European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 9, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 8 world the stars and stripes saturday March 9, 1991 Germany Trade deficit 1st since August 1985 Wiesbaden Germany up a Germany s current account balance in january showed a deficit for the first time since August 1985, because of a surge in imports fuelled by rising demand in Eastern Germany the Federal statistics office said thursday. The office quoted a preliminary report by the Bundesbank which said that the january current account balance showed a deficit of $800 million after a december surplus of $2.2 billion the report said that january imports soared 24 percent while exports fell 2.1 percent As compared wit the same period ast year. The january 1990 Trade surplus totalled $8.8 billion. Carter in Nicaragua checking state reforms Managua Nicaragua up a former president Carter arrived in Nicaragua on thursday to bring himself up to Date with recent economic reforms imposed by the government officials said. A it a a a. A a year a the eyes of the world were on Nicaragua a Carter said referring to the february 1990 elections that brought president Violeta Chamorro to Power after 10 years of sandinista Rule. A once again the eyes of the world Are turning toward  on sunday the government devalued its two currencies by 80 percent against the Dollar ant announced that 4 the weaker of the Carter two the old Cordoba would be taken out of circulation on april 30. Chamorro Hopes these and other planned reforms such As the privatization of state owned companies will revive an Economy that suffered from an estimated 13,000 percent inflation rate last year. Quot a a poll shows improvement in . Alliance new York apr a sixty six percent of americans see France As an important cultural influence but Only 44 percent of the French think the same about America a poll suggested thursday. But take heart americans the French gave a 76 percent vote of Confidence to . Technology. In contrast 54 percent of the americans rated France As a technological Leader. The Gallup poll was released thursday by the French american foundation a new Yolk based group of american professionals who want to strengthen economic political and cultural ties with France. The poll said 30 percent of americans and 31 percent of the French think the relationship Between the two countries has gotten better in recent years. Forty eight percent of the americans and 58 percent of the French think its the same. Asked to choose from a list of six countries the place they a prefer to live a other than their Owh a the French topped their list with Germany 19 percent the United states 18 percent Italy 6 percent and Spain 15 percent. Thousands stranded As airline halts flights London up a thousands of travellers were a tended Friday when air Europe Britain s second target airline suspended flights and applied to the courts for Protection from its creditors. Air Europe which flies Between Britain and about 50 destinations in Europe said its Fleet of 30 aircraft was grounded until further notice and passengers were told not to turn up for flights other airlines were helping pass enfors reach their destinations and refunds of tickets will be offered in some eases an air Europe spokeswoman said. Hurst Green England a the conservative party suffered its biggest upset in a decade losing a special election in a former tory stronghold in North England. A the defeat came despite the soaring popularity of conservative prime minister John major. With the Gulf War overshadowed by anger Over an unpopular tax the centrist Liberal democratic parly scored a 4,601-vote Victory Over the tories in the prosperous Ribbec Valley District according to official results. V. A a a a the District has about 62,000 voters. The tories won the previous ejection by 19,528, votes and considered the District one of their safest seats in the. 650-seat House of commons. A the result is very bad for us a said conservative party chairman Chris Patten. A it docs have a message for us about the Community charge a he said referring to the poll tax. V the Liberal democrats candidate Michael Carr 44, said after the results were announced that his party s Victory would mean an end to the poll tax. Widespread opposition to the tax a per capita sys Tom of local taxation that replaced property taxes in England this year dominated the Campaign. The Gulf War was scarcely mentioned. In a 24 percent swing against the government Carr won 49 percent of the vote compared 39 percent cast for tory candidate Nigel Evans. The Mam opposition labor party a candidate Josic Farrington _9 percent. The remainder was split among fringe candidates. The result was the worst by election showing by the albanian exodus a Young albanian refugee Barefoot and wrapped in a Blanket disembark from a ship that ran a blockade thursday and landed in Brindisi Italy. More than 10,000 Asylum seekers have made the simile voyage across the Adriatic sea to ports in Southern Italy during the last week. Italy has asked Tirana to Stop the exodus and said that any not qualifying As political refugees would be sent  since 179. It overshadowed the government s loss of the South England District of Eastbourne to the centrists in a 19 percent swing five months ago. The annual poll tax is $780 per person in Ribste Valley and represents a 66 percent increase for most households compared to the former tax on property. Its introduction by the conservatives was widely regarded As a political Blunder and contributed to Margaret thatchers downfall last november. Majors Cabinet is struggling to devise a different form of tax. \ a -. A thursdays election was called because the conservative incumbent David Waddington was elevated to the unelected House of lords. A. The result will have Little Impact on the tories commanding 96-scat majority in the House of commons. But the Ribble Valley election attracted National attention because the result will Likely influence whether major risks calling a general election this summer. The deadline for holding such an election is june 1992 with the resounding Allied Victory major is basking in approval ratings higher than Thatcher Ever achieved in Gallup polls. Britain sent 40,000 troops to the Gulf the largest european Force. / a Gallup poll published in the pro  daily Telegraph on thursday showed that 57 percent of the 1,157 voters questioned said they were satisfied with majors performance. Before thursdays election the conservatives had 372 seats labor had 228 and the Liberal democrats 20 seats in the House of a commons. The rest were scattered among Small regional parties. Dates London apr pregnant women should be Given an estimated time of arrival rather Shah an exact due Date says an obstetrician writing in the British medical journal lancet. Or. Nigel Saunders an obstetrician at St. Mary a Hospital in London said women get too anxious when they done to deliver on the predicted Date. They then sometimes opt for an induced delivery when it Isnit necessary he said. Doctors should Tell women the expected due Date is any time Between 38 and 42 weeks after the last menstrual Cycle Saunders said. Less than 5 percent of All women deliver on their due Date Saunders said. A i think we need to get the message across that this Isnit an accurate  but or. Stuart Campbell an obstetrician at London a Kings College school of Medicine and dentistry said it s unrealistic not to estimate the delivery Date. A women like to focus on a particular Date a he said. A most women realize they re not going to deliver on that exact Date.�?�. Quot Quot i ca�pbe11 recommended dating by ultrasound rather than by the last menstrual Cycle. Doctors can determine fairly accurately an estimated delivery Date using ultrasound he said. A the Beauty of 40 weeks1 is that once we know the patient is approaching 40 weeks we can. Do a test to establish she is Normal a Campbell said. Estimates Are often made by a formula popularized by Franz Carl Naegele a 19th Century physician. Acc 3�� Naegeley a Rule the delivery Date is determined by adding nine months and seven Days to the Date of the last menstrual Cycle. It s Normal though for women to give birth anywhere irom 3a to 42 weeks after Conception Saunders said. As an example of How Many variables can affect Nae-�clf.5 Tuie Saunders said that his review of 23,000 inns showed that tall women tended to give birth ,05 percent of women at least 5-foot-7 gave Oiron alter the due Date compared with less than 45 percent of women Shorter than 5 feet v aunders says he can to explain the difference. J m not making a big thing about height a he said i was trying to give an example of How one thing can in hence this calculation. Maybe smoking habits Rte race would affect the formula too. Nne just a Lytle Lifis hearted plea to show people not to get too uptight about this Rule.�?�. Or