European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 2, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 24 a a a the stars and stripes a # a. Thursday August 2, 1990 news briefs Trinidad rebel Leader Calls coup bid a family squabble port of Spain Trinidad apr a moslem militant said in a radio interview wednesday that the coup attempt he is leading in Trinidad is a a Small family squabble a and that an Accord has been reached to end the standoff. In an interview with the British broadcasting corp., rebel Leader Abu Bakr indicated that 40 people being held prisoner by his followers in the Caribbean nation and former British Colony would soon be released. A the negotiations Are Over. We already have a signed agreement Quot he said. A we arc making preparations now for the evacuation of All the people All the people at the television House and the people who arc at the parliament  Bakr did not say when the prisoners would be freed or disclose other terms of the purported agreement. Earlier the government suggested that any agreements reached a at gunpoint Quot May not be considered binding. The Cape Ives were seized Friday in an armed assault on parliament and the state to station. The prisoners initially included the prime minister but he was freed after offering to step Down to Call new elections and to Grant the rebels amnesty. Killer of Puppy sentenced to 31/2 years in prison Green Cove Springs Fla apr a Man convicted of killing a Puppy with a Butcher knife was sentenced to 3vi years in prison under Florida a toughened animal cruelty Law. Eversion Eugene Webb 22, was sentenced tuesday following his conviction last month of aggravated cruelty in the stabbing death of a Small mixed Breed dog May ii. Testimony at Webb a trial indicated he killed the dog because it was tearing up his Yard. Circuit judge Giles p. Lew is said he imposed the maximum prison term under the states sentencing guidelines because of the nature of the crime. Quot a person does no to have to be an animal Lover to be offended by the cruel and inhuman manner in which this Puppy was killed Quot Lewis said. The crime was raised from a Misdemeanour to a felony under a Law that took effect in october. Forces from Page 1 negotiations ahead before an agreement on the future of the East German forces can be reached. A everybody is playing their cards close to their chests at this Lime and nobody is saying anything of any  on july 20, the 46th anniversary of the failed plot of German officers to kill Adolf Hitler in East Prussia Eppel Mann had 50,000 East German soldiers swear a new oath of allegiance. It freed them from their vow to a defend socialism against All enemies alongside the soviet  the new oath ended with the words a i swear to dedicate my entire strength to the preservation of peace in the Cdr East Germany a a port Vila Vanuatu apr South Pacific nations wednesday criticized a . Plan to bum chemical weapons on a Remote Pacific atoll and said they would not allow the Region to become a the toxic waste disposal Center of the  but the communique issued by the 15-nation South Pacific forum at the end of a two Day meeting stopped Short of condemning the United slates. The chemical weapons which were stockpiled in West Germany and elsewhere Are 1b be destroyed at an incinerator now being tested on the Johnston atoll. The United states has agreed to move its Eri tire stockpile of chemical weapons out of West Germany by the end of the year. Also to be destroyed Are 1,200 tons of weapons already on Johnston atoll which Are so badly corroded by sea air they cannot be moved in addition a leaking stockpile of about 100 . Mustard Gas rounds dating from world War ii recently was found in the Solomon islands despite assurances from the Bush administration the Pacific leaders said they a remained concerned by the substantial potential risks to the environment Quot of the incineration of the chemical weapons. Prime minister Bob Hawke of Australia argued in favor of the plan saying scientific evidence indicated the incineration was Safe. He said the project was in the interests  disarmament. Suggesting no recession in �?T90 Washington apr the governments main economic forecasting gauge was unchanged in june the Commerce department reported wednesday suggesting sluggish growth but no recession for the remainder of the year. The Index of leading economic indicators designed to forecast economic activity six to nine months in Advance had risen a revised 0.7 percent in May not quite As Strong As the 0.8 percent gain first reported last month. But while the Index did not Advance in june it escaped a decline. In the past three consecutive declines have sometimes signalled a forthcoming recession. If the Economy continues to grow through november it will reach its eighth year of expansion following the last recession. It already is in the longest peacetime expansion in . History but has slowed noticeably in recent quarters. In Advance of wednesdays report a consensus of economists had expected a 012 percent gain in june. Only four of the Forward looking components were positive. They were an increase in the Price of raw materials higher Stock prices an increase in building permits and slower business delivery times. On the other hand six were negative a drop in manufacturers unfilled orders a smaller amount of orders for consumer goods a decline in the Money Supply a drop in an Index measuring consumer Confidence a decrease in orders for new plants and equip mint and an increase in weekly unemployment claims. One indicator the length of the average workweek was unchanged. The various changes left the Index at 146 percent of its 1982 base of 100 and up 1.4 percent from its level a year ago. Mother describes alleged victim of child abuse As a just Bright by Rosemary Sawyer staff writer bad Kreuz Nach West Germany a the Mother of an 8-year-old girl who doctors say was the victim of severe child abuse remembers her daughter As a Quot Chunky Tomboy Type Little girl Quot who was a just  Maryann Mattox gave that description wednesday during testimony in the murder trial of her sex husband staff sgt. Ricardo Valdez 34. Valdez is charged in the death of their daughter Michele. If convicted he could receive a life sentence. In the third Day of Valdez a general court martial Mattox described her daughter s condition in 1984, when she last saw her. The couple had separated in 1982 and Ricardo Valdez was Given custody of Michele and her sister Nelleke. Mattox broke into tears when asked by army prosecutor maj. Michael child to look at a studio photograph of the girls taken in late i 984. When Michele was declared dead on March 28, medical authorities said she showed signs of severe malnutrition and weighed just 36 pounds. Air Force paediatrician maj. Steven Boos testified wednesday to the likelihood of Michele a size being caused by malnutrition. Citing Michele a first three years of medical records As evidence of above average growth Boos said that Only illness or nutritional deprivation could have caused her Small stature at death. Valdez of he co 4th in 34th Armor in Mainz is also charged with maiming three counts of child neglect assault on a child under age 16 and larceny of military property. Closing arguments Are scheduled for thursday in the  from Page 1 numbers for Active duty cuts Are deceiving because they use authorized fiscal 1990 end strengths As a base line. Quot All the services have seen these reductions coming and have been making great efforts to reduce their personnel Levels in Advance a he said. For example statistics recently released by the Pentagon showed the army with 739,156 troops compared to its authorized limit of 744,169. The Navy is 12,000 personnel below its authorized strength for this year while the air Force is 5,000 under its limit. The House committee Bill would direct the Pentagon to take the bulk of the cuts by bringing in fewer recruits As the first major step toward a 25 percent Cut in personnel Over the next five years the staffer said. A you can take out a lot of end strength by cutting accessions a he said. A we done to expect a lot of involuntary separations next year although a certain number will probably be inevitable in future  military officials requested a pay raise of 3.5 percent. The Senate armed services committee tried to find Money that would have matched the House raise but settled for fulfilling the Pentagon a request in its version of the defense authorization Bill. The Money for the higher raise in the House committee Bill was a result of the panels larger personnel Cut. A it was mostly a Trade off a a staffer said. Quot with less people on Active duly More Money would be available to fund the raise for those who  the committees pay raise provision coming in the opening rounds of what is expected to be to e most intense defense budget Battle in years is far from assured. The staffer acknowledged that the raise faces an Uphill Battle. A even if we can get the Senate to agree the whole thing could go by the Board if the budget Summit comes up with some different plan a he said. The White House and congressional leaders have been meeting for several months to come up with ways to Cut the deficit. Talks have lagged in recent weeks but a congressional aide confirmed that the negotiators have contemplated limiting the size of the military pay raise or delaying its effective Date until april rather than january. In other personnel actions the committee approved a Byron proposal to provide Severance pay and other benefits for involuntarily separated Servi co members. The plan would give Severance pay to enlisted members with six or More years of service and to officers with five or More years of service. Other highlights of the plan include 26 weeks of unemployment payments one year of commissary and Exchange privileges after separation and continued medical care in military facilities or under the Pentagon a health insurance plan. Service members and i Weir families with less than six years of service would get medical care for 60 Days after separation while those w Ith More than six years of service would be covered for 120 Days. The committee also Calls for a Cut of 25 percent Over the next five years in the number of generals and admirals on Active duty a reduction of about 270 of the current total of 1,073. The Senate committee Bill recommends a 20 percent Cut Over four years or about 210 generals and admirals. The Pentagon recently announced a self imposed Cut of 78 generals and admirals Over four years about 7 percent of the total