a very different world that we're in, starting back with the Soviet Union joint statement in Moscow what eight days ago with the two foreign ministers. Here is a Soviet suggestion and here is a idea that the United States is willing to explore and discuss with with the other permanent five members. The Soviet Union is spearheading the drive to create the joint military command under the United Nations. As a matter of fact, the idea of using the UN for military purposes has been put forward by the Soviets since early 1989. Furthermore, the Soviet Union said last week it would not take part in any international military operation in the Gulf unless it was under UN auspices. Soviet ambassador Valentin Lodzinski said on Wednesday

that his government was optimistic following the meeting in Washington. We think that all options could be discussed here including multinational navies and acting under the auspices of the Security Council. That's our idea. The last time an international military operation flew the UN flag was in 1950 during the Korean War. However, that operation was placed under U .S. command because the Soviet Union and China both walked out of the Security Council meetings. This time around, there is a consensus on the resolutions against Iraq and both the Soviet Union and China supported the UN sanctions imposed last week. According to Ambassador Crispin Tekel of Great Britain, Washington is finally starting to look closely at guidelines created a half century ago for enforcing Security Council decisions. If the United Nations does move forward in that particular way, it will be making a precedent of enormous importance. And I think myself that the United Nations has a great role to play

all the United Nations in a way of deterring aggression and going back to these hideous days of the 1930s, which sort of acts as a specter across the stage at the present time. While the Bush administration has not committed itself to bringing the UN into a military position yet, many diplomats are viewing Tuesday's meeting as a major shift in American thinking. As for the U .S., even symbolic increases in UN participation will give the anti -Iraq operation a more global cast, therefore depriving Saddam Hussein of any opportunity to frame the conflict in Arab versus American terms. For the Christian Science Monitor, I'm Danny Larica at the United Nations in New York. And update on the nation's green movement after these

headlines. Forces in the Persian Gulf. At least four people are dead in South Africa after scores of armed men attacked passengers at a train station in the town of Soweto. Police say today's killings bring the death toll to 147 on the fifth day of fighting between two black factions. Twelve people have been injured this morning in a tanker -barge collision in Venice, Louisiana. Authorities say this ship struck a living quarters barge housing 100 U .S. Army Corps of Engineers employees. I'm Ned Colt. Until recently, every time you bought a big Mac or similar fast food item, you added a few ounces of rubbish to the nation's solid waste crisis. But even the fast food chains have begun to take no to the problem and are now recycling much of their packaging. Professor Michael Baram teaches at the Boston University Center for Law

and Technology. While Baram welcomes these packaging changes, he says the United States still lags behind Europe. In Europe, there is a very strong green movement which is affected consumers seriously. It's spread beyond political rhetoric into consumer purchasing decisions. As a result, many American firms that operate in Europe have taken steps to reduce packaging materials and to produce more efficient and recyclable products for the European market because these are demanded by the European market. According to these officials, the American market is not as vigorous in demanding green products. Professor Baram says consumer awareness and demand for environmentally sound products is what drives corporate decisions. And he advises environmentally concerned consumers to exercise their power of the purse. Consumer demand is probably the major factor at work on corporate thinking these days. Much more than the individual positions taken by environmental groups, much more

so than any new regulation that comes out of Washington, the consumer attitudes, consumer perceptions, consumer demand, irrespective of any scientific proof to support these consumer demands. In many instances, they're merely based on perception or myth and nevertheless do drive corporate behavior. Recycling efforts are taking hold in many communities across the country. A group of small businesses in Minneapolis is hoping its pilot project, known as Uptown Recycles, will take hold in more small businesses nationwide. Professor Baram stresses that it must be cost efficient in order for more companies to participate. But with a tripling of costs to bring refuse to landfills, more businesses are finding that recycling pays off. But Baram also says recycling has to be profitable for more waste management companies to get involved in that end of the business. Recycling takes an economic commitment, the corporations or whoever is going to be the developer of the recycling facility or the recycling process has to make an economic commitment.

Part of that will therefore involve commitments by suppliers of waste products so that there's a sufficient critical mass of waste always moving into the recycling system so that it is operated on an efficient basis and at the other end of the system, they have to be purchasers for the materials which have been recycled. But Professor Baram is optimistic that we will be able to address environmental concerns and that what our small grassroots recycling projects today will become routine habits in the years ahead. How I'm quite optimistic about our ability to solve a lot of the most apparent pollution and packaging problems. I really think that as our waste facilities are closed, as the problem starts to affect individuals, we will work toward solutions. We will reach solutions in time for most of the problems. It's 29 minutes past the hour.

You're listening to Monitor Radio's early edition on American Public Radio. Monitor Radio is produced by the Christian Science Monitor, a global source of news in print, radio and television. Later on early edition, the biggest outbreak of political violence ever in South Africa will find out whether it will endanger the peace process. That story and more still to come on early edition. From Boston, this is Monitor Radio's early edition, a broadcast service of the Christian Science

Monitor on American Public Radio. Good morning. I'm Mike Keehill, filling in for Pat Foughtner. In the news this Thursday, August 16th, the death toll mounts in rioting between rival black groups in South Africa and update on the troubled government of Corazon Aquino, and we'll find out what's driving up already skyrocketing land values in Japan. But first news. I'm Kirk Nielsen. President Bush meets with Jordan's King Hussein in main today to discuss the military confrontation over Iraq's occupation of Kuwait. King Hussein met earlier this week with the Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. President Bush has expected to press King Hussein to join the international embargo against Iraq and cut off Jordan's red seaport of Aqaba to shipments bound for Iraq. U .S. officials are considering setting up a navy barricade off Aqaba if the Jordanian leader fails to act. A senior U .S. administration source said last night that President Bush has authorized American naval commanders to use the minimum force

necessary to introduce shipments to and from Iraq. The source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Bush's message was expected to be sent today to the U .S. Navy Fleet in Middle East waters. Defense Department sources say 22 of the Air Force's most advanced jet, the F -117A stealth fighter, are leaving today for the Persian Gulf. A fourth aircraft carrier, the John F. Kennedy and an 8 -ship battle group left for the area yesterday. About 25 ,000 U .S. troops have now been sent to the region since the Iraqi invasion two weeks ago. Bangladesh said yesterday it plans to send soldiers to join U .S., Egyptian, Syrian, and Moroccan troops already in Saudi Arabia. Fighting between black factions in South Africa has spread to the country's largest township, Soweto, where two deaths have been reported today. Clashes in townships east of Johannesburg this week so far have left over 143 people dead. From Johannesburg, Petty Clay reports. The mobs in Soweto are armed with machete, spears, and guns. Once again, the fighting

involves migrant workers from the hostels in the poorest areas. Police are trying to keep the warring factions apart and have been using tear gas to break up the fighting. In the townships to the east, where battles have been raging for the past three days, ANC supporting residents are enforcing a stay -away strike. They're also planning a march to protest police tactics. Both sides are accusing the police of being part of that. The ANC says the conflict is not an ethnic one. It's an attempt by thinkarter opponents to take over the townships outside Natal province. But the people caught up in the violence say it's a war between Zulus and Causes. For the Christian science monitor, this is Petty Clay in Johannesburg. An American woman and her daughter were shot dead in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, during a gun battle between police and a suspected drug dealer Tuesday night. This is Monitor Radio in Boston. A pro -Syrian newspaper in Beirut, Assafear, is reporting today that all 14 Western hostages held in Lebanon will be freed by the end of the year. The newspaper quotes well -informed diplomatic

sources, as saying secret contacts among Iran and other countries are underway to resolve the hostage situation. The newspaper quotes unnamed sources as saying they expect positive developments related to the hostages in the next few days. Most of the captives, including six Americans, are believed to be held by Shiite Muslim extremists operating under the umbrella of the Iranian backed Hezbollah. In South Korea, about 60 dissident students hurled fire bombs and shouted anti -American slogans at a U .S. Army base in Seoul today. The students opposed the U .S. military presence in South Korea and their demanding unification with North Korea. Violence broke out when police stopped about 10 ,000 students from leaving a university in Seoul and marching to the border. About 350 protesters were arrested and more than 100 injured. There's been a shake -up in the East German government. East German Prime Minister Lotar Demazir yesterday fired two cabinet ministers and two resigned. Michael Colenbach has the story from Berlin. Even though there are only a few short

months before German unification takes place, the East German Prime Minister Lotar Demazir still wants to show that he's in charge. In an unexpected move on Wednesday night, he sacked his finance and agriculture ministers after much criticism of their performance. The sacking of the agriculture minister Peter Pollock comes after East German farm workers protested for two days, calling for government intervention to protect their job. At the same time, Mr. Demazir has accepted the resignation of the economics and justice ministers. But the Prime Minister says he doesn't want to waste money and has no plans to replace any of the fall. For the Christian science monitor, I'm Michael Colenbach in Berlin. A tanker collided early today with an army corps of engineers barged near the mouth of the Mississippi River. The Coast Guard said 12 people were injured and taken to hospitals. About 100 army corps employees were housed on the barge, which has sunk. The tanker has proceeded to a town about 10 miles downstream. Prices on the Tokyo Stock Exchange closed lower today than Nikkei average was down 562

.68 points from the previous session, closing at 27 ,549 .44. That's a look at the news from the Christian Science Monitor. I'm Kirk Nielsen. This is early edition. I'm Mike Hale. A police spokesman in South Africa says the fighting is still intense after four days of battles between rival black groups. So far, more than 140 people have died, and more than 300 have been wounded. The clashes are believed to be the biggest outbreak of political violence ever in South Africa. The crisis follows the signing of a peace deal between the African National Congress and Pretoria, August 7. Rival black groups like the Pan -Africanist Congress have described the ANC deal with the government as a sellout, and say the ANC does not represent all black South Africans. But as the Monitor Simon Marx reports from Johannesburg, some of the violence blamed on black factionalism often stems from even smaller personal squabbles. The fighting is between two

political forces, but his roots on this occasion lie in a feud over a gambling debt. Members of the African National Congress took to the streets of Takosa Township, the east of Johannesburg, brandishing spears and axes, and looking for Zulu's. The Zulu's members of the group in Carter had fired shots at the ANC, and the ANC men wanted revenge. They converged on a dormitory where Zulu workers lived, surrounded it, and attacked. As shots were fired from inside the building, there were more deaths in a struggle for power that has claimed 4 ,000 lives in the last year. The South African police tried to separate the two sides firing tear gas. The wounded were taken to the local hospital, where doctors reported many dead. As the attackers withdrew, they sang songs in support of them,

Comtow or Caesar, where the armed wing of the ANC. The ANC's armed struggle against the government may be suspended, but the tribal warfare continues. While the ANC men were attacking, their squatter camps were burnt down by in Carter supporters. The shacks of township life couldn't withstand the heat and collapsed. Local residents claimed the police had done nothing to stop in Carter. These policemen, they do nothing, because all the things they do in front of them, they do nothing. That's how you must take out things out, because they'll come back and shoot us, shoot us, shoot us dead. For the squatters whose homes were burned, it was time to move again. Carrying bed frames, mattresses, and a few sticks of furniture, they set up camp on a spare piece of land before being advised to seek shelter in nearby churches, amid fears the violence would continue. With no peace talks between in Carter, leader Gatja Bouta -Lazy and the ANC's Nelson Mandela on the agenda, the people

remained caught in the middle. A meeting between Bouta -Lazy and Mandela could help stem the flow of violence, but the fighting in the townships is now more of an astrate political clash between the ANC and in Carter. As more people are killed, more personal vendetta are created, contributing to the increasing spiral of violence. For the Christian Science Monitor, I'm Simon Marks, intercosa township East of Johannesburg. This is monitor radio's early edition, I'm Mike Hale.

The Philippine government announced yesterday it will sell an estimated 10 million dollars worth of old master paintings, and a 100 -piece silver service acquired while Ferdinand Marcos was president. A spokesman for the government says that while Filipinos appreciate fine things, the money could be better used to help victims of the recent earthquakes. Fiscal problems aren't the only concerns facing President Corazono Kino. Correspondent Sheila Chaft recently visited the Philippines, and she tells the monitor's bill, Moller, that many in Mandela think Mrs. Akino is losing control of the country. Some people think she

has, and they're very pessimistic about the outlook in terms of her lasting out her full term. On the other hand, many Filipinos have become very blase about the frequent coups there have been fixed, and she came to office in 1986. And some people think that she may be starting to turn things around at this point. I think the jury is still out on that. But there seems to be so much that is wrong with the government and the country. There's corruption in the hierarchy, and the city of Manila looks like a wasteland in many sectors. Can she really be decisive in improving things? Well, in recent months she has put together a grassroots political organization, which is aimed at either furthering her candidates in the upcoming elections in two years, or in furthering her own candidacy. Now,

one of the big question marks is whether or not she will face yet another coup. There have been fixed in her stormy period in office. And I think many people think it's only a matter of time before the military discontent boils over again. Is that discontent born of the low wages in low morale among the military officer, Cor? That's part of it, and it's also the dissatisfaction with Corazon Aquino with what perceived as the stagnation in her government. Now, you talked about elections in a couple of years, but didn't she say that she would not be seeking a six -year term? Is she going to hold to that? Well, she has maintained that. However, a number of analysts feel that if Emelda Marcos, the wife of the late dictator of the Philippines, and whom recently was just acquitted of racketeering charges in the United States, if she returns

to the Philippines and runs for office, that that may prompt Corazon Aquino to reverse her decision and run for office. Alternatively, if a candidate backed by Mrs. Marcos runs, many people think that Corazon Aquino will have no choice in that regard either and will be on the ballot. That Sheila Teft in conversation with the monitors Bill Moller. If you think the price of land in the United States is expensive, try this on for size, $70 ,000 a square yard. That's the going rate for prime real estate in Tokyo. Two -thirds of Japan's wealth is in land, and prices just keep going up. The monitors Wendy Hunter reports on a nation increasingly divided between those who have it and those who don't. In the middle of Tokyo, there's a quiet, seemingly ordinary neighborhood called San Bancho that just happens to be the most

expensive residential land in Japan and hence the world. And there in a shack atop a dirty, deserted three -story building, lives Junko Yamaka and her four cats. Long ago, developers bought out the land beneath Junko's building for about $7 million, along with all her neighbors' land. But protected by strong tenant laws, Junko could not be evicted. For two years, she has held out against speculators' threats and offers of money, defending her right to her own little niche in Tokyo. It's a very small, crummy place, but to live with cats, the very, very nice place. In that sense, it's priceless. Priceless. That's not far removed from the heights Japanese real estate soar to in 1986 and 87. Land prices were driven upward by the sudden increase in demand,

rampant speculation, and easy loans offered by Japanese banks. Today, the land of Japan is worth $15 trillion, five times the value of all the land in the US. The imperial palace grounds in Central Tokyo are said to be worth more than the entire state of Florida. While these astronomical prices have been a boon to some, they have been a burden to the 40 percent of Japanese who are landless. Social critics observe that Japan's cherished middle -class society is being polarized into the haves and the have -nots. Those with land and those whose salaries cannot keep pace with a rising cost of owning a home. A four to five percent raise doesn't make any difference. What makes a difference is whether or not you have a house or whether or not you own land. In that sense, it's hard to dream of ever becoming rich overnight. Tsusumo and Kimeo Kakutani

would be well off by most standards. He's an executive at a major Japanese bank. The Kakutani's have saved carefully to buy a home. They've been searching for a condominium within an hour and a half of his Tokyo office that would be in their price range of up to $370 ,000. Those condos they could afford weren't such demand the Kakutani's had to enter the lottery for the right to buy them. If the real estate prices are ever going to go down, it will be around next year. Till then, we have no choice but to keep playing this lottery game. Economists say land prices could be reduced by reorganizing Tokyo's jumble of factory shacks and high rises. They suggest the government could relocate farms that still occupy 12 % of the city. They could freeze land prices, or rezone Tokyo, which is only half as dense as Manhattan, but where much of the world's most expensive soil is covered with two story homes. However, legislators such as Jose Norota,

chairman of the Parliament's Land Committee, aren't in favor of drastic change. For now, we should temporarily maintain the present prices, prevent any further price increases, and then gradually reduce the land values. This way, companies will not collapse, and the employees will eventually be able to afford their own housing. Marketing analyst George Fields calls land reform political dynamite. He believes the government's land policy has created one winner, Corporate Japan. I own land here. I'm in real estate here, but I'm a small owner. It has protected corporate investors in real estate, because their asset rates has increased considerably, which has now enabled them to borrow on that asset base and invest overseas if you like, or invest more real estate or invest in stock. But these are the corporate bias, not the individual. Meanwhile, the Kakutani's lost again in this latest housing lottery.

There's already a big gap between the actual price and what we can afford, so we can only look for something below market value, unless it gets cheaper there's nothing we can do. We may have to rent forever. And Sanban chose last told out, Junko Yamaka finally moved. After two years of fighting developers, she was too tired to carry on. Packing up her belongings and her cats, Junko agreed to move for a relocation fee of $400 ,000. Although to her it seemed like a fortune, it spared change in the Japanese real estate game, and after taxes still not enough for her to buy a house. Junko's dilemma symbolizes the contradictions of Japan's land boom. She's experienced both the great fortune and misfortune of living on the world's most valuable soil. For the Christian Science Monitor, this is Wendy Hanamura in Tokyo. It's 11 minutes before the hour.

In sports, the New York Yankees have a new man in charge. Limited partner Robert Niederlander was given the job yesterday during a meeting of the team's owners in Cleveland. Former General Partner George Steinbrenner recently banished by Commissioner Faye Vincent for improper business dealings had hoped to name his son Hank to the job, but the younger Steinbrenner wasn't interested. The 1990 baseball season has now seen a record eight no -hitters. Left Andrew Terry Mulholland of the Philadelphia Phillies fired the latest no -hitter last night by shutting out the San Francisco giant six to nothing. The eight no -hitters breaks the record of seven set in 1908 and tied in 1917. And that's a quick check of sports. Music Music that will bring down the

house. That story ahead after these headlines. Three Britons, two Americans, and a Frenchman reportedly crossed into Jordan with 7 ,000 other foreigners fleeing Iraq and Iraqi -occupied Kuwait today. They are the first Westerners allowed to leave Baghdad since a group of U .S. embassy dependents and a 10 -year -old American girl crossed into Jordan Saturday. Jordan's King Hussein goes to Kenna -Bunkport main today to meet with President Bush on the military confrontation with Iraq, King Hussein met with Iraqi President Saddam Hussein earlier in the week and is trying to mediate a solution to the crisis. A left -wing newspaper in Beirut says secret contacts are underway aimed at freeing western hostages in Lebanon. The pro -Syrian paper quote sources is saying all 14 western hostages will be released by the end of the year. And at least four people are dead in South Africa after scores of armed men attacked passengers at a train station in the town of Soweto. 143 people have now been killed in five days of fighting between rival black groups near Johannesburg. I'm Kirk Nielsen.

Pump up the jam, pump up the volume is with thousands of sweaty dancers asked for nightly at clubs around the country and around the world that feature house music. A funkier and updated version of disco, house music relies on pounding drums and a thumping bass line to keep up a

seemingly endless beat. Pat Baudner spoke recently with the monitor's music critic Amy Duncan about the dance tunes that are bringing down the house. A lot of people say that it started in Chicago in the dance clubs. You know, some people seem to think that the money started in Europe. It certainly is very popular in Europe, but I think what it gets down to is, you know, like the disco of the 70s, a dance never dies and so people are always looking for ways to change and make innovations in the kind of music that you hear played in clubs. Is it like disco music or is there something really different about it? Well, I'll tell you, it's like this. Yes and no, what's the way I would answer that? Because yes, in the sense that, you know, there are these long endless songs that are played in a club for people to dance to. I think the main thing, at least to my ear anyway, the main thing that has,

that makes the difference between house music of today and the disco of the 70s, although I think one is sort of evolving out of the other, is the use of the synthesizer. You can, in your very own home and the privacy of your home, you can make a house music record, but I just, you can set up because you can start out by laying down a heavy rhythm track. Now this is one thing also that sort of characterizes house music. Is it has a real, of course it has a strong beat, but it also has like an insistent bass line, a very heavy bass line and you can lay that down on your little midi setup and then on top of that, you can layer anything you want on top of that in any way that you want and so it becomes like a little, almost like a little game. Well, I'll throw in a little bit of this here and how about a little taste of that over there and you know, that's kind of the name of the game with house music. I need a real house, put me in a room, I need a run to make my body move, I need someone to play me also, that'll make my body rock, oh, like, no.

Interestingly, a lot of the musicians who do house music are also DJs, but it's not just one type of music, there are a lot of different subcategories it seems. Oh yeah, and the thing about them being DJs is because it really is mostly recorded music. I mean, you don't really see a lot of house music groups like performing live and concert. I mean, you go into the club and you hear the albums. Now, as far as the styles are concerned, well, for sure, I mean, it's almost like an umbrella or like a huge sponge that has absorbed different styles. I love to make jokes about this because I mean, everything that you can think of is in house music. Now, I mean, right now there's a tendency towards using a lot of soul singers, you know, singing house music or, you know, hip -hop is in it or you can even hear little pieces of jazz or this and that. And I like to joke around, you know, and say, you know, we should get Luciano Pavarotti to sing, you know, and Arya from Puccini over a house music track. I mean, it's almost like you, you know, it's almost like

you can do it. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no more bad times, only bad times and good life, good life. Good life, good life, good life, good life and good life. It's really interesting that house music is so popular in England. And I guess elsewhere in Europe, not just in the United States which was my first thought that it would be so popular here having started in the United States. Well you know we have a tendency to always kind of see everything from our own point of view but from from the point of view of people who don't live here you know their music is just as popular as ours is and of course house music in Europe yes it's definitely popular I remember I did a story not too long ago about a

movement of kind of a slowed down version of house music in Belgium called new beat which had a whole clothing style thing that went along with it as well. You know I'm really happy that hip hop has gotten into house music because I just think that if you can get something that has a nice aggressive street edge like that to it that it really adds something to house music because otherwise it can be a bit monotonous okay I realize that you don't just like sit down and you're living really put on house music albums or I don't know maybe some people do but my feeling is if I put on

a house music album I want to be doing something else while I'm listening to it sort of like new age you know I hate to make that comparison but and also I would imagine preferably with a gang of friends yeah for sure but I just think I just feel like the hip hop is you know like kind of pumping a little more life into some of the house music I think it's a nice trend. The monitors music critic Amy Duncan joins us regularly to talk about trends in the world of music she spoke with Pat Baudner. You're listening to monitor radio's early edition I'm Mike K. Hill filling in for Pat Baudner and coming up tomorrow I can recognize my family. My family has freckles of five to this guy past the moon on the sun around the earth the hair is nice with blue roses all around time goes fast I walk it's a break dance my hair has two eyes my family looks good I love my family and my show too. The difference that having a poet in the classroom can make our engineers are Doreen Maxwell Scott Martin and John Schwartz our show is directed

by David Goodman our producers are Greg Fitzgerald and Donna Hugh Pat McMurray and Ron Shactor Kate Dearborn is our executive producer if you have any comments on our program please write us our address is monitor radio early edition one Norway street Boston Massachusetts 02115 this is the American public radio network