European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 3, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Troops claim control of Monrovia Abidjan Ivory coast apr the five nation West african intervention Force took control of Central Monrovia and set up heavy artillery at Bridges and other strategic Points in the liberian capital the Ghana news Agency reported. The news Agency which has a correspondent with the 3,000-Man Force quoted ghanaian it. Col. George Ayiku As saying his troops had overcome stiff resistance saturday from rebels Loyal to Charles Taylor. Monrovia has become a Patchwork quilt of rebel factions and troops Loyal to president Samuel Doe in the past month and the multinational Force has to pass through areas controlled by Doe and rebel Leader Prince Johnson to reach areas controlled by Taylor a men. The City has been without water and electricity for More than two months and food stocks were running Low As All regular transport links with the outside world were Cut. Doe and Johnson have welcomed the White Hel meted troops of the Force sent in by West african leaders to end liberians 8-month old tribal and civil War. Taylor has vowed to destroy the Force and his men attacked it soon after it arrived aug. 24. Johnson a men controlled Monrovia sport and most of the City Center. Areas on the City a Eastern fringes were under the control of does troops but were under regular attack by Taylor a fighters. Johnson split from Taylor three months ago. The Ghana news Agency earlier reported the task forces units had advanced beyond Spriggs Payne Airfield in Eastern Monrovia in an Effort to reach embassies of three of the countries contributing to the Force Ghana Nigeria and Guinea. Taylor a rebels were holding several thousand ghanaian nigerians and guinean citizens and ghanaian refugees accused the insurgents of killing at least 200 of their countrymen. Taylor has confirmed holding the foreigners but denied that his forces had killed any. Meanwhile a ghanaian merchant ship the . Tano River sailed sunday with 7,000 refugees from Ghana and other West african nations aboard. It was bound for Accra. Two women died of malnutrition on Board the ship while waiting for it to depart. Two other refugees drowned while trying to climb a rope to Board the ship the news Agency said after officers said the ship could take no More passengers. At least 5,000 refugees were left behind in the  update extradition Case Athens Greece apr a new Law will allow Greece to try a palestinian the United states wants extradited in connection with the bombing of a . Airliner a member of parliament says. The Bill was approved unanimously by an All party parliamentary committee Friday and will become Law after a debate in parliament this week said the lawmaker who spoke on condition of anonymity. The legislation appeared designed to prevent the extradition of palestinian Mohammed Rashid wanted by the United sates for allegedly planting a bomb that exploded in a pan am Airliner flying Over Hawaii in 1982. A japanese teen Ager was killed by the blast and 15 other passengers were  insurance Sacramento Calif. Apr gov. George Deukmejian a plan to require California homeowners to pay up to $60 a year for mandatory earthquake coverage was approved by the legislature. The Bill was inspired by the october 1989 Northern California quake that killed 62 people. The Bill would provide about 6.5 million property owners with up to $15,000 of quake insurance for an annual surcharge of Between $12 and $60. Thatcher says dec should safeguard to curtail German economic might London apr Britain France and other members of the european Community should work together to prevent the bloc being overwhelmed by a United Germany prime minister Margaret Thatcher said in an interview aired sunday. Asked How the 12-nation Community could Cope with the economic might of a United Germany Thatcher acknowledged that Germany Quot will be a very dominant nation a but added a she need not be dominant totally so Long As France and ourselves and the others see that she Isnit. A a in be been there a Long time. We can do it a said Thatcher. A but it Means the rest saying a we too have our own views. A she said a some of the smaller nations sometimes will say a if France and Germany agree the rest of us should  and i have said a no. You each put your own  a partly been my role so that really is How we manage to have quite a lot of influence in the  in the interview on Britain a to am Channel Thatcher said German unification reinforced her arguments for retaining individual National sovereignty As opposed to moves toward greater political and economic Unity of to the Community. At least 87 dead As typhoon Abe sweeps across Philippines Taiwan Manila Philippines up a heavy Rains spawned by typhoon Abe triggered flooding saturday on the nations main Island of Luzon disrupting Domestic air service killing two people to bring the week Tong toll to As Many As 87, and sending hundreds fleeing to safer ground. Abe was located in Southern China on saturday after a sweep across Taiwan but the Manila weather Bureau said the typhoon intensified the Southwest Monsoon bringing heavy Rains and floods to the Philippines. Local officials said one boy drowned and another was electrocuted in the inundated town of Bocage just North of the capital Manila. The military office of civil defense said typhoon related landslides earlier in the week in the provinces of Bengue Nueva Viscaya and Nueva Ecija North of Manila left 32 people dead. The red Cross toll for the earlier flooding was 85 dead. Wide areas of the capital were flooded saturday prompting philippine airlines to suspend Domestic air services in the afternoon. Schools were ordered closed. The .-run television far East network also reported severe flooding at Clark a. Bulacan province gov. Roberto Pagdanganan said the towns of Bocage Malolos and Calumpit were under water in some areas a neck  he said 25 houses were destroyed in Bocage sending 120 people to evacuation centers. Bocage mayor Lorenzo Gonzales said hundreds More were marooned in Rice Fields or on rooftops. He pleaded to authorities in Manila to Send amphibian tanks to Rescue  pact on children a rights takes effect United nations apr an agreement guaranteeing children the right to a healthy environment free from abuse or exploitation went into effect sunday. The United global convention on the rights of the child took effect in the 29 nations that have ratified it. In addition 105 nations a including All of Europe and the soviet Union a have signed the convention indicating their intention to ratify it but the Accord is not binding on them until they do. The United states has not yet signed. Secretary general Javier Perez de Cuellar said in a statement that the convention a addresses the needs of those who Are humanity a most vulnerable As Well As its most cherished  he said the Speed with which nations ratified the convention and its entry into Force less than a year after its adoption shows the a International Community a deep commitment to enhancing respect for the dignity Well being and development of the  the general Assembly unanimously adopted the convention last december. The . Children a fund and Many governments and private agencies say the agreement sets new standards for fighting child neglect sexual exploitation and other forms of abuse. It wraps together All the International Laws concerning the rights of minors that were scattered among More than 80 treaties and declarations drafted Over the last 60 years. The convention however has engendered controversy because it allows anyone 15 years of age or older to be drafted into military service a provision that the . Administration supported. More than 95,000 child soldiers lost their lives in the War Between Iran and Iraq. More than 200,000 15-to 17-year-Olds serve in various armed forces worldwide officials report. Norway Sweden France West Germany Italy Spain Australia Canada Mexico and other nations wanted the draft age raised to at least 17, and the soviet Union said it would go along with that Standard. The United states however held out for keeping the draft age at 15, arguing that the 1949 Geneva conventions on warfare and the 1977 additional protocols specify that age and the new convention should conform. In another controversial Issue the Accord sets the end of childhood at age 18, but does not say whether childhood begins at birth or at some Point earlier. That divided anti abortion and pro Choice advocates. The convention glosses Over abortion stating Only in the non binding preamble that children deserve special Protection a before As Well As after  the United states supported the inclusion of the reference to the rights of the unborn. Recognition of children As individuals with inalienable rights began under International Law in 1924, when the league of nations adopted the Geneva Declara Tion on children a rights. That abolished the common custom of treating children As the property of their fathers. The convention on the rights of the child recognizes the right of free association and guarantees a child the right to enjoy a family life. It extends International Legal Protection to the adoption procedure. Ratifying governments Are required to provide adoption services so orphans can have Access to family life. Under another provision the Accord says children May not be separated from their parents except for the child a Well being. They also cannot be sold into prostitution slavery or used As bonded labourers to pay off parents debts. The convention however lets ratifying nations set the minimum age for child labourers and regulate working conditions. Nations signing the convention must report periodically to a new . Committee on the rights of the child. The first a world Summit for children will be held late this month at the United nations. Its goal is to mobilize the worlds governments to save up to 100 million children from death by disease and malnutrition in the 1990s. Canada Egypt Mali Mexico Pakistan and Sweden Are sponsoring the event to push governments to redirect spending from military budgets and payments on their foreign debts in favor of health and nutrition