The Week December 12-18

By Christopher John Farley, Sophfronia Scott Gregory, Eugene Linden, Michael Quinn, Jeffery C. Rubin, Sidney Urquhart

NATION

Les Aspin Resigns

Secretary of Defense Aspin stepped down, and President Clinton nominated Bobby Ray Inman, a former admiral, deputy director of the CIA and head of the National Security Agency, as his replacement. Reports made it clear that Aspin was forced out. He had been at the center of controversy since the beginning of his tenure, when he was caught in the middle of the fight over allowing gays in the military. His disorganized, professorial style alienated many in the Pentagon, and in October he was criticized in Congress for his not sending armored vehicles to troops in Somalia who were later caught and decimated in a firefight.

Packwood Diaries

After receiving testimony that Senator Bob Packwood had tampered with his private diaries, lawyers for the Senate ethics committee last week insisted that a subpoena for them be enforced. A secretary who used to work for Packwood said in a deposition that the Oregon Republican altered tapes and tape transcriptions that the Senate has subpoenaed as part of its investigation into Packwood's alleged sexual misconduct. Packwood apparently made the changes before the subpoena was issued. The tapes and transcriptions have now been placed in the custody of a federal judge, and the court is expected to rule on the subpoena by mid-January.

Gay-Rights Ban Struck Down

Colorado's infamous anti-gay rights amendment was declared unconstitutional by a Denver judge. The amendment, passed by voters last year, would have barred state and local laws prohibiting discrimination based on an individual's sexual orientation.

Clinton on Entitlements

At a televised symposium on entitlements in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, Clinton argued against making further cuts in Medicare and Medicaid to reduce the deficit, saying health-care reform would do a better and fairer job of reducing the cost of government health programs.

Hiring Woes

The Administration's hopes to get its civil rights agenda under way were frustrated once more when John Payton, Clinton's latest choice to be Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, withdrew his name. Although backed by major rights groups, Payton, who is black, was opposed by many members of the Congressional Black Caucus. Two other key personnel choices also withdrew: Gerald Torres, who would have been Payton's Justice counterpart on environment < matters, and New York lawyer Harold Ickes, whom Clinton wanted to take over the drive for his health plan.

Annenberg Gift

Publishing billionaire and philanthropist Walter Annenberg will donate $500 million to groups specializing in public school reform.

Segregation on the Rise

De facto segregation is increasing in U.S. schools. A new study by the Harvard Project on School Desegregation found that 66% of black students and 73% of Hispanics attended predominantly minority schools in 1991-92, levels not seen since 1968. The trend is largely the result of greater immigration and higher concentrations of minorities in big cities.

WORLD

Nationalists Gain in Russia

Russians voted on a new constitution and elected a new parliament. The constitution, which gives President Boris Yeltsin strong new powers, passed with 58% of the vote. In party-preference voting for the parliament, however, the ultra-reactionary Liberal Democratic Party, headed by Vladimir Zhirinovsky, won a stunning 23.5% of the vote, while the pro-Yeltsin Russia's Choice Party trailed in second place with 14.8%; the Communists ran a close third with 13.3%. Zhirinovsky has said he would like to restore Russia's 19th century borders, when the empire included both Finland and Alaska. Fortunately for the reformers, only half the seats in the lower house of parliament are allocated according to votes for parties, and many individual Russia's Choice candidates won their districts. So, while it will not have a majority, Russia's Choice Party will form the largest bloc in the Duma. It is still unclear what coalitions may be formed.

Finally, GATT

After seven years of talks, 117 nations approved a new trade pact acclaimed as the most comprehensive in history. The latest version of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade will wholly or partly eliminate national tariffs, subsidies, quotas and other forms of protectionism for dozens of industries. To reach the accord, the U.S. and Europe deferred resolving their differences over film and television markets and aircraft manufacturing.

A Plan for Irish Peace

Prime Ministers John Major of Britain and Albert Reynolds of Ireland announced a "framework for peace" for Northern Ireland. The product of two years of diplomacy, the plan calls for the people of Northern Ireland to eventually decide their fate: whether they willremain part of Britain or join the Irish Republic. If the Irish Republican Army forswears violence for three months, its political wing will be offered a place at the bargaining table.

Israel, P.L.O. Miss Deadline

Israel and the P.L.O. failed last Monday to meet a target date for completing an accord that was to have brought about the beginning of an Israeli troop withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and the Jericho area of the West Bank. Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin hinted that there could be further delays in the introduction of Palestinian self-rule in those areas. Meanwhile, Israel opened its borders to the last of 415 Palestinians banished to a no-man's-land in southern Lebanon one year ago.

Nobel Bickering

After picking up their joint Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, South African President F.W. de Klerk and African National Congress leader Nelson Mandela fell to bickering. De Klerk accused Mandela's supporters of showing "a lack of sensitivity" and "bad manners" at the ceremony.

BUSINESS

Going Once, Going Twice

Its anti-takeover measures having been invalidated by the Delaware courts, Paramount Communications put itself up for auction. Rivals QVC and Viacom, which have been fighting for three months to acquire Paramount, were to make their bids this Monday, along with any other interested parties that happen to have $10 billion or so to spare.

Employees May Buy United

United Airlines may become the nation's largest employee-owned company. Leaders of the pilots' and machinists' unions last week agreed to a deal in which airline workers would receive 53% of the company in exchange for $5.15 billion in concessions. The proposal awaits board and union-member approval.

SCIENCE

Curing the Delta Blues

After more than a decade of debate, lawsuits and battles among government officials, four federal agencies announced a sweeping plan to restore water flow to California's Sacramento Delta. One of the most biologically important estuaries in North America, the delta has been slowly dying as drought and diversion of fresh water to farms and cities have cut its flow 60%. Meanwhile, hopes dimmed for the future of an ambitious plan announced last July to reduce pollution and preserve water flow in Florida's Everglades. Most likely, the matter will now return to the courts.

DDT from Abroad

Though banned in the U.S. more than 20 years ago, the pesticide DDT is still accumulating here. Yale researchers who studied New England forests say winds deliver DDT from countries as remote as India that continue to use it.

THE ARTS & MEDIA

Foxball?

The scrappy Fox network outbid CBS, patriarch of pro-pigskin broadcasters, for four-year TV rights to the prized National Football Conference. Now such gilt- edged franchises as Dallas, San Francisco and the New York Giants will air on the network of Al Bundy and Bart Simpson. And CBS, an N.F.L. home since the '50s, could be without a major pro-team sport. As Bart might say to CBS: "Don't have the Cowboys, man."

The Spielberg Problem

The New York Film Critics Circle named Steven Spielberg's Holocaust epic Schindler's List Best Picture but somewhat perversely gave New Zealand-born Jane Campion the award for Best Director for The Piano. The Los Angeles Film Critics Association likewise divided its Best Picture and Best Director awards between the two. For its part, the National Board of Review named Schindler Best Picture but cited Martin Scorsese as Best Director for The Age of Innocence.